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A review by avagardner
One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
4.75
4.7 stars
This book had me sobbing every fifty pages. Oh my god. This was my first Taylor Jenkins Reid book and I am so glad that I started with this. I don't think any characters have ever riveted my heart like Emma, Jesse, and Sam did. I HATE love triangles but I absolutely LOVEDE this. It was so well done. Will forever be a TJR stan.
The way this book was structured was intensely beautiful. From describing in parts the way Emma fell in love with Jesse (allowing the reader to fall in love with Jesse) to doing a play-by-play on how she fell in love with Sam (again, making the reader fall in love with Sam) after Jesse went missing. The choice Emma is presented with is an impossible one, but I think it was beautifully navigated by TJR in terms of appreciating the past and letting go. The terms of taking what the past has given you and loving it whilst knowing your present is the future is a concept that is vitally important in this book, resonating deeply with me. It felt refreshing, breathtaking, and heartbreaking all at once, making it one of my favorite novels I've read all year.
Taylor Jenkins Reid describing grief is something else entirely. I don't think I've ever physically reacted to a piece of writing before like I did with that aspect. She deserves a noble prize for that description. The intensity of the truth in the account of how Emma felt and grew from that grief felt so raw and real and completely made me jump back to points in my life where I have felt that misery. The concept of love is so intricate and complex; I appreciate how this book acknowledges that and provides an exploration of it. Truly a wonderful literary journey.
This book had me sobbing every fifty pages. Oh my god. This was my first Taylor Jenkins Reid book and I am so glad that I started with this. I don't think any characters have ever riveted my heart like Emma, Jesse, and Sam did. I HATE love triangles but I absolutely LOVEDE this. It was so well done. Will forever be a TJR stan.
The way this book was structured was intensely beautiful. From describing in parts the way Emma fell in love with Jesse (allowing the reader to fall in love with Jesse) to doing a play-by-play on how she fell in love with Sam (again, making the reader fall in love with Sam) after Jesse went missing. The choice Emma is presented with is an impossible one, but I think it was beautifully navigated by TJR in terms of appreciating the past and letting go. The terms of taking what the past has given you and loving it whilst knowing your present is the future is a concept that is vitally important in this book, resonating deeply with me. It felt refreshing, breathtaking, and heartbreaking all at once, making it one of my favorite novels I've read all year.
Taylor Jenkins Reid describing grief is something else entirely. I don't think I've ever physically reacted to a piece of writing before like I did with that aspect. She deserves a noble prize for that description. The intensity of the truth in the account of how Emma felt and grew from that grief felt so raw and real and completely made me jump back to points in my life where I have felt that misery. The concept of love is so intricate and complex; I appreciate how this book acknowledges that and provides an exploration of it. Truly a wonderful literary journey.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief