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There You'll Find Me
Grief brought Finley to Ireland. Love will lead her home.
Finley Sinclair is not your typical eighteen year old. She's witty, tough, and driven. With an upcoming interview at the Manhattan music conservatory, Finley needs to compose her audition piece. But her creativity disappeared with the death of her older brother, Will.
She decides to study abroad in Ireland so she can follow Will's travel journal. It's the place he felt closest to God, and she's hopeful being there will help her make peace over losing him. So she agrees to an exchange program and boards the plane.
Beckett Rush, teen heartthrob and Hollywood bad boy, is flying to Ireland to finish filming his latest vampire movie. On the flight, he meets Finley. She's the one girl who seems immune to his charm. Undeterred, Beckett convinces her to be his assistant in exchange for his help as a tour guide.
Once in Ireland, Finley starts to break down. The loss of her brother and the pressure of school, her audition, and whatever it is that is happening between her and Beckett, leads her to a new and dangerous vice. When is God going to show up for her in this emerald paradise?
Then she experiences something that radically changes her perspective on life. Could it be God convincing her that everything she's been looking for has been with her all along?
Finley Sinclair is not your typical eighteen year old. She's witty, tough, and driven. With an upcoming interview at the Manhattan music conservatory, Finley needs to compose her audition piece. But her creativity disappeared with the death of her older brother, Will.
She decides to study abroad in Ireland so she can follow Will's travel journal. It's the place he felt closest to God, and she's hopeful being there will help her make peace over losing him. So she agrees to an exchange program and boards the plane.
Beckett Rush, teen heartthrob and Hollywood bad boy, is flying to Ireland to finish filming his latest vampire movie. On the flight, he meets Finley. She's the one girl who seems immune to his charm. Undeterred, Beckett convinces her to be his assistant in exchange for his help as a tour guide.
Once in Ireland, Finley starts to break down. The loss of her brother and the pressure of school, her audition, and whatever it is that is happening between her and Beckett, leads her to a new and dangerous vice. When is God going to show up for her in this emerald paradise?
Then she experiences something that radically changes her perspective on life. Could it be God convincing her that everything she's been looking for has been with her all along?
310 pages, Paperback
First published October 3, 2011
471 people are currently reading
23708 people want to read
About the author
Jenny B. Jones
30books2,183followersFour-time Carol Award winner Jenny B. Jones writes contemporary romance with wit, sass, and Southern charm. Since writing for both women and teens leaves her with very little free time, she believes in spending her spare hours in meaningful, intellectual pursuits, such as watching E!, going to the movies and inhaling large buckets of popcorn, and writing her name in the dust on her furniture.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,636 reviews
November 21, 2011
Remember I was crazy excited about this book?
I thought I was definitely going to love this book.
Turns out I was absolutely and 100% right. Well, kind of. I l don't think I imagined I was going to love it this much.
I read it four days ago and I still think about it and smile, but let's get down to business, here's the review:
There are times when you like a book because the characters are funny or because the story is good.
There are times when you love a book, because you relate to it or maybe because it spoke to you.
And then, there are times when a book pulls at your heartstrings and makes you different than what you were before reading it. A book that changes your life, they call it. There you'll find me did that for me.
It was so much different than any book I’ve read before. It was poignant, and captivating; lyrical and beautiful, and much more than your ordinary Young Adult book.
...
Full review here:
I thought I was definitely going to love this book.
Turns out I was absolutely and 100% right. Well, kind of. I l don't think I imagined I was going to love it this much.
I read it four days ago and I still think about it and smile, but let's get down to business, here's the review:
There are times when you like a book because the characters are funny or because the story is good.
There are times when you love a book, because you relate to it or maybe because it spoke to you.
And then, there are times when a book pulls at your heartstrings and makes you different than what you were before reading it. A book that changes your life, they call it. There you'll find me did that for me.
It was so much different than any book I’ve read before. It was poignant, and captivating; lyrical and beautiful, and much more than your ordinary Young Adult book.
...
Full review here:
September 13, 2011
Wow! This book was so much more than I was expecting. The cover makes you think it's going to be a light romance, and the synopsis doesn't really tell you how serious the subject matter is or how much truth is spoken in the words of this story.
At its core, There You'll Find Me is about healing from past wounds. Hotel heiress Finley (love her name, by the way!) goes to Ireland two years after the death of her brother hoping to escape her home and party-girl reputation. She's been through therapy, but she's still grieving. I automatically liked Finley, first because of her spunk and later because I sympathized with her pain. She's a perfectionist and some of the things she does will really frustrate you. You even watch her control freak tendencies slowly screw up her life, and you want to reach into the book and shake her.
And while the romance was really quite sweet, it wasn't what made me love this book. Sure, Beckett was adorable and a really nice guy (so refreshing to see a nice love interest in a YA book!), and the fact that he's a teen movie vampire heart-throb was hysterical. There were so many connections between him and Robert Pattinson, I just loved it!
But what made this book go beyond a cute romance was the real issues that Jenny B. Jones deals with - depression, perfectionism, eating disorders, grief. While Finely is no longer outwardly grieving her brother, she's still hurting, and she channels her pain into outlets of her life than she feels she can control, like her weight. At first, I was a little concerned with the side comments about how much she was exercising and how little she was eating. I was afraid that the issue of an eating disorder would never come up, but that subtlety really won me over in the end. Finley's border-line anorexia is such a non-issue at the beginning of the book but blows up by the end, just like it does in real life.
There are a lot of books out there about similar subjects, but what separates this one from others is the faith that it's based in. There's hope found in this book. Finley begins her journey in Ireland totally disillusioned with God and her Christian faith; she thinks that just because she can't feel Him, He's not there, that He's taken a "lunch break" from her life. A huge part of her journey is realizing that she can't fix her life; only He can.
This break from traditional secular values in a YA book was incredibly refreshing! It's hard to find faith-based YA books. (Notable exceptions being The River of Time series by Lisa Tawn Bergren and the On The Runway series by Melody Carlson.) But I think even non-Christian teens will be able to relate to Finley and find truth in this story.
I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a positive, clean read or who enjoys emotionally captivating stories in sweet, romantic packages.
At its core, There You'll Find Me is about healing from past wounds. Hotel heiress Finley (love her name, by the way!) goes to Ireland two years after the death of her brother hoping to escape her home and party-girl reputation. She's been through therapy, but she's still grieving. I automatically liked Finley, first because of her spunk and later because I sympathized with her pain. She's a perfectionist and some of the things she does will really frustrate you. You even watch her control freak tendencies slowly screw up her life, and you want to reach into the book and shake her.
And while the romance was really quite sweet, it wasn't what made me love this book. Sure, Beckett was adorable and a really nice guy (so refreshing to see a nice love interest in a YA book!), and the fact that he's a teen movie vampire heart-throb was hysterical. There were so many connections between him and Robert Pattinson, I just loved it!
But what made this book go beyond a cute romance was the real issues that Jenny B. Jones deals with - depression, perfectionism, eating disorders, grief. While Finely is no longer outwardly grieving her brother, she's still hurting, and she channels her pain into outlets of her life than she feels she can control, like her weight. At first, I was a little concerned with the side comments about how much she was exercising and how little she was eating. I was afraid that the issue of an eating disorder would never come up, but that subtlety really won me over in the end. Finley's border-line anorexia is such a non-issue at the beginning of the book but blows up by the end, just like it does in real life.
There are a lot of books out there about similar subjects, but what separates this one from others is the faith that it's based in. There's hope found in this book. Finley begins her journey in Ireland totally disillusioned with God and her Christian faith; she thinks that just because she can't feel Him, He's not there, that He's taken a "lunch break" from her life. A huge part of her journey is realizing that she can't fix her life; only He can.
This break from traditional secular values in a YA book was incredibly refreshing! It's hard to find faith-based YA books. (Notable exceptions being The River of Time series by Lisa Tawn Bergren and the On The Runway series by Melody Carlson.) But I think even non-Christian teens will be able to relate to Finley and find truth in this story.
I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a positive, clean read or who enjoys emotionally captivating stories in sweet, romantic packages.
December 13, 2014
This book was really hard for me to rate.. I did liked it a lot (I simply LOVED some of the characters in this story), and it could have been a 5 stars book, but all that talk about God and prayers was definitely not for me.
Let me get this strait, it's not that I don't believe in God (truth being told I don't know how much I do either), but I don't like reading about this subject and I had to skip entire paragraphs.
Except for this little discomfort, the book was amazing, that's why the high rating.
If there were crickets in the room, they would have provided the soundtrack to the silence that hung so loud.[Finley]
I loved Finley and Beckett.
They were so cute and funny - I laughed at their jokes and couldn't wait for them to realize how great they were together. I wanted to be their friend because I loved how fresh and full of life they were together. I could have spent a full day watching them fight with each other - there was no anger, but a lot of teasing and flirting - so adorable.
Beckett was not just a Hollywood star, he was smart and caring and I could see why Finley liked him, I could feel her falling for him.. It was his charm, the way he treated the people around him, the way he was searching for "normal", the way he responded to every challenge, the way he tried to help her every time he could, the way he was such a perfect match for her...
"If I'm going to be your bloomin' tour guide, I'm going to do it right." He held out his hand. "Do you think I'd take you somewhere dangerous?" [Beckett]
"You bite people for a living."
"Don't be a chicken."
"If you push me over the edge, my parents will be seriously ticked."
He grabbed my hand and pulled me along. "They'll probably send me a thank-you note."
Also Finley was smart and cute, and different from all the other girls he had seen.. I could understand why a guy like him could like a girl like her. It was not just that she was normal, and that she was playing hard to get, it was the way she talked to him...they were paying the same game, talking the same language, they were like two pieces of puzzle perfectly fitting together.. And I loved them both.
"Are you here about the pig?"[Mrs. Doyle]
"No." I cast a glace over my shoulder. "Though I brought one with me"[Finley]
There were so many funny scenes involving them and I laughed so much that I could almost forget about the Christian references in the book... Almost.
And there was Mrs. Sweeney and her tale.
She was cold in the outside, but as warm as summer sun in the inside.. She had such a tragic destiny, and I wanted so badly to change something in her life, to bring some joy into her last days, to make her smile, to give her a bit of happiness as a last gift, but I think Finley was better at it.
She and Finley were a perfect match as well.. The way they didn't like each other in the beginning, the funny little fights they had, the way they responded one to another with the same amount of sarcasm... They were both lovely, and they both broke my heart with their pain.
"Are you ready for me to read?" [Finley] I took her outstretched cup and placed it on the bedside table.
"I was ready ten minutes ago. If you wait any longer I'll have time to write a novel meself"
If I had one word to describe this book it would be touching, because it touched my heart in a way I didn't think it would be able to, and I'm really glad I read this book.
Review originally posted at
Book Source: ARC via NetGalley
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Let me get this strait, it's not that I don't believe in God (truth being told I don't know how much I do either), but I don't like reading about this subject and I had to skip entire paragraphs.
Except for this little discomfort, the book was amazing, that's why the high rating.
If there were crickets in the room, they would have provided the soundtrack to the silence that hung so loud.[Finley]
I loved Finley and Beckett.
They were so cute and funny - I laughed at their jokes and couldn't wait for them to realize how great they were together. I wanted to be their friend because I loved how fresh and full of life they were together. I could have spent a full day watching them fight with each other - there was no anger, but a lot of teasing and flirting - so adorable.
Beckett was not just a Hollywood star, he was smart and caring and I could see why Finley liked him, I could feel her falling for him.. It was his charm, the way he treated the people around him, the way he was searching for "normal", the way he responded to every challenge, the way he tried to help her every time he could, the way he was such a perfect match for her...
"If I'm going to be your bloomin' tour guide, I'm going to do it right." He held out his hand. "Do you think I'd take you somewhere dangerous?" [Beckett]
"You bite people for a living."
"Don't be a chicken."
"If you push me over the edge, my parents will be seriously ticked."
He grabbed my hand and pulled me along. "They'll probably send me a thank-you note."
Also Finley was smart and cute, and different from all the other girls he had seen.. I could understand why a guy like him could like a girl like her. It was not just that she was normal, and that she was playing hard to get, it was the way she talked to him...they were paying the same game, talking the same language, they were like two pieces of puzzle perfectly fitting together.. And I loved them both.
"Are you here about the pig?"[Mrs. Doyle]
"No." I cast a glace over my shoulder. "Though I brought one with me"[Finley]
There were so many funny scenes involving them and I laughed so much that I could almost forget about the Christian references in the book... Almost.
And there was Mrs. Sweeney and her tale.
She was cold in the outside, but as warm as summer sun in the inside.. She had such a tragic destiny, and I wanted so badly to change something in her life, to bring some joy into her last days, to make her smile, to give her a bit of happiness as a last gift, but I think Finley was better at it.
She and Finley were a perfect match as well.. The way they didn't like each other in the beginning, the funny little fights they had, the way they responded one to another with the same amount of sarcasm... They were both lovely, and they both broke my heart with their pain.
"Are you ready for me to read?" [Finley] I took her outstretched cup and placed it on the bedside table.
"I was ready ten minutes ago. If you wait any longer I'll have time to write a novel meself"
If I had one word to describe this book it would be touching, because it touched my heart in a way I didn't think it would be able to, and I'm really glad I read this book.
Review originally posted at
Book Source: ARC via NetGalley
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July 25, 2014
Two things I love about books is that they take you to
places that you have never been and make you feel things
that you have never felt. I loved this book because not
only did it take me to Ireland (after reading this I really
love to visit Ireland) it also made me feel the familiar
feeling of loss and pain.
Finley Sinclair was struggling after the death of her
brother Will. Her brother left a journal documenting his
trip to Ireland and how he found God there. Trying to find
out for herself what her brother discovered there she
decided to set off to Ireland. On her way there she met
the famous Beckett Rush who turned out to be more than
who she thought he was.
Finley had to struggle with a lot of things: her brother's
death, her family, school, her audition piece, a certain
boy, God and most of all herself.
I honestly don't know where or how to begin this. This
would probably be the longest review I will ever make.
This book indeed helped me a lot. It helped me face the
issues in life that I am currently having. It touched so
many aspects in my life if not all.
When I was reading the book, it was as if I was the one
narrating the story and not Finley. When I started the
book I was like okay she met him at the plane and then
what? But as the story progressed that's when I really got
the whole picture.
In the book, Finley kept on complaining that no matter
how hard she tried calling to God he never answered. She
felt alone and depressed. She developed an eating
disorder that she refused to admit even though she
knows that its true. She was a walking disaster waiting to
happen only she was too preoccupied with so many
things that she failed to notice it.
She was having a hard time accepting her brother's death.
She refused to let go of the pain, the loss and the
heartache. She found it so hard to let go of her favorite
brother. Her role model. Her goal was to finish the
audition piece that she dedicated to Will. She hoped that
after that everything would go back to normal. But things
would never go back the way it used to be. No matter
what she does, it would never bring back her brother.
You could either stay or move forward, that is one of the
lessons I have learned in this book. Either you mull over
the pain over and over again or you let everything go and
let God help you move on.
This book helped me overcome my own pain, my hurts
and my regrets. I try and convince myself and others that
I have already gotten over the fact that my ex-bf had left
me and my daughter but I really haven't nor did I really
got over my Mom remarrying. I do regret not being able
to graduate. One other important thing that I failed to let
go until now is the death of my Dad. I just realized after
reading this book that I haven't really moved on from his
death. He was my Will. I loved him more than anyone else
in my family. He was my role model (I was a daddy's girl).
I thought I gotten over it a long time ago but I was wrong.
I didn't deal with it, I just supressed it. It was my coping
mechanism. I should have known but I was too blind to
see it but finally I am free all thanks to this book.
God does move in mysterious ways. I also thought he
wasn't listening to me anymore but I was wrong. He
spoke to me. He spoke to me through the pages of this
book. Thank you Ms. Jones for making this book. :) I am
forever a fan!
Like Finley, I also selected my own verse. Here it is:
"Let us not be weary in doing good, for at the proper time
we reap a harvest if we do not give up."
- Galatians 6:9
Before I end this review I would just like to add that Finley
and Beckett were two amazing characters. I loved Finely
because she was real and vulnerable and so is Beckett.
Finley and Beckett's love story is inspiring. I think I
already gave away most of what the story is about in this
review. I will just leave you guys to discover why their
love story is inspiring. :)) I hope every girl would get their
own Beckett someday.
July 26, 2021
I'm dropping out at about a third. Two things are dragging this down for me. The first is that Finley is such a weak wet blanket and that grinds things towards stopping all the time. Like, she has to be assigned to do things. And prodded by her host family. She's supposedly on this great quest to follow in her brother's footsteps, but everybody else has to push her along (giving her rides, or bikes, or assignments, or rolling to the end of her lazy excuses). Like, she has this photo of a Celtic cross and she wants to find that one. But does she look? Is she cataloging nearby crosses? Is she canvassing residents to see if anyone recognizes the surrounds? No. She shows the photo to random people she happens to be talking to anyway, but that's it. For this thing that is supposedly the capstone of the one thing she actually cares about..
The second is the faith journey that is so foregrounded in the story. And I don't buy it. Or rather, I don't buy that the author is invested in it. I mean, we've been with Finley for a couple of weeks now, but I have no idea what she's doing of a Sunday. She's in Ireland and going to a Catholic private school, but is she going to Mass? Who knows! And she says she has been trying to find her way back to God for a year now, but has made zero progress on it. We even get the occasional prayer but without any answer or progress. And the thing is, that's just not how faith works. Not that I'm anything more than a lifelong seeker myself, but everyone I talk to about faith (and that is not a small number—consider that I was a missionary for my church for two years) has experienced faith as a journey of ups and downs. The cycle of faith, sin, repentance, and reconciliation is as near a universal as I know. A mono-experience of nothing just isn't a thing I've ever heard from anyone actively, actually trying. And this is grating on me badly. It's like Jones has heard that kids sometimes struggle seeking God and this is how she imagines it happening, but without actually talking to any teen who has had such a struggle.
And I could be totally wrong and this may be the norm and I just talk to exceptional people. I'm not trying to say how faith or the search for God works. I'm just saying that this doesn't ring true to me and it makes an entire dimension of this story uncomfortably false-seeming.
So I'm going to end this on two stars. If it were just the faith thing I'd probably not rate it at all, but Finley is a seriously limp noodle and I just can't get past that, regardless.
(Why the second star? It's competently written and the scenery is vivid and I like the secondary characters. So this is more than a single star experience for the potential that Jones just fails to deliver)
The second is the faith journey that is so foregrounded in the story. And I don't buy it. Or rather, I don't buy that the author is invested in it. I mean, we've been with Finley for a couple of weeks now, but I have no idea what she's doing of a Sunday. She's in Ireland and going to a Catholic private school, but is she going to Mass? Who knows! And she says she has been trying to find her way back to God for a year now, but has made zero progress on it. We even get the occasional prayer but without any answer or progress. And the thing is, that's just not how faith works. Not that I'm anything more than a lifelong seeker myself, but everyone I talk to about faith (and that is not a small number—consider that I was a missionary for my church for two years) has experienced faith as a journey of ups and downs. The cycle of faith, sin, repentance, and reconciliation is as near a universal as I know. A mono-experience of nothing just isn't a thing I've ever heard from anyone actively, actually trying. And this is grating on me badly. It's like Jones has heard that kids sometimes struggle seeking God and this is how she imagines it happening, but without actually talking to any teen who has had such a struggle.
And I could be totally wrong and this may be the norm and I just talk to exceptional people. I'm not trying to say how faith or the search for God works. I'm just saying that this doesn't ring true to me and it makes an entire dimension of this story uncomfortably false-seeming.
So I'm going to end this on two stars. If it were just the faith thing I'd probably not rate it at all, but Finley is a seriously limp noodle and I just can't get past that, regardless.
(Why the second star? It's competently written and the scenery is vivid and I like the secondary characters. So this is more than a single star experience for the potential that Jones just fails to deliver)
April 1, 2019
I'm upset because I really wanted to like this book. It's a young adult novel following an eighteen year-old girl, Finley Sinclair, as she copes with the loss of her older brother while living with her host family in Ireland on a foreign exchange program excursion. There's also a teen heartthrob, Hollywood bad boy serving as Finley's love interest named Beckett Rush, and yes, my apprehension was strong about that aspect.
So Finley is a Christian. And it may seem like a silly reason, but that's the main reason why I so desperately wanted this book to be good. I'm a Christian, so I want to read more books from the perspectives of Christians without them being labeled as a "religious book". (There You'll Find Me is labeled as "juvenile religious" so this didn't even accomplish that :/)
I could relate to Finley's struggle with feeling like God wasn't speaking to her. But that was about it.
Now, I'm going to be rather blunt, but I think what made this book disappointing for me was the poor writing. It's lackluster, cheesy, insipid, and predictable. It was young . I bet if I'd read this when I was fourteen, I would've devoured the whole novel over the course of a weekend.
Finley deals with a lot in this book, but a lot of her struggles weren't delved into too deeply, making everything about her seem shallow. I didn't have a problem with the fact that she was, at times, an unlikable protagonist. It made her at least seem real.
But she's warding off Beckett because she doesn't want to repeat all her wild nights and bad choices (which never went into any detail, so it was hard to gauge just how "bad" she'd really been...Finley is the daughter of a hotel mogul, but for all it added to her characterization, I wonder why she was written that way?), she's battling an apparent eating disorder, she's hellbent on finding a Celtic cross from her dead brother's journal because she's sure it'll grant her peace, and she's on a quest to show Mrs. Sweeney (an angry old woman with bone cancer Finley was assigned to spend time with for an English class............how that assignment has anything to do with English, or literature in general, I have no clue) that her life is redeemable and forgiveness is possible.
So, in case you're overwhelmed by all of that, take heart. So was I.
Too much was going on without focusing on any one thing, and it all added up to a boring storyline. And I feel so terrible for saying that!
There's petty girl drama that exists for no other reason than to have a physical human antagonist. Antagonists can be inner demons!!! Antagonists can be an eating disorder! Anything that keeps the main character from achieving the very thing they're seeking is inherently an antagonist!!
To be honest, I only read diligently until page 203, before I skipped to the last few chapters. It ended just like I thought it would.
Wasn't the book for me, sadly. :(
So Finley is a Christian. And it may seem like a silly reason, but that's the main reason why I so desperately wanted this book to be good. I'm a Christian, so I want to read more books from the perspectives of Christians without them being labeled as a "religious book". (There You'll Find Me is labeled as "juvenile religious" so this didn't even accomplish that :/)
I could relate to Finley's struggle with feeling like God wasn't speaking to her. But that was about it.
Now, I'm going to be rather blunt, but I think what made this book disappointing for me was the poor writing. It's lackluster, cheesy, insipid, and predictable. It was young . I bet if I'd read this when I was fourteen, I would've devoured the whole novel over the course of a weekend.
Finley deals with a lot in this book, but a lot of her struggles weren't delved into too deeply, making everything about her seem shallow. I didn't have a problem with the fact that she was, at times, an unlikable protagonist. It made her at least seem real.
But she's warding off Beckett because she doesn't want to repeat all her wild nights and bad choices (which never went into any detail, so it was hard to gauge just how "bad" she'd really been...Finley is the daughter of a hotel mogul, but for all it added to her characterization, I wonder why she was written that way?), she's battling an apparent eating disorder, she's hellbent on finding a Celtic cross from her dead brother's journal because she's sure it'll grant her peace, and she's on a quest to show Mrs. Sweeney (an angry old woman with bone cancer Finley was assigned to spend time with for an English class............how that assignment has anything to do with English, or literature in general, I have no clue) that her life is redeemable and forgiveness is possible.
So, in case you're overwhelmed by all of that, take heart. So was I.
Too much was going on without focusing on any one thing, and it all added up to a boring storyline. And I feel so terrible for saying that!
There's petty girl drama that exists for no other reason than to have a physical human antagonist. Antagonists can be inner demons!!! Antagonists can be an eating disorder! Anything that keeps the main character from achieving the very thing they're seeking is inherently an antagonist!!
To be honest, I only read diligently until page 203, before I skipped to the last few chapters. It ended just like I thought it would.
Wasn't the book for me, sadly. :(
June 7, 2017
This was not the light, fluffy read I thought it was going to be. It tackled several heavy topics, which made for a much deeper, more meaningful read.
Full RTC
Full RTC
September 29, 2013
About this book:
“Grief brought Finley to Ireland. Love will lead her home.
Finley Sinclair is not your typical eighteen-year-old. She's witty, tough, and driven. With an upcoming interview at the Manhattan music conservatory, Finley needs to compose her audition piece. But her creativity disappeared with the death of her older brother, Will.
She decides to study abroad in Ireland so she can follow Will's travel journal. It's the place he felt closest to God, and she's hopeful being there will help her make peace over losing him. So she agrees to an exchange program and boards the plane.
Beckett Rush, teen heartthrob and Hollywood bad boy, is flying to Ireland to finish filming his latest vampire movie. On the flight, he meets Finley. She's the one girl who seems immune to his charm. Undeterred, Beckett convinces her to be his assistant in exchange for his help as a tour guide.
Once in Ireland, Finley starts to break down. The loss of her brother and the pressure of school, her audition, and whatever it is that is happening between her and Beckett, leads her to a new and dangerous vice. When is God going to show up for her in this emerald paradise?
Then she experiences something that radically changes her perspective on life. Could it be God convincing her that everything she's been looking for has been with her all along?�
Series: Stand alone.
Spiritual Content-
Has a quote from C. S. Lewis� “Mere Christianity�; Finley says Ireland meadows are ‘Photo shopped by God�; Finley is searching for God throughout the book; Beckett goes to church.
Negative Content-
Beckett’s plays a vampire in different movies; 3 ‘screws�, 2 ‘craps�, 1 heck.
Sexual Content-
Finley says Beckett has that smile could get a girl to take off her purity ring with one word.
-Finley Sinclair
P.O.V. of Finley
303 pages
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This book could have gotten a higher review if it had gone without the negative & sexual parts. It was well written & had a unique story line.
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
“Grief brought Finley to Ireland. Love will lead her home.
Finley Sinclair is not your typical eighteen-year-old. She's witty, tough, and driven. With an upcoming interview at the Manhattan music conservatory, Finley needs to compose her audition piece. But her creativity disappeared with the death of her older brother, Will.
She decides to study abroad in Ireland so she can follow Will's travel journal. It's the place he felt closest to God, and she's hopeful being there will help her make peace over losing him. So she agrees to an exchange program and boards the plane.
Beckett Rush, teen heartthrob and Hollywood bad boy, is flying to Ireland to finish filming his latest vampire movie. On the flight, he meets Finley. She's the one girl who seems immune to his charm. Undeterred, Beckett convinces her to be his assistant in exchange for his help as a tour guide.
Once in Ireland, Finley starts to break down. The loss of her brother and the pressure of school, her audition, and whatever it is that is happening between her and Beckett, leads her to a new and dangerous vice. When is God going to show up for her in this emerald paradise?
Then she experiences something that radically changes her perspective on life. Could it be God convincing her that everything she's been looking for has been with her all along?�
Series: Stand alone.
Spiritual Content-
Has a quote from C. S. Lewis� “Mere Christianity�; Finley says Ireland meadows are ‘Photo shopped by God�; Finley is searching for God throughout the book; Beckett goes to church.
Negative Content-
Beckett’s plays a vampire in different movies; 3 ‘screws�, 2 ‘craps�, 1 heck.
Sexual Content-
Finley says Beckett has that smile could get a girl to take off her purity ring with one word.
-Finley Sinclair
P.O.V. of Finley
303 pages
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This book could have gotten a higher review if it had gone without the negative & sexual parts. It was well written & had a unique story line.
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
April 15, 2023
�4.8 Stars�
Still love it, and it still makes me emotional 😭
Original Review:
Why do books break my heart? I could find so much of myself in Finley. I really love this book and want to own it. But, Beckett.... he's amazing.
Still love it, and it still makes me emotional 😭
Original Review:
Why do books break my heart? I could find so much of myself in Finley. I really love this book and want to own it. But, Beckett.... he's amazing.
July 26, 2023
Another favorite this month!!!🥰
Definitely recommend !!!😁
Definitely recommend !!!😁
September 19, 2023
so random that this got a movie
October 21, 2023
I wasn't sure if this would be my cup of tea, but it was set in Ireland, so I had to give it a try. And I adored this story! It was beautiful and touching and the banter and sarcasm was so funny!
Characters:
Finley was a sarcastic dear, and I just loved her character! The inner turmoil, the attitude, and her kind heart...I loved her!
Beckett, my goodness! I loved his character! His charm and just...he was such a nice guy! Like so nice and caring and hilarious!
Erin! I loved her! She was a dear, and her brother Liam was hilarious!
Mrs Sweeney was so cranky and funny and just loved her!
And so many other characters that were so good or just mean, and it was great!
Themes:
That God never leaves us. That even in the worst moments of our lives, He is always there waiting for us to push aside the darkness and see Him with His arms open wide. When we don't hear God, it's because we've stopped listening, not that He's left. It was beautiful!
Langauge:
N/A
Romance:
A few kisses and mentions of a character being wild, but nothing ever discussed on page.
Overall:
I seriously enjoyed this read! And just so everyone knows...the audio book is like super good! Like super good!
Anyway, I loved this book and following Finley's journey of finding God and in Him healing.
Recommend for 14+ because of the romance and some of the stuff Finley goes through.
CW: This book deals with the death of a sibling...just wanted to mention that.
Characters:
Finley was a sarcastic dear, and I just loved her character! The inner turmoil, the attitude, and her kind heart...I loved her!
Beckett, my goodness! I loved his character! His charm and just...he was such a nice guy! Like so nice and caring and hilarious!
Erin! I loved her! She was a dear, and her brother Liam was hilarious!
Mrs Sweeney was so cranky and funny and just loved her!
And so many other characters that were so good or just mean, and it was great!
Themes:
That God never leaves us. That even in the worst moments of our lives, He is always there waiting for us to push aside the darkness and see Him with His arms open wide. When we don't hear God, it's because we've stopped listening, not that He's left. It was beautiful!
Langauge:
N/A
Romance:
A few kisses and mentions of a character being wild, but nothing ever discussed on page.
Overall:
I seriously enjoyed this read! And just so everyone knows...the audio book is like super good! Like super good!
Anyway, I loved this book and following Finley's journey of finding God and in Him healing.
Recommend for 14+ because of the romance and some of the stuff Finley goes through.
CW: This book deals with the death of a sibling...just wanted to mention that.
March 22, 2024
3.75 stars.
October 6, 2012
I thought this was going to be a heart-warming story, but I wasn't crazy about it at all.
First of all, I could not stand Finley. The book description said she was "witty, tough and driven," but I thought she was snobby and bitchy. She had this "been there, done that" attitude, and she was so quick to judge people by stereotypes and label them as a certain type. She did that with Beckett. She did that with Beatrice. She did that with Taylor and the actress types. And she did that with Mrs. Sweeney.
With Beckett, the situation was just SO obvious that I cannot believe she could not see it all along - especially considering that she was an American heiress who has lived that life before. How could she be so blind? But of course not. She thought she had it all figured out.
Which brings me to the next point of a little inconsistency. I'm not sure why Jones decided to write her as someone famous because I think I would have had more sympathy for her if she had been a nobody. I would have understood why she would be cautious if she had been naive and didn't want to be hurt by a bad boy heartthrob. And if she's been groomed in the limelight, why is she a size 9? I mean, I know she's not a Paris Hilton or anything, but it's really hard to imagine Finley as a person who used to be in the tabloids all the time. If she had been heavier than your average size 2 famous person, I'm sure the tabloids would have picked on her already.
And her condition? I just felt Jones tried to jam pack too many heavy situations into one book.
The only reason why I'm giving this book 2 stars instead of 1 is because of Mrs. Sweeney's story. On one hand, I do think it was just one more thing that Jones added to the heavy, emotionally-tugging, sympathy card. But on the other hand, I liked the story. I think it did a lot more to the Christian concept and finding God than Finley's story.
Overall, I think this could have been a heart-warming story. But I think if Finley had been written a bit differently, I would have liked her a lot more and liked the book a lot more.
First of all, I could not stand Finley. The book description said she was "witty, tough and driven," but I thought she was snobby and bitchy. She had this "been there, done that" attitude, and she was so quick to judge people by stereotypes and label them as a certain type. She did that with Beckett. She did that with Beatrice. She did that with Taylor and the actress types. And she did that with Mrs. Sweeney.
With Beckett, the situation was just SO obvious that I cannot believe she could not see it all along - especially considering that she was an American heiress who has lived that life before. How could she be so blind? But of course not. She thought she had it all figured out.
Which brings me to the next point of a little inconsistency. I'm not sure why Jones decided to write her as someone famous because I think I would have had more sympathy for her if she had been a nobody. I would have understood why she would be cautious if she had been naive and didn't want to be hurt by a bad boy heartthrob. And if she's been groomed in the limelight, why is she a size 9? I mean, I know she's not a Paris Hilton or anything, but it's really hard to imagine Finley as a person who used to be in the tabloids all the time. If she had been heavier than your average size 2 famous person, I'm sure the tabloids would have picked on her already.
And her condition? I just felt Jones tried to jam pack too many heavy situations into one book.
The only reason why I'm giving this book 2 stars instead of 1 is because of Mrs. Sweeney's story. On one hand, I do think it was just one more thing that Jones added to the heavy, emotionally-tugging, sympathy card. But on the other hand, I liked the story. I think it did a lot more to the Christian concept and finding God than Finley's story.
Overall, I think this could have been a heart-warming story. But I think if Finley had been written a bit differently, I would have liked her a lot more and liked the book a lot more.
June 6, 2021
I ended up loving this! It was much deeper than I thought it was going to be. I teared up several times. But I also laughed a whole lot. I nearly finished it in a day so yes, I was enjoying it a LOT!
Finley was such a real, raw character, and I really felt for her. Beckett was a sweetheart. Like, he stole my heart with how sweet he was to her even when she was a mess.
It was really sad for most of the book but it ends with hope. And there’s so many good scenes that made me laugh! And cry. Just so many feels.
It deals with forgiveness, anger, grief, mental illness, and eating disorders.
The faith really touched me. It was definitely a strong point in this novel. Towards the end “There Was Jesus� by Zach Williams was playing through my head, and I was in tears.
I can’t wait to watch the movie sometimes (and fangirl like crazy of course!) The trailer and clips look SO good! 😍
Anyways, this was a really good book! One of the best YA contemporaries I’ve read because it has depth, humor, and lessons to learn.
Finley was such a real, raw character, and I really felt for her. Beckett was a sweetheart. Like, he stole my heart with how sweet he was to her even when she was a mess.
It was really sad for most of the book but it ends with hope. And there’s so many good scenes that made me laugh! And cry. Just so many feels.
It deals with forgiveness, anger, grief, mental illness, and eating disorders.
The faith really touched me. It was definitely a strong point in this novel. Towards the end “There Was Jesus� by Zach Williams was playing through my head, and I was in tears.
I can’t wait to watch the movie sometimes (and fangirl like crazy of course!) The trailer and clips look SO good! 😍
Anyways, this was a really good book! One of the best YA contemporaries I’ve read because it has depth, humor, and lessons to learn.
June 1, 2019
Sweet and funny. YA at its best
February 16, 2018
The blurb of this story is sorely misleading. It has HUGE religious topics and references. Normally I am ok with that but it seemed to overshadow the rest if the story. I'm still upset that I didn't dnf.
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Full review can be found here:
Oh, do I have a review on this book. Sit back and stay a while because this may be a long post. I have a lot of thoughts and feelings on this gem.
Short recap: Finley has just lost her brother in a tragic accident. She decides to travel to Ireland to visit that land that he loved in hopes of finding peace within herself.
Whoa� that is a pretty good recap. BUT! It is not the entire truth of what the story is about. While the premise talks about a girl who wants to find peace after the horrible death of her brother, it is actually a heavily religious book that shoves religion down your throat. You read that right. This is one of the most religious books that isn’t labeled religious that I have ever read. I’m not against religion or believing in a higher power, but I am against having that ideal or believe thrust upon me in a way that it is smothering. I don’t deal too well with that. Let me make up my own mind, thank you very much.
Let me back up for a moment� I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s discuss the characters. We’ll start with Finley, the MC�. I did not care for her at all. She was a nasty person on the inside. She judged everyone, no matter who they were. She claimed to be humble and welcoming but on the inside she was horrible. On top of being judgmental of everyone with a pulse, she was terribly self-centered and rude. She responded to everyone with clipped responses and tones that implied she was above them. She acted that way because apparently she was someone famous back in the US. Well, if you consider Paris Hilton famous then I supposed Finley is too. It was the weakest attempt at “being famous� I have seen written yet. I have zero cares of a spoiled self-proclaimed socialite who had a few drunken nights. Throughout the entire story, it is hinted that Finley had “wild nights� and “a bad reputation� but no actual evidence or backstory was given. We were simply to believe that it happened and she changed her ways to find her path back to God. *insert the biggest eye roll here*
Now let’s chat about the “love interest�, Beckett. This won’t surprise you but he was a famous child/teen actor that was not happy with the way his manager (I.E. Father) was managing his career and wanted “a normal life�. Same song and dance we have read before, nothing new there. He never came across dreamy, charming, or whatever other characteristic you want to include. He just did not stand out for me.
As for the plot� I’m almost at a loss at what the plot was supposed to be about because there were simply too many heavy topics crammed into this story YET none of them were properly discussed or resolved. The blurb talks about Finley wanting to find peace with the tragedy of her brother’s death but I’m not sure she actually did. What happened to her brother, or even the relationship with her brother, was never explained or explored. It was simply assumed. What a cop out. Then there was the OBVIOUS eating disorder Finley had but it was never truly talked about. It was yet another heavy, serious topic that could have been explored but wasn’t. Sure, it was finally mentioned at the end of the book but it felt rushed and brushed over. What a waste! Don’t throw it into the story if you aren’t going to actually discuss it!! *GRRRRR*
And now I’ll talk about the religious tone of the story. Heavy. Religious. Tone. Constantly Finley is talking to God or praying to God or cursing out God or quoting Bible scripture or talking to a Nun (she conveniently is attending a catholic school) or reading a Bible. Normally these things would not bother me in the least but it felt as if the plot and story should have focused around Finley finding her path back to God, not whatever the publisher put on the back of the book. Those were simply side stories. A good portion of the story is Finley arguing with herself on the fact that God won’t talk to her. Uh� ok?
I believe my overall frustration with the story was trying to figure out the freaking point of it. Was it for Finley to find herself? Was it for her to find her way back into religion? Was it to find a boyfriend? Was it to judge people and be nasty towards them? Was it to finally admit she had an eating disorder? Was it to finally accept what happened to her brother? Was it for her to admit that she missed and needed her parents? I DON’T KNOW. All of these topics and more were talked about in this story. It was simply too much. I am kicking myself for staying with this until the end. I should have DNFd and walked away but I didn’t for whatever reason. Do I recommend? Not a chance. I’m sure I’m alone with my outright frustration with this story but I don’t want anyone to walk away as confused as I am. This story had potential to be an adorable contemporary if the author hadn’t tried to cram every serious topic known to man into one story with no resolution to any of them.
-------------
Full review can be found here:
Oh, do I have a review on this book. Sit back and stay a while because this may be a long post. I have a lot of thoughts and feelings on this gem.
Short recap: Finley has just lost her brother in a tragic accident. She decides to travel to Ireland to visit that land that he loved in hopes of finding peace within herself.
Whoa� that is a pretty good recap. BUT! It is not the entire truth of what the story is about. While the premise talks about a girl who wants to find peace after the horrible death of her brother, it is actually a heavily religious book that shoves religion down your throat. You read that right. This is one of the most religious books that isn’t labeled religious that I have ever read. I’m not against religion or believing in a higher power, but I am against having that ideal or believe thrust upon me in a way that it is smothering. I don’t deal too well with that. Let me make up my own mind, thank you very much.
Let me back up for a moment� I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s discuss the characters. We’ll start with Finley, the MC�. I did not care for her at all. She was a nasty person on the inside. She judged everyone, no matter who they were. She claimed to be humble and welcoming but on the inside she was horrible. On top of being judgmental of everyone with a pulse, she was terribly self-centered and rude. She responded to everyone with clipped responses and tones that implied she was above them. She acted that way because apparently she was someone famous back in the US. Well, if you consider Paris Hilton famous then I supposed Finley is too. It was the weakest attempt at “being famous� I have seen written yet. I have zero cares of a spoiled self-proclaimed socialite who had a few drunken nights. Throughout the entire story, it is hinted that Finley had “wild nights� and “a bad reputation� but no actual evidence or backstory was given. We were simply to believe that it happened and she changed her ways to find her path back to God. *insert the biggest eye roll here*
Now let’s chat about the “love interest�, Beckett. This won’t surprise you but he was a famous child/teen actor that was not happy with the way his manager (I.E. Father) was managing his career and wanted “a normal life�. Same song and dance we have read before, nothing new there. He never came across dreamy, charming, or whatever other characteristic you want to include. He just did not stand out for me.
As for the plot� I’m almost at a loss at what the plot was supposed to be about because there were simply too many heavy topics crammed into this story YET none of them were properly discussed or resolved. The blurb talks about Finley wanting to find peace with the tragedy of her brother’s death but I’m not sure she actually did. What happened to her brother, or even the relationship with her brother, was never explained or explored. It was simply assumed. What a cop out. Then there was the OBVIOUS eating disorder Finley had but it was never truly talked about. It was yet another heavy, serious topic that could have been explored but wasn’t. Sure, it was finally mentioned at the end of the book but it felt rushed and brushed over. What a waste! Don’t throw it into the story if you aren’t going to actually discuss it!! *GRRRRR*
And now I’ll talk about the religious tone of the story. Heavy. Religious. Tone. Constantly Finley is talking to God or praying to God or cursing out God or quoting Bible scripture or talking to a Nun (she conveniently is attending a catholic school) or reading a Bible. Normally these things would not bother me in the least but it felt as if the plot and story should have focused around Finley finding her path back to God, not whatever the publisher put on the back of the book. Those were simply side stories. A good portion of the story is Finley arguing with herself on the fact that God won’t talk to her. Uh� ok?
I believe my overall frustration with the story was trying to figure out the freaking point of it. Was it for Finley to find herself? Was it for her to find her way back into religion? Was it to find a boyfriend? Was it to judge people and be nasty towards them? Was it to finally admit she had an eating disorder? Was it to finally accept what happened to her brother? Was it for her to admit that she missed and needed her parents? I DON’T KNOW. All of these topics and more were talked about in this story. It was simply too much. I am kicking myself for staying with this until the end. I should have DNFd and walked away but I didn’t for whatever reason. Do I recommend? Not a chance. I’m sure I’m alone with my outright frustration with this story but I don’t want anyone to walk away as confused as I am. This story had potential to be an adorable contemporary if the author hadn’t tried to cram every serious topic known to man into one story with no resolution to any of them.
March 24, 2013
Wow. Yeah. So.
How do I say this. I unladylike fell head over heels in love with this book.
You know that happy place everyone has? Well this book took me to mine in a smooth long and laughable journey.
Mrs Sweeney had me choked up, I had so much sympathy and admiration for her as a person and if her sister hadn't shown and offered her the forgiveness she seeked I would have had some serious ass kicking to do.
When she went, a piece of my heart went with her. I was so sad until I imagined her harrassing everyone up there and that had me in stitches.
I knew Beckett was genuine from the start. Finley got me so frustrated and annoyed at times!
She's meant to be a heiress herself and all she does is compare herself to others when she's not exactly lower down in the social class scale is she!
Overall though. Loved this book- it was cheesy at times but it had a sense of normalcy too it that you find yourself able to relate to it and get into the story quite easily.
How do I say this. I unladylike fell head over heels in love with this book.
You know that happy place everyone has? Well this book took me to mine in a smooth long and laughable journey.
Mrs Sweeney had me choked up, I had so much sympathy and admiration for her as a person and if her sister hadn't shown and offered her the forgiveness she seeked I would have had some serious ass kicking to do.
When she went, a piece of my heart went with her. I was so sad until I imagined her harrassing everyone up there and that had me in stitches.
I knew Beckett was genuine from the start. Finley got me so frustrated and annoyed at times!
She's meant to be a heiress herself and all she does is compare herself to others when she's not exactly lower down in the social class scale is she!
Overall though. Loved this book- it was cheesy at times but it had a sense of normalcy too it that you find yourself able to relate to it and get into the story quite easily.
November 2, 2022
Such a lovely book that made me cry a few times!! I loved the music aspect of it, the fact that it was set in Ireland, the well-developed characters with their backstories and compelling conflicts, the themes of letting go, and the dialogue! (Those Irish accents... *heart eyes* I could practically hear it in my head as I read!) I sooo enjoyed it and will probably reread it sometime.
December 3, 2011
When Finley Sinclair leaves home to study abroad in Ireland, her goal is to follow in her brother Will’s footsteps, using his journal as a guide. She wants to see the places Will saw, feel what he felt when he traveled through Ireland before he died. She’s hoping for closure, and an ending to the song she is composing.
But she meets Hollywood heartthrob Beckett Rush on the airplane—the last thing she needs, another guy who’s full of himself and drawn to trouble. But her lack of interest intrigues Beckett, and he makes her his assistant in exchange for his help as a tour guide in finding all the places in Will’s journal. But the pressure is too much on Finley. Why won’t God help her heal? Isn’t Ireland the place where she should find him?
Ah� very well done. Jenny B. Jones is a wonderful authors. I say it every time I read one of her books, but it’s true. This book hooked me in with its characters and its country (Ireland). It made me want to visit Ireland. It reminded me that everyone was young once, and we all have a past. I loved Finley and Beckett’s characters. But as this was a Jenny B. Jones book, I wasn’t surprised to find that I loved just about every character. This is a wonderful book. Highly recommended for all girl readers, no matter how old you are.
But she meets Hollywood heartthrob Beckett Rush on the airplane—the last thing she needs, another guy who’s full of himself and drawn to trouble. But her lack of interest intrigues Beckett, and he makes her his assistant in exchange for his help as a tour guide in finding all the places in Will’s journal. But the pressure is too much on Finley. Why won’t God help her heal? Isn’t Ireland the place where she should find him?
Ah� very well done. Jenny B. Jones is a wonderful authors. I say it every time I read one of her books, but it’s true. This book hooked me in with its characters and its country (Ireland). It made me want to visit Ireland. It reminded me that everyone was young once, and we all have a past. I loved Finley and Beckett’s characters. But as this was a Jenny B. Jones book, I wasn’t surprised to find that I loved just about every character. This is a wonderful book. Highly recommended for all girl readers, no matter how old you are.
August 13, 2017
3.75 stars
The humor was SPECTACULAR, and overall, this was a really good book. I give it slightly less than 4 stars because it didn't quite reach my expectations. There was so much touchy-feely romance and so little of God because Beckett Rush was on the scene 24/7 and Finley believed God to have temporarily abandoned her prayers, her life. It's a regular excuse, leaving God on the back burner during the Christian book because the main character simply isn't listening.
That being said, this book was very good. The romance was okay, if a bit much, and the story was original. I found it difficult to put down. The ending was a disappointment, with at least two large aspects the novel left unresolved.
I enjoyed There You'll Find Me. However, it dumps me back on the hunt for a Christian book with minimal romance between a guy and girl and LOADS of romance between a girl and Jesus Christ.
The humor was SPECTACULAR, and overall, this was a really good book. I give it slightly less than 4 stars because it didn't quite reach my expectations. There was so much touchy-feely romance and so little of God because Beckett Rush was on the scene 24/7 and Finley believed God to have temporarily abandoned her prayers, her life. It's a regular excuse, leaving God on the back burner during the Christian book because the main character simply isn't listening.
That being said, this book was very good. The romance was okay, if a bit much, and the story was original. I found it difficult to put down. The ending was a disappointment, with at least two large aspects the novel left unresolved.
I enjoyed There You'll Find Me. However, it dumps me back on the hunt for a Christian book with minimal romance between a guy and girl and LOADS of romance between a girl and Jesus Christ.
February 16, 2025
Lowkey Niall Horan or any 2014 it boy fan fiction written by a Young Life girl with a raging ED. Bumped to closer to a 2.5 because yeah I cried at the end and you know what she did her thing with Romans 8:37 I do love that verse
December 13, 2011
Review posted at
This is such a beautiful book.
I can't really find the words to describe my feelings after reading, but I can say this: There You'll Find Me is heart wrenching and emotional. It's a wonderful story about loss and love and one girl's struggle to put back the pieces of her life shattered by a tragedy.
I had to pause for a while and gather my bearings after I finished reading this. I was a bit misty eyed when I leafed through the last page.
One of the most adorable and charming pairings I have ever had a chance to read about is Beckett and Finley. There were moments where I just drowned myself in laughter over how entertaining they are just throwing random verbal exchanges to each other. They were over the top, certainly, and very funny. But there are also times where my heart feels like its breaking a little more and its those parts I find the hardest to read, but they're also the ones I love the most. Grief is a delicate and a difficult emotion to deal with. It doesn't go away for a long time, and sometimes it stays too long with people to the point that it's all they see, it takes over their lives. But once a person is over that, then what? What is left? The aftermath is what scares Finley. She was so afraid of losing grip in her emotions, her pain for the loss of her brother that she thinks she wouldn't have anything left once she gets past that.
I guess in more ways than one, Finley and Beckett were similar. Both living fake lives, pretending to be happy and just fine. Beckett lost himself amidst the new persona created for him to become a star, and when the time came for him to be just himself, he couldn't go back. He's probably a little selfless, always thinking of other people and he has yet to stand up against a father who treats him as an investment, a tool for money. I love how Beckett has his moments where he was himself even when he's a disguise. Even when their relationship went downhill, they're good for each other. They understand each others pain and suffering and the need to be honest and come clean once and for all. Finley's lucky to come across a guy who can help her through the darkest moment of her life, a popular actor even!
I have to admit I hated Finley, at one point, with all my heart. A person will never admit he/she's an addict, or sick, until someone notices it, sometimes not at all. I've had a hard time connecting with her during those first few moments when everyone keeps on telling her she's sick, that she needs help, that she needs to fix her life (which is not easy, I have to admit) and not be like Mrs. Sweeney but what did she do? Get angry, throw a tantrum, lock herself in her room, refuse to talk to her only friend and ruined her relationship with the only guy who can ever see through her. How is that for ruining yourself big time? I just get so frustrated when main leads act so out of it when you can clearly see what the right thing to do is, when it's right up there staring at their faces and they just won't take it.
Ireland just sound a little bit more magical to me. My mind conjured up images of lush green fields and hills, great scenery and friendly people. There are points in our lives where we feel the need to connect in a deeper level with Him and I felt it while I was reading this book. I am not a very religious person but I loved this particular aspect in the book where Finley travels to Ireland and just drink in every thing, every gravestone, every cliff, every field she sees, and they're all part of God's wonderful creation. Those moments make me appreciate life even more. It makes you want to stop for a little while and think of life even for just a little moment.
That little rant there just goes to show how emotionally invested I have been with the characters. Readers wouldn't help but empathize with them. There You'll Find Me has such dynamic characters with colorful personalities which will touch the reader's hearts. Every single one of them, especially Finley and Beckett, will fill nooks and crannies in your heart.
There You'll Find Me is a touching journey of finding something you once have that you've lost: yourself, love, your faith in people and in Him, in a place where you least expect it to be. It has a little bit of everything; drama, romance, heart breaking and breath taking moments which makes it worth reading. It talks about faith and religion without being preachy, and its something everyone can appreciate reading once in a while.
I have a new favorite author and that is Jenny B. Jones!
This is such a beautiful book.
I can't really find the words to describe my feelings after reading, but I can say this: There You'll Find Me is heart wrenching and emotional. It's a wonderful story about loss and love and one girl's struggle to put back the pieces of her life shattered by a tragedy.
I had to pause for a while and gather my bearings after I finished reading this. I was a bit misty eyed when I leafed through the last page.
One of the most adorable and charming pairings I have ever had a chance to read about is Beckett and Finley. There were moments where I just drowned myself in laughter over how entertaining they are just throwing random verbal exchanges to each other. They were over the top, certainly, and very funny. But there are also times where my heart feels like its breaking a little more and its those parts I find the hardest to read, but they're also the ones I love the most. Grief is a delicate and a difficult emotion to deal with. It doesn't go away for a long time, and sometimes it stays too long with people to the point that it's all they see, it takes over their lives. But once a person is over that, then what? What is left? The aftermath is what scares Finley. She was so afraid of losing grip in her emotions, her pain for the loss of her brother that she thinks she wouldn't have anything left once she gets past that.
I guess in more ways than one, Finley and Beckett were similar. Both living fake lives, pretending to be happy and just fine. Beckett lost himself amidst the new persona created for him to become a star, and when the time came for him to be just himself, he couldn't go back. He's probably a little selfless, always thinking of other people and he has yet to stand up against a father who treats him as an investment, a tool for money. I love how Beckett has his moments where he was himself even when he's a disguise. Even when their relationship went downhill, they're good for each other. They understand each others pain and suffering and the need to be honest and come clean once and for all. Finley's lucky to come across a guy who can help her through the darkest moment of her life, a popular actor even!
I have to admit I hated Finley, at one point, with all my heart. A person will never admit he/she's an addict, or sick, until someone notices it, sometimes not at all. I've had a hard time connecting with her during those first few moments when everyone keeps on telling her she's sick, that she needs help, that she needs to fix her life (which is not easy, I have to admit) and not be like Mrs. Sweeney but what did she do? Get angry, throw a tantrum, lock herself in her room, refuse to talk to her only friend and ruined her relationship with the only guy who can ever see through her. How is that for ruining yourself big time? I just get so frustrated when main leads act so out of it when you can clearly see what the right thing to do is, when it's right up there staring at their faces and they just won't take it.
Ireland just sound a little bit more magical to me. My mind conjured up images of lush green fields and hills, great scenery and friendly people. There are points in our lives where we feel the need to connect in a deeper level with Him and I felt it while I was reading this book. I am not a very religious person but I loved this particular aspect in the book where Finley travels to Ireland and just drink in every thing, every gravestone, every cliff, every field she sees, and they're all part of God's wonderful creation. Those moments make me appreciate life even more. It makes you want to stop for a little while and think of life even for just a little moment.
That little rant there just goes to show how emotionally invested I have been with the characters. Readers wouldn't help but empathize with them. There You'll Find Me has such dynamic characters with colorful personalities which will touch the reader's hearts. Every single one of them, especially Finley and Beckett, will fill nooks and crannies in your heart.
There You'll Find Me is a touching journey of finding something you once have that you've lost: yourself, love, your faith in people and in Him, in a place where you least expect it to be. It has a little bit of everything; drama, romance, heart breaking and breath taking moments which makes it worth reading. It talks about faith and religion without being preachy, and its something everyone can appreciate reading once in a while.
I have a new favorite author and that is Jenny B. Jones!
July 11, 2023
This is a hard one to review. On one hand, it was a really beautiful contemporary novel filled with grief, romance, Irish wonder, and family. But on the other...it attempted to tackle some really heavy topics in a way that didn't feel very satisfying or healthy.
What I loved:
- Beckett and Finley's relationship. I love the enemies-to-lovers trope because it digs deeper than the surface-level insta-love trope. When you have two characters who hate each other, they have to learn how to like each other before they can love each other, and that really shows in this story. Furthermore, I appreciated that neither one of them ever really held back from telling the other person what they thought because that's a rare trait in a relationship nowadays.
- The setting. Ireland is a place I've always wanted to visit, so I loved every moment of the views, the tourist sites, and the landscape.
- Finley's host family. I love that this was a cross between "family" and "found family." It was really cool to watch Finley interact with Erin and the rest of the family.
What I didn't love:
- Finley's eating disorder. I don't know why this wasn't included in the blurb because it's a huge part of the book, and people should know that going into the book. I don't think it was handled very well because once the people around Finley began noticing that something was wrong, they let her talk her way out of getting help. Now, I've never had an eating disorder, nor am I an expert on the subject. That being said, I thought it was a poor choice by the author to allow Finley's host family, especially Nora, to believe that Finley was simply stressed and tired. It makes sense that Finley would be in denial about it, but for her host family to not take more drastic measures to keep Finley from hurting herself...it just didn't make sense, and I really hate that part because it doesn't send a good message, especially to younger readers. This plotline was wrapped up...kind of. I don't know that this resolution of the eating disorder was really...satisfying to me, but I can't really put into words why.
- The way religion was handled at the end. This part is gonna be super spoilery, but it needs to be talked about, so if you don't want to know the end, just don't read this section. So yeah, I guess I can understand why the author had things play out that way, but I really don't like the message that it sends to young readers, or even new/young believers in God.
All in all, this was a fun, but also frustrating read. The first half really had me laughing, feeling, and rooting for the characters. But by about 2/3 of the way through, I was kinda done with the way certain things were handled (see above). So, if you want to read it, I think it's a fun read. But please make sure you check the trigger warnings beforehand, so you know what you're getting into.
Trigger warnings: Eating disorder (anorexia), grief, depression, death (mentioned, but happens before the book begins).
What I loved:
- Beckett and Finley's relationship. I love the enemies-to-lovers trope because it digs deeper than the surface-level insta-love trope. When you have two characters who hate each other, they have to learn how to like each other before they can love each other, and that really shows in this story. Furthermore, I appreciated that neither one of them ever really held back from telling the other person what they thought because that's a rare trait in a relationship nowadays.
- The setting. Ireland is a place I've always wanted to visit, so I loved every moment of the views, the tourist sites, and the landscape.
- Finley's host family. I love that this was a cross between "family" and "found family." It was really cool to watch Finley interact with Erin and the rest of the family.
What I didn't love:
- Finley's eating disorder. I don't know why this wasn't included in the blurb because it's a huge part of the book, and people should know that going into the book. I don't think it was handled very well because once the people around Finley began noticing that something was wrong, they let her talk her way out of getting help. Now, I've never had an eating disorder, nor am I an expert on the subject. That being said, I thought it was a poor choice by the author to allow Finley's host family, especially Nora, to believe that Finley was simply stressed and tired. It makes sense that Finley would be in denial about it, but for her host family to not take more drastic measures to keep Finley from hurting herself...it just didn't make sense, and I really hate that part because it doesn't send a good message, especially to younger readers. This plotline was wrapped up...kind of. I don't know that this resolution of the eating disorder was really...satisfying to me, but I can't really put into words why.
- The way religion was handled at the end. This part is gonna be super spoilery, but it needs to be talked about, so if you don't want to know the end, just don't read this section. So yeah, I guess I can understand why the author had things play out that way, but I really don't like the message that it sends to young readers, or even new/young believers in God.
All in all, this was a fun, but also frustrating read. The first half really had me laughing, feeling, and rooting for the characters. But by about 2/3 of the way through, I was kinda done with the way certain things were handled (see above). So, if you want to read it, I think it's a fun read. But please make sure you check the trigger warnings beforehand, so you know what you're getting into.
Trigger warnings: Eating disorder (anorexia), grief, depression, death (mentioned, but happens before the book begins).
September 4, 2011
Normally, Christian Fiction? Not my thing. And yet, THERE YOU'LL FIND ME has me feeling a bit different. A good portion of it is Finley's struggling to find her center again, her faith. I cannot say that I could connect to her while reading about her struggle but I did believe it. As an MC she's quite different. I liked that she's stand-offish and that she had a goal in mind in everything she did. I enjoyed her trying to find her place... with her family, in her academics, with the new boy she'd come to be with... and yes, even in her world that's so influenced by her God.
That there's a boy in it is no surprise. It's at this point that things felt typical and cute. which was a nice change of pace from the more serious aspects. And truly, their banter was the most enjoyable aspect. I wouldn't say it was cats and dogs at first, but I will say that they were initially very unimpressed with each other. There's nothing new in said set up; however, it did allow a getting-to-know you process. That I enjoyed! Even if they didn't get to know each other completely because it's this that spurs on the conflict between them.
Did I say conflict? There's a multitude of the same that this book introduces... so many in fact that I felt it a tad overdone. These "issues" ranged from the the boy's fame issues and wanting 'the normal' to the girl's grief and search for closure then to her possible eating disorder as well as the MC's obsessive nature then to another girl's bullying, and finally top all that off with an old lady's tale of bitterness and anger. I can honestly say there's a lot to take in (almost too much). And while some aspects were dealt with completely some aspects were let by. This is fine though because overall I did enjoy reading this: the sad parts, the cute parts and all
The part that felt most believable to me was was the slow realization by her and others that she might have had a problem. The sadder part was Mrs. Sweeney's tale... hers is a cross of Grumpy Old Men and Tuesdays With Morrie. The sweet and uplifting part was Finley and Beckett coming to an understanding even though getting to that point was difficult (and at times YA typical.) Biblical verses abound in this one, but it's understandable given that Finley's tale is one of faith and her search for God's voice, so it's a surprise to me too when I suggest that others read this. It's not overwhelmingly preachy and has moments that had me giggling and others still that had me wanting to know a little more...
3/5
THANKS NETGALLEY!
That there's a boy in it is no surprise. It's at this point that things felt typical and cute. which was a nice change of pace from the more serious aspects. And truly, their banter was the most enjoyable aspect. I wouldn't say it was cats and dogs at first, but I will say that they were initially very unimpressed with each other. There's nothing new in said set up; however, it did allow a getting-to-know you process. That I enjoyed! Even if they didn't get to know each other completely because it's this that spurs on the conflict between them.
Did I say conflict? There's a multitude of the same that this book introduces... so many in fact that I felt it a tad overdone. These "issues" ranged from the the boy's fame issues and wanting 'the normal' to the girl's grief and search for closure then to her possible eating disorder as well as the MC's obsessive nature then to another girl's bullying, and finally top all that off with an old lady's tale of bitterness and anger. I can honestly say there's a lot to take in (almost too much). And while some aspects were dealt with completely some aspects were let by. This is fine though because overall I did enjoy reading this: the sad parts, the cute parts and all
The part that felt most believable to me was was the slow realization by her and others that she might have had a problem. The sadder part was Mrs. Sweeney's tale... hers is a cross of Grumpy Old Men and Tuesdays With Morrie. The sweet and uplifting part was Finley and Beckett coming to an understanding even though getting to that point was difficult (and at times YA typical.) Biblical verses abound in this one, but it's understandable given that Finley's tale is one of faith and her search for God's voice, so it's a surprise to me too when I suggest that others read this. It's not overwhelmingly preachy and has moments that had me giggling and others still that had me wanting to know a little more...
3/5
THANKS NETGALLEY!
September 11, 2012
Hani bazı kitaplar vardır, eline aldın mı ve daha okumaya başlamadan "İşte bu." dersin. "Beni Orada Bulacaksın" da o kitaplardan.. Nasıl anlatsam bilmiyorum ama çok hoştu, çok güzeldi. Dün gece kitabı bitirdiğim de, durup düşünmeden edemedim. Kitabın bölümlerini, en önemlisi "bir şeylere olan inancımı" tekrar gözden geçirdim. Yani bir kitap gibi değildi, okurken resmen uyarladım hayata. :)
Zaten İrlanda'ya olan müthiş bir hayranlığım var ve bu kitabı almamdaki en önemli etkenlerden biri de oydu. İrlandayı anlatan o bölümleri resmen yalayıp yuttum. :) Üstelik ana karakterlerde oldukça gerçekçiydi. Finley muhteşem bir insan değildi, kusurları vardı ki bu da kitaba gerçekçilik katmıştı. Belki Beckett için aynı şeyi söyleyemeyiz ama bir kitabın da bir yıldızı olmalı. :P Yazar Beckett karakterini yaratırken tam bir mükemmeliyetçilik sergilemiş. :D
Her neyse kitap hem dramı, hem romantizmi, hem de komediyi bir arada götürüyor. Tam anlamıyla bir roman. Belki siz beğenmezsiniz ama ben çok beğendim. :) Ve benim açımdan öneririm. :))
Tekrar okuyacağım sanırım.Yine belirtiyorum şiddetle ama şiddetle önerilir. Üstelik İrlanda'da geçiyor ona göre. Ve yazıyı burada noktalarken yine şiddetle önerilir. :D
Zaten İrlanda'ya olan müthiş bir hayranlığım var ve bu kitabı almamdaki en önemli etkenlerden biri de oydu. İrlandayı anlatan o bölümleri resmen yalayıp yuttum. :) Üstelik ana karakterlerde oldukça gerçekçiydi. Finley muhteşem bir insan değildi, kusurları vardı ki bu da kitaba gerçekçilik katmıştı. Belki Beckett için aynı şeyi söyleyemeyiz ama bir kitabın da bir yıldızı olmalı. :P Yazar Beckett karakterini yaratırken tam bir mükemmeliyetçilik sergilemiş. :D
Her neyse kitap hem dramı, hem romantizmi, hem de komediyi bir arada götürüyor. Tam anlamıyla bir roman. Belki siz beğenmezsiniz ama ben çok beğendim. :) Ve benim açımdan öneririm. :))
Tekrar okuyacağım sanırım.Yine belirtiyorum şiddetle ama şiddetle önerilir. Üstelik İrlanda'da geçiyor ona göre. Ve yazıyı burada noktalarken yine şiddetle önerilir. :D
Read
November 7, 2016The scenery of this book came alive with each turned page. I LOVED reading about Ireland--the pubs, the people, the cliffs and rolling hills. It made my heart yearn to go there...sigh.
I adored Beckett Rush!!!
Great name, voice, strength and intrigue. His character felt very real to me. He was such a charming hero. I also enjoyed our heroine, Finely, though at times she was a bit frustrating. Overall this book was a delightful read. It had a great mix of witty banter and romance. PLENTY of laugh-out-loud moments (even while on the treadmill).
This is a very unique and moral story about God' forgiveness and the beauty of unexpected love.
I absolutely recommend this read.
I adored Beckett Rush!!!
Great name, voice, strength and intrigue. His character felt very real to me. He was such a charming hero. I also enjoyed our heroine, Finely, though at times she was a bit frustrating. Overall this book was a delightful read. It had a great mix of witty banter and romance. PLENTY of laugh-out-loud moments (even while on the treadmill).
This is a very unique and moral story about God' forgiveness and the beauty of unexpected love.
I absolutely recommend this read.
June 25, 2019
This book is in that category of "finished it yesterday, but already mostly forgot it." Content warning for an eating disorder, which I thought was done well. Also for comments along the lines of the main character making fun of the love interest, an actor, for wearing makeup???
I also didn't get why he couldn't tell her what was going with the press.
All of that said, I was never really tempted to give up on it, so *shrug*
Fulfills "Beach on Cover" for 2019 Ripped Bodice Bingo
I also didn't get why he couldn't tell her what was going with the press.
All of that said, I was never really tempted to give up on it, so *shrug*
Fulfills "Beach on Cover" for 2019 Ripped Bodice Bingo
May 11, 2021
This is my first book by Jenny B Jones and I must confess that I picked up the book because of all the hype around the movie releasing soon based on the book. Now I’m totally hooked and need to read the prequel to this book called Save the Date as well as others on her backlist.
Brimming with snarky, fun, teenaged dialogue and high school drama but layered with deep topics like soul-wrecking grief, letting go, bitterness for the past, regrets, forgiveness, and finding oneself and the joy of loving, this book will grab your heart from the first page of Finley’s raw, fresh, honest first person voice. I really enjoyed the music that Finely brought to the plot and the acting/drama Beckett brought with him. And Beckett is such a swoony hero...even when he’s being arrogant. The faith element that runs through the story is natural, powerful and flows with the growth of the characters. It’s definitely a book I can read with my teenager and discuss in depth with her. So glad to have found this gem of an author!
Brimming with snarky, fun, teenaged dialogue and high school drama but layered with deep topics like soul-wrecking grief, letting go, bitterness for the past, regrets, forgiveness, and finding oneself and the joy of loving, this book will grab your heart from the first page of Finley’s raw, fresh, honest first person voice. I really enjoyed the music that Finely brought to the plot and the acting/drama Beckett brought with him. And Beckett is such a swoony hero...even when he’s being arrogant. The faith element that runs through the story is natural, powerful and flows with the growth of the characters. It’s definitely a book I can read with my teenager and discuss in depth with her. So glad to have found this gem of an author!
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