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A review by currant7
Always Us by Lizzie Morton
4.0
Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
This review can also be found in Currant7 Recommends.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Abby is a young freelance photographer who comes back to her hometown for a short summer break. She takes up some freelance work and a part-time job at a bar. She reconnects with her groupie friends and the only reason she left Brooklyn six years ago.
Firstly and most importantly, I would recommend reading Always You, Book 1, instead of jumping into Always Us, Book 2, to avoid spoilers. Book 1 does a great job of "laying out" all the elements and details for readers in preparation for the mindset, Abby's family and group dynamics, and her life six years ago. The story jumps between current and past timelines that points towards "the hows and whys" that ties the story nicely.
Secondly, readers may find this book a challenging read if used to get first-person POV - dual. The story revolved around Abby and her experiences until the very end. The book is well written, with a lot of drama and uncertainty mixed into it. The author chose to reveal very little about Abby's aside while keeping everyone else's thoughts secret. It was until 70% into the book that things picked up and became more apparent.
Thirdly, Abby got to me! She is an enigma - the epitome of grace, humility, easygoing yet responsible (enough) character throughout the book. Granted that there were "loose moments," but most times, Abby is the "responsible one" and wanted to find answers that only one man could give her. Abby's internal "storms" were affecting her a lot and thus led to her indecisiveness. She might already know her decision, but the fear of being a disappointment to others makes her sacrifice her sanity in the book.
A frustrating trait I found with her is being too much a martyr when she becomes the "mother" to her galpals, Sophie and Zoe, "saving" them from their juvenile ways. She mentions dropping them but reverts to "saving them" when it comes time. My eyes were rolling each "next time" happened, but I understood the relationship's importance. I believe I was madder that her friends would put her in those situations.
When the story picks up, Abby starts opening up herself to her best friends and what readers will find is someone who has it all in her grasps, except the one true thing that she wanted most in the world. There were too many secrets surrounding Abby, her family, and friends that were frustrating. I got a bit lost (and mad) like Abby since everyone else knows this "life-changing secret" that hugely affected her. People hinted and encouraged, then later retracted. Even when Abby becomes brave, her supposed friends and family still did not help her - stating, "not my story to tell." (This was a very "GRRR" moment for me!)
Ultimately, it was "the right one" for Abby, even if everyone else might doubt it, including me. The final decision, in the end, can be a shocker because it was all left "down the wire."
In summary, I enjoyed Always You and would recommend this to readers who love trilogy or even duet books with a side of angst and big revelations. This ending is not a cliffhanger but more of "the next phase" of Abby's and Jake's love story. Readers will NOT feel shortchanged with Abby's decision. The story is solid and will bring up all "the feels" to have readers run through all the emotions of love, loss, and partial redemption. I love how the revelations came out and the character development when self-realization and sacrifices came out in the end. The book's ending was a "sound-one" for Abby and, in her mind, the best for everyone.
PS: I love the author's inclusion of Jake's POV to bridge us through Book 2 at the end, which left me "the chills"! I wanted to jump up and down as this technique is what movies use to drop "hints" for the next story. I love Jake's last words.
This review can also be found in Currant7 Recommends.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Abby is a young freelance photographer who comes back to her hometown for a short summer break. She takes up some freelance work and a part-time job at a bar. She reconnects with her groupie friends and the only reason she left Brooklyn six years ago.
Firstly and most importantly, I would recommend reading Always You, Book 1, instead of jumping into Always Us, Book 2, to avoid spoilers. Book 1 does a great job of "laying out" all the elements and details for readers in preparation for the mindset, Abby's family and group dynamics, and her life six years ago. The story jumps between current and past timelines that points towards "the hows and whys" that ties the story nicely.
Secondly, readers may find this book a challenging read if used to get first-person POV - dual. The story revolved around Abby and her experiences until the very end. The book is well written, with a lot of drama and uncertainty mixed into it. The author chose to reveal very little about Abby's aside while keeping everyone else's thoughts secret. It was until 70% into the book that things picked up and became more apparent.
Thirdly, Abby got to me! She is an enigma - the epitome of grace, humility, easygoing yet responsible (enough) character throughout the book. Granted that there were "loose moments," but most times, Abby is the "responsible one" and wanted to find answers that only one man could give her. Abby's internal "storms" were affecting her a lot and thus led to her indecisiveness. She might already know her decision, but the fear of being a disappointment to others makes her sacrifice her sanity in the book.
A frustrating trait I found with her is being too much a martyr when she becomes the "mother" to her galpals, Sophie and Zoe, "saving" them from their juvenile ways. She mentions dropping them but reverts to "saving them" when it comes time. My eyes were rolling each "next time" happened, but I understood the relationship's importance. I believe I was madder that her friends would put her in those situations.
When the story picks up, Abby starts opening up herself to her best friends and what readers will find is someone who has it all in her grasps, except the one true thing that she wanted most in the world. There were too many secrets surrounding Abby, her family, and friends that were frustrating. I got a bit lost (and mad) like Abby since everyone else knows this "life-changing secret" that hugely affected her. People hinted and encouraged, then later retracted. Even when Abby becomes brave, her supposed friends and family still did not help her - stating, "not my story to tell." (This was a very "GRRR" moment for me!)
Ultimately, it was "the right one" for Abby, even if everyone else might doubt it, including me. The final decision, in the end, can be a shocker because it was all left "down the wire."
In summary, I enjoyed Always You and would recommend this to readers who love trilogy or even duet books with a side of angst and big revelations. This ending is not a cliffhanger but more of "the next phase" of Abby's and Jake's love story. Readers will NOT feel shortchanged with Abby's decision. The story is solid and will bring up all "the feels" to have readers run through all the emotions of love, loss, and partial redemption. I love how the revelations came out and the character development when self-realization and sacrifices came out in the end. The book's ending was a "sound-one" for Abby and, in her mind, the best for everyone.
PS: I love the author's inclusion of Jake's POV to bridge us through Book 2 at the end, which left me "the chills"! I wanted to jump up and down as this technique is what movies use to drop "hints" for the next story. I love Jake's last words.