contemporary

BOOK REVIEW: Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam

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Book Length: 248 pages

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Thriller, Mystery, Horror

Goodreads’ Synopsis: A magnetic novel about two families, strangers to each other, who are forced together on a long weekend gone terribly wrong

Amanda and Clay head to a remote corner of Long Island expecting a a quiet reprieve from life in New York City, quality time with their teenage son and daughter and a taste of the good life in the luxurious home they’ve rented for the week. But with a late-night knock on the door, the spell is broken. Ruth and G. H., an older couple who claim to own the home, have arrived there in a panic. These strangers say that a sudden power outage has swept the city, and – with nowhere else to turn – they have come to the country in search of shelter.

But with the TV and internet down, and no phone service, the facts are unknowable. Should Amanda and Clay trust this couple – and vice versa? What has happened back in New York? Is the holiday home, isolated from civilisation, a truly safe place for their families? And are they safe from one another?

Read Start Date: February 18, 2024

Read Finish Date: March 31, 2024

My Review: I first learned about this novel when I watched the film adaptation on Netflix. The movie was eerie and strange, and I knew I just had to read the book.

The novel begins with Amanda and Clay, a middle-class white couple from Brooklyn, who take their teenage children on a trip to a luxurious rental home in a remote area in the Hamptons (Long Island, New York). However, their vacation takes a dramatic turn when the house’s owners, an older Black couple named Ruth and G. H., unexpectedly return, claiming that there is a blackout in New York City and that it’s not safe to stay there.

In their isolation–no one else around–the families can almost pretend everything is fine. Then a loud, strange noise cracks the windows. The television and cell phone services don’t work, and they are cut off from everything and everyone. If that wasn’t enough, hundreds of deer are migrating. A loud noise rends the air, shattering glass. There is no news. No one knows what is happening. Sprinkled in with this tense situation, the author provides snippets of information about what is occurring in the larger world, known only to the reader, which adds to the suspense.

The book is well written. Some characters are more developed than others, and the adults (especially Amanda and Clay) are each flawed in their own way. Amanda is a bit of a racist, while Clay is a bit of a weakling. They all seem to stick their head in the sand (which can get annoying in a crisis situation). The story moves slowly. Nothing really happens. The tension is drawn out and never comes to a head. This novel has no ending, leaving the reader to guess the fate of the characters.

While I enjoyed it overall, I admit that I was waiting for the more dramatic moments of the movie to take place in the book. They never occurred. Not that it changed my thoughts on the book overall, but a forewarning if you’re like me and have seen the movie already and are thinking of reading the book.

All the above being said, I think that this book would be a perfect choice for readers who enjoy psychological thrillers that explore human behavior under pressure and leave room for interpretation. If you’re looking for a fast-paced, action-packed read, this is not it. But for those who appreciate a slow-burning mystery with a focus on character dynamics, I would definitely recommend it.

Calling All Reviewers: Conceiving Hope by Olive McMahon

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Dear Reviewers,

I’m thrilled to share the news – my women’s fiction alter ego, Olive McMahon, has finally completed her debut novel and it is now ready to meet readers. Yesterday, I took the significant step of uploading it to Amazon for pre-order, slated for release on May 1st.

As I embark on this exciting phase, I have come to learn through podcasts and other research into book marketing that reviews are vitally important in ensuring a successful launch. That’s where you come in. I’m reaching out to ask for your assistance.

In exchange for an honest review, I’m offering Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) of Conceiving Hope, a steamy second chance at love contemporary women’s fiction novel about new beginnings and finding hope after divorce.

Margo doesn’t need Mr. Right. She only needs his sperm.

Margo Davis had it all: a successful career, a husband, and plans for a baby. But when her husband’s alcoholism destroys their marriage, Margo is left alone and desperate for a new start. A serendipitous accident involving a peppermint mocha and ruined pants brings Rexford Montgomery into Margo’s life. Kindred spirits, they confront the aftermath of their shattered marriages together, finding solace and support in each other’s company.

Two years later, Margo is done with the empty promises of New York City’s shallow dating scene. With her biological clock ticking and no suitable partner in sight, she takes matters into her own hands by seeking out a sperm donor. Contract in hand and with an offer of sex with no strings attached, she meets Lukas, a hot Austrian photographer with a dark past. Despite Rexford’s disapproval, she and Lukas go forward with their arrangement. Margo tries to keep their relationship purely professional, but soon, she finds herself falling for Lukas and imagining a future where he could be more than just a sperm donor. Caught between her desire for Lukas and her bond with Rexford, Margo must confront her feelings for both men and decide what—and who—her heart really wants.

Your feedback would be immensely valuable as I prepare for the release. If you’re interested in receiving an ARC and contributing to the journey of Conceiving Hope, please let me know. I only ask that you honestly review the book on platforms such as Goodreads, Amazon, your blog, etc., between now and the end of April 2024.

Your feedback would be immensely valuable as I prepare for the release. If you’re interested in receiving an ARC and contributing to the journey of Conceiving Hope, please let me know by leaving a comment on this blog post or contacting me via email at olivemcmahon.books@gmail.com.

Thank you for considering my request, and I look forward to hearing from you.

With best regards,

Olive

BOOK REVIEW: One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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Book Length: 331 pages

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit

Read Start Date: October 2, 2023

Read Finish Date: January 5, 2024

Goodreads’ Synopsis: In her twenties, Emma Blair marries her high school sweetheart, Jesse. They build a life for themselves, far away from the expectations of their parents and the people of their hometown in Massachusetts. They travel the world together, living life to the fullest and seizing every opportunity for adventure.

On their first wedding anniversary, Jesse is on a helicopter over the Pacific when it goes missing. Just like that, Jesse is gone forever.

Emma quits her job and moves home in an effort to put her life back together. Years later, now in her thirties, Emma runs into an old friend, Sam, and finds herself falling in love again. When Emma and Sam get engaged, it feels like Emma’s second chance at happiness.

That is, until Jesse is found. He’s alive, and he’s been trying all these years to come home to her. With a husband and a fiancé, Emma has to now figure out who she is and what she wants, while trying to protect the ones she loves.

Who is her one true love? What does it mean to love truly?

Emma knows she has to listen to her heart. She’s just not sure what it’s saying.

My Review: I will be honest. The beginning of this book did not grip me, and it took me several months to finish it. I always put it down in favor of another book. Eventually, I made the goal to finish it and move on. I think the issue was that the beginning was like the background story- the events leading up to the day Jesse went missing. The “then,” if you will. It didn’t have the same heartfelt emotions that the rest of the book did.

Once I hit a certain point (the “present,”) however, I plowed through the book in a matter of days. I was gripped by the emotion and the struggle to choose. Although, I have to admit that I was rooting for Sam. He seemed sincere and like a really nice guy. He was always putting Emma first. Jesse, on the other hand, was kind of a jerk. He was pushy and, at times, selfish, but he was Emma’s first love, the one she thought she’d spend the rest of her life with. And for some reason, she didn’t seem to share my view of Jesse.

Emma loved them both in different ways. While she might have had two true loves, she could only be with one of them. Someone was going to get hurt. Who would it be?

I would recommend this book. And don’t give up at the beginning if you are also feeling it drag a little bit. If you push through to the end, you won’t be disappointed!

BOOK REVIEW: Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

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Audiobook Length: 8 hours and 39 minutes

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Adult Fiction

Read Start Date: December 23, 2023

Read Finish Date: December 30, 2023

Goodreads’ Synopsis: Athena Liu is a literary darling and June Hayward is literally nobody.

White lies
When Athena dies in a freak accident, June steals her unpublished manuscript and publishes it as her own under the ambiguous name Juniper Song.

Dark humour
But as evidence threatens June’s stolen success, she will discover exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves.

Deadly consequences…
What happens next is entirely everyone else’s fault.

With its totally immersive first-person voice, Yellowface grapples with questions of diversity, racism, and cultural appropriation, as well as the terrifying alienation of social media. R.F. Kuang’s novel is timely, razor-sharp, and eminently readable.

My Review: June and Athena were barely friends. That didn’t stop June from milking Athena’s death. June was there when Athena choked on a pancake and died, and she played it up to social media that she and Athena were besties. And that wasn’t the most despicable thing June did — June stole Athena’s unfinished masterpiece and published it under her own name. I loved this book from the beginning. I both loved and was disgusted by June, as she is a complex and well-developed character, making her both relatable and infuriating. The other characters in the book were similarly well-written.

I also loved the writing. Kuang’s prose is sharp and witty, infused with a biting satire. The author masterfully portrays June’s descent into moral decay as she clings to her stolen success, oblivious to the fact that she is appropriating Chinese culture, or that she is doing anything wrong at all.

I also really liked reading about the publishing industry and wondered whether any of it was exaggerated or not. The author delivers a scathing indictment of the publishing industry’s exploitation of minority voices and its perpetuation of harmful stereotypes — whether this is an accurate portrayal, I cannot say, as I have no frame of reference. Regardless, it was very interesting to read, and if even half of it is true, I am glad for my decision to self-publish.

I read this book during the Christmas holidays. This year, we spent the holiday with my boyfriend’s family, and I missed mine terribly. I was glad for the dark humor / satire of this book, as it took me away from the real world for a little while. Beyond the thought-provoking nature of this book, it was entertaining throughout, and I would highly recommend it.

BOOK REVIEW: Happy Place by Emily Henry

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Title: Happy Place

Author: Emily Henry

Audiobook Length: 11 hours and 3 minutes

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary

Read Start Date: October 1, 2023

Read Finish Date: October 8, 2023

Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads: Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t.

They broke up six months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.

Which is how they find themselves sharing the largest bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blue week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.

Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week… in front of those who know you best?

My Review: Happy Place is a heartwarming story about two people who pretend to still be a couple for their annual weeklong vacation with their friend group. The Goodreads summary above is pretty accurate, so there is not much to add from my end to the plot description.

I absolutely loved this book. From the very beginning I was rooting for Harriet and Wyn. I ached for their heartbreak and hoped that they could work it out. I just wanted to read right through to the end because watching them struggle was tearing me apart. Although I knew that they would probably get together in the end — because isn’t that the ending of most romance novels? — I was still worried that they wouldn’t. Real life extended my reading of this book for 7 long days…but in the end I was relieved, and I must admit that the journey getting there was very enjoyable. I have read other Emily Henry books (you can see my reviews of the books by clicking on the titles: People We Meet On Vacation, Book Lovers and Beach Read), but Happy Place is by far my favorite.

The other characters are also great and overall relatable, and the friendships/relationships in the book are realistic. I also really loved the little details in Happy Place, like the book store called Murder She Read and the fact that the characters loved the show Murder She Wrote.

Stats: As of writing this blog post (October 10, 2023) this book has a rating of 4.09 on Goodreads. In my view, this is not enough stars. She deserves 5 stars for this book!

Recommended? A must read!

BOOK REVIEW: Alone With You in the Ether by Olivie Blake

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Title: Alone With You in the Ether

Author: Olivie Blake

Audiobook Length: 9 hours and 57 minutes

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Literary Fiction

Read Start Date: August 23, 2023

Read Finish Date: August 28, 2023

Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads: CHICAGO, SOMETIME—

Two people meet in the Art Institute by chance. Prior to their encounter, he is a doctoral student who manages his destructive thoughts with compulsive calculations about time travel; she is a bipolar counterfeit artist, undergoing court-ordered psychotherapy. By the end of the story, these things will still be true. But this is not a story about endings.

For Regan, people are predictable and tedious, including and perhaps especially herself. She copes with the dreariness of existence by living impulsively, imagining a new, alternate timeline being created in the wake of every rash decision.

To Aldo, the world feels disturbingly chaotic. He gets through his days by erecting a wall of routine: a backbeat of rules and formulas that keep him going. Without them, the entire framework of his existence would collapse.

For Regan and Aldo, life has been a matter of resigning themselves to the blueprints of inevitability—until the two meet. Could six conversations with a stranger be the variable that shakes up the entire simulation?

My Review: I wasn’t particularly in love with Blake’s book The Atlas Six (you can find my review here), and so had decided not to read the other books in that series. However, I figured I would give Blake as an author another shot, and so picked up Alone With You in the Ether from the library as an audiobook. I had no idea what it was about, other than it topped the “popular” charts at the Vienna library.

In reading the book, my mood was constantly at status quo. I neither loved, nor hated the book. I didn’t feel much of anything about it, really…it was more something to listen to in order to pass the time. I did become annoyed from time to time at the different voices in the audiobook version, as Blake had some weird “narrator” POV that popped up sporadically and only for a sentence of two to describe to the reader the backstory of what was happening at that moment.

Some people absolutely love this book, like Ary and Books. I believe the review even mentions that Ary and Books bought multiple editions.

“the relationship (Regan & Aldo) in this book is another reason I am still mentally brainrottingly obsessed over it. Their connection is so beautiful and so deep, I loved both of them dearly throughout, but together it was a wild, heart wrenching, beautiful love. I felt through the whole book that I was fighting for them, fighting with them.”

Ary and Books

For me, Aldo and Regan (pronounced Reegan not Raygan) were not particularly enjoyable/likeable characters, and their “love” story was more like watching two trains barreling at full speed toward each other. You know they are going to crash and burn, which is not something you really want to witness, but somehow you can’t look away either.

From all the reviews of this book that I have read, it seems that you either love this book or don’t. I am sorry to say that I fell into the category of don’t.

Stats: My three star rating is below the average rating for this book, which on September 8, 2023 is 3.91 stars.

Recommended? Given that my 3 star rating is below the average for this book, and that other people absolutely love it, I can neither recommend, nor not recommend this book. You will have to judge for yourself :).

BOOK REVIEW: Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

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Title: Hello Beautiful

Author: Ann Napolitano

Audiobook Length: 15 hours and 6 minutes

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Literary Fiction

Read Start Date: August 7, 2023

Read Finish Date: August 19, 2023

Goodreads’ Synopsis: An emotionally layered and engrossing story of a family that asks: Can love make a broken person whole?

William Waters grew up in a house silenced by tragedy, where his parents could hardly bear to look at him, much less love him. So it’s a relief when his skill on the basketball court earns him a scholarship to college, far away from his childhood home. He soon meets Julia Padavano, a spirited and ambitious young woman who surprises William with her appreciation of his quiet steadiness. With Julia comes her family; she is inseparable from her three younger sisters: Sylvie, the dreamer, is happiest with her nose in a book and imagines a future different from the expected path of wife and mother; Cecelia, the family’s artist; and Emeline, who patiently takes care of all of them. Happily, the Padavanos fold Julia’s new boyfriend into their loving, chaotic household.

But then darkness from William’s past surfaces, jeopardizing not only Julia’s carefully orchestrated plans for their future, but the sisters’ unshakeable loyalty to one another. The result is a catastrophic family rift that changes their lives for generations. Will the loyalty that once rooted them be strong enough to draw them back together when it matters most?

Vibrating with tenderness, Hello Beautiful is a gorgeous, profoundly moving portrait of what’s possible when we choose to love someone not in spite of who they are, but because of it.

My Review: The novel begins with the birth of William Waters, a boy who is unwanted by his parents. He grows up in a house filled with silence and sadness, and he never feels loved or accepted. When he meets Julia Padavano, the oldest of the four sisters, he finds a connection that he has never had before. Julia’s family is everything that William’s is not: they are loving, supportive, and full of life.

William and Julia fall in love and get married. With Julia comes her family, the Padavanos. The Padavanos are a close-knit family who are always there for each other, no matter what. William finally feels like he belongs somewhere. However, the Padavanos are not without their own problems. Julia’s father, Charlie, is a struggling alcoholic. Her mother, Rose, is a devoted wife and mother, but she is also exhausted and overwhelmed. The sisters themselves are all struggling to find their own way in the world.

The novel spans four decades, from the 1960s to the 2000s, and explores themes of love, loss, forgiveness, and redemption.

Hello Beautiful is a beautifully written and moving novel that deals with some heavy topics, such as childhood trauma, grief, and loss. I often felt melancholy while reading this book, so I think that you have to be in a good headspace before starting it.

Each character is well developed and complex and feels like a real person.

William Waters is shaped by a childhood trauma that follows him into adulthood. For decades, his choice to abandon his wife and infant daughter created ripple effects throughout the Padavano family. When abandoned by William, Julia, a strong and independent woman, blazes her own path despite the obstacles ahead of her. Sylvie is a dreamer and a romantic, and she is always looking for a new adventure. She is drawn to William’s vulnerability and makes a choice that creates a rift between the once close-knit sisters. The first to go her own way, Cecelia is an artist and a free spirit, and she is not afraid to be herself. Emeline, Cecelia’s twin, is the family’s caretaker and is always there to lend a helping hand. Emeline struggles with her sexuality and whether to be herself in the face of outside scrutiny or bigotry.

It is a story about the power of love and the importance of family, even when things are at their darkest. There is so much to unpack in this book, that it will stay with you long after reading it. Apparently, it is supposed to be based on Little Women, but in my opinion it is at best “loosely” based on Little Women.

Stats: As of September 8, 2023, this book has a 4.23-star rating on Goodreads, so my review is on par with that of the general public.

Recommended? YES!

BOOK REVIEW: Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

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Title: Cleopatra and Frankenstein

Author: Coco Mellors

Book Length: 384 pages

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Literary Fiction, (Romance)

Read Start Date: May 8, 2023

Read Finish Date: May 28, 2023

Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads: Twenty-four-year-old British painter Cleo has escaped from England to New York and is still finding her place in the sleepless city when, a few months before her student visa ends, she meets Frank. Twenty years older and a self-made success, Frank’s life is full of all the excesses Cleo’s lacks. He offers her the chance to be happy, the freedom to paint, and the opportunity to apply for a Green Card. But their impulsive marriage irreversibly changes both their lives, and the lives of those close to them, in ways they never could’ve predicted.

Each compulsively readable chapter explores the lives of Cleo, Frank, and an unforgettable cast of their closest friends and family as they grow up and grow older. Whether it’s Cleo’s best friend struggling to embrace his gender queerness in the wake of Cleo’s marriage, or Frank’s financially dependent sister arranging sugar daddy dates to support herself after being cut off, or Cleo and Frank themselves as they discover the trials of marriage and mental illness, each character is as absorbing, and painfully relatable, as the last.

As hilarious as it is heartbreaking, entertaining as it is deeply moving, Cleopatra and Frankenstein marks the entry of a brilliant and bold new talent.

My Review: When I first read the title, I thought this book was a clever reimagining/love story between Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and the Egyptian Queen. I picked it off the shelf at the bookstore on my birthday, wondering whether this would be the book I gifted myself. The synopsis quickly dissuaded me from the notion that this would be a parody horror love story set in ancient Egypt. Although, that sounds like an awesome book. Just saying.

I won’t get into the book too much, as the synopsis lays out the plot nicely. “Cleopatra” and “Frankenstein” are the pet names that Cleo and Frank give each other. I thought, ok, eh, and left without buying the book.

When I saw it on the shelf at the library, however, I decided to give it a go and was pleasantly surprised (almost enough to regret my decision not to buy it).

Having read mostly commercial fiction of late, the literary style of Mellors writing was a welcome change.

Written in the third person (mostly), Mellors not only gives us the POV of the main characters Frank and Cleo, but also their closest friends. The ensemble of characters is highly intriguing, but some of their interactions exhibit toxic dynamics. The only chapters which were in the first person was for the POV of a woman named Eleanor, and to be honest, I am not a fan of alternating from third to first. I know it is a legitimate style of writing, but its just not my thing.

Trigger warning for animal death, drugs and alcohol abuse.

What Others Have Said that Resonated With Me: Sophie’s Edit: “Anyway, the bit I really wanted to write about was the fact this novel is a letter to New York. And although this may be to contrary opinion, I actually think it is quite a clever one. It highlights that some people thrive in the city and some people are destroyed by it. Mellors, in conjunction with the theme of growing up, shows how addiction and success are in the veins of such a place, which is why Cleo struggles so much to find herself. The younger characters spend the novel ‘finding’ themselves in a city which has too much of a personality for you to find yourself with any ounce of integrity. Whereas the older generation are in a state of success but also unhappiness and discontent with the decisions they’ve made – Franco turns to alcohol and Santiago is enamoured by his weight loss journey and how he appears to others. It makes you wonder if any of them can be truly happy in the world they live in. New York breeds unhappiness and problems, and in that sense, it makes you fit into a mould that truly, only some people are made for.”

Stats: At the time of writing this review (July 6, 2023), this book has an average rating of 3.85 stars on Goodreads. My rating of 4 stars, therefore, falls a little higher than the average, but is still within range of the general audience.

Recommended? Yes!

BOOK REVIEW: The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

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Title:  The Last Thing He Told Me

Author: Laura Dave

Audiobook Length: 8 hours and 49 minutes

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Contemporary

Read Start Date: April 24, 2023

Read Finish Date: May 5, 2023

Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads: Before Owen Michaels disappears, he manages to smuggle a note to his beloved wife of one year: Protect her. Despite her confusion and fear, Hannah Hall knows exactly to whom the note refers: Owen’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey. Bailey, who lost her mother tragically as a child. Bailey, who wants absolutely nothing to do with her new stepmother.

As Hannah’s increasingly desperate calls to Owen go unanswered; as the FBI arrests Owen’s boss; as a US Marshal and FBI agents arrive at her Sausalito home unannounced, Hannah quickly realizes her husband isn’t who he said he was. And that Bailey just may hold the key to figuring out Owen’s true identity—and why he really disappeared.

Hannah and Bailey set out to discover the truth, together. But as they start putting together the pieces of Owen’s past, they soon realize they are also building a new future. One neither Hannah nor Bailey could have anticipated.

My Review: The book follows the story of Hannah Hall, a woman who is forced to face the truth about her husband’s past when he suddenly disappears.

The story begins with Hannah’s husband, Owen, disappearing without a trace. Hannah is left alone with her stepdaughter, Bailey, and a note from Owen that says, “Protect her.” This sets off a chain of events that forces Hannah to confront the truth about her husband’s past and the secrets he kept from her.

As Hannah delves deeper into Owen’s past, she discovers that he was not who she thought he was and she begins to question everything she thought she knew about her husband.

The narrative of The Last Thing He Told Me is presented from Hannah’s point of view, unfolding in two distinct timelines. One timeline progresses forward from the day Owen vanished, while the other traces backward from the day Owen left. In the current timeline, we witness Hannah’s struggle to come to grips with the shocking truths about her husband’s past. Meanwhile, in the past timeline, we gain a deeper understanding of their relationship and the version of Owen that he chose to reveal to her, now causing her to question everything and piece together his true identity. Hannah is caught between her love for Owen and her responsibility to shield Bailey from the risks of Owen’s past. As she tries to navigate this complicated situation, Hannah must decide whom to trust and must make the impossible choice between Bailey’s safety and being a family again.

I first listened to this audiobook in the first year of my daughter’s life, when I was so sleep deprived I couldn’t really appreciate it. Upon the second reading, I absolutely loved this book. From the well crafted thrilling plot, to the well-developed and realistic characters, this book had me gripped from the first page.

I really liked how the story unfolded in two timelines, as it gave a comprehensive view of the story, while at the same time kept the tension high.

I also really liked Hannah, a nice, caring woman put in an impossible situation by her husband’s dark past. She handles the complex situation she is thrown into with a grace and determination that had me rooting for her through out the book.

This book won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Mystery&Thriller in 2021. I can see why!

Summer is just around the corner. If you haven’t read this book already, I highly recommend adding it to your summer reading list.

BOOK REVIEW: After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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Title: After I Do

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Book Length: 336 pages

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit

Read Start Date: April 19, 2023

Read Finish Date: April 27, 2023

Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads: From the New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, comes a breath taking novel about modern marriage, the depth of family ties, and the year that one remarkable heroine spends exploring both.

When Lauren and Ryan’s marriage reaches the breaking point, they come up with an unconventional plan. They decide to take a year off in the hopes of finding a way to fall in love again. One year apart, and only one they cannot contact each other. Aside from that, anything goes.

Lauren embarks on a journey of self-discovery, quickly finding that her friends and family have their own ideas about the meaning of marriage. These influences, as well as her own healing process and the challenges of living apart from Ryan, begin to change Lauren’s ideas about monogamy and marriage. She starts to When you can have romance without loyalty and commitment without marriage, when love and lust are no longer tied together, what do you value? What are you willing to fight for? This is a love story about what happens when the love fades. It’s about staying in love, seizing love, forsaking love, and committing to love with everything you’ve got. And above all, After I Do is the story of a couple caught up in an old game-and searching for a new road to happily ever after. 

My Review: The novel tells the story of Lauren and Ryan, a married couple who have been together for 11 years but are struggling in their marriage. The book takes readers on a journey through the couple’s decision to take a year-long break from their marriage to try and figure out what they really want.

The novel begins with Lauren and Ryan at their breaking point. They have tried couples therapy, but nothing seems to be working. Lauren is feeling unfulfilled in her job as a freelance writer, and Ryan is feeling stuck in his job as a lawyer. They are also struggling with communication issues, and their once-loving relationship has become strained.

After a particularly bad fight, Lauren and Ryan decide to take a year-long break from their marriage. During this time, they agree not to see each other or communicate in any way. They both hope that this time apart will help them figure out if they still love each other and if they want to stay married.

The year apart is not easy for either of them. Lauren struggles to find her place in the world and her purpose in life without Ryan. She also finds herself becoming more isolated and lonely as she spends more time on her own. Ryan, on the other hand, finds himself drawn to a coworker and begins to question his feelings for Lauren.

Throughout the novel, we see the couple grow and change as they spend time apart. They both have experiences that help them grow as individuals, and they begin to understand themselves better. Lauren discovers a new passion for photography and starts a successful business, while Ryan decides to leave his law firm and pursue a career as a musician.

As the year apart comes to a close, Lauren and Ryan must decide if they want to stay together or move on separately. They both have new perspectives on life and love, and they must decide if they can forgive each other for the mistakes of their past and build a new future together.

As a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s recent books, I couldn’t help but notice that her writing style in After I Do feels different. Although Reid is an excellent writer, the tone and structure of this book deviates from the style of her more recent works. Perhaps it’s because After I Do is written in the first person, or maybe it’s because it’s a contemporary novel rather than historical fiction (or what I like to call modern historical, where the story takes place in the last few decades rather than centuries). Whatever the reason may be, it feels like a departure from her usual style – but this could also be an early work in the evolution of Reid’s writing.

Although I have been divorced myself, I found it difficult to relate to Lauren. When I ended my own marriage, I was completely done with my ex and didn’t think about him or care about his whereabouts. However, Lauren seemed to be consumed by the absence of her husband and continued to think of him throughout their year-long separation, even writing unsent emails to him. From the beginning, I sensed that she didn’t truly hate him as she claimed. While the book’s message seems to be that the year break was necessary for them to rediscover their love for each other, I couldn’t help but wonder if they were truly in touch with their feelings. If they were so fed up with each other that they wanted to break up, why did they immediately realize that they couldn’t stand being apart? This made me question their level of self-awareness and the authenticity of their feelings.

Despite this one small flaw, some positive aspects of the book include:

Realistic portrayal of marriage: One of the strengths of the book is its realistic portrayal of marriage. Reid does not shy away from showing the ups and downs of a long-term relationship, including the challenges and struggles that many couples face. This makes the story relatable and authentic

Strong character development: The characters in the book are well-developed and complex, making them feel like real people rather than just fictional constructs.

Thought-provoking themes: The book tackles many thought-provoking themes, including the importance of communication in relationships, the challenges of pursuing one’s dreams while in a partnership, and the question of whether love is enough to sustain a long-term relationship.