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A review by ellelainey
When Things Happen Together by Jordan Clayden-Lewis
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
TRIGGERS: off-page past domestic violence, abusive relationship, including coercive control, physical violence, rape; discussions about death from cancer, surgery/lung cyst. Mentions of drug and alcohol use/abuse, and casual sex, mentions of an incomplete foursome, PTSD, grief and depression.
When Things Happen Together is a lovely story of two halves. The first is all about that rush of emotion, the flush of excitement about a new romance, while the second is the unfortunate fall from the high, the way we're forced to face reality even when all we want to do is burrow away and hide from it forever.
I came into this one having read Such A Small World first and I don't think that was a problem, despite the events of this book happening first. The books *can* be read as standalones - which, as someone who can't bear to read a series out of order, is rare for me to say - though I will admit that I'm glad I read SASW first, because the first half of this book was a bit more saccharine and romantic than I was expecting and I wasn't really in the head space for that. But, because I loved SASW so much, I persevered through it and that was a great thing. The book switched vibes halfway into more of what I'd been expecting and that really held my attention more than the first half.
The main characters - Thomas and Bruno - were brilliant. Thomas was full of hope and positivity, while Bruno was a little more sensible but eager to go out and live his life. Then the big twist dropped and my heart ached for these two, who were holding onto pains from the past they'd never really dealt with.
There's not much I can without spoiling the story, so I'm just going to make some vague comments:
I loved seeing Mackenzie again, after reading SASW first, though this story took place before he got his HEA and offered a little insight into the pre-SASW Mackenzie. I loved Tommy's dad and Abigail, Courtney was amazing, and I kind of wish we'd seen more positive support on-page from Bruno's friends - though I'm hoping the follow-up short, The Way We Are, might fill in some of those gaps.
There was a bit more reflective storytelling here than in SASW - the "little did we realise what lay ahead" kind of thing - but that fitted the story. The book literally begins 6 months before events, with a dramatic beginning, so the reflective part makes a lot of sense.
Similarly to SASW, there were a lot of flashback moments, that describe emotional or historic moments of importance. They all felt important, none of them feeling unnecessary or filler.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story that went from hopeful and romantic to bittersweet and emotional. Both main characters had their own battle to fight and I think the final resolution was right for them and for the story. I really loved the moment when we learned the meaning of the title, which is a little snippet that I look for in every book and often adds more to the overall feel of the story. This one definitely did.
Finally, I only have three things to say that won't spoil the story, because you really should read it for yourself -
1) Dominoes!
2) 11:22
3) Call me by your middle name.
That's it. That's all you get. Now go read it!
~
Favourite Quote:
"I fell for you like a waterfall."
"We had our own demons to kill."
When Things Happen Together is a lovely story of two halves. The first is all about that rush of emotion, the flush of excitement about a new romance, while the second is the unfortunate fall from the high, the way we're forced to face reality even when all we want to do is burrow away and hide from it forever.
I came into this one having read Such A Small World first and I don't think that was a problem, despite the events of this book happening first. The books *can* be read as standalones - which, as someone who can't bear to read a series out of order, is rare for me to say - though I will admit that I'm glad I read SASW first, because the first half of this book was a bit more saccharine and romantic than I was expecting and I wasn't really in the head space for that. But, because I loved SASW so much, I persevered through it and that was a great thing. The book switched vibes halfway into more of what I'd been expecting and that really held my attention more than the first half.
The main characters - Thomas and Bruno - were brilliant. Thomas was full of hope and positivity, while Bruno was a little more sensible but eager to go out and live his life. Then the big twist dropped and my heart ached for these two, who were holding onto pains from the past they'd never really dealt with.
There's not much I can without spoiling the story, so I'm just going to make some vague comments:
I loved seeing Mackenzie again, after reading SASW first, though this story took place before he got his HEA and offered a little insight into the pre-SASW Mackenzie. I loved Tommy's dad and Abigail, Courtney was amazing, and I kind of wish we'd seen more positive support on-page from Bruno's friends - though I'm hoping the follow-up short, The Way We Are, might fill in some of those gaps.
There was a bit more reflective storytelling here than in SASW - the "little did we realise what lay ahead" kind of thing - but that fitted the story. The book literally begins 6 months before events, with a dramatic beginning, so the reflective part makes a lot of sense.
Similarly to SASW, there were a lot of flashback moments, that describe emotional or historic moments of importance. They all felt important, none of them feeling unnecessary or filler.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story that went from hopeful and romantic to bittersweet and emotional. Both main characters had their own battle to fight and I think the final resolution was right for them and for the story. I really loved the moment when we learned the meaning of the title, which is a little snippet that I look for in every book and often adds more to the overall feel of the story. This one definitely did.
Finally, I only have three things to say that won't spoil the story, because you really should read it for yourself -
1) Dominoes!
2) 11:22
3) Call me by your middle name.
That's it. That's all you get. Now go read it!
~
Favourite Quote:
"I fell for you like a waterfall."
"We had our own demons to kill."