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kristinhzta90's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to love this book, but it was just ok for me. I wanted to shake Georgie by her shoulders and scream at her. How can she not see what she is doing to her her relationship with her husband? He essentially gave up everything for her and she never had to bend, not a single bit. That seems really selfish to me and I think she finally figures that out. The ending left me wanting more but it was adequate to tie everything up.
jenmangler's review against another edition
3.0
Most of the book questions whether love is enough in a very real way, as Georgie and the deeply unhappy Neal are coming apart at the seams, but the ending glosses over that for a "happily ever after" feel. They've still got problems! We're just supposed to believe they're going to be okay when they haven't dealt with their issues at all and there's nothing to indicate that they know how to do so? I've got a problem with that ending.
readballoon's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ckeithjohnson's review against another edition
4.0
Not sure why I added this to my list. But I'm glad I did.
blurrypetals's review against another edition
5.0
This is, in my not-so-humble opinion, Rainbow Rowell's best book. It combines her penchant for lovely, looping prose and her talent for writing compelling, romantic situations in the most wonderful fashion. It also doesn't contain any of the weirdness or mediocrity that dragged Fangirl and Carry On down, it's got a slight edge on Attachments, mostly because this is Rainbow's fourth book instead of her debut and this was just a bit more elegant in execution, and it's got a happier ending than Eleanor and Park, so, in my book, that all adds up to this being her best.
One thing I found to be really compelling was the structure of the book. I liked that we didn't get nearly anything in chronological order, and I'm not even talking about the phone calls Georgie ends up making to the past. I liked that information was carefully and lovingly doled out in small bite-sized pieces, that we didn't get a full picture of Georgie and Neal's relationship prior to the beginning of the novel until, well, the end of the novel. I really enjoyed how stories and facts came up as Georgie was reminded of them, as she reflected upon them.
I didn't even know Rebecca Lowman, my favorite narrator until Jorjeana Marie dethroned her, narrated this until I started it, so that was also a treat. This whole book was a treat. I was not expecting to love this, let alone love it as much as I did. Neal and Georgie were true heartstring pullers and I was almost as much of a mess over their relationship by the end as Georgie was because I was very invested very quickly and I stayed invested the whole way through. I loved watching the two of them fall in love with one another because it made me love them, too, and it made me all the more heartbroken that their marriage was in trouble.
This is great, this is what I've wanted from Rainbow ever since I first heard about her writing and I finally got exactly what I wanted, exactly what I didn't expect, and more.
One thing I found to be really compelling was the structure of the book. I liked that we didn't get nearly anything in chronological order, and I'm not even talking about the phone calls Georgie ends up making to the past. I liked that information was carefully and lovingly doled out in small bite-sized pieces, that we didn't get a full picture of Georgie and Neal's relationship prior to the beginning of the novel until, well, the end of the novel. I really enjoyed how stories and facts came up as Georgie was reminded of them, as she reflected upon them.
I didn't even know Rebecca Lowman, my favorite narrator until Jorjeana Marie dethroned her, narrated this until I started it, so that was also a treat. This whole book was a treat. I was not expecting to love this, let alone love it as much as I did. Neal and Georgie were true heartstring pullers and I was almost as much of a mess over their relationship by the end as Georgie was because I was very invested very quickly and I stayed invested the whole way through. I loved watching the two of them fall in love with one another because it made me love them, too, and it made me all the more heartbroken that their marriage was in trouble.
This is great, this is what I've wanted from Rainbow ever since I first heard about her writing and I finally got exactly what I wanted, exactly what I didn't expect, and more.
ellipsiscool's review against another edition
3.0
Easy, fun romcom type book. I enjoyed he characters. The plot was pretty simple. I guessed what was going to happen, but was routing for Georgie nonetheless. I kept imaging how it could become a really fun movie. I hope to see that happen.
hanej24's review against another edition
4.0
Very enjoyable as a YA novel and I love Rainbow Rowell's writing style. It would have been interesting to explore the magic phone a bit more but it was a nice cosy story with a Christmassy ending.
totheliteraturelighthouse's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
lilo23's review against another edition
DNF. There were parts of the book that were problematic and I was uncomfortable with they way they joked about eating disorders.
Eg. “I thought you already ate,” Georgie said. “Don’t talk to me like that. You’ll give me an eating disorder.” Georgie rolled her eyes. “Nobody in our family gets eating disorders. Stop eating my dinner.”
Eg. “I thought you already ate,” Georgie said. “Don’t talk to me like that. You’ll give me an eating disorder.” Georgie rolled her eyes. “Nobody in our family gets eating disorders. Stop eating my dinner.”
mels_reading_log's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
4.0
Real life isn’t always perfect and exciting. If you had a chance to call the past and change everything, would you? Georgie and Neal are married and have two little girls, but Georgie’s main priority is her job writing a new comedy show with her best friend, Seth. The family is off to Omaha for Christmas, but work needs her, so Georgie stays behind. While at her mom’s house that night she goes in her childhood bedroom and uses the old landline to call Neal’s mom’s house to check in. When he answers, he’s not quite the Neal who left her days before.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content, Pregnancy, and Blood
Minor: Death of parent