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A review by abidavisf
You, With a View by Jessica Joyce
adventurous
emotional
funny
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? No
5.0
How lucky am I to have read You, With a View? How I have been honoured to live in a time where this book exists is beyond me.
I bought You, With a View a long time ago. Somebody posted a quote on TikTok (funnily enough) and I knew I had to read it and then, as happens with me, I thought too hard about it and scared myself out of it under the assumption that I’d hyped it up too much and would only be disappointed. I know, now, that I wasn’t ready at the time. Now was the perfect time for this story to come to me.
You, With a View is a love story, but it is also life-affirming. It is a celebration of love (not just the romantic kind), friendship and failure. It teaches you that just because you thought something was one thing and it turned out to be something else doesn’t make it any less perfect for you. It is tribute to everybody you have ever loved and everybody you will ever love. My mum always told me that some people are only with you for a season and that’s okay. They were there when you needed them and it’s okay for them to leave. You can still be happy. You can still live a life of love and joy and laughter. You, With a View is testament to that.
Noelle and Theo both had expectations for their life. Noelle placed those expectations on herself. Theo’s were forced onto him. Both characters experienced devastating blows that they processed so differently. Yet, the shared ties that drew their paths together over so many years allowed them to unite, heal and build something new, something full of hope.
Kat and Paul’s love story is testament to the fact that just because something ends doesn’t mean it wasn’t beautiful. Sometimes, the most beautiful endings are born from the saddest beginnings. Though I never wanted You, With a View to end, I’m honoured that I had the chance to read it and for it to birth so much hope in me.
I am in awe of this book. Everybody must read it.
I bought You, With a View a long time ago. Somebody posted a quote on TikTok (funnily enough) and I knew I had to read it and then, as happens with me, I thought too hard about it and scared myself out of it under the assumption that I’d hyped it up too much and would only be disappointed. I know, now, that I wasn’t ready at the time. Now was the perfect time for this story to come to me.
You, With a View is a love story, but it is also life-affirming. It is a celebration of love (not just the romantic kind), friendship and failure. It teaches you that just because you thought something was one thing and it turned out to be something else doesn’t make it any less perfect for you. It is tribute to everybody you have ever loved and everybody you will ever love. My mum always told me that some people are only with you for a season and that’s okay. They were there when you needed them and it’s okay for them to leave. You can still be happy. You can still live a life of love and joy and laughter. You, With a View is testament to that.
Noelle and Theo both had expectations for their life. Noelle placed those expectations on herself. Theo’s were forced onto him. Both characters experienced devastating blows that they processed so differently. Yet, the shared ties that drew their paths together over so many years allowed them to unite, heal and build something new, something full of hope.
Kat and Paul’s love story is testament to the fact that just because something ends doesn’t mean it wasn’t beautiful. Sometimes, the most beautiful endings are born from the saddest beginnings. Though I never wanted You, With a View to end, I’m honoured that I had the chance to read it and for it to birth so much hope in me.
I am in awe of this book. Everybody must read it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief, and Death