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booksuperpower 's review for:
Just the Way You Are
by Barbara Freethy
I got this book free in the kindle store. I guess when it comes to preferences, contemporary women's fiction is pretty low on my list of favorite genres. But, I recognized the author's name and thought I would give it a look see.
The set up is tense. First of all we have Alli. Alli has lived in her sister's shadow all her life. When their parents are killed in an accident, the girls are raised by their grandmother. They do bond for awhile, but then Sam moved in the neighborhood. Sam and Alli's sister, Tessa were inseparable since the age of twelve. Alli tried desperately to include herself in their world, but was always on the outside looking in. Alli was also in love with Sam, but didn't stand a chance against her supermodel sister. So, after Tessa takes a modeling job and doesn't come home for Christmas, Alli and Sam find each other at the same party. Sam has too much to drink and Alli takes her one desperate shot at him and they sleep together. Alli gets pregnant and Sam feels obligated to marry her. Now nine years later, Alli finds a box of photos and momentos of Tessa in Sam's desk drawer. She's had enough of his pining for Tessa, and feeling like second choice. Sam has never ever told her he loved her and she is ready to let him go.
Sam has carved out a life with Alli, and is shocked when she asked for a divorce. She handed him his freedom on a silver platter, but now he isn't so sure he wants it. He starts to see Alli in a different light. The words she so wants to hear from him though remain elusive. He has his moments of doubt when Alli and Tessa's grandmother has a stroke and Tessa comes home.
Tessa of course is the one who should be angry. She hasn't been able to move on with a man because she is living in the "what if" world of her and Sam. When she comes home she discovers Sam and Alli are separated. She feels she needs to explore the possibility of a future they were robbed of all those years ago. But, people have changed in those nine years. Tessa just can't seem to understand that.
In the end they all finally address the long buried resentments and bitterness. They admit their feelings and Alli finally hears those precious words she longs to hear.
Alli was so jealous of Tessa she couldn't see her own attractiveness. There was no doubt she was really in love with Sam, but until he and Tessa had officially decided what way their relationship was going to go, she shouldn't have slept with him. He was still her sister's boyfriend. Sleeping with Sam was wrong on so many levels. But, it also took two to tango. Sam was also responsible for the situation. He spent nine years thinking Alli was a mistake. He loved his daughter and was a good father though.
So, while Alli was in the wrong to begin with, I couldn't help but pull for her. Tessa was wrong to come back in and try to steal Sam back. Alli and Sam were separated but not divorced and there was a child involved. So, I ended up not liking Tessa very much. In the end, Tessa finally realizes that what she felt for Sam and what he felt for her was in the past.
As for the story of Phoebe and William, that was the saddest of them all. I also thought Phoebe was out of line by stirring the pot. It almost backfired on her in a big way. But, you could see the point she was trying to make. She loved everyone involved and wanted them all to stop living in limbo. In the end, everyone got a happy ending though. Overall a C+.
The set up is tense. First of all we have Alli. Alli has lived in her sister's shadow all her life. When their parents are killed in an accident, the girls are raised by their grandmother. They do bond for awhile, but then Sam moved in the neighborhood. Sam and Alli's sister, Tessa were inseparable since the age of twelve. Alli tried desperately to include herself in their world, but was always on the outside looking in. Alli was also in love with Sam, but didn't stand a chance against her supermodel sister. So, after Tessa takes a modeling job and doesn't come home for Christmas, Alli and Sam find each other at the same party. Sam has too much to drink and Alli takes her one desperate shot at him and they sleep together. Alli gets pregnant and Sam feels obligated to marry her. Now nine years later, Alli finds a box of photos and momentos of Tessa in Sam's desk drawer. She's had enough of his pining for Tessa, and feeling like second choice. Sam has never ever told her he loved her and she is ready to let him go.
Sam has carved out a life with Alli, and is shocked when she asked for a divorce. She handed him his freedom on a silver platter, but now he isn't so sure he wants it. He starts to see Alli in a different light. The words she so wants to hear from him though remain elusive. He has his moments of doubt when Alli and Tessa's grandmother has a stroke and Tessa comes home.
Tessa of course is the one who should be angry. She hasn't been able to move on with a man because she is living in the "what if" world of her and Sam. When she comes home she discovers Sam and Alli are separated. She feels she needs to explore the possibility of a future they were robbed of all those years ago. But, people have changed in those nine years. Tessa just can't seem to understand that.
In the end they all finally address the long buried resentments and bitterness. They admit their feelings and Alli finally hears those precious words she longs to hear.
Alli was so jealous of Tessa she couldn't see her own attractiveness. There was no doubt she was really in love with Sam, but until he and Tessa had officially decided what way their relationship was going to go, she shouldn't have slept with him. He was still her sister's boyfriend. Sleeping with Sam was wrong on so many levels. But, it also took two to tango. Sam was also responsible for the situation. He spent nine years thinking Alli was a mistake. He loved his daughter and was a good father though.
So, while Alli was in the wrong to begin with, I couldn't help but pull for her. Tessa was wrong to come back in and try to steal Sam back. Alli and Sam were separated but not divorced and there was a child involved. So, I ended up not liking Tessa very much. In the end, Tessa finally realizes that what she felt for Sam and what he felt for her was in the past.
As for the story of Phoebe and William, that was the saddest of them all. I also thought Phoebe was out of line by stirring the pot. It almost backfired on her in a big way. But, you could see the point she was trying to make. She loved everyone involved and wanted them all to stop living in limbo. In the end, everyone got a happy ending though. Overall a C+.