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westsideswiftie's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I absolutely loved this book! While Sawyer and Reena had their problems and some of them worse than others it made for a great story. There was definitely character growth to look back on especially for Sawyer.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Alcohol and Drug use
valeriabee's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
A reminder of why I read young-adult/new adult books. It reminded me a lot of Sarah Dessen, - thematically - but I remained conscious of the stylistic differences.
The book alternates between past and present, framed as Before and After. However, the main event that defines these time-frames is not established. Is it Before she got pregnant? No, we see some of her pregnancy in the Before.
Is it Before Sawyer left for good? No, we see it happen and we see some of what occured immediately after.
Mind you the Before and the After have a two year gap between them. They never meet each other. We dont get everything that happens in those two years. And it makes sense because the story isn't just about Reena, it's not just about her teen pregnancy and being a single mother out of wedlock. It's mostly about her relationship with Sawyer. Everything that happened to get her in this mess, and everything that happens when he finally returns after two years to find out he made a child.
I really like the alternating between times, especially because it felt like everything happening in one timeline was aligning with the othe timeline. They were perfectly parallel and the chapters informed each other. I thought about re-reading it so that you read through all the Befores and then read through all the Afters: to read the book in chronological order. While I think it's possible to do that and still have it make sense, I don't think it'll be as fun or as good to read.
This is the first time I put down a book with romance and think "theyre not gonna make it." Partially because they were 16 and 18 when it all started. Now theyre 18 and 20. Sawyer had a huge drug problem - which he went to rehab for. My main concern is that they were incredibly toxic when they were together as teens. He was always high and she was young and insecure. They were from two completelty different worlds, despite growing up in the same one. Their lives were not compatible, even though they were kids. And now that theyre slightly less kids, they still dont feel compatible. They feel like they missed their chance with each other, but their reality is that they never had a real chance. I know Sawyer has cleaned up his act, and I dont doubt that he's great now, but it still feels like they could use some time to reacquaint themselves. They should have taken it much much slower in the After. I really liked that we get to see them form this very intimate and loving bond with one another. Despite their troubles, you can see where the love comes from - how they got there. It's not just declarations of love, it's a real display of affection. Real conversations about nothing and everything. And it's about a couple of teenagers.
Suffice it to say that Cotugno knows how to write and show love better than most other authors I've read. It's soft and it's sweet. It's intimate and it's caressing. It's in the way they talk to each other and know how to communicate, even when they're messing it up. I feel so warm just thinking about it.
Although, again, I am not sold that they'll last. And while Sawyer is charming the whole way through, I see his bad parts and I cannot like him like that. I support the way it's all written, but I dont necessarily support these characters.
The book alternates between past and present, framed as Before and After. However, the main event that defines these time-frames is not established. Is it Before she got pregnant? No, we see some of her pregnancy in the Before.
Is it Before Sawyer left for good? No, we see it happen and we see some of what occured immediately after.
Mind you the Before and the After have a two year gap between them. They never meet each other. We dont get everything that happens in those two years. And it makes sense because the story isn't just about Reena, it's not just about her teen pregnancy and being a single mother out of wedlock. It's mostly about her relationship with Sawyer. Everything that happened to get her in this mess, and everything that happens when he finally returns after two years to find out he made a child.
I really like the alternating between times, especially because it felt like everything happening in one timeline was aligning with the othe timeline. They were perfectly parallel and the chapters informed each other. I thought about re-reading it so that you read through all the Befores and then read through all the Afters: to read the book in chronological order. While I think it's possible to do that and still have it make sense, I don't think it'll be as fun or as good to read.
Suffice it to say that Cotugno knows how to write and show love better than most other authors I've read. It's soft and it's sweet. It's intimate and it's caressing. It's in the way they talk to each other and know how to communicate, even when they're messing it up. I feel so warm just thinking about it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Sexual content, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Panic attacks/disorders
Reena's family is very Catholic, so the book is riddled with Catholic guilt and judgment.
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