Scan barcode
aishabismillah987's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I originally read this back in 2020 and it is as good as it remember it was. I looooooove this book, it is jsut perfect. The plot the characters everything about this book is amazing especially tate. Tate is such an amazing guy. He's soooooooo cute.
bookflutter's review against another edition
5.0
Wow I freakin loved,this book! Trace Wentworth is hot hot hot! I was hooked from the very beginning and read this book in two sittings! The writing was superb and well detailed. I loved Olivia! She is something fierce! This is such an amazing love story and it really hit home for me. I was very happy with the ending and am definitely reading the next one in the series!
delaneysue's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
stephlg's review against another edition
4.0
“Life is not measured by the amount of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away”
graciegrace1178's review against another edition
5.0
One of those books that I know I’ll come back to in the near future because the characters are so gosh-darn real and lovable. The events are so fundamentally human and moving... I really liked this book and I’m still processing the last few chapters. That’s how I know it left a mark.
bookdarling1987's review against another edition
1.0
where do I begin with this book. it was a buddy read for one of my groups. I like the girls I was reading with it. I cant say that I liked the book. it has it's high points and it's low points for the most it was LOW. Bad grammar predictable story line, and over all just happy to be done.
lexilove13's review against another edition
5.0
Finding Olivia was amazing!! I loved every minute of the book! Olivia grew up in a small town where her father was the Preacher and she had to be the "perfect" Preacher's daughter. By the time Olivia went to college she was sick of being so "perfect." Just before she left she made a list of all the things she wanted to do...a Live List. No one knew about the list, not even Avery, her best friend that she met at college...no one until Trace that is. Trace made Olivia nervous because of his bad boy persona..but in reality Trace was her white knight...he stopped to help her when she got a flat tire and that's where their story beings....Trace helps Olivia cross everything off her Live List...in my opinion Trace is the perfect guy. Kind, caring, knows when his girl needs to get away from the group....I want Trace!!!
This was my first book by Micalea that I have ever read and I can't wait to read more!!
5 ✭
This was my first book by Micalea that I have ever read and I can't wait to read more!!
5 ✭
brinchen's review against another edition
4.0
4 Stars
UPDATE: Finding Olivia and the rest of the 'Trace + Olivia' series underwent a complete a make-over. The stories are newly edited and each book were given a new set of covers.
Read full review here: https://5171milesbookblog.wordpress.com/
Finding Olivia became one of my favorite books ever since reading it for the first time. I couldn't wait to re-read it and I finally had the time to do so. The second time was almost as good as the first time. I knew the plot and the outcoming but there were still scenes I had forgotten over time and I was glad to refresh my memory.
The idea of creating a novel with a bucket list or in this case a Live List was totaly unique. At least for me, since I haven't read a story that included that feature. It really makes me want to write my own Bucket List/Live List and go on all that adevntures Trace and Olivia went on. Experiencing these major milestones with someone important to you has definitely a different and also higher signifiance as when you do it all by yourself.
But Finding Olivia is not all fun and games. Be aware that the story has a real deep and sad angsty feature.
Olivia was a great character to read about. It was nice to see how meeting Trace and crossing off the things on her Live List changed her. She definitely deserved to have as much fun as possible.
Trace was the total opposite of Olivia: he was confident, cocky and too charming for his own good. No wonder she couldn't stand his wooing. Together they made a great couple.
Olivia's obvious clumsiness, however, was a little bit too much for my taste. It got old and annoying real quick. I mean, how often does a person stumble and fall?
Since Olivia grew up with a very strict father who didn't allow her to do anything for fun, she had no clue on how to do things at all. A lot of these things she didn't know about were not very believable. It was all a little bit too much for my taste.
**********
Review to come!
UPDATE: Finding Olivia and the rest of the 'Trace + Olivia' series underwent a complete a make-over. The stories are newly edited and each book were given a new set of covers.
Read full review here: https://5171milesbookblog.wordpress.com/
Finding Olivia became one of my favorite books ever since reading it for the first time. I couldn't wait to re-read it and I finally had the time to do so. The second time was almost as good as the first time. I knew the plot and the outcoming but there were still scenes I had forgotten over time and I was glad to refresh my memory.
The idea of creating a novel with a bucket list or in this case a Live List was totaly unique. At least for me, since I haven't read a story that included that feature. It really makes me want to write my own Bucket List/Live List and go on all that adevntures Trace and Olivia went on. Experiencing these major milestones with someone important to you has definitely a different and also higher signifiance as when you do it all by yourself.
But Finding Olivia is not all fun and games. Be aware that the story has a real deep and sad angsty feature.
Olivia was a great character to read about. It was nice to see how meeting Trace and crossing off the things on her Live List changed her. She definitely deserved to have as much fun as possible.
Trace was the total opposite of Olivia: he was confident, cocky and too charming for his own good. No wonder she couldn't stand his wooing. Together they made a great couple.
Olivia's obvious clumsiness, however, was a little bit too much for my taste. It got old and annoying real quick. I mean, how often does a person stumble and fall?
Since Olivia grew up with a very strict father who didn't allow her to do anything for fun, she had no clue on how to do things at all. A lot of these things she didn't know about were not very believable. It was all a little bit too much for my taste.
**********
Review to come!
laurleareads's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
veronika_wordy_and_whimsical's review against another edition
2.0
You can find a bit extended version on my blog:
http://reading-is-dreaming-with-open-eyes.blogspot.hu/2014/05/micalea-smeltzer-finding-olivia.html#more
Warning Spoilers ahead:
I was really looking forward to read this book, just look at the cover it seems like it’s a happy summer read and doesn't have much drama in it, right? Most of all I wanted to read something without the usual “break each others heart after they got together” stuff so I started it.
Now I wish I’ve never found this book, it was nothing compared to my expectations and I didn’t have big ones as I thought this will be just a light read. I don’t even know why I finished this because as I look back nothing happened in it.
The book starts with this quote:
“Life is not measured by the amount of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
I love this quote because it’s true of everyone’s life. Woah – I thought – this will blew my mind and take my breath away. Boy was I wrong!
This was one of the worst books of the year, it didn’t have any original ideas everything that happened in Finding Olivia can be found in other books too I've already read nearly all these situations in other novels.
Finding Olivia could be called: The Big Encyclopedia of Clichés and I’m not exaggerating things it was really that bad.
Unlike other times I’m going to list all the things that were dumb or completely not original and I'm not going to talk about the characters, storyline or romance separately.
- Olivia drives to college when she gets a flat tire, the first person who stops is a guy who isn’t just looks like a god but is a mechanic who helps her and after offers to put in new tires if she goes to the garage where he works.
- Olivia makes a fool out of herself and they don't even talk a normal sentence but Trace still falls in love with her right then and there.
- Olivia happens to have a best friend who’s her complete contrary, Avery is outgoing, has a different guy every week and is a fashion expert while Olivia is antisocial, shy and takes on what she finds in her wardrobe.
- Avery wants to go with Olivia to check out Trace, when they arrive to the garage there’s another guy who happens to be Trace’s friend and who’ll be Avery’s boyfriend in the future. My best friend is the girlfriend of your best friend cliché.
- “You can’t eat before you meet a boy” stupidity, because that’s what young girls need authors telling them.
- “The best friend is in control” bullshit. I don’t want a best friend like Avery, she never listened to Olivia she did what she wanted to all the time.
- “We just met a few days ago but I trust you with all my secrets” cliché.
- Trace didn’t tell Olivia how rich he is until right before she met with his parents, Olivia freaked out more because they are rich than because Trace lied to her. Umm, what?
- Avery’s parents don’t know Olivia nor her mother but they are all for them to live at their house as long as they want to.
- Olivia’s mother doesn’t move away from home even after his husband hurt Olivia. She could have think about something, anything is better than living with an abusive father/husband.
- Olivia’s mother changing completely in one day… she was abused, beat up, terrified and other horrible things but after a day she’s totally open, ready for a new relationship (with a guy in her 20s) and so on.
- The meeting with the parents/grandparents of your boyfriend/girlfriend and loving them instantly as your own family cliché.
- There’s the ultra rich family of Trace and the simple rich family of Avery, they are all amazing, generous people but everyone else from their circles are evil… starting with Aubrey, the ex of Trace.
- After Aubrey’s hysteric onset Olivia freaks out on Trace and hides away because she can’t believe Trace was with someone like that bitch. You know what I can’t believe? That Trace is with someone like Olivia.
- The four of them go on a holiday together… hmm a bit used up, don't you think?
- While on a holiday Trace wants to make sure Olivia is okay and what he gets in exchange? Bitchiness, that’s what.
“Are you sure you’re-”
I held up a hand to stop him. “Yes, I’m sure. You have nothing to worry about except for my nerves that you’re wearing out.”
- Who the fuck calls her dog or something like this:
“Okay,” I nodded, still worried about my hairy baby.
WTF is wrong with these people?
- Olivia was such a baby, she was always complaining about something. Oh my boyfriend is so annoying he wants to take care of me all the time and he won’t let me pay when we go out, worst of all my best friend is such a pervert meanwhile my mum’s having sex with a guy from my age. Time to time she thought something than in the next minute thought the complete opposite of that thing.
Trace and I, met by chance, and something made me show him my list, but somewhere along the way, my list stopped mattering to me. It became, not so much about accomplishing these things, but about living in the moment and just…being happy. As simple as that may sound, it’s true. Happiness is everything.
After like two minutes she thinks Trace will leave her when it was totally obvious that he went after Aubrey to put her into her place… Trace was fucking mad when he left, not lovesick… girl you have major problems and it’s not shyness because Olivia was not shy that’s for sure.
- The comma abuse in this book was horrible… my native language isn’t English still I saw how many mistakes this author made.Why didn’t she check on the internet the terms of where to use commas? (worst of all she was born in the USA… but I don’t judge) If I were her I would make sure that my novel, which would be published has as little mistakes is it can.
- How Avery always dressed up Olivia. When she went to the garage she wore high-heels, okay fine I’m gonna skip this but when she went to the park with Trace she didn’t wear a sweater because that’s not sexy… yeah because girls in jumpers, poluvers, sweaters or jackets etc can’t look good, they have to wear something thin so they’ll freeze their ass of. Thanks for the great advice I’ll keep it in mind. Do you know what did Olivia were to the park? High-heeled shoes… because when you’re going to have a picnic or something like that this is what you do, wear shoes you can’t walk in. Ridiculous. I love to dress up and I adore high-heels but I don’t think you have to wear them all the time, by the way what about sporty girls or those who can’t walk in high-heeled shoes?
- After Olivia woke up in the hospital she didn’t let Avery meet with her because she didn’t want her to see her looking this “shitty”. Before you think this was because she’s such a great person who doesn’t want her best friend getting worried I’m going to tell you this wasn’t the reason. She was just being selfish... I can totally get how tired she was but for fucks sake lying in bed while they stand around you for five minutes wouldn't killed her but gave Avery relief.
- She realizes Trace told that he’s her husband because he wanted to stay with her and this was the only way, her reaction:
“Husband?” I snapped, eyeing Trace.
Jeez, seriously what a dick, I’d totally kill myself if I had a boyfriend like him, wouldn’t you?
- When she goes home Trace wants to help her in everything because she needs it, for example she can’t change without help.
“I can do it myself!” I yelled at Trace when he tried to help me out of my clothes.
He flinched like I had slapped him. “Are you sure?”
“No!” I croaked and collapsed onto the bed, sobbing. “I hate this, Trace. I feel so helpless. I can’t walk up stairs or change my own clothes! It isn’t fair! Why did this happen to me?” I buried my tear-streaked face in my hands.
Girl, be careful not to drown in your self-pity.
- Considering how Olivia was abused all her life she should be more mature even if she doesn’t have a lot of experience. She shouldn’t whine about everything or let Avery boss her around like this.
I don't want to comment Olivia’s list because even if half of the things aren’t ones I would write or gave into a fictional characters mind, I can see how some people might want to do all of these.
About the next books in this series:
The story idea: 3/5
The realization of the story: 2/5
The characters: 2/5
The cover: 3/5
All in all: 2,5 (2)/5
I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone but I think some of you might like it, read it if you don’t mind if a novel is predictable and if you don’t get angry when you read useless "twists".
http://reading-is-dreaming-with-open-eyes.blogspot.hu/2014/05/micalea-smeltzer-finding-olivia.html#more
Warning Spoilers ahead:
I was really looking forward to read this book, just look at the cover it seems like it’s a happy summer read and doesn't have much drama in it, right? Most of all I wanted to read something without the usual “break each others heart after they got together” stuff so I started it.
Now I wish I’ve never found this book, it was nothing compared to my expectations and I didn’t have big ones as I thought this will be just a light read. I don’t even know why I finished this because as I look back nothing happened in it.
The book starts with this quote:
“Life is not measured by the amount of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
I love this quote because it’s true of everyone’s life. Woah – I thought – this will blew my mind and take my breath away. Boy was I wrong!
This was one of the worst books of the year, it didn’t have any original ideas everything that happened in Finding Olivia can be found in other books too I've already read nearly all these situations in other novels.
Finding Olivia could be called: The Big Encyclopedia of Clichés and I’m not exaggerating things it was really that bad.
Unlike other times I’m going to list all the things that were dumb or completely not original and I'm not going to talk about the characters, storyline or romance separately.
- Olivia drives to college when she gets a flat tire, the first person who stops is a guy who isn’t just looks like a god but is a mechanic who helps her and after offers to put in new tires if she goes to the garage where he works.
- Olivia makes a fool out of herself and they don't even talk a normal sentence but Trace still falls in love with her right then and there.
- Olivia happens to have a best friend who’s her complete contrary, Avery is outgoing, has a different guy every week and is a fashion expert while Olivia is antisocial, shy and takes on what she finds in her wardrobe.
- Avery wants to go with Olivia to check out Trace, when they arrive to the garage there’s another guy who happens to be Trace’s friend and who’ll be Avery’s boyfriend in the future. My best friend is the girlfriend of your best friend cliché.
- “You can’t eat before you meet a boy” stupidity, because that’s what young girls need authors telling them.
- “The best friend is in control” bullshit. I don’t want a best friend like Avery, she never listened to Olivia she did what she wanted to all the time.
- “We just met a few days ago but I trust you with all my secrets” cliché.
- Trace didn’t tell Olivia how rich he is until right before she met with his parents, Olivia freaked out more because they are rich than because Trace lied to her. Umm, what?
- Avery’s parents don’t know Olivia nor her mother but they are all for them to live at their house as long as they want to.
- Olivia’s mother doesn’t move away from home even after his husband hurt Olivia. She could have think about something, anything is better than living with an abusive father/husband.
- Olivia’s mother changing completely in one day… she was abused, beat up, terrified and other horrible things but after a day she’s totally open, ready for a new relationship (with a guy in her 20s) and so on.
- The meeting with the parents/grandparents of your boyfriend/girlfriend and loving them instantly as your own family cliché.
- There’s the ultra rich family of Trace and the simple rich family of Avery, they are all amazing, generous people but everyone else from their circles are evil… starting with Aubrey, the ex of Trace.
- After Aubrey’s hysteric onset Olivia freaks out on Trace and hides away because she can’t believe Trace was with someone like that bitch. You know what I can’t believe? That Trace is with someone like Olivia.
- The four of them go on a holiday together… hmm a bit used up, don't you think?
- While on a holiday Trace wants to make sure Olivia is okay and what he gets in exchange? Bitchiness, that’s what.
“Are you sure you’re-”
I held up a hand to stop him. “Yes, I’m sure. You have nothing to worry about except for my nerves that you’re wearing out.”
- Who the fuck calls her dog or something like this:
“Okay,” I nodded, still worried about my hairy baby.
WTF is wrong with these people?
- Olivia was such a baby, she was always complaining about something. Oh my boyfriend is so annoying he wants to take care of me all the time and he won’t let me pay when we go out, worst of all my best friend is such a pervert meanwhile my mum’s having sex with a guy from my age. Time to time she thought something than in the next minute thought the complete opposite of that thing.
Trace and I, met by chance, and something made me show him my list, but somewhere along the way, my list stopped mattering to me. It became, not so much about accomplishing these things, but about living in the moment and just…being happy. As simple as that may sound, it’s true. Happiness is everything.
After like two minutes she thinks Trace will leave her when it was totally obvious that he went after Aubrey to put her into her place… Trace was fucking mad when he left, not lovesick… girl you have major problems and it’s not shyness because Olivia was not shy that’s for sure.
- The comma abuse in this book was horrible… my native language isn’t English still I saw how many mistakes this author made.Why didn’t she check on the internet the terms of where to use commas? (worst of all she was born in the USA… but I don’t judge) If I were her I would make sure that my novel, which would be published has as little mistakes is it can.
- How Avery always dressed up Olivia. When she went to the garage she wore high-heels, okay fine I’m gonna skip this but when she went to the park with Trace she didn’t wear a sweater because that’s not sexy… yeah because girls in jumpers, poluvers, sweaters or jackets etc can’t look good, they have to wear something thin so they’ll freeze their ass of. Thanks for the great advice I’ll keep it in mind. Do you know what did Olivia were to the park? High-heeled shoes… because when you’re going to have a picnic or something like that this is what you do, wear shoes you can’t walk in. Ridiculous. I love to dress up and I adore high-heels but I don’t think you have to wear them all the time, by the way what about sporty girls or those who can’t walk in high-heeled shoes?
- After Olivia woke up in the hospital she didn’t let Avery meet with her because she didn’t want her to see her looking this “shitty”. Before you think this was because she’s such a great person who doesn’t want her best friend getting worried I’m going to tell you this wasn’t the reason. She was just being selfish... I can totally get how tired she was but for fucks sake lying in bed while they stand around you for five minutes wouldn't killed her but gave Avery relief.
- She realizes Trace told that he’s her husband because he wanted to stay with her and this was the only way, her reaction:
“Husband?” I snapped, eyeing Trace.
Jeez, seriously what a dick, I’d totally kill myself if I had a boyfriend like him, wouldn’t you?
- When she goes home Trace wants to help her in everything because she needs it, for example she can’t change without help.
“I can do it myself!” I yelled at Trace when he tried to help me out of my clothes.
He flinched like I had slapped him. “Are you sure?”
“No!” I croaked and collapsed onto the bed, sobbing. “I hate this, Trace. I feel so helpless. I can’t walk up stairs or change my own clothes! It isn’t fair! Why did this happen to me?” I buried my tear-streaked face in my hands.
Girl, be careful not to drown in your self-pity.
- Considering how Olivia was abused all her life she should be more mature even if she doesn’t have a lot of experience. She shouldn’t whine about everything or let Avery boss her around like this.
I don't want to comment Olivia’s list because even if half of the things aren’t ones I would write or gave into a fictional characters mind, I can see how some people might want to do all of these.
About the next books in this series:
The story idea: 3/5
The realization of the story: 2/5
The characters: 2/5
The cover: 3/5
All in all: 2,5 (2)/5
I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone but I think some of you might like it, read it if you don’t mind if a novel is predictable and if you don’t get angry when you read useless "twists".