The story of the heart can never be unwritten.
Macy Sorensen is settling into an ambitious if emotionally tepid routine: work hard as a new pediatrics resident, plan her wedding to an older, financially secure man, keep her head down and heart tucked away.
But when she runs into Elliot Petropoulos—the first and only love of her life—the careful bubble she’s constructed begins to dissolve. Once upon a time, Elliot was Macy’s entire world—growing from her gangly bookish friend into the man who coaxed her heart open again after the loss of her mother…only to break it on the very night he declared his love for her.
Told in alternating timelines between Then and Now, teenage Elliot and Macy grow from friends to much more—spending weekends and lazy summers together in a house outside of San Francisco devouring books, sharing favorite words, and talking through their growing pains and triumphs. As adults, they have become strangers to one another until their chance reunion. Although their memories are obscured by the agony of what happened that night so many years ago, Elliot will come to understand the truth behind Macy’s decade-long silence, and will have to overcome the past and himself to revive her faith in the possibility of an all-consuming love.
Release Date: Apr 10, 2018
Heat Level: Sensual
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Imprint: Gallery Books
Price: $7.99
Elliot and Macy’s story is told in the present day as Macy has returned home and runs into Elliot. There is pain and hurt from an incident that is not yet described to readers. There is an immediate intense connection which after eleven years of separation doesn’t change.
The past is told between the present chapters. Elliot is an avid reader (who doesn’t love a man who loves the written word!) which connects him to Macy as she inherited her love of books from her mother. The two set off a remarkable friendship based off her their literary passion and play on words. I love that from the gate that Elliot always ask her what her favorite word is. This became important throughout the book as they have some pretty heavy conversations and Macy is not always open.
Friendship grows to a deep rooted love for one another. Elliot and Macy are both aware that they are soul mates. They don’t act on it until much later when they are a bit older. Things get out of hand and they are torn apart.
In the present day, Elliot is trying to reconnect with Macy but she is about to get married to this artist. At this point in the story, I am curious more about what tears them apart for eleven years. Macy constantly runs from Elliot but he is crystal clear on his intentions. He will take her anyway he can get her.
This is where the authors lose me. At the point in the past story where the readers are made aware of what tragic event destroyed this great love affair, it is already 90% in the story. I stared at my kindle in amazement. It takes that long for me to discover what happens and it’s all a misunderstanding. Why??? The event leads to another tragic moment in Macy’s life. I can relate to her pain but still a part of me was so annoyed at the fact that I had to wait until the very ending to find out what happened.
After the big reveal, Elliot and Macy hug and cry it out. All is well. What? It is wrapped up so neatly that I almost laughed. I wonder why they couldn’t discuss this on the phone like normal adults. Why did it take eleven years for this discussion to occur? Elliot states he had Google her to know she went to school to become a pediatric doctor so why didn’t he know where she was all this time? The little nuances of this story added up because of the misunderstanding ploy at the end of the book.
This is my first read by the authors. They do a great job at the feels and I can appreciate that. I loved Elliot. I love the intensity of the two characters. Despite, the ending, I am willing to give this author another go round.
~ Samantha
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