I’m
so excited to be participating again in this year’s #30Authors event. I have
the lovely Laura McNeill here to discuss Taylor Jenkins Reid novel, One True Loves, a book I have sitting on my shelf just waiting to be read! I’m so
glad Laura is reviewing this book here today! But first, here’s a little bit
about the #30Authors event itself:
#30Authors is an event started by The Book Wheel
that connects readers, bloggers, and authors. In it, 30 authors review
their favorite recent reads on 30 blogs in 30 days. It takes place
annually during the month of September and has been met with incredible
support from and success in the literary community. It has also been
turned into an anthology,
which is currently available on Amazon and all author proceeds go to
charity. Previous #30Authors contributors include Celeste Ng, Cynthia
Bond, Brian Panowich, and M.O. Walsh. To see this year’s full line-up,
visit www.thebookwheelblog.com/30authors or follow along on Twitter @30Authors.
Laura McNeill’s review of One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I picked
up this novel on the recommendation of my very good friend, an avid reader, who
rarely steers me wrong. The title intrigued me. The blue cover is soft and
inviting, like a blanket you’d want to snuggle up with on a cold winter’s
night.
The
moment I opened the box from the bookstore, I skimmed the first few pages. The characters
seemed like people I’d like to hang out with—Aimee Blair, travel writer turned
bookstore owner, Sam the music teacher, Aimee’s sister and nieces, as well as the
supportive and loving couple who make up Aimee’s parents.
When I
finally settled in to read the novel in earnest, it was a few weeks later, on
vacation at my parents’ lake house. With the sun on my back and the water
lapping the dock, I opened the paperback and began to read. The beginning of
the novel was sweet and soft, like the first forkful of a delectable layer cake.
I caught a glimpse of her life—her new fiancé, the joy of finding happiness
again after a devastating loss, and Aimee’s family, surrounding her, counting their
blessings.
Then, a
phone call from a very-alive Jesse, Aimee’s presumed-dead husband, flips
Aimee’s world sideways. At hearing Jesse’s voice, and especially after seeing
him, Aimee’s heart splits in two. One half aches for the man she was married to
years ago; the other half clings to the new life she’s built with Sam, complete
with music, laughter, and two cats. All of the memories and feelings Aimee had
tried so hard to bury come flooding back with the force of tsunami.
Aimee, a
tender, though not perfect, soul, is faced with a most difficult life choice:
Stay with the man she’d promised to marry or rekindle her relationship with her
husband, who survived a devastating helicopter crash in the wild.
The
author does a lovely job of illustrating Aimee’s alternating joys and sorrow, revealing
why she first fell in love with Jesse, the deep mourning she endured when she
finally accepted his loss, and the guilt, then freedom, she embraced after
finally admitting to herself that she was able to find true love again. Bite by
bite, like enjoying a delectable slice of cake, I relished every chapter,
reveling in the subtle nuances of the story, the flavor and spice of Aimee’s
personality, the smooth filling between cake layers representing the division
of past and present.
As the
end of the book neared, I found myself wanting to turn the pages faster, to
swallow up the remainder of the book, sweeping up every crumb just to get to
the very end. Would Aimee end up with Jesse? Would she choose Sam? Would she
lose both men? But in the last few chapters, I slowed my pace, savoring the
paragraphs, smiling through a few tears as the author wrapped up the novel with
a satisfying, though not confection store-perfect, ending.
After
finishing the book, my recommendation is this. The next time you have a lazy
afternoon, pick up a copy of One True
Loves, brew yourself a cup of coffee, cut yourself a slice of cake or other
sweet confection, and settle into your favorite reading nook. Prepare to be
transported, just for a few hours, into Aimee Blair’s world. You won’t be
disappointed.
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About Laura McNeill
After
six years behind the anchor desk at two CBS affiliates, Laura moved to the
Alabama Gulf Coast to raise her family. Her accolades in broadcasting include
awards from the Associated Press, including Best News Anchor and Best
Specialized Reporter.
Laura’s
writing awards include those from William Faulkner-Wisdom Writing Competition,
Writer’s Digest, RWA, and the Eric Hoffer award. Center of Gravity was
published in July 2015. Sister Dear was released on April 19, 2016 by HarperCollins.
She is currently working on her PhD and resides in Birmingham, Alabama.
Author Links:
Laura’s Books:
Purchase links:
Purchase links:
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About Taylor Jenkins Reid
Taylor
Jenkins Reid is an author, essayist, and TV writer originally from
Acton, MA. She is the author of Maybe in Another Life, After I Do, and
Forever, Interrupted. She now lives in Los Angeles.
Author Links:
Purchase Links for ONE TRUE LOVES:
I love TJR's novels. This was an enjoyable one!
Not only do I want to read this book (Reid is new to me), I feel like I can see Laura flipping through the pages while she sits on the dock and the whole experience sounds perfect. Thank you so much for joining in and I hope you're back next year!
Sounds like quite the emotional read.