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dennasus's review
3.0
First of all: I would have liked a bit of warning that this story deals with rape / nonconsensual sex. It's not graphic or anything, but no blurb I've seen even hinted at it and I think I might have liked known about it going in.
This one is a bit hard for me to rate. I thought it was a unique set of characters and plot and I was captivated by the two different lives, whose path accidentally met at the Circle K mart. The story was wonderfully written and all the characters were fleshed out well enough for me. It was a bit darker than I expected (rape etc.) and I was okay with that as well. I loved that the story about the robber shows that most of us are just trying to do the best with the cards we're dealt with. There were some great twists and turns that definitely surprised me.
Having said all that, I really didn't feel onboard with the last development / end of the story. Not primarily because I wanted it to have a different (happy-)end, but because at no point in the story I saw or felt that connection, which - to me all of a sudden - bloomed into a love story. No way! Sorry, I just didn't buy it.
Also the more I see it mentioned on other reviews now after I've finished it, I also feel like the way this sudden love comes up also somehow puts the blame for the rape on the woman (don't want to give away spoilers, why I think that). But it makes me feel even more uncomfortable with the last bit of the book.
This one is a bit hard for me to rate. I thought it was a unique set of characters and plot and I was captivated by the two different lives, whose path accidentally met at the Circle K mart. The story was wonderfully written and all the characters were fleshed out well enough for me. It was a bit darker than I expected (rape etc.) and I was okay with that as well. I loved that the story about the robber shows that most of us are just trying to do the best with the cards we're dealt with. There were some great twists and turns that definitely surprised me.
Having said all that, I really didn't feel onboard with the last development / end of the story. Not primarily because I wanted it to have a different (happy-)end, but because at no point in the story I saw or felt that connection, which - to me all of a sudden - bloomed into a love story. No way! Sorry, I just didn't buy it.
Also the more I see it mentioned on other reviews now after I've finished it, I also feel like the way this sudden love comes up also somehow puts the blame for the rape on the woman (don't want to give away spoilers, why I think that). But it makes me feel even more uncomfortable with the last bit of the book.
readingnightandday's review
3.0
Hmmm this was okay but I only finished it because I bought the Kindle book.
blogginboutbooks's review
4.0
I enjoyed this absorbing, touching novel about grief and love. It gets more graphic than I would have liked, but overall the story is full of appealing characters, interesting situations, and Jackson's funny, engaging Southern voice.
kdurham2's review
4.0
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
A crazy love story that started in the most craziest of ways and sure had the ups and downs, but I can't divulge where it ended! (It's too good to spoil!) Shandi is a young single mom and throughout the book I had to keep reminding myself of how young she was because she definitely didn't act like it at times. William is a scientist to the core and may lack in the social skills, but definitely doesn't lack in the book smarts. These two along with a few others are held up in a convenience store and that is where the crazy love story started.
Shandi was a great character, there were a few moments where I thought she repeated herself and once had an enlightenment, but went back to doing the same thing she did before. There were a few times where I wanted to smack her and say wake up! William was the same way, he had some moments where I really gravitated towards him and then he would have a moment where I greatly disliked him - thankfully the good outweighed the bad!
A crazy love story that started in the most craziest of ways and sure had the ups and downs, but I can't divulge where it ended! (It's too good to spoil!) Shandi is a young single mom and throughout the book I had to keep reminding myself of how young she was because she definitely didn't act like it at times. William is a scientist to the core and may lack in the social skills, but definitely doesn't lack in the book smarts. These two along with a few others are held up in a convenience store and that is where the crazy love story started.
Shandi was a great character, there were a few moments where I thought she repeated herself and once had an enlightenment, but went back to doing the same thing she did before. There were a few times where I wanted to smack her and say wake up! William was the same way, he had some moments where I really gravitated towards him and then he would have a moment where I greatly disliked him - thankfully the good outweighed the bad!
meggerboo's review
3.0
It focuses on something else for most of the book (I don't want to give it away).
Had I known the main topic I probably would have waited to read it.
The author does show there are different kinds of love, which was a nice touch.
Had I known the main topic I probably would have waited to read it.
The author does show there are different kinds of love, which was a nice touch.
imaxtian's review
3.0
The title of the book grabbed and sucked me right in. Who doesn't want to be involved in someone else's love story? But it took FOREVER for its plot to be revealed. It has some flips and turns. The ending reads as if the author "hurried" up and gave it a conclusion. Before I knew it, the book was over, leaving me scratching my head about several of the characters outcomes.
hoserlauren's review against another edition
3.0
Shandi and her little boy Natty are moving to Atlanta, after her father offers up his condo so she can be closer to college. Her best friend Walcott is helping with the move and the three stop at a Circle K on the way. Shandi and Natty go inside to get some drinks where a cute man looks lost looking at laundry detergent. Coming up with a thousand ways to approach him, she doesn't really notice another man enter the shop with a gun. He charges the cash register and robs the store but before leaving, a police officer enters the store and the robber shoots her. Realizing he can't leave, the robber takes everyone in to the back and both Shandi and the cute man, William, relive past events in the fear of not having any future ones.
Shandi gave birth to Natty a virgin. She has chosen to forget the day Natty was conceived but in the back of the Circle K, she starts to remember being drugged that night. William lost both his wife and kid in a car crash exactly a year ago. He forbid anyone from mentioning his wife's name infront of him shortly thereafter but starts to relive courting her during high school and remembering how much love they had for each other.
Having read quite a few of Jackson's books in the past I was looking forward to this one. She does a fantastic job of writing imperfect southern women. Shandi isn't the best character Jackson has written but she is typical to Jackson's writing. She's southern, she makes the reader like her, and she has many flaws that she acknowledges and tries to sort out. I think this is part of the reason why I like Jackson's books so much. The characters know they aren't perfect and they usually try to sort things out.
Also typical to Jackson books, this one was very easy to get in to. I started reading and felt like I couldn't stop. I needed to find out what these characters were hiding from themselves and how they were going to get past their issues.
Despite all this, by the time I completed the book and put it down, I felt a little bit let down. There were two reasons for this. The first was that the ending was crammed with revelations. In about 20 pages, there were two plot twists which made me feel like there wasn't enough time to digest what was happening and get resolution out of it. The second was the story of rape that seemed to get played down as not being a big deal. It's not surprising that the rapist himself tried not to make a big deal out of the rape, but when other characters started going along with it, it bothered me. Rape is rape, regardless of the back story that goes along with it.
Shandi gave birth to Natty a virgin. She has chosen to forget the day Natty was conceived but in the back of the Circle K, she starts to remember being drugged that night. William lost both his wife and kid in a car crash exactly a year ago. He forbid anyone from mentioning his wife's name infront of him shortly thereafter but starts to relive courting her during high school and remembering how much love they had for each other.
Having read quite a few of Jackson's books in the past I was looking forward to this one. She does a fantastic job of writing imperfect southern women. Shandi isn't the best character Jackson has written but she is typical to Jackson's writing. She's southern, she makes the reader like her, and she has many flaws that she acknowledges and tries to sort out. I think this is part of the reason why I like Jackson's books so much. The characters know they aren't perfect and they usually try to sort things out.
Also typical to Jackson books, this one was very easy to get in to. I started reading and felt like I couldn't stop. I needed to find out what these characters were hiding from themselves and how they were going to get past their issues.
Despite all this, by the time I completed the book and put it down, I felt a little bit let down. There were two reasons for this. The first was that the ending was crammed with revelations. In about 20 pages, there were two plot twists which made me feel like there wasn't enough time to digest what was happening and get resolution out of it. The second was the story of rape that seemed to get played down as not being a big deal. It's not surprising that the rapist himself tried not to make a big deal out of the rape, but when other characters started going along with it, it bothered me. Rape is rape, regardless of the back story that goes along with it.
balletbookworm's review
2.0
This is definitely not a traditional romance (and I'd never read this author's books before so I wasn't sure what to expect). Number 1, I was not onboard with Shandi's virgin birth story, too nuts. 2. I didn't like the weird rotation between 1st person (Shandi) and 3rd person (William) because it was hard to establish their separate character voices. 3. The ending pretty much ruined the book for me; Shandi is suddenly alright with being roofied and raped (because she was, I don't care who says they were drunker) bc she thinks she realizes what drugged-Shandi meant and this is suddenly going to make all sorts of shit that went down in the book OK?
WTF ever. Also, someone used the term "booby" to refer to breasts, I can't even.
WTF ever. Also, someone used the term "booby" to refer to breasts, I can't even.
deniser821's review against another edition
3.0
There were parts of the book that I liked but I found myself frustrated with the main character. This is the 2nd Joshilyn Jackson book I have read. It wasn’t nearly as good as Almost Sister but It was pleasant enough.
rachelwrites007's review against another edition
2.0
I loved the first Joshilyn Jackson book I read - [b:Gods in Alabama|223462|Gods in Alabama|Joshilyn Jackson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1441072120s/223462.jpg|1345543] - but the book I read after as well as this one didn't seem to hold up as much. Jackson can do voice really well (both Shandi and William's POVs I enjoyed!), but the plot was lacking and there were holes and frustrations I had with characters (particularly Shandi). I actually would probably read an entire book about William, lol. I thought his character was very different than the norm, and not just because he was on the Asperger's/Autism spectrum.
I still really like her writing style so I'll be trying other books by her as she's quick, Southern chick lit/women's fiction type of reading, and perfect for summer. I just hope I'm able to find another book I connect with of hers, like I did with GODS IN ALABAMA... :)
I still really like her writing style so I'll be trying other books by her as she's quick, Southern chick lit/women's fiction type of reading, and perfect for summer. I just hope I'm able to find another book I connect with of hers, like I did with GODS IN ALABAMA... :)