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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
These are so comforting, even if I know the template by heart now. Louna, who is working once again for her single mother's wedding planning business in her last summer before college, lost the love of her life not too long ago tragically. She's guarded and cynical about love after that experience but is bet by Ambrose, the feckless brother of a client who is roped into working alongside her, that she can't give his way a try - enjoying the thrill of the chase with a series of meaningless dates - while he will try and settle down for the summer with one girl. Of course they fall in love, but there's a few emotional tangles and walls to navigate first. I like this careful, slow-burn look at grief mixed with first loves and young love; I like a lot of the supplementary characters like Louna's business-savvy mother, her business partner and Louna's godfather William, Louna's best friend Jilly and her own quest to find romance and happiness, and of course, Ambrose - a puppy stealing charmer.
This book almost received 5 stars from me...just almost. In some ways, this novel is back to the old Sarah Dessen I know and love - the one I grew up with, reading in middle school, dreaming about what it would be like to live in Lakeview or Colby. The characters are all likable with relatable backstories, and I can say for certain I liked Ambrose almost as much as I liked Wes from "The Truth about Forever."
I didn't give OAFA 5 stars because of two things: one, I needed Ben to have a bigger flaw so that I didn't feel so bad for him when things went down; and two, I needed a little bit more between the second to last chapter and the last. There was a time jump, which I'm not opposed to, but it felt rushed.
Overall, worth the read and is up there as one of my favorite Dessen books.
I didn't give OAFA 5 stars because of two things: one, I needed Ben to have a bigger flaw so that I didn't feel so bad for him when things went down; and two, I needed a little bit more between the second to last chapter and the last. There was a time jump, which I'm not opposed to, but it felt rushed.
Overall, worth the read and is up there as one of my favorite Dessen books.
Read this one while I was catching up on my Sarah Dessen stories. Again, it's the same formulaic type (which I'm fine with). There's a girl with a problem, she meets a boy, becomes part of a crazy ensemble group of friends, they fall in love, *end scene*. Although I was able to predict this girl's (Louna) problem, it was a tough one to read. Definitely cried. But! I liked the wedding planning story line and although Ambrose isn't my favorite guy of Dessen's (he wasn't really sa-woon! worthy like Wes from Truth About Forever), he grew on me with his humor.
Louna has seen every kind of wedding there is; from beachside nuptials to glittering ballrooms, all in the line of her job. She has worked for years in her mother’s wedding business and to say she is cynical towards living "happily ever after" would be putting it mildly. Louna had the best boyfriend anyone could ever hope to meet, but in an instant he was gone, and with it was her hope to ever find love again. Can anyone ever hope to be lucky enough to find it twice?
The true test will be her mother’s new employee; Ambrose. After meeting while working one of her mother’s events he soon becomes the newest edition to the office. He is equal parts frustrating and captivating. To say he has a way with women would be an understatement. When a bet is made between them, Louna knows there is no way he can win. But Ambrose losing could benefit both of them. Will Louna be willing to open her heart again?
Those who love Dessen’s YA novels will not be disappointed with this new installment of coming of age and teenage love that is both lighthearted and serious at the same time. The perfect “beach-read!” – Pamela B.
The true test will be her mother’s new employee; Ambrose. After meeting while working one of her mother’s events he soon becomes the newest edition to the office. He is equal parts frustrating and captivating. To say he has a way with women would be an understatement. When a bet is made between them, Louna knows there is no way he can win. But Ambrose losing could benefit both of them. Will Louna be willing to open her heart again?
Those who love Dessen’s YA novels will not be disappointed with this new installment of coming of age and teenage love that is both lighthearted and serious at the same time. The perfect “beach-read!” – Pamela B.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
Loveable characters:
Yes
Any Sarah Dessen book is going to be a good book. I don't think this is her best, but I still enjoyed it. & I think the general plot ultimately was good -- and unfortunately may resonate more in these coming years.
Really good until I got really bored at the end.
So my only criticism is pacing. Fun read!
So my only criticism is pacing. Fun read!
One of Dessen's best in years...finished it in one sitting.
I loved Sarah's books as a pre-teen/teen and identified so much with her characters but this one just had rushing through it to get this book over with it.
The premise for this book was so promising and I was excited to read it but Louna was just so flat as a character and Ambrose was annoying the majority of the time. Louna is the daughter of a famous wedding planner, and is a bit of a cynic with a combination of her mother and godfather's cynical views on love and her own tragic romance history. In one wedding Louna ends up dragging the son of the bride (this is her third wedding) to the big event, thus sparking the meeting of Louna and Ambrose. The sparks are mostly of Louna being annoyed at him due to him delaying the wedding, he ends up being in her life more due to his sister having an upcoming wedding. His mother seeing that he is annoying his sister has Louna's mother give him a job helping them out. Throughout the book, Ambrose flirts and ends up at multiple girls home's meanwhile Louna is irked at him. I just didn't see the chemistry, I'm all for opposites attract but when the main character literally gets angry at the potential romance all the time. Moving on, Louna is still trying to get over her last boyfriend who is no longer in the pictureand whose fate I saw coming a mile a way.
I did appreciate Sarah working in current issues but it's hard to feel anything for a character that the main character really barely knew herself. Let me explain, Ethan (last boyfriendshockingly normal name) was a guest or something at one wedding that Louna had a connection with and I did feel like they had chemistry but Louna ends up hooking up with him after literally meeting him within a few hours. I don't mind women hooking up and am not slut shaming but this is a book about a teenager with a mostly teenage audience. I don't think we should be teaching teenage girls that they should just rush it that simply because it "feels" right, she literally knew nothing about this guy and yes he did turn out decent but in real life? That would be rare and chances are she would never hear from him again.
This was not her best work and if this is your first time reading Sarah Dessen then pick something else like Just Listen, Lock and Key, What Happened to Goodbye, Dreamland. It is a fast read, and I did get nostalgia feelings because at times I saw myself in Louna. And I did enjoy the friendship between Jilly and Louna, but towards the end I didn't buy the "love" between Ambrose and Louna.
The premise for this book was so promising and I was excited to read it but Louna was just so flat as a character and Ambrose was annoying the majority of the time. Louna is the daughter of a famous wedding planner, and is a bit of a cynic with a combination of her mother and godfather's cynical views on love and her own tragic romance history. In one wedding Louna ends up dragging the son of the bride (this is her third wedding) to the big event, thus sparking the meeting of Louna and Ambrose. The sparks are mostly of Louna being annoyed at him due to him delaying the wedding, he ends up being in her life more due to his sister having an upcoming wedding. His mother seeing that he is annoying his sister has Louna's mother give him a job helping them out. Throughout the book, Ambrose flirts and ends up at multiple girls home's meanwhile Louna is irked at him. I just didn't see the chemistry, I'm all for opposites attract but when the main character literally gets angry at the potential romance all the time. Moving on, Louna is still trying to get over her last boyfriend who is no longer in the picture
I did appreciate Sarah working in current issues but it's hard to feel anything for a character that the main character really barely knew herself. Let me explain, Ethan (last boyfriend
This was not her best work and if this is your first time reading Sarah Dessen then pick something else like Just Listen, Lock and Key, What Happened to Goodbye, Dreamland. It is a fast read, and I did get nostalgia feelings because at times I saw myself in Louna. And I did enjoy the friendship between Jilly and Louna, but towards the end I didn't buy the "love" between Ambrose and Louna.
This was a quick and easy read. It was good, with heavy dialogue. A cute story, but the dramatic twist might have been a little too much.