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A review by readingwithfefe
If There's a Way by Jessie Walker
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
1st person/dual pov
Spice: 3.5/5
After how Book 1 ended I knew this book would start out breaking my heart and I wasn't wrong. Things have to get worse before they can get better right?? I mean it's cool, my heart can totally handle being emotionally stabbed repeatedly before it's all stitched back up, no big deal lol.
It's the way the roles each character seems to have established in book 1 do a complete 180 in book 2 that had me even more emotional than I thought I could be. Where one guy would chase and the other would run or push away they now did the opposite. The runner became the one chasing and the one chasing is trying so hard to let go in an effort to keep his heart from crumbling into nothing one final time. It really captures how we as humans can only take so much before we just can't risk getting hurt one more time. On the other side, it also captures how we sometimes do not realize what's really important until we no longer have it within reach. Too often it takes losing what we didn't realize we needed to wake us up or to give us the courage to face our own truths.
While it's certainly still sad and absolutely still a tear-jerker this book has a lot more healing than the first one in many different areas. The spice did step up a notch or two as well which let's face it I don't hate lol but it's still not overdone and it still focuses a lot on the connection and trust that's built between these guys. So many questions get answers and there are even a couple of small twists I didn't see happening that had my brain scrambling in shock. There's even a moment or two that had me biting my nails in fear it would completely derail the progress that seemed to have been made up to that point. I won't let you know if it did or not though because where's the fun in that but I will say that it sure made my anxiety stick around longer than I had hoped it would haha. Even though the anxiety sucked once again it was all worth it because the ending was just so satisfying all things considered. I've read the short story that takes place between the last chapter and the epilogue as well (this was featured in the Worthy anthology for those wanting to read it) which just gave me even more satisfaction because of the little moments of growth and small victories you get to see in those few chapters as well.
One last thing I will say, besides please don't skip the content warnings on book 2 either, is that I'm a sucker for a good romantic or swoon-worthy quote professing how much you love and care for someone. Whether it's said aloud to that person or simply a thought flitting across the character's inner monologue and Jessie gives us plenty of those across these two books. I can glance back at my highlights and read just about any line or so that I've saved and I can feel the tears stinging at the backs of my eyes. They just sum up what these two experience and feel so perfectly and in such a beautiful and sometimes poetic way. Ugh, the writing is just so beautiful I can't even stand it lol!
Needless to say, I'm beyond obsessed with their story and I'm so glad there's a novella for me to dive into next because I'm nowhere near okay with their story being over haha! I need so much more because Will and Way are everything! If anything else Jessie writes is of this caliber then this is only the beginning of an amazing writing career and I can't wait to read anything and everything Jessie writes going forward.
XX
Spice: 3.5/5
After how Book 1 ended I knew this book would start out breaking my heart and I wasn't wrong. Things have to get worse before they can get better right?? I mean it's cool, my heart can totally handle being emotionally stabbed repeatedly before it's all stitched back up, no big deal lol.
It's the way the roles each character seems to have established in book 1 do a complete 180 in book 2 that had me even more emotional than I thought I could be. Where one guy would chase and the other would run or push away they now did the opposite. The runner became the one chasing and the one chasing is trying so hard to let go in an effort to keep his heart from crumbling into nothing one final time. It really captures how we as humans can only take so much before we just can't risk getting hurt one more time. On the other side, it also captures how we sometimes do not realize what's really important until we no longer have it within reach. Too often it takes losing what we didn't realize we needed to wake us up or to give us the courage to face our own truths.
While it's certainly still sad and absolutely still a tear-jerker this book has a lot more healing than the first one in many different areas. The spice did step up a notch or two as well which let's face it I don't hate lol but it's still not overdone and it still focuses a lot on the connection and trust that's built between these guys. So many questions get answers and there are even a couple of small twists I didn't see happening that had my brain scrambling in shock. There's even a moment or two that had me biting my nails in fear it would completely derail the progress that seemed to have been made up to that point. I won't let you know if it did or not though because where's the fun in that but I will say that it sure made my anxiety stick around longer than I had hoped it would haha. Even though the anxiety sucked once again it was all worth it because the ending was just so satisfying all things considered. I've read the short story that takes place between the last chapter and the epilogue as well (this was featured in the Worthy anthology for those wanting to read it) which just gave me even more satisfaction because of the little moments of growth and small victories you get to see in those few chapters as well.
One last thing I will say, besides please don't skip the content warnings on book 2 either, is that I'm a sucker for a good romantic or swoon-worthy quote professing how much you love and care for someone. Whether it's said aloud to that person or simply a thought flitting across the character's inner monologue and Jessie gives us plenty of those across these two books. I can glance back at my highlights and read just about any line or so that I've saved and I can feel the tears stinging at the backs of my eyes. They just sum up what these two experience and feel so perfectly and in such a beautiful and sometimes poetic way. Ugh, the writing is just so beautiful I can't even stand it lol!
Needless to say, I'm beyond obsessed with their story and I'm so glad there's a novella for me to dive into next because I'm nowhere near okay with their story being over haha! I need so much more because Will and Way are everything! If anything else Jessie writes is of this caliber then this is only the beginning of an amazing writing career and I can't wait to read anything and everything Jessie writes going forward.
XX
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Biphobia, Cursing, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail