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3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
April and Oliver are childhood friends whose lives twisted about each other in painful ways until they drifted apart. When April's younger brother dies in a car accident, Oliver returns to town for the funeral--with his fiancee in tow. Old chemistry and old issues are reignited as the two fight their way around each other once again, struggling against the tension and attraction between them, the jealousy, anger, sympathy, regret, and desire.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, and some parts of it were very intense. I found myself enthralled in the pages, waiting to see what would happen, how strong or weak each character would turn out to be, and how they'd play out their insecurities and passions. Some parts of the book, however, struck me as slightly overdone, perhaps bordering on melodramatic. Too many bruises and cuts, for example. Some dialouge seemed stilted, too forced or awkward, even given the situations between the people talking. Still, it did flow together, and it did create a story that drew me in eventually. And there are passages that are electric with energy.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, and some parts of it were very intense. I found myself enthralled in the pages, waiting to see what would happen, how strong or weak each character would turn out to be, and how they'd play out their insecurities and passions. Some parts of the book, however, struck me as slightly overdone, perhaps bordering on melodramatic. Too many bruises and cuts, for example. Some dialouge seemed stilted, too forced or awkward, even given the situations between the people talking. Still, it did flow together, and it did create a story that drew me in eventually. And there are passages that are electric with energy.
I have to admit, I was initially bummed out upon starting April & Oliver. Because I'm kinda bummed about people who have kids and then don't bother to take care of them, treat them well, teach them right... It hurts to read about women who've been broken so badly that they don't know what else to do but endure. Endure and repeat. And April is one--her life has been a badly-mashed-together collage of uncaring & abusive father, dead mother, pedophile business-partner of her father's... Events set in motion while she's a teenager brings her down life's rockier paths as an adult. She can't seem to get away from abusive men, and every little act of violence tears another piece of her away...
Oliver is April's childhood best friend. He moves back to town, fiancee in tow, and meets the current April at her brother's funeral. Unable to tear himself away from the undertow of April's life, he tries to justify it by telling himself he cares about what happens to her. Which he does. More than he knows. Or wants to admit.
April & Oliver is such an engrossing book that you won't want to put it down until you're done. And even then, April & Oliver float around, and you wonder if she's finally broken her cycle. If she's going to be alright.
Oliver is April's childhood best friend. He moves back to town, fiancee in tow, and meets the current April at her brother's funeral. Unable to tear himself away from the undertow of April's life, he tries to justify it by telling himself he cares about what happens to her. Which he does. More than he knows. Or wants to admit.
April & Oliver is such an engrossing book that you won't want to put it down until you're done. And even then, April & Oliver float around, and you wonder if she's finally broken her cycle. If she's going to be alright.
This is more of a 2.5 star rating cause this book was just middle of the line. I've read books very similar that have done what this book did a lot better. My biggest complaint is why do April and Oliver have to be step cousins? There is no reason for them to be family and make it weird. They could literally just be close family friends and it would change NOTHING in this book. Secondly Oliver's fiance that I can't even remember the name of (I'm terrible with remembering little details in books) got the short end of the stick. That girl was an angel, perfect, lovely, being drug along with Oliver who didn't even love her!!!! Let her go if you are going to act a fool because she deserves a better man. The last like 20 pages took everything in me to get through. They were so boring I was just done. The ending? Hello? Did I just read a whole book for literally nothing to progress in Oliver and Aprils relationship? The only thing that changed is that Oliver attempted to sexually assault her!!!! I do see the growth in April (slightly) but Oliver changed nothing. April is better off without Oliver and they both just need to leave their lives in the past. I
Also I've read Emmy and Oliver and I've also read Althea and Oliver and it's getting weird that I keep finding books about different Olivers. This book was very similar to Althea and Oliver, with Althea and April throwing their lives away and stuff, but I enjoyed Althea and Oliver so much more. And in Althea and Oliver they didn't end up together at the end, and it showed character growth, not a poor ending.
Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy some bits in this book. It wasn't completely boring and there were a few good lines and lessons and interesting scenes to take away from.
Anyway, I wouldn't recommend this one and I'll probably forget about it by tomorrow.
Also I've read Emmy and Oliver and I've also read Althea and Oliver and it's getting weird that I keep finding books about different Olivers. This book was very similar to Althea and Oliver, with Althea and April throwing their lives away and stuff, but I enjoyed Althea and Oliver so much more. And in Althea and Oliver they didn't end up together at the end, and it showed character growth, not a poor ending.
Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy some bits in this book. It wasn't completely boring and there were a few good lines and lessons and interesting scenes to take away from.
Anyway, I wouldn't recommend this one and I'll probably forget about it by tomorrow.
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved this book. I loved the fully developed characters and the authentic dialogue and lovely story. I loved April and Oliver and Bernadette and Al and Nana and Buddy, too. It's a fast and absorbing read that never makes you feel cheap for staying up late because you can't put it down. My pick of the summer for best summer read.
The premise sounds like one that could've driven me crazy, but really I was dying to get back to this book whenever I wasn't reading it. Hard to say whether the two main characters were cursed or destined to keep circling back to each other, and I couldn't tell which way things were going until the end. It's dialogue-driven and yet April and Oliver and other supporting characters were developed fully. Really enjoyed this.
I read this on my Kindle and really enjoyed it. THe ending was a disappointment though.
I'm still on the fence on how I feel about this book. I like it enough to keep reading, because I wanted to know if April & Oliver ended up together. The author eludes to that fact in the very last paragraph of the book...but leaves me feeling no closure whatsoever. I needed more.
I enjoyed the author's writing style...but there was just something missing for me. It's really a very sad book, and I'd hoped for some wonderful happy ending, and didn't get it.
I enjoyed the author's writing style...but there was just something missing for me. It's really a very sad book, and I'd hoped for some wonderful happy ending, and didn't get it.
This is another book that I read in which I hated both of the main characters. They way the story was written, they were both jerks! The story was good, but it's the outside characters that made the book readable. If it was just April and Oliver, I probably would not have finished this book. But because of Al, the fiance, the father, the grandmother, and even the abusive boyfriend, I couldn't help but at least like it a little.
I loved the story and themes. But what was lacking, and the reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that the characters didn't make me care about them or even like them. They are very forgettable. I was disappointed, hoping there was more, but the book didn't deliver.