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mlenarski's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ea82625's review
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I need to preface this by saying this is not your standard romance book. If you don’t want spoilers skip this. There is no happy ending or even happy for now. The ending is extremely unsatisfying and feels like a cliffhanger but I don’t think there is a second book.
Onto the plot, this book did hold my attention until the big twist. I started to guess the gist of the twist close to halfway through, but it went even further than expected. Honestly, what the mmc did was flat out lie and then try to gaslight her into thinking it could be excused. I don’t know how any relationship could start and last on that lie. I’ve read other books where the mmc is somehow involved in the death of someone related to the main fmc but usually he doesn’t know and isn’t actively hiding it. In this case, especially with a 17 yr age gap, it just felt gross.
So I’m torn on the rating, while I did enjoy the writing the dialogue and the 2 time periods, I hated the actual plot and the ending hence the low rating.
Onto the plot, this book did hold my attention until the big twist. I started to guess the gist of the twist close to halfway through, but it went even further than expected. Honestly, what the mmc did was flat out lie and then try to gaslight her into thinking it could be excused. I don’t know how any relationship could start and last on that lie. I’ve read other books where the mmc is somehow involved in the death of someone related to the main fmc but usually he doesn’t know and isn’t actively hiding it. In this case, especially with a 17 yr age gap, it just felt gross.
So I’m torn on the rating, while I did enjoy the writing the dialogue and the 2 time periods, I hated the actual plot and the ending hence the low rating.
inkdrinker_8's review
4.0
This is a story about 4 people, 2 couples, based between two different time lines yet deeply interconnected.
Billy is a highly regarded food critic who loves food about as much as she loves her job. Billy travels often for work, where she meets the very handsome business man Jared Morgan on flight 88 to San Francisco but when the plane malfunctions and everything goes awry the two strangers hold on to each other like a life line.
Jared might be the hero in this story but he is hiding something, a secret that could destroy both of their happiness.
Honey takes herself into the hospital for an excruciating pain in her stomach, the kind Doctor informs her that she will need surgery immediately. Doctor Andrew stays with her through out this process and she feels a comfort at having him there. When she lets him know that no one can be with her on such short notice, he calls her roommate so she isn't alone. When she wakes up from surgery she wants to thank him for everything, She is surprised to see her roommate and is filled with gratitude for the doctors kindness.
Andrew calls honey a week after she is discharged from the hospital and asked her out on a date. Their relationship is instant and flourishes very quickly. They marry and begin their lives together but it doesn't end there, no.... their story is beautiful, sweet, and heartbreakingly tragic. 4/5
⭐⭐⭐⭐
JUST ONE MORE CHAPTER
INKDRINKER53.BLOGSPOT.COM
Billy is a highly regarded food critic who loves food about as much as she loves her job. Billy travels often for work, where she meets the very handsome business man Jared Morgan on flight 88 to San Francisco but when the plane malfunctions and everything goes awry the two strangers hold on to each other like a life line.
Jared might be the hero in this story but he is hiding something, a secret that could destroy both of their happiness.
Honey takes herself into the hospital for an excruciating pain in her stomach, the kind Doctor informs her that she will need surgery immediately. Doctor Andrew stays with her through out this process and she feels a comfort at having him there. When she lets him know that no one can be with her on such short notice, he calls her roommate so she isn't alone. When she wakes up from surgery she wants to thank him for everything, She is surprised to see her roommate and is filled with gratitude for the doctors kindness.
Andrew calls honey a week after she is discharged from the hospital and asked her out on a date. Their relationship is instant and flourishes very quickly. They marry and begin their lives together but it doesn't end there, no.... their story is beautiful, sweet, and heartbreakingly tragic. 4/5
⭐⭐⭐⭐
JUST ONE MORE CHAPTER
INKDRINKER53.BLOGSPOT.COM
nutmeg1013's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
pattyfgd's review
5.0
When you listen to a book, you want to become invested in the story and find something to relate to with each character. It doesn’t always happen, but Marni Mann has the talent to do this every time I listen to her stories. With this book, she features two couples, Andrew and Honey from the past and Jared and Billie from the present. Each has their own issues, heart breaking and heart warming. But the intertwining of their lives, the unexpected tragedies, grief, guilt, happiness all lie just underneath the surface and when revealed is like a sucker punch to your heart! It’s one of the best listens this year for me as Mann shares her incredible craft.
Now the casting of this audio is impeccable. First we have Ava Erickson as Billie. A little edgy, full of insecurity yet has a toughness about her all given to us with Ava’s voice. Virginia Rose comes in as Honey, letting us live through her happiness and heartbreak and making our hearts ache and soar with her performance. Lastly with Jason Clarke as Jared, warm, protective and guarded, leaving us loving him. The pick of these three really brought the emotional charge to life, letting us live their stories with them. The perfect listen.
Now the casting of this audio is impeccable. First we have Ava Erickson as Billie. A little edgy, full of insecurity yet has a toughness about her all given to us with Ava’s voice. Virginia Rose comes in as Honey, letting us live through her happiness and heartbreak and making our hearts ache and soar with her performance. Lastly with Jason Clarke as Jared, warm, protective and guarded, leaving us loving him. The pick of these three really brought the emotional charge to life, letting us live their stories with them. The perfect listen.
gellysam's review
5.0
I had no idea the end was coming! It has dual point of views THAT I LOVE. So much emotions with this! He is there for her for a reason every step of the way but will she forgive him for what he hid from her? The emotions this put me through had me questioning if I could have shown forgiveness in this situation. It had two story lines the whole time I was trying to figure out how they could fit together and boy was I wrong the ENTIRE time. When the truth comes out I was SHOCKED. I would recommend this for sure!
beckyrendon's review
5.0
I can't figure out if it's a personal mission or her innate abilities but Marni Mann is definitely in the business of hurting my heart, breaking my spirit, and then loving it back even better than before...
"… before you.”
I can't even select the correct words from the log jam of thoughts in my mind to tell you how monumental this quote is. How life shattering, mind blowing, and utterly devastating while also heartwarming in the worst possible moment.
Marni Mann has worked her magic again. She used her intoxicating words to lull us into these lives. She gave us love abounding. She gave us intriguing details and left us to stew in our own chaotic brain's paranoid ramblings. She gave me a mystery and dared me to put the clues together. I can't tell you how wrong and right I was. I can tell you some of my craziest were my most right while others were straight wrong! I think she gets a kick out of the twisted way she manipulates our thinking because I have a feeling no one and I mean NO ONE saw all that coming. (Deep breaths, in and out)
I freely admit that I embraced my tears, shouted at Marni (in my head and possibly through messaging), and just dissolved into a mess. I do not hold Marni Mann at fault for my break down (I was told by legal to say that. [I lied. She wrecked me!])
Lol. My lunacy aside, Before You is a love story that will change you. The deep story with a heartbreaking situation. A look on life that most don't encounter...
I wrote before Before You that I was afraid. I had every right to be. Before You challenges the reader. It forces you to make a decision. As you pull on the threads of this woven tale, don't blink because you will be done and sitting with your mouth open- trying to breathe through the tears. Happy ones at that!
Oh and did I mention....I freaking loved it!
"… before you.”
I can't even select the correct words from the log jam of thoughts in my mind to tell you how monumental this quote is. How life shattering, mind blowing, and utterly devastating while also heartwarming in the worst possible moment.
Marni Mann has worked her magic again. She used her intoxicating words to lull us into these lives. She gave us love abounding. She gave us intriguing details and left us to stew in our own chaotic brain's paranoid ramblings. She gave me a mystery and dared me to put the clues together. I can't tell you how wrong and right I was. I can tell you some of my craziest were my most right while others were straight wrong! I think she gets a kick out of the twisted way she manipulates our thinking because I have a feeling no one and I mean NO ONE saw all that coming. (Deep breaths, in and out)
I freely admit that I embraced my tears, shouted at Marni (in my head and possibly through messaging), and just dissolved into a mess. I do not hold Marni Mann at fault for my break down (I was told by legal to say that. [I lied. She wrecked me!])
Lol. My lunacy aside, Before You is a love story that will change you. The deep story with a heartbreaking situation. A look on life that most don't encounter...
I wrote before Before You that I was afraid. I had every right to be. Before You challenges the reader. It forces you to make a decision. As you pull on the threads of this woven tale, don't blink because you will be done and sitting with your mouth open- trying to breathe through the tears. Happy ones at that!
Oh and did I mention....I freaking loved it!