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A review by thestucumminsreads
Vince and Joy: The Love Story of a Lifetime by Lisa Jewell
5.0
A love story of epic proportions that’s screaming to be adapted for the screen!
As I delve further into Lisa Jewell’s backlist, the more I feel I’m gaining a deeper understanding of her more recent novels. VINCE AND JOY is very definitely within her romance canon, but it’s not without its corners of shade. I love how smoothly Jewell blends the light and the dark, which she does in this book effortlessly. There are so many moments of humour, but underneath there’s also a very realistic layer of darkness. Perhaps it’s how I’ve approached this novel, coming in as a reader of crime and thrillers, but I was definitely intrigued by the less savoury elements of the plot. On the one hand, this book tackles gaslighting, coercion, abuse, neglect and chauvinism, but all of these painful themes are woven so seamlessly through an incredibly human story. This novel is ultimately about first loves, destiny and second chances, but these characters move through undulating seas of hurt and trauma in the meantime.
I was totally addicted to the constant will they/won’t they cross paths element of Vince and Joy’s characters. There were moments where I was on as sharp a knife’s edge as I am when reading the most tense of thriller novels. In fact, this novel is as laden with suspense as the best in crime fiction and it was so much fun reading something that had me holding my breath and gasping out loud for much less nefarious reasons. I instantly loved both Vince and Joy as characters and was totally invested in them reconnecting and rekindling their relationship. Jewell writes male characters really well and enjoyed the fact that the narrative is told from both the male and female perspectives. There is a real SLIDING DOORS vibe and the multiple moments where their lives run parallel to each other, but don’t cross over had me gritting my teeth in anticipation! This book would make an incredible film or television series, as it’s a romantic saga that keeps you guessing as to whether the characters will ever get together (it’s satisfyingly twisty in the way a thriller is!). I know immediately that it’s something my wife would be suggesting we watch!
If you enjoy a book that will really have you invested in the lives of the lead characters and take you on an emotional rollercoaster of a journey with them, this is a book you should immediately add to your TBR. Funny, poignant and authentic, I thoroughly enjoyed this…I’ve said it before - and I’ll keep saying it - Lisa Jewell can’t write no wrong in my mind!
On to A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY now
As I delve further into Lisa Jewell’s backlist, the more I feel I’m gaining a deeper understanding of her more recent novels. VINCE AND JOY is very definitely within her romance canon, but it’s not without its corners of shade. I love how smoothly Jewell blends the light and the dark, which she does in this book effortlessly. There are so many moments of humour, but underneath there’s also a very realistic layer of darkness. Perhaps it’s how I’ve approached this novel, coming in as a reader of crime and thrillers, but I was definitely intrigued by the less savoury elements of the plot. On the one hand, this book tackles gaslighting, coercion, abuse, neglect and chauvinism, but all of these painful themes are woven so seamlessly through an incredibly human story. This novel is ultimately about first loves, destiny and second chances, but these characters move through undulating seas of hurt and trauma in the meantime.
I was totally addicted to the constant will they/won’t they cross paths element of Vince and Joy’s characters. There were moments where I was on as sharp a knife’s edge as I am when reading the most tense of thriller novels. In fact, this novel is as laden with suspense as the best in crime fiction and it was so much fun reading something that had me holding my breath and gasping out loud for much less nefarious reasons. I instantly loved both Vince and Joy as characters and was totally invested in them reconnecting and rekindling their relationship. Jewell writes male characters really well and enjoyed the fact that the narrative is told from both the male and female perspectives. There is a real SLIDING DOORS vibe and the multiple moments where their lives run parallel to each other, but don’t cross over had me gritting my teeth in anticipation! This book would make an incredible film or television series, as it’s a romantic saga that keeps you guessing as to whether the characters will ever get together (it’s satisfyingly twisty in the way a thriller is!). I know immediately that it’s something my wife would be suggesting we watch!
If you enjoy a book that will really have you invested in the lives of the lead characters and take you on an emotional rollercoaster of a journey with them, this is a book you should immediately add to your TBR. Funny, poignant and authentic, I thoroughly enjoyed this…I’ve said it before - and I’ll keep saying it - Lisa Jewell can’t write no wrong in my mind!
On to A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY now