Reviews

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

pnmueller's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

3.75

willeyj's review

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3.0

This book just made me feel sad. I also have a hard time believing that her entire personality and dreams changed when her husband died and over the course of 3 years, to the point that when he was no longer dead she was too ‘different’ to live a life with him again? And she now was just as in love with her new fiancé, who she got engaged to after dating him for how long? Like less than a year? And he also wanted all of the same things out of life, to travel, after getting stranded on an island for years alone?? Idk this book just frustrated me and made me sad.

lisamonti99's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

moonchild720's review

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3.0

This books was good. It was equal parts tragic and beautiful. It’s such an impossible situation. It was a good read though it’s not as amazing as I thought. That could be because of all of they hype I heard though. I kept finding myself wanting to know what was happening and thinking about this book a lot while I was reading it.

sharonleavy's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

 I listened to One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid on audio, where it was narrated by Julia Whelan.

Emma Blair has loved Jesse Lerner since she was seventeen years old. They were High School sweethearts, and they wanted to travel the world together - but Jesse is involved in an accident a year into their marriage, and is presumed dead.

A devastated Emma struggles to move on, eventually moving back to her childhood town of Acton, Massachusetts. As she finally begins to get her life back together, and open herself up to love someone else - Jesse is found. Alive and well.

With Emma completely torn between the love of her past life and the man who could give her a solid future, she has some decisions to make - but how can she choose between the husband she thought was dead, and the man who helped her to live again?

We go back and forth to see Emma & Jesse's relationship from the very beginning, and get to know Emma as she is now, with Sam, a man who has always cared for her.

I liked all the characters, so I didn't know who to root for - it was actually really sad knowing that someone was going to end up hurt, because I felt like we really got to know them all well. I didn't love all of Emma's decisions, and I felt like some of the tangents were unnecessary (that whole bar piano scene just gave me the ick) but I think the author did a wonderful job of not making me hate any of them! I love how Emma grew as a character and I loved the relationship between her and her sister, Marie.

It's great on audio, I listened to the bulk of it on Everand (Scribd) and finished off my print copy in the dentist's waiting room (do not recommend, I was a broken woman hobbling in to get my filling replaced).

If you like an emotional read and are able for a really sad portrayal of grief, loss and moving on, then I'd recommend it. I know there's a film version too but they basically tell you the entire book in the trailer so I didn't bother watching it 😂 

rosie_reads_x's review

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5.0

This is my favourite book from Jenkins Reid that I’ve read so far, I loved it! The story is about Emma, who appears to have the perfect life when she marries her childhood sweetheart Jesse. But when Jesse dies in a tragic accident, Emma comes to realise that maybe the life that they had built together wasn’t what she really wanted after all. Just as Emma is starting to build a new life and has found love with a kind man called Sam, she gets the shocking news that Jesse has been found alive and well. Emma has to decide whether to go back to her old life with Jesse or stay in her new life with Sam.

This book is really well written and I got properly invested in all the characters. I would highly recommend it!

michaela_mae13's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful sad fast-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

4.5

coralizlhd's review

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emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This one had me sobbing 

vidhiexisting's review

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3.0

not my favorite book by Ms. Reid but still decent in terms of articulation of complex feelings, inner conflict and the idea of more than one true love.

maddiemccartney's review

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3.0

3.8 stars
Where was this book when I was looking for closure after a breakup?! Seriously though, this book is absolutely perfect for that purpose. The sentiment about true love was so thoughtful and beautiful.