Wow! Honest, heart-wrenching, and inspiring. This book is one of the ones that everyone is raving about, and rightly so. In fact, I would go so far as to say that I personally consider it to be one of Hoover’s best works (but not the best, for that, I still reserve the place for Hopeless).  This is a spoiler-free review!

Warning: Contains content which some may find upsetting. I didn’t want to put details of the trigger warnings on the review as it could act as a spoiler. Please do not hesitate to ask for more information if you have any questions.

Book Blurb: SOMETIMES THE ONE WHO LOVES YOU IS THE ONE WHO HURTS YOU THE MOST. Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up – she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true. Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily, but Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan – her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened. 

I started reading this book without much clue as to what it was about. I knew it was a love story of some sort, but I was completely taken by surprise when I reached a certain point in the story. Hoover had me following a certain narrative, and then she suddenly turned everything inside out and had me grappling with who I thought a certain character in this book really is. I can completely understand how some people may not like this, however, in my opinion, this is no different to how we see people in real life.  We think we know someone. We think someone is perfect. But that’s before they reveal their true colours to you in a moment of weakness. There is a complexity to the author’s characters, and to me, that makes the story raw, emotional, and beautiful. 

I absolutely loved Lily’s character and found her to be immensely strong and relevant to women everywhere. She has some pretty tough decisions to make throughout the book, and not just in a romantic sense. For instance, it is pretty inspiring to see her create and manage her own business from scratch in a new city. This character is bold and is not afraid to go against the norm. For that I applaud her. 

Ryle is Lily’s love interest throughout the book and it is with regards to him that I  have a criticism to make. Ryle is both enigmatic and charismatic. I found the typical enticing ‘hot, rich, complicated male’ persona a tad exasperating and he did rile me up at times (pardon the pun). I also found it disappointing that Lily and Ryle did not seek therapy to help them in their marriage. It was a case of, OK you have a problem lets not get professional help instead lets separate. They should have both worked together to save their marriage. Having said that, there is a lot more to both Ryle and Atlas (Lily’s first love) than first meets the eye. They both care for Lily, although at different depths and at different capacities. I definitely found Atlas to be an endearing character and someone who I would consider to be the more attractive love interest. He’s not perfect but he does have a caring heart.

Back to the actual story, I must say that this a deep novel that tackles some serious topics. But it does so absolutely beautifully and I really do feel that Hoover does it complete justice. Even more stirring is that the author based this on events in her own life, and that makes the novel even more stunning. This story isn’t just about love; it is also about friendship and the power of women who stick by each other. There is one moment in the book where Alyssa, Lily’s best friend and coworker, threatens to end their friendship if Lily makes a certain decision. I know it sounds horrible if you haven’t read the novel, but trust me, that moment in the book was amazing for a very good reason. Alyssa’s words were spoken out of love for a fellow woman and friend. You’ll just have to read the story to find out why! 

Overall, this novel is definitely one worth reading if you love inspiring romances with twists and raw characters.

Rating: 4/5