Genre: Fiction, contemporary romance, coming-of-age
Themes/Trigger's:
Family dynamics, sibling connection, friendship, coming of age, first love, foster care, grief, loss, death, substance misuse, marriage, references to eating disorders/body dysmorphia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, self adjustment and self-identity.
Synopsis:
Will and Rosie meet as teenagers. They're opposites in every way, but over secret walks home and late-night phone calls they become closer, destined to be one another's great love story.
Until, one day, tragedy strikes and any possibility of them being together shatters.
But that tragedy - and their history - is what will draw them back together time and time again.
What do you do when the one person you should forget is the one you just can't let go?
Thoughts:
When I think of this book it brings up a well of emotions, but mostly it brings me warmth and makes me smile at the thought of hope, love and and endless possibilities.
Will is Rosie's twin brother's wild and unpredictable friend, with the typical 'bad boy' reputation. Whilst Rosie is the reserved, over-thinker who's never dated before. Will and Rosie meet as teenagers at a party where they develop an instant connection. For the first time in his life Will feels like somebody really sees him. Over the summer they start spending more time together, with plentiful late night deep conversations. Their initial chemistry is undeniable, these pages were so exiting to read. I felt captivated and transported to their space, like I was a third person watching them. But Will and Rosie want different things for their future and have different perspectives on life, their path isn't a straightforward one. I felt like their relationship was so real, the characters were flawed and human. The details of everything were just perfect and gave me everything I needed to picture this story. I feel like there was a nice, natural flow to the way things moved both in the story and just generally in the writing.
Rosie and her twin Josh are inseparable. They share a deep love and innate connection that only twins can know. They are two parts to one soul. But, although they know each other inside out, there are some things that they don't talk about. When Will becomes a shared part of their lives their relationship starts to change. Then the unimageable happens, and it scars them for life. Over the years, Rosie and Will cross paths at different intervals but keep hold of a close friendship. They are both dealing with personal matters in their lives, struggling with feelings of grief and guilt. Moreover, they have a painful inability or refusal to make choices for their own happiness. Their relationship is a roller-coaster and so are all the emotions attached to it. It has a knock-on affect on the other people in their lives.
It may sound like this is a romance novel but trust me, that's just a fraction of the story. This is a complex, messy book that showcases a raw depiction of mental illness, addiction, sense of belonging, parental relationships, self-identity and more. Both of their family dynamics were troublesome and problematic. It's a heavy, impactful book that forces you to think but still leaves you with a feeling of content. I really felt connected to Will and Rosie, the supportive characters were great too (particularly Will's grandma - what a gem!)
Written in the most graceful and poetic way, this story is a true work of art and was a joy to read. It sits on my top shelf alongside my other most loved books. A beautiful, beautiful book. I would highly recommend, especially to fans of Sally Rooney. This story and its characters will stay with me for a long time.
Favourite Quotes:
'Don’t miss out on something good, simply because it’s different.'
'He knows this thing between them will always hold some temptation, some kind of magnetic pull that neither of them can quite break. An addiction, he thinks, as he descends, passes another lone hiker who nods to him, says morning. And like any addiction, you have to learn to manage it. It’s a moment of weakness, when he sees something and wants to share it with her, an urge that crops up out of nowhere, even though he is calm, and managing, and getting out every day, as if he can walk off the bad feelings, because Jen says it is good for him, that she notices a change in him if he does.'
'I wish I’d done everything on earth with you, she says.'
'Just ask yourself what feels like home.'
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