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boba_n_books's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️ / 5
Caterpillars in Glass Jars follows Jaynie and Luke who, in finding love, find themselves.
Jaynie and Luke have been best friends for as long as they can remember. They live next door to each other and are rarely apart. However, the summer Jaynie turns 21 is a turning point for the pair. Budding country music star Gage Evans is in town, and he has his eye on Jaynie. All her life she's felt less than because of her curves and weight, but Gage makes her feel seen in a way she's never been before. He makes her feel truly beautiful--curves and all. But suddenly, Jaynie's lifelong friend starts to become jealous and realize that his feelings may be deeper than friendship. Told in a dual POV and a dual timeline, readers know Jaynie and Luke had a falling out that fateful summer and get to see how these two come to a crossroads.
Jaynie and Luke's love story was such a bittersweet one. There were so many times they took a step forward but then their miscommunication took them three steps back. To Jaynie, and to me, it seemed like Luke was only going after her because he was jealous of Gage and jealous that he was no longer the only man in Jaynie's life. I completely understood Jaynie's hesitations and how she needed to find herself before tethering herself to another person. Luke's personal journey was also quite interesting to read about as he figures out who he is and what he really wants.
I'm so grateful to the author for putting this lovely story out into the world and for sharing it with us.
Caterpillars in Glass Jars follows Jaynie and Luke who, in finding love, find themselves.
Jaynie and Luke have been best friends for as long as they can remember. They live next door to each other and are rarely apart. However, the summer Jaynie turns 21 is a turning point for the pair. Budding country music star Gage Evans is in town, and he has his eye on Jaynie. All her life she's felt less than because of her curves and weight, but Gage makes her feel seen in a way she's never been before. He makes her feel truly beautiful--curves and all. But suddenly, Jaynie's lifelong friend starts to become jealous and realize that his feelings may be deeper than friendship. Told in a dual POV and a dual timeline, readers know Jaynie and Luke had a falling out that fateful summer and get to see how these two come to a crossroads.
Jaynie and Luke's love story was such a bittersweet one. There were so many times they took a step forward but then their miscommunication took them three steps back. To Jaynie, and to me, it seemed like Luke was only going after her because he was jealous of Gage and jealous that he was no longer the only man in Jaynie's life. I completely understood Jaynie's hesitations and how she needed to find herself before tethering herself to another person. Luke's personal journey was also quite interesting to read about as he figures out who he is and what he really wants.
I'm so grateful to the author for putting this lovely story out into the world and for sharing it with us.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Body shaming
The body shaming is self-inflicted.reyesreadingreview's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
littlebarnbooknook's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
5.0
Sarah hill has done it again! I read this book in one sitting! I honestly loved the message and the story of this book! As someone who struggles with their weight I connected with this book instantly.
The FMC, Jayine, and the MMC, Luke, were absolutely amazing. I loved their relationship and how it developed! I was a bit unsure about Gale but he ended up growing on me and I loved how he turned up in the end!
“All this time, I tricked myself into thinking I was keeping you safe. Turns out caterpillars don’t keep inside glass jars.”
This book was beautifully written and I’m so glad I was able to review one of Sarah’s books again! Thank you so much! I have loved both books by her!
“"The work? Love isn't work, Pretty." She smiles. "Of course it is. It may not always be hard, but if you think couples don't work to stay together, you're blind. Love takes work. It takes working on your patience, and on compromising. Love is learning to love the little things that annoy you. It's dancing when you're at your happiest and having the hard talks when you're not. It takes work to stay together. I know, because I've had the best role models anyone could ever have in Grams and Pop."
The FMC, Jayine, and the MMC, Luke, were absolutely amazing. I loved their relationship and how it developed! I was a bit unsure about Gale but he ended up growing on me and I loved how he turned up in the end!
“All this time, I tricked myself into thinking I was keeping you safe. Turns out caterpillars don’t keep inside glass jars.”
This book was beautifully written and I’m so glad I was able to review one of Sarah’s books again! Thank you so much! I have loved both books by her!
“"The work? Love isn't work, Pretty." She smiles. "Of course it is. It may not always be hard, but if you think couples don't work to stay together, you're blind. Love takes work. It takes working on your patience, and on compromising. Love is learning to love the little things that annoy you. It's dancing when you're at your happiest and having the hard talks when you're not. It takes work to stay together. I know, because I've had the best role models anyone could ever have in Grams and Pop."
mikki_read's review
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
All I can really say is that I LOVED this book! Taking place in a small mountain town is one of my weaknesses. Jaynie is a young woman feeling invisible under her best friend Luke’s shadow. It’s not until a handsome stranger rolls into town showing Jaynie her worth that Luke starts to question his feelings for Jaynie. The characters were great. I fell hard for each of them at the end in different ways. The lesson that came from this book would be one that I think many people can relate to. Questioning that long ago, quick, and young love that makes you wonder what you’re suppose to have taken from it. Having one myself, I think that this book is such a cute read. A second chance romance, friends to lovers, love triangle in a small town. I will be suggesting this to ALL my romance lovers and begging my library to order a copy. I’m going to include a few quotes and excerpts that stuck with me from this book:
“‘Plus, fairytales only exist in books.’
‘They exist where we create them.’”
“I want her to know how important she still is, how I never stopped thinking about her and that my heart has only ever beat for her.”
“‘If we focus on the bad, it feels like that’s all we get. There’s food to be found in every single day if we just take the time to look.’”
“‘Sometimes we go through life looking for something we WANT. When being happy has less to do with getting what you want and more to do with having what you need.’”
“I turn to face this man who has laid the world at my feet but has to go.”
“‘All this time, I tricked myself into thinking I was keeping you safe. Turns out caterpillars don’t keep in glass jars.’”
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