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jsjarvis71's review against another edition
5.0
I'll say upfront that I am a big Georgia Beers fan. I have not read one of her books yet that I didn't enjoy thoroughly. Olive Oil and White Bread is one that I am particularly fond of due to the nature of the story. Instead of just getting a quick view into a relationship, she takes the reader on a long journey, from the beginning of a relationship, through courtship and that "honeymoon" period, to the difficult parts of a relationship (dealing with work, parental loss, infidelity). I always love how well Georgia develops characters, and this book is no different. You get to really know Jillian and Angie, what drives each of them and what each wants out of the relationship.
I don't want to spoil anything in the story, so I will not go too deep in my explanation. I feel the book gives a very realistic portrayal of the ebbs and flows of a relationship. It isn't all about sex and love and happily ever after. Relationships take work to maintain and the characters in this story get to see that firsthand. There are some points in the book that had me feeling down and were filled with deep emotion. That is not a bad thing. Georgia does an excellent job of bringing the reader into the story and making you feel something for the characters. It made me think of my own relationships and how easy it is to miss the obvious things by just going through life without paying attention. This is an excellent book about relationships, not just about lesbian relationships. It is definitely worth a read.
I don't want to spoil anything in the story, so I will not go too deep in my explanation. I feel the book gives a very realistic portrayal of the ebbs and flows of a relationship. It isn't all about sex and love and happily ever after. Relationships take work to maintain and the characters in this story get to see that firsthand. There are some points in the book that had me feeling down and were filled with deep emotion. That is not a bad thing. Georgia does an excellent job of bringing the reader into the story and making you feel something for the characters. It made me think of my own relationships and how easy it is to miss the obvious things by just going through life without paying attention. This is an excellent book about relationships, not just about lesbian relationships. It is definitely worth a read.
lurker_stalker's review against another edition
4.0
Like the four star rating says, I really liked this book. As someone who has been with the same woman for nearly 30 years, I appreciated the honest look at what long term couples go through and how hard it can be to stay together. Hard but rewarding and worth the fight. It's easy to lose yourselves as a couple when you're growing so much as individuals, too.
Like most of the author's books, I truly enjoyed getting to know the characters and they felt three dimensional and authentic. The language and tone, along with the individual voices of the characters all made this likely one of my favorite of Ms. Beers' books. It was hard to read at times but because of the tough emotional issues being dealt with, not because of any major technical issues.
I'm loving the direction the author has been going with her writing over the past year or so and I'm looking forward to her next book. No matter what it's about.
Like most of the author's books, I truly enjoyed getting to know the characters and they felt three dimensional and authentic. The language and tone, along with the individual voices of the characters all made this likely one of my favorite of Ms. Beers' books. It was hard to read at times but because of the tough emotional issues being dealt with, not because of any major technical issues.
I'm loving the direction the author has been going with her writing over the past year or so and I'm looking forward to her next book. No matter what it's about.
rachelelouise's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Infidelity, and Animal death
Moderate: Alcoholism and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual harassment, Misogyny, and Homophobia
lezreadalot's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars. Another book that's like, objectively fine, so please don't let my middling rating deter you if this interests you. Beers is an author I've read from and really liked before, so I came to this book hoping for some good, solid lesfic that would be sure to make me feel something. And while, again, there was nothing objectively wrong with this, it didn't really strike me profoundly in any way.
It's one of those after-the-HEA, marriage-in-trouble romances that follows a couple throughout their lives, so we get to see everything that happens to them after they fall in love, and the type of conflicts that come into their lives. I've read a couple romances like this before and liked them; they make for a nice change of pace. Angie and Jillian were good characters to follow, and I do like when a romance really encapsulates both people's lives and families and makes it feel very fleshed out. But I still just didn't feel much of anything for this! It was just... extremely okay! The book has a soundtrack, songs at the start of each part as the book moves through the years, and I really wish I'd thought to listen to those songs as I came across them. Not always, but often, music in books can be really really effective and wonderful to me, especially in a romance. (I'm thinking of One Last Stop.) But I only started looking up the songs at like 60% and by then, my heart wasn't into it.
A couple little nit-picks:
Listened to the audiobook as read by Abby Craden, and I can never not love her voices. I just didn't love this book! But it wasn't bad.
Content warnings:
It's one of those after-the-HEA, marriage-in-trouble romances that follows a couple throughout their lives, so we get to see everything that happens to them after they fall in love, and the type of conflicts that come into their lives. I've read a couple romances like this before and liked them; they make for a nice change of pace. Angie and Jillian were good characters to follow, and I do like when a romance really encapsulates both people's lives and families and makes it feel very fleshed out. But I still just didn't feel much of anything for this! It was just... extremely okay! The book has a soundtrack, songs at the start of each part as the book moves through the years, and I really wish I'd thought to listen to those songs as I came across them. Not always, but often, music in books can be really really effective and wonderful to me, especially in a romance. (I'm thinking of One Last Stop.) But I only started looking up the songs at like 60% and by then, my heart wasn't into it.
A couple little nit-picks:
Spoiler
I sorta knew that cheating might become part of this, but I was really disappointed when it did happen. Especially the way it did. It's not like I think she didn't deserve to be forgiven, but it definitely sapped whatever enthusiasm I had for the couple. Also, Angie's drinking problem is just like... swept under the rug. Did she just decide to get better and then get better? It wasn't ever on the page.Listened to the audiobook as read by Abby Craden, and I can never not love her voices. I just didn't love this book! But it wasn't bad.
Content warnings:
Spoiler
infidelity, parental deathcoops456's review against another edition
4.0
It's so refreshing in lesfic to follow a couple and find out what happens after they get together. How living with and loving the same person isn't always easy; that "happy ever after" cannot be assumed but takes work, commitment, and above all, communication.
I also enjoyed the milestone historical moments that were referenced.
I also enjoyed the milestone historical moments that were referenced.
pandon's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
laurynturk's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
josb's review against another edition
2.0
An interesting premise but it was not for me. Some of the descriptions and reasoning were just plain awkward. I found this book much better than the last Georgia Beers book that I read, but felt the strongest writing and descriptions of the romance was contained in the last chapter. The time jumping made it hard to get a sense of what the characters meant to one another, I don't like having to fill in romance gaps.
d_iris's review against another edition
I will return to this when I'm more in the mood for a romantic epic minus the epic.
kimily's review against another edition
3.0
I pretty much listen to any audiobook I find by Georgia Beers, because I enjoy her writing style, but I didn't enjoy this book as much as I have her others. It's not a bad story, and the characters are well-written, but I just never felt drawn in. This book did not click with me. It happens, and it doesn't change the fact that I will continue to read or listen to Georgia Beers every chance I get.