Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn JacksonPublished: August 5, 2014Publisher: William MorrowPages: 352Received: for honest review via publisher and TLC Book ToursFind it online: Amazon | IndieBound | B&N | GoodreadsSomeone Else's Love Story is beloved and highly acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Joshilyn Jackson's funny, charming, and poignant novel about science and miracles, secrets and truths, faith and forgiveness; about falling in love, and learning that things aren't always what they seem—or what we hope they will be.
Shandi Pierce is juggling finishing college, raising her delightful three-year-old genius son Nathan, aka Natty Bumppo, and keeping the peace between her eternally warring, long-divorced parents. She's got enough complications without getting caught in the middle of a stick-up and falling in love with William Ashe, who willingly steps between the robber and her son.
Shandi doesn't know that her blond god Thor has his own complications. When he looked down the barrel of that gun he believed it was destiny: It's been one year to the day since a tragic act of physics shattered his world. But William doesn't define destiny the way others do. A brilliant geneticist who believes in facts and numbers, destiny to him is about choice. Now, he and Shandi are about to meet their so-called destinies head on, making choices that will reveal unexpected truths about love, life, and the world they think they know.
"That
afternoon in the the Circle K, I deserved to know, right off, that I
had landed bang in the middle of a love story. Especially since it
wasn't - it isn't - it could never be, my own."
This wasn't your typical love story - it is so much more. It's filled with so many amazing things - miracles, love, friendship, faith, science and magic (that's really just "science that hasn't been explained yet").
It a light and romantic novel set in the south that contains enough quirkiness to make you smile. Shandi and William share so many emotions and moments from the minute their lives cross at the Circle K. These characters are not what you expect - it's not your traditional hot guy meets cute girl and they fall in love story. William is complex - he is a scientist/geneticist who is so amazingly smart and happens to have Asperger's. It takes more of an effort for him to communicate and understand emotions, but he is all heart when it comes right down to it. And Shandi is a single mom who would do anything to keep her little boy, Natty, safe. She has not had en easy life, but she perseveres and holds onto hope for better things to come. I enjoyed her character as she didn't just completely melt for the hot guy and forget her life. She tries hard to have a good life and to make something of this new life.
I absolutely enjoyed William's POV as it was a new male lead that I loved reading. Not only did he look at the world differently, he felt things and understood things in such a different way. I adored how he learns from Shandi and Natty and grows so much as a character. At the beginning I loved how he compared the emotions and looks on peoples faces to the "vegetable emotions book". The squash is dissapointed. It's how he learned emotions in people by comparing what he learned in a children's book. It's simple, but made me smile and helped me understand William's differences.
Shandi uses her time with William to figure out some of her past issues, like letting in the truth about the miracle that is Natty. How he came to be and what that means to her. I think the relationship that William and Shandi have is something they will never forget - how they each learned from the other, helped accept the past and figure out the future. Who knew that getting held up in a robbery could bring so much change into their lives?
Honestly - there are so many great things that this book has and if I write too much I will give it all away. This is the best nontraditional love story I've read as it isn't anyone in particular's love story, but quite the opposite. You'll be filled with all of the feels in this book. The characters (including the secondary characters) are wonderful. I want my own little Natty one day - he's adorable in that smart geeky little kid way.
About the Author:
Joshilyn Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of six novels, including Gods in Alabama and A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty. She lives in Decatur, Georgia, with her husband and their two children.
Wow, it sounds like this book has so much to love! I'm pleased that you can recommend it so highly. Thank for being a part of the tour.
ReplyDeleteIt was a great story.
Delete