You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by thebooknerdscorner
The Sun Never Dies by A.R. Hadley
4.0
A novella that explores the concepts of fated meetings, second chances, and the gender expectations that are deeply engrained into our society.
Beth as a newly single woman in her forties doesn't know what to do with her life now that she now has an empty nest and she broke things off with her husband. One fateful day in New York City, she meets a man twenty years younger than her who shakes her world forever. Liam is a newly graduated youngster who has been backpacking around the world trying to fill the void inside of him now that college is through. When Liam meets Beth, sparks fly and their worlds begin to fill with sunshine. However, there are a ton of obstacles keeping them apart. But then why does the universe keep bringing them back together again?
For a novella, this story is rock solid. Heck, I think Liam and Beth's tale would have been beautiful even as a short story. This novella is much steamier than the books that I usually enjoy, but the topics that this book dives into had me putting that aside to think deeply about the questions that this story evokes.
At the forefront of this tale is rediscovering oneself and fated encounters. Beth is going through a midlife crisis, and she is in a desperate need to find that spark that brings her from living to truly alive. I think it is common for middle-aged people to forget the things that bring them joy, and I found it inspiring to see Beth rediscover feelings that she has long forgotten. And for fated encounters? I've always found this to be a fascinating topic. I totally believe that we are in charge of our own destinies for the most part, but the way that events line up sometimes seems a bit too suspicious to not be ordained in some way. I know that this is a fictional story, but I think this notion definitely applies to Beth and Liam. The way that these two reconnect after their original chance encounter truly feels like fate, and I think most people can think of a few times in their life that seem a little too unlikely to just be chalked up to chance.
One of my favorite parts of this novel is the way that it explores gender expectations and sexual stereotypes that exist in this world, especially in American society. This book talks in great length about how it is generally accepted when an older man dates a younger woman, but that a woman is often shunned if she dates a man who is younger than her. This is so sexist and backwards, yet I can agree that most of society would probably be pretty disgusted by everything that goes on between Beth and Liam.
From time to time, Liam also talks about the "bro code" in which men feel like banging girls is a necessity and that men are seen as less masculine if they don't get laid constantly by a variety of women. I think this is such a dated concept, but it is a stark reminder that many people feel that they have to do certain things or else be viewed as weak by other members of society, which is quite sickening. Beth as a mid-aged woman sometimes feels as though she shouldn't be viewed as someone who desires sexual attention and tries to conceal her innate beauty that she doesn't feel entitled to. Women in society are often viewed as solely monogamous when it comes to sexual activity, which is both false and unfair.
I think that there are expectations for both males and females that society presses onto everyone, but I think people often forget that stereotyping gets us nowhere, and that so many people don't fit into any such labels. (I mean, so many people don't even fit into the so called "gender binary," so knowing how one is supposed to act can be challenging to say the least. And then who wants to fit into these stupid gender expectations anyways?) Also, some boys would never imagine straying from their designated person, and some girls are just as notorious skirt chasers as men. Gender and sexual stereotypes are a horribly shallow part of society, and I think it is greatly important that books such as this novella come around to shake up the status quo and remind the world that all humans are their own individuals.
The ending of this novella was exactly what I expected it to be, but it was still a stark reminder to me that nothing is eternal and the things that we cherish can vanish in a single instant. The ones we love are definitely something that people take for granted way too often, so this is another important reminder that this book may instill on the reader.
Overall, "The Sun Never Dies" certainly wasn't the novella that I thought it would be. Though the spice count is higher than I'd usually prefer to palate, the prose is masterful and the themes are altogether powerful. The way this book takes a deep dive into gender stereotypes and the inequality of expectations that society presses on people is adept. I've always enjoyed pondering the possibility of fated encounters, so this book really had my gears spinning in multiple ways. If you want a short read that addresses some powerful topics, I wouldn't hesitate to point you in the direction of "The Sun Never Dies."
Beth as a newly single woman in her forties doesn't know what to do with her life now that she now has an empty nest and she broke things off with her husband. One fateful day in New York City, she meets a man twenty years younger than her who shakes her world forever. Liam is a newly graduated youngster who has been backpacking around the world trying to fill the void inside of him now that college is through. When Liam meets Beth, sparks fly and their worlds begin to fill with sunshine. However, there are a ton of obstacles keeping them apart. But then why does the universe keep bringing them back together again?
For a novella, this story is rock solid. Heck, I think Liam and Beth's tale would have been beautiful even as a short story. This novella is much steamier than the books that I usually enjoy, but the topics that this book dives into had me putting that aside to think deeply about the questions that this story evokes.
At the forefront of this tale is rediscovering oneself and fated encounters. Beth is going through a midlife crisis, and she is in a desperate need to find that spark that brings her from living to truly alive. I think it is common for middle-aged people to forget the things that bring them joy, and I found it inspiring to see Beth rediscover feelings that she has long forgotten. And for fated encounters? I've always found this to be a fascinating topic. I totally believe that we are in charge of our own destinies for the most part, but the way that events line up sometimes seems a bit too suspicious to not be ordained in some way. I know that this is a fictional story, but I think this notion definitely applies to Beth and Liam. The way that these two reconnect after their original chance encounter truly feels like fate, and I think most people can think of a few times in their life that seem a little too unlikely to just be chalked up to chance.
One of my favorite parts of this novel is the way that it explores gender expectations and sexual stereotypes that exist in this world, especially in American society. This book talks in great length about how it is generally accepted when an older man dates a younger woman, but that a woman is often shunned if she dates a man who is younger than her. This is so sexist and backwards, yet I can agree that most of society would probably be pretty disgusted by everything that goes on between Beth and Liam.
From time to time, Liam also talks about the "bro code" in which men feel like banging girls is a necessity and that men are seen as less masculine if they don't get laid constantly by a variety of women. I think this is such a dated concept, but it is a stark reminder that many people feel that they have to do certain things or else be viewed as weak by other members of society, which is quite sickening. Beth as a mid-aged woman sometimes feels as though she shouldn't be viewed as someone who desires sexual attention and tries to conceal her innate beauty that she doesn't feel entitled to. Women in society are often viewed as solely monogamous when it comes to sexual activity, which is both false and unfair.
I think that there are expectations for both males and females that society presses onto everyone, but I think people often forget that stereotyping gets us nowhere, and that so many people don't fit into any such labels. (I mean, so many people don't even fit into the so called "gender binary," so knowing how one is supposed to act can be challenging to say the least. And then who wants to fit into these stupid gender expectations anyways?) Also, some boys would never imagine straying from their designated person, and some girls are just as notorious skirt chasers as men. Gender and sexual stereotypes are a horribly shallow part of society, and I think it is greatly important that books such as this novella come around to shake up the status quo and remind the world that all humans are their own individuals.
The ending of this novella was exactly what I expected it to be, but it was still a stark reminder to me that nothing is eternal and the things that we cherish can vanish in a single instant. The ones we love are definitely something that people take for granted way too often, so this is another important reminder that this book may instill on the reader.
Overall, "The Sun Never Dies" certainly wasn't the novella that I thought it would be. Though the spice count is higher than I'd usually prefer to palate, the prose is masterful and the themes are altogether powerful. The way this book takes a deep dive into gender stereotypes and the inequality of expectations that society presses on people is adept. I've always enjoyed pondering the possibility of fated encounters, so this book really had my gears spinning in multiple ways. If you want a short read that addresses some powerful topics, I wouldn't hesitate to point you in the direction of "The Sun Never Dies."