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3.23 AVERAGE
3.23 AVERAGE
I received a free advanced copy of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.
4.5 stars
Before I start with a brief synopsis, I just want to say that the writing was superb. It is the author's debut novel and it was written with such care, I was very impressed.
We are introduced to Eve and her group of girlfriends as they navigate friendship and love in NYC. There are a group of guys who always seem to be just around, cue in Ben. Eve is anxious and over analyzes everything, that she feels most of her relationships are doomed from the start. Ben is not her typical type and also has a connection to her former life that she is not aware of; they have a moment and a series of meet-ups soon after lead to the story of Eve and Ben.
The characters are relatable and the dialogue is authentic, it felt very real. I felt very connected to Eve, and often as I read I would say "me too" when she was working through the feelings or thoughts in her head.
I read this book in 1 day, as I had to get to the ending to see what transpired. It was a quick, delightful read. I highly recommend.
4.5 stars
Before I start with a brief synopsis, I just want to say that the writing was superb. It is the author's debut novel and it was written with such care, I was very impressed.
We are introduced to Eve and her group of girlfriends as they navigate friendship and love in NYC. There are a group of guys who always seem to be just around, cue in Ben. Eve is anxious and over analyzes everything, that she feels most of her relationships are doomed from the start. Ben is not her typical type and also has a connection to her former life that she is not aware of; they have a moment and a series of meet-ups soon after lead to the story of Eve and Ben.
The characters are relatable and the dialogue is authentic, it felt very real. I felt very connected to Eve, and often as I read I would say "me too" when she was working through the feelings or thoughts in her head.
I read this book in 1 day, as I had to get to the ending to see what transpired. It was a quick, delightful read. I highly recommend.
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
First, it was easy for me to get into this book because when we go back in time to Eve's senior year in college it is 2005 and that was my senior year. It made me smile that I could go there to that exact year and remember where I was in that year. Now granted she was in New York City and I was in North Carolina, but same spot in time!
What a cute and sweet love story. Sometimes when you are reading all the heavy literary fiction and mystery thrillers and such, you just need something light and airy to escape for awhile. Eve and Ben both have opportunities to move the story along from their own perspectives and I love hearing about the ups and relationships from both the guys and the girls point of view.
First, it was easy for me to get into this book because when we go back in time to Eve's senior year in college it is 2005 and that was my senior year. It made me smile that I could go there to that exact year and remember where I was in that year. Now granted she was in New York City and I was in North Carolina, but same spot in time!
What a cute and sweet love story. Sometimes when you are reading all the heavy literary fiction and mystery thrillers and such, you just need something light and airy to escape for awhile. Eve and Ben both have opportunities to move the story along from their own perspectives and I love hearing about the ups and relationships from both the guys and the girls point of view.
2/5
I wished I DNF'd this book. It was a monumental waste of my time and I kept reading with the hopes that it would get better, but it didn't. The book proposed a commentary on how untreated, unrecognized trauma perpetuates a cycle of self-destructive love and the message turned hollow when our main character (Eve) hardly learns her lesson.
Her relationship with Ben (our other lead) was toxic in every sense of the word and he was the main reason I stuck around so long. The book was meant to be this "Harry Met Sally" redux that fell flat in execution, namely because Eve was so unlikeable. If I could do it again, I never would've bought the book when I saw it on sale.
I wished I DNF'd this book. It was a monumental waste of my time and I kept reading with the hopes that it would get better, but it didn't. The book proposed a commentary on how untreated, unrecognized trauma perpetuates a cycle of self-destructive love and the message turned hollow when our main character (Eve) hardly learns her lesson.
Her relationship with Ben (our other lead) was toxic in every sense of the word and he was the main reason I stuck around so long. The book was meant to be this "Harry Met Sally" redux that fell flat in execution, namely because Eve was so unlikeable. If I could do it again, I never would've bought the book when I saw it on sale.
I must say that this book was one of the hardest that I have read this year. Not that it was complicated as such but because the female protagonist was so hard on herself, you just automatically feel sorry for her too. I have never read a character who gives herself such a hard time and sabotages her own life just because she just wants to get over the hump.
Eve was left by her father at such a young age and her mother died years after. She was left with a sister and a step father. Since then, she blamed herself for not seeing the signs of someone leaving or the reason of it and why she was unable to prevent it. Eve have had some of the worst thoughts ever. It was pretty interesting to be able to be in her mind. Although all her anxiety was stressing me out too. She also doesn't trust anyone and pushes people away when they get too close because she's been left so many times, she's lost count. Then, Ben happened.
I totally love that the book did not elaborate on the narratives of Ben and Eve's times together but only gave us a glimpse of what they have been and what their relationship was like then chapter quickly jumps to months later where you see that they weren't so perfect at all. I love that it did not focus on their romantic relationship. Eve has always been distant in all her relationships. When she feels like things are getting serious and permanent, she just subconsciously fucks it up just because in her mind, she had this thinking that they'll eventually leave. She is always thinking of the worst case scenario. She leaves before she gets left behind. That has always been her mantra. She is also pretty attracted to guys with 'issues' and the thought of her other half being broken too comforts her. She wants to fix them but how can you fix a person if you can't do it for yourself?
You see, reading this book was an eye opener. Things aren't always so good. Some people are just so fcked up that they sabotage what's good for them, thinking that it would be better to leave before they get hurt that sometimes they lose what's best for them. This is a realization of how hurting or leaving someone impacts and affects one's mentality in life. It creates a permanent emotional damage that sometimes is irreparable. Especially, I think, for young kids. Their mind and feelings are most sensitive and fragile. Like Eve with her father leaving. No child should blame themselves for their parents leaving or breaking apart. *sighs*
The good thing about this was *SPOILER ALERT* Ben and Eve eventually got through all of it. It may not be perfect but they are working it through.
Over all, it was a great debut novel by Leslie Cohen! 👊
Eve was left by her father at such a young age and her mother died years after. She was left with a sister and a step father. Since then, she blamed herself for not seeing the signs of someone leaving or the reason of it and why she was unable to prevent it. Eve have had some of the worst thoughts ever. It was pretty interesting to be able to be in her mind. Although all her anxiety was stressing me out too. She also doesn't trust anyone and pushes people away when they get too close because she's been left so many times, she's lost count. Then, Ben happened.
I totally love that the book did not elaborate on the narratives of Ben and Eve's times together but only gave us a glimpse of what they have been and what their relationship was like then chapter quickly jumps to months later where you see that they weren't so perfect at all. I love that it did not focus on their romantic relationship. Eve has always been distant in all her relationships. When she feels like things are getting serious and permanent, she just subconsciously fucks it up just because in her mind, she had this thinking that they'll eventually leave. She is always thinking of the worst case scenario. She leaves before she gets left behind. That has always been her mantra. She is also pretty attracted to guys with 'issues' and the thought of her other half being broken too comforts her. She wants to fix them but how can you fix a person if you can't do it for yourself?
You see, reading this book was an eye opener. Things aren't always so good. Some people are just so fcked up that they sabotage what's good for them, thinking that it would be better to leave before they get hurt that sometimes they lose what's best for them. This is a realization of how hurting or leaving someone impacts and affects one's mentality in life. It creates a permanent emotional damage that sometimes is irreparable. Especially, I think, for young kids. Their mind and feelings are most sensitive and fragile. Like Eve with her father leaving. No child should blame themselves for their parents leaving or breaking apart. *sighs*
The good thing about this was *SPOILER ALERT* Ben and Eve eventually got through all of it. It may not be perfect but they are working it through.
Over all, it was a great debut novel by Leslie Cohen! 👊
2.5 stars.
This Love Story Will Self-Destruct isn't a very exciting read. Nothing overly dramatic happens. I think the problem with this book is it's a little too real.
Eve is a very annoying character - dramatic, selfish, takes a lot for granted - and yet she is what most 20 something year olds are like, myself included. She is probably the most realistic female character I ever read.
The book sums up millennial life pretty well so I would not advise reading if you want to read a book that takes you away from the real world!
This Love Story Will Self-Destruct isn't a very exciting read. Nothing overly dramatic happens. I think the problem with this book is it's a little too real.
Eve is a very annoying character - dramatic, selfish, takes a lot for granted - and yet she is what most 20 something year olds are like, myself included. She is probably the most realistic female character I ever read.
The book sums up millennial life pretty well so I would not advise reading if you want to read a book that takes you away from the real world!
(This review can also be found on my blog.)
I’m really glad I ended up picking this up. It was a nice, mostly light-hearted read that offset the thriller I had also been working my way through. From the moment I began, I just loved the voice that Leslie Cohen uses in her writing. I genuinely had trouble believing that this was a debut novel, as her talent makes you believe you’re reading the work of an established and highly-lauded author.
Does an apartment still exist once you no longer live there?
I loved Ben and Eve both, and found them relatable in their own ways. I can understand Eve’s compulsion to destroy something before it can destroy itself, and I found Ben’s firmly-rooted logic to be soothing. They both felt like such real people. I also loved the way that Leslie wrote New York City, even though I’m pretty unfamiliar with it myself.
I was in that state of intoxication where you become very direct, very to the point. You tell people how you feel. You grab things that you want.
The story itself was great, and anyone who hates instalove will probably enjoy this book. Ben and Eve meet again, and again, and again over the years, before their relationship finally develops into something more. To me, this is a more realistic kind of love. Sometimes the people you love just drop out of the sky, but more often than not, I think they sneak their way in.
[…] we were in that weird in-between period when you’ve hooked up once or twice but you don’t want to hold hands or even make bodily contact in real life because everything is very unclear.
Overall, this was a lovely book and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for Leslie’s future work.
I’m really glad I ended up picking this up. It was a nice, mostly light-hearted read that offset the thriller I had also been working my way through. From the moment I began, I just loved the voice that Leslie Cohen uses in her writing. I genuinely had trouble believing that this was a debut novel, as her talent makes you believe you’re reading the work of an established and highly-lauded author.
Does an apartment still exist once you no longer live there?
I loved Ben and Eve both, and found them relatable in their own ways. I can understand Eve’s compulsion to destroy something before it can destroy itself, and I found Ben’s firmly-rooted logic to be soothing. They both felt like such real people. I also loved the way that Leslie wrote New York City, even though I’m pretty unfamiliar with it myself.
I was in that state of intoxication where you become very direct, very to the point. You tell people how you feel. You grab things that you want.
The story itself was great, and anyone who hates instalove will probably enjoy this book. Ben and Eve meet again, and again, and again over the years, before their relationship finally develops into something more. To me, this is a more realistic kind of love. Sometimes the people you love just drop out of the sky, but more often than not, I think they sneak their way in.
[…] we were in that weird in-between period when you’ve hooked up once or twice but you don’t want to hold hands or even make bodily contact in real life because everything is very unclear.
Overall, this was a lovely book and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for Leslie’s future work.
4.5 Stars
Have you ever read a book and been left wondering how it felt like absolutely nothing happened but somehow SO much happened at the same time? This is that book for me.
It read sort of like a diary where you’ll learn everything about Ben and Eve’s lives and how they missed each other for so long but crossed paths so often. You’ll learn of Eve’s struggle with the death of her mom and her absent father and her inability to trust in anything good.
It’s mentioned early on that Ben’s friends think that he is boring and for a majority of the book I didn’t see it. I just saw him as steady, calm and level-headed. Then as we watch as Eve’s emotions start to get the best of her, Ben does seem to come across as unfazed, emotionless and yes, boring. When things blow up and Eve becomes her own worst enemy, I saw that Ben does have emotions, but he doesn’t express them outwardly.
He is the calm to Eve’s storm.
Even in the end when you’d expect a certain excited reaction to something Eve casually acknowledges he is steady and calm. At first I was disappointed because who doesn’t want a big show of emotion, but that’s when I hit me. His reaction was more real than anything I’ve become accustomed to in Fiction, but exactly what I witness first hand in real life. Proving that true love and romance isn’t always show-boating and loud, sometimes calm and steady is the best reaction of them all.
*I received an ARC from NetGalley for voluntary review
Have you ever read a book and been left wondering how it felt like absolutely nothing happened but somehow SO much happened at the same time? This is that book for me.
It read sort of like a diary where you’ll learn everything about Ben and Eve’s lives and how they missed each other for so long but crossed paths so often. You’ll learn of Eve’s struggle with the death of her mom and her absent father and her inability to trust in anything good.
It’s mentioned early on that Ben’s friends think that he is boring and for a majority of the book I didn’t see it. I just saw him as steady, calm and level-headed. Then as we watch as Eve’s emotions start to get the best of her, Ben does seem to come across as unfazed, emotionless and yes, boring. When things blow up and Eve becomes her own worst enemy, I saw that Ben does have emotions, but he doesn’t express them outwardly.
He is the calm to Eve’s storm.
Even in the end when you’d expect a certain excited reaction to something Eve casually acknowledges he is steady and calm. At first I was disappointed because who doesn’t want a big show of emotion, but that’s when I hit me. His reaction was more real than anything I’ve become accustomed to in Fiction, but exactly what I witness first hand in real life. Proving that true love and romance isn’t always show-boating and loud, sometimes calm and steady is the best reaction of them all.
*I received an ARC from NetGalley for voluntary review
An enjoyable read about navigating into adulthood. Eve and Ben exist on the periphery of each other's lives through college and into adulthood with mutual friends until one night they notice each other. Eve is afraid to let Ben in because she's afraid she will self destruct their relationship. Slowly Ben works his way into her life until she does something foolish. A story of letting go, growing up, and deciding to let go of fear and live life.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an ARC for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an ARC for my honest review.
It was okay. Perfect for my younger twenty-something self when I enjoyed books about twenty-something girls who were finding out who they were in New York. But a little too immature for me now.