(1/1/2020)
My first book of 2020, and if it this is what books are like this year, it’s going to be a good one.
Charlotte and Philip have a (somewhat stereotypical) meet cute on an airplane while sitting in economy, and start a romantic relationship that will alter both of their lives. She moves with him to the Florida Keys, although Philip seems to be on the road more than he’s with her. She’s lonely and struggling and can’t figure out what she’s missing when fate throws Ben (and his young son Jimmy) across her path. Then she finds out that Philip and Ben are close friends, and we see her fighting to do the right thing…and to figure out what the right thing actually is.
While a lot of this sounds like a cliche or like it’s been done before, that’s not really what this is. Instead, it’s a really good book, which I couldn’t put down, about childhood and trauma and how it really can shape who people love and what people need or want from relationships.
Without giving too much away, make sure you keep the tissue box handy for the last quarter of this book, and be prepared to be unavailable for a day or two so you can focus on immersing yourself in these characters and their stories.
Disclosure: NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. It did not influence my opinion.