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booksuperpower's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I’d Give Anything by Marisa de los Santos is a 2020 William Morrow publication.
Uneven- but quick and engrossing read-
The story begins with teenage Ginny- nicknamed- ‘Zinny’ writing out her thoughts in her journal. She is a teenager full of confidence and energy. She’s in love, has close friends, and lives her life with gusto. Her home life, though, is troubled. Her mother is not a warm person by any stretch of the imagination and Ginny’s brother, Trevor, is constantly at odds with her.
Fast forward to present day- and we find Ginny married- not to the great love of her life- but to a safe, rather boring man. The bright spot in her life is her teenage daughter, Avery. Her stable existence is shaken up when her dependable husband goes off the rails by having an emotional affair with an eighteen- year- old and loses his job as a result. On top of that, an old secret that Ginny has held close all these years, is threatening to resurface.
Thankfully, Ginny has her friends at the dog park to confide in- but she has no idea how close they are to the very secret she is so terrified will finally be revealed…
I can’t explain why I found myself so caught up in this drama. I read it in one sitting despite the over used themes and the flat characterizations.
Avery was the best character as she seemed to have no patience with half-truths or secrets. She was braver than most of the adults in the story, who still held grudges dating back to high school!
The conclusion was a little too pat, but I was happy that everything was wrapped up in such a way that the characters can now move forward knowing the truth, hopefully finding peace, while also grabbing some emotional maturity and learning from past mistakes.
Overall, the writing started out lush, only to become uneven and uninspired. The dialogue is often immature, and the topics are hardly original- oversaturated even at the moment- but I still found myself needing to discover all the secrets and find out how it would work out in the end. Therefore, because the book held my attention despite its flaws, I’m giving it three stars.
rebecca_isreading's review
4.0
Thanks to the publisher, via Edelweiss, for an advance e-galley for honest review.
There is something consistently, quietly lovely about the way Marisa de los Santos writes, and it's on display here. We get to read Ginny's perspective from diary entries she wrote as an idealistic teenager, and then we see how her life is unfolding in her late 30s after her husband gets embroiled in a really gross workplace scandal. What happened to change her outlook? This was a very warm, friendship oriented story that let Ginny grow and learn, and find that teenage perspective that she'd been missing. I'll read nearly anything Marisa de los Santos would write, and this one was a real pleasure.
There is something consistently, quietly lovely about the way Marisa de los Santos writes, and it's on display here. We get to read Ginny's perspective from diary entries she wrote as an idealistic teenager, and then we see how her life is unfolding in her late 30s after her husband gets embroiled in a really gross workplace scandal. What happened to change her outlook? This was a very warm, friendship oriented story that let Ginny grow and learn, and find that teenage perspective that she'd been missing. I'll read nearly anything Marisa de los Santos would write, and this one was a real pleasure.
amymelissa's review
1.0
A story of a woman dealing with difficult situations at two different points in her life. At 16, a tragic fire impacts her and her friend’s lives. Now, as an adult, her husband has an “almost” affair with a much younger woman.
It is hard for me to pinpoint exactly what I did not like about this book. I found it incredibly hard to connect with and there was little to no depth or development to any of the characters. It felt like I was reading a script for a Hallmark movie where everything just “works out” for everyone and it never goes deeper then surface level.
It is hard for me to pinpoint exactly what I did not like about this book. I found it incredibly hard to connect with and there was little to no depth or development to any of the characters. It felt like I was reading a script for a Hallmark movie where everything just “works out” for everyone and it never goes deeper then surface level.
annatmreads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
raben_76325's review against another edition
4.0
This is a short and sweet book about a person whose daily life is dominated by secrets from twenty years ago. Things happened to her and around her that were truly life changing. I enjoyed seeing her relationship with her daughter and seeing the person who lived in fear and pain emerge stronger and better than ever.
Goodreads has this classified as "Love Walked In #4" and I hope they fix that because this book is a standalone.
I also copied several quotes from this novel into my journal as it is beautifully written as well as a great story.
Goodreads has this classified as "Love Walked In #4" and I hope they fix that because this book is a standalone.
I also copied several quotes from this novel into my journal as it is beautifully written as well as a great story.
susemcdonald's review
4.0
Beautiful, shining stars! Loved this new novel by one of my favourite authors. Marisa’s writing is so lovely and poetic...it envelops you like a warm, comfy shrug on a cool, misty day.
td3's review against another edition
4.0
Marisa de los Santos has been on my radar for quite some time now and I'm glad to say that I have finally read one of her books and am looking forward to reading some of her past novels.
In this latest story, readers learn about the life of Ginny Beale, told through flashbacks to her high school days and from her present day life. When the story begins, Ginny's marriage has hit a huge road block and her mother is terminally ill.
Gradually readers learn about Ginny's past and how a tragic event and a doomed romance have shaped her into the woman she has become. As Ginny deals with the loss of her mother and her marriage, she begins to understand how those past hurts have affected her current relationships and she begins to make amends.
I loved Ginny's relationship with her teen daughter and how she affirmed her feelings and gave her the freedom to express herself. Ginny also had a group of friends that anyone would love to have--especially Kirsten. But what made the biggest impression on me was the relationship she had with Gray, her first boyfriend and her first heartbreak.
If you need a story that's full of nice characters and not too heavy on the troubles of life, this is a great choice. Their troubles are not sugarcoated, but they are presented in such a way that shows they're not too big to get through.
Many thanks to William Morrow for allowing me to read an advance copy and give an honest review.
In this latest story, readers learn about the life of Ginny Beale, told through flashbacks to her high school days and from her present day life. When the story begins, Ginny's marriage has hit a huge road block and her mother is terminally ill.
Gradually readers learn about Ginny's past and how a tragic event and a doomed romance have shaped her into the woman she has become. As Ginny deals with the loss of her mother and her marriage, she begins to understand how those past hurts have affected her current relationships and she begins to make amends.
I loved Ginny's relationship with her teen daughter and how she affirmed her feelings and gave her the freedom to express herself. Ginny also had a group of friends that anyone would love to have--especially Kirsten. But what made the biggest impression on me was the relationship she had with Gray, her first boyfriend and her first heartbreak.
If you need a story that's full of nice characters and not too heavy on the troubles of life, this is a great choice. Their troubles are not sugarcoated, but they are presented in such a way that shows they're not too big to get through.
Many thanks to William Morrow for allowing me to read an advance copy and give an honest review.