Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
Sarah Dessen never misses. Just wish the ending was a little more drawn out!
I was expecting and anticipating a story in the vein of a summer romantic comedy, but there was some surprising substance to ONCE AND FOR ALL that I really appreciated. Thanks to her work in the wedding industry as a member of her mom's wedding planning team, Louna is already pretty cynical about true love and the idea of forever. But once you learn that her first love ended in tragedy, her closed off, sometimes cranky approach to romance makes sense. Louna's journey toward letting go of her grief and learning to live with uncertainty in both life and love is almost more rewarding than her journey toward falling in love with someone new.
It's entirely possible that I enjoyed this so much because I'm in the process of planning my own wedding, or because I was desperate for a lighter, less serious read. However, ONCE AND FOR ALL is also the kind of quiet, character-driven contemporary YA that caused me to fall in love with Sarah Dessen's work in the first place, so there's that option too. :)
It's entirely possible that I enjoyed this so much because I'm in the process of planning my own wedding, or because I was desperate for a lighter, less serious read. However, ONCE AND FOR ALL is also the kind of quiet, character-driven contemporary YA that caused me to fall in love with Sarah Dessen's work in the first place, so there's that option too. :)
Actual Rating: 3.75 or 4 out of 5
Sarah Dessen has been one of my favorite contemporary authors for the longest time. And while this wasn't my favorite book, it didn't disappoint.
I think one of my favorite parts was the wedding planner aspect. I've always loved weddings (more the idea of being a wedding planner), and I thought it was really interesting seeing the "behind the scenes" of weddings - even if it's only a brief, slightly watered-down version. I also really liked seeing Louna work, and seeing how comfortable she was in her job.
I really liked both Ambrose and Louna. They were two, very different characters, and I really liked getting to know both of them. I also really loved William, Louna's mother, and Jilly and her siblings. Louna's relationship with her mom and William was one of my favorite parts of the book. As with most of Sarah Dessen's books, the characters were relatable. I found myself feeling a lot of the same things as Louna.
I liked the school shooting aspect, as well. It's incredibly timely and relevant. I like that Sarah Dessen's books are typically light, fluffy, YA contemporaries...but they also tackle some more difficult topics.
Louna and Ambrose's relationship and romance wasn't my favorite. I loved their banter, and I liked watching as their relationship developed. But I don't think they had the best chemistry, and they weren't my favorite of Dessen's couples.
If you're a fan of Sarah Dessen, definitely give this book a chance.
Sarah Dessen has been one of my favorite contemporary authors for the longest time. And while this wasn't my favorite book, it didn't disappoint.
I think one of my favorite parts was the wedding planner aspect. I've always loved weddings (more the idea of being a wedding planner), and I thought it was really interesting seeing the "behind the scenes" of weddings - even if it's only a brief, slightly watered-down version. I also really liked seeing Louna work, and seeing how comfortable she was in her job.
I really liked both Ambrose and Louna. They were two, very different characters, and I really liked getting to know both of them. I also really loved William, Louna's mother, and Jilly and her siblings. Louna's relationship with her mom and William was one of my favorite parts of the book. As with most of Sarah Dessen's books, the characters were relatable. I found myself feeling a lot of the same things as Louna.
I liked the school shooting aspect, as well. It's incredibly timely and relevant. I like that Sarah Dessen's books are typically light, fluffy, YA contemporaries...but they also tackle some more difficult topics.
Louna and Ambrose's relationship and romance wasn't my favorite. I loved their banter, and I liked watching as their relationship developed. But I don't think they had the best chemistry, and they weren't my favorite of Dessen's couples.
If you're a fan of Sarah Dessen, definitely give this book a chance.
This book was so amazing!! I couldn’t put it down!! Dessen did absolutely astonishing with the characters in this book, especially. Ambrose was someone I don’t think I could forget! Will definitely recommend and read again. I wish I could give more than 5 stars!
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
It had been a while since I'd had a Dessen hit, and this one was a strong outing for her! The characters were well developed, and the male lead was a bit less "quirky perfect" than some of hers. I also enjoyed the behind the scenes glimpse of the wedding business. . . A fun summer read!
A Dessen book with parental figures who aren't utterly detestable? Consider me shocked. In fact, I really liked them, especially William.
Almost a perfect 5, but I'm still wrestling with the story so maybe 4.8?
Loved the slow burn romance and the characters were quite likable. There were a lot of feelings of grief and happiness and new beginnings and I loved the theme of having fear of starting anew. The love between the non-traditional family was so sweet and the main character and her bestie’s relationship was so realistic. Overall, really liked this story. It’s just a bummer the ending was kind of a let down because it felt rushed and should have been thought out more.
