rad_reads_123's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Moderate: Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical trauma
Minor: Sexual content and Eating disorder
nicole_zx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Grief, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Cancer
namenotimportant's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cancer
tbwhite23's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death and Injury/Injury detail
avasbookmark's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Grief and Injury/Injury detail
mari1532's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Synopsis: In High School Emma Blair dreamed of a life as far away from her hometown as possible. And when she goes to a party in her junior year of high school she encounters the man she wants to spend the rest of her life with, Jesse. After almost a decade of dating and a single year of marriage though fate intervenes and the only man Emma has ever loved is gone forever.
As Emma tries to put her life back together she has to challenge everything she thought she knew about herself. As she begins to forage a new identity for herself she also wants to love again and her high school friend Sam might be just the man to teach her that she can.
Thoughts:
Spoiler
I was very invested in Emma as a character. My favourite part of the book was the growth in her relationship with her sister. It was a truly lovely arch throughout the narrative. I also appreciated the connection that Emma developed with her nieces although I do wish that had been explored a little more.I also wish that Sam had made more of an appearance in the story. Reid did an excellent job of conveying how much Emma loves and cares for Sam, but I would have liked to see them interact a little more throughout the story.
I absolutely did not like Jesse at all. Start to finish. Did I feel bad for him because of the horrific things he endured, sure did. Did it make me like him any better? Sure didn't.
This is an interesting work of literature that held my attention and I was really invested in the outcome. Although it did feel that the cultural standards of domesticity were the driving force of some of Emma's decisions rather than a shifting of her priorities. Overall, not a bad read.
Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
Spoiler
Emma describes a desire to not keep living but doesn't classify it as wanting to kill herself. It is more framed in terms of her grief. Also, I find the way that Jesse returns and expects Emma to be the same and meet his every demand a bit toxic. I do not think that it was written with the intention that it would feel toxic. Obviously, Jesse has trauma to work through, but he really did not seem to care about Emma's life while he was gone at all.lindasoderlundd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Medical trauma, Death, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcohol and Sexual content
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Cancer
plueschi77's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, and Gore
goldenholdencervone's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death
val_theburrowofstories's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Grief, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Sexual content