When seventeen-year-old Rune Kristiansen returns from his native Norway to the sleepy town of Blossom Grove, Georgia, where he befriended Poppy Litchfield as a child, he has just one thing on his mind. Why did the girl who was one half of his soul, who promised to wait faithfully for his return, cut him off without a word of explanation? Rune's heart was broken two years ago when Poppy fell silent. When he discovers the truth, he finds that the greatest heartache is yet to come.
A stand-alone young adult tearjerker romance, recommended for ages fourteen and up.
Author: Tille Cole
Review:
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give an honest review.
I will admit, I had no idea this book had been published before in 2016. I kind of wish I'd had that information before beginning it. Not sure why the publisher chose to publish is again, to be honest, since I had to DNF at 40%
First I want to say there was so much potential. When I read the blurb, I got all the feels. It seemed like it would be such a great story. Romance, first time love, true love, a twist, and more. But it just didn't hit the mark for me.
I usually love a dual POV. It gives the author a lot to work with as far as plot goes. It's easier to get the know the characters but also allows the author to build tension since the characters see things differently. I was hopeful this would help me understand the relationship between Rune and Poppy. It just served to show me the relationship was very codependent and actually a bit creepy on the side of Rune. The way he talks about Poppy and how he acts with her is super possessive and made me feel like he would be angry if she ever thought to be with anyone else.
I could not connect with either character and I had no empathy for them. They just didn't seem realistic.
I won't get into tons of spoilers but the 15 year old characters share something that just didn't feel right. It actually made me cringe.
When I started to get The Fault in Our Stars vibe I got excited. Maybe it would turn around, Maybe it would get better. But it wasn't that book (which I loved) or the characters of that book (who I also loved). It just felt like it was trying to be that book and it was not even close.
Then there are the chapter lengths and the fact that the chapters take you nowhere.. It's the same information presented over and over. 40 minutes for one chapter? No thank you. It threw off the pacing and didn't add to the plot in any way.
Once I go to 40% I decided to go and look at some reviews, which is when I realized this book was published prior. I also realized many people were feeling the same way I was and had the same complaints about how the book was set up and progressing.
The writing was sub par for me, as well. I don't feel like the author has a grasp of how to tell her story without dumping information that is not useful and pacing the story so it moves.
The best part of this book was Poppy's relationship with her grandmother and the adventure she sends her on. Other than that, I just didn't feel a connection or a want continue reading.
Perhaps others will love this one (I did see some 4 and 5 star reviews) but I did not.
Being a scary blend of Scottish and English, Tillie embraces both cultures; her English heritage through her love of HP sauce and freshly made Yorkshire Puddings, and her Scottish which is mostly demonstrated by her frighteningly foul-mouthed episodes of pure rage and her much loved dirty jokes.
Having been born and raised as a Teesside Smoggie, Tillie, at age nineteen, moved forty miles north to the 'Toon', Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, where she attended Newcastle University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts honours degree in Religious Studies. She returned two years later to complete a Post-Graduate Certificate in Teaching High School Social Studies. Tillie, regards Newcastle to be a home from home and enjoyed the Newcastle Geordie way of life for seven 'proper mint' and 'lush' years.
One summers day, after finishing reading her thousandth book on her much loved and treasured Kindle, Tillie turned to her husband and declared, "D'you know, I have a great idea for a story. I could write a book." Several months later, after repeating the same tired line at the close of another completed story, she was scolded by her husband to shut up talking about writing a novel and "just bloody do it!" For the first time in eleven years, Tillie actually took his advice (he is still trying to get over the shock) and immediately set off on a crazy journey, delving deep into her fertile imagination.
Tillie, ever since, has written from the heart. She combines her passion for anything camp and glittery with her love of humour and dark brooding men (most often muscled and tattooed – they’re her weakness!). She also has a serious side (believe it or not!) and loves to immerse herself in the complex study of World Religions, History and Cultural Studies and creates fantasy stories that enable her to thread serious issues and topics into her writing -- yep, there's more to this girl than profanity and sparkles!
After six years of teaching high school Social Studies and following her Professional Rugby Player husband around Europe, they have finally given up their nomadic way of life and settled in Calgary, Alberta where Tillie spends most of her days (and many a late night) lost in a writing euphoria or pursuing a dazzling career as a barrel-racing, tasselled-chap wearing, Stetson-sporting cowgirl... Ye-haw!
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