Reviews with content warning for Child death - In Five Years

Another one in the column of Books That Made Me Ugly Cry!!! Hooray, for I so dearly love a story that brings such emotions to the forefront. (Not sarcasm, btw)

I had no idea what to expect going into this book. Well, that’s a lie. I knew it was a love story, and I’d heard it would make me cry.

But I did not anticipate in the slightest, why it would make me cry. Or what kind of love story I’d feel very deeply apart of.

You very easily slip in to this story. It reads like any other, until it doesn’t. And when it doesn’t, you simply must keep reading to see where it leads. Love, heartbreak, celebration, tragedy, compromise, friendship. Life, changing without approval, no matter how much you plan for it not to. Life, out of your hands.

“In Five Years” is as comforting as it is devastating. It’s both a tight, warm hug and a fierce, bitter wind. It answers the questions you’ve never even thought about before, and asks of you things you’ve never had to give.

Give it all. The characters in this novel deserve it.

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monjure's review

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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raegoetz's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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kelleywithanextrae's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

Content Warnings

profdevochka's review against another edition

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challenging emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

3.5 Stars.

I really enjoyed this book until towards the end.

My biggest gripes. . .

-Dannie and Aaron kissing/hooking up felt very forced and only staged to fit the "dream". I really wish the dream was more of an emotional intimacy, that would still confuse her but make more sense. Their friend literally just died and they're boinking? There wasn't much of a romantic build up to make me feel there was sexual tension.
- The end sequence was a struggle to read. Her saying those same words she did before, but the author trying to justify it. "Am I lawyer?" It felt hamfisted. It could have been much better.

What I liked. . .
-I liked that it didn't really end with her being with Aaron. As I read it made it very clear if they did, the entire theme of the book would be gone. I interpreted as love and happiness are still great even if they don't last forever. And True Love isn't exclusive to romance. I definitely felt that Dannie and Bella truly loved each other. And Dannie loved David, although not the love made for long lasting marriage. Those loves, times, and relationships aren't a failure or a waste because you loved them. Kinda makes me think of what Robin said to Barney in How I Met Your Mother. Barney felt defeated and said their marriage was a failure but Robin disagreed. Their marriage was a success (they had lots of fun and loved each other strongly right up until the end) but it ended.

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kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

A beautiful story about love — different kinds, but the most important, certainly, the love of a girlfriend— a sister. My heart is broken — when I started reading this book I had no idea where it was going and I was not prepared for where it went. This book shows us the depths of love, the lengths people will go to prove it, and the ways that love changes our plans and alters the course of our existence. A reminder to live every day like it’s our last.

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