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Just the Way You Are
Take a romantic journey to Tucker's Landing, Oregon, where Sam and Alli Tucker have made a life together ... a life about to be tested by the return of the only woman who can break them up—Alli's sister, Tessa.
A baby brought them together—and even though Alli has always loved her strong, sexy husband Sam and the life they've built together, she has decided to set him free to follow his youthful dreams. It is no longer enough for her to be wife and lover when she knows she holds so little of his heart.
Sam has always dreamed of a life away from the close-knit world of Tucker's Landing, but marriage and fatherhood ended all that. Now Sam is torn between what was and what was meant to be. He must decide if it's time to rekindle the dreams of the past ... or accept Alli, and her love, just the way she is.
JUST THE WAY YOU ARE is an emotionallly compelling, heartwarming, beautiful love story about choices, second chances, the crush of a youthful love, the intensity of a love born from marriage and life. "An exceptional novel from #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy!"
A baby brought them together—and even though Alli has always loved her strong, sexy husband Sam and the life they've built together, she has decided to set him free to follow his youthful dreams. It is no longer enough for her to be wife and lover when she knows she holds so little of his heart.
Sam has always dreamed of a life away from the close-knit world of Tucker's Landing, but marriage and fatherhood ended all that. Now Sam is torn between what was and what was meant to be. He must decide if it's time to rekindle the dreams of the past ... or accept Alli, and her love, just the way she is.
JUST THE WAY YOU ARE is an emotionallly compelling, heartwarming, beautiful love story about choices, second chances, the crush of a youthful love, the intensity of a love born from marriage and life. "An exceptional novel from #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy!"
Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2000
1,186 people are currently reading
3,333 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Freethy
128books2,650followersBarbara's love of writing developed out of a love of reading. Growing up in an all-boy neighborhood, she spent quite a bit of time reading through her mother's large library, many of which were romantic novels. After graduating from the University of California at Santa Barbara, she went into Public Relations, but soon discovered that writing was her true passion.
Barbara was traditionally published for many years, then formed her own publishing company FOG CITY PUBLISHING in 2011 and has since sold over 10 million books! She has published 75 novels ranging from mystery thrillers to romantic suspense and contemporary romance.
Her book SUMMER SECRETS was a #1 New York Times bestseller! And twenty-five other novels have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller Lists. She is currently writing two ongoing series, a contemporary romance series set in Whisper Lake and a romantic suspense series: Off The Grid: FBI Series. She is also known for her bestselling Callaway Family Series, which offers up fourteen books and two novellas.
When Barbara isn't writing or publishing, which isn't very often these days, she is playing tennis, hanging out with friends and family in beautiful Lake Tahoe or reading books!
For a complete list of her books, visit her website!
Barbara was traditionally published for many years, then formed her own publishing company FOG CITY PUBLISHING in 2011 and has since sold over 10 million books! She has published 75 novels ranging from mystery thrillers to romantic suspense and contemporary romance.
Her book SUMMER SECRETS was a #1 New York Times bestseller! And twenty-five other novels have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller Lists. She is currently writing two ongoing series, a contemporary romance series set in Whisper Lake and a romantic suspense series: Off The Grid: FBI Series. She is also known for her bestselling Callaway Family Series, which offers up fourteen books and two novellas.
When Barbara isn't writing or publishing, which isn't very often these days, she is playing tennis, hanging out with friends and family in beautiful Lake Tahoe or reading books!
For a complete list of her books, visit her website!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 558 reviews
August 5, 2020
What a mess. Alli sleeps with her sister's boyfriend then is forced to marry him because, of course, she had unprotected sex and got preggars.
Sam, the guy in question, never loved Alli but slept with her because her sister, Tessa, chose to pursue a career instead of staying with him in their small hometown.
As much as I would love to write a full-on scathing review, I simply have no inclination to even revisit these people's lives, suffice to say this is a big fat DNF.
March 13, 2018
3.75 Stars
Overall Opinion: This definitely packed a punch with the angst! I am a sucker for unrequited love type stories, and this fit the bill perfectly. My heart broke almost from the start of the book for the h and her insecurities and feelings of unrequited love for the H. The H was a mess too. He wasn't my favorite H by a long shot, but I also understood what the power of "what ifs" can do to a person. I wasn't a huge fan of Tessa, but then again, I'm not sure I was supposed to be. There is a parallel story going on with the grandmother and her love life that I thought was a sweet touch. My biggest gripe is that towards the it felt like all the issues were resolved a little too easily. It was like everything all of a sudden took a 180 turn and was all copacetic. I also would've loved a longer and farther glimpse into their future! The epilogue felt lacking and focused on the wrong characters tbh.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Alli and Sam's story. Alli and Sam had grown up together along with Alli's older sister, Tessa. Tessa and Sam had always been inseparable and Alli had always been following along. Something happens and Alli finds herself pregnant with Sam's baby, and he breaks Tessa's heart and marries Allie. The story starts ~9 years later when Alli had decided to finally set Sam free of his obligation to her because she is tired of living in a marriage full of "what ifs" and unrequited love. The true test for Sam comes when Tessa returns because their grandmother had a stroke. There is some confrontation, some sad moments, a few sexy times...and a HEA ending.
POV: This alternated between focusing mainly on Alli and Sam in 3rd person narrative. It did have some sections that focused on the h's sister, Tessa, and the grandmother as well.
Overall Pace of Story: Good until the abrupt ending. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, they had known each other since they were kids and had been married for ~9 years.
H rating: 3 stars. Sam. He was a little oblivious to the harm he did a lot of the time, but I did feel like he was likable at some points too.
h rating: 3.5 stars. Alli. I liked her. I did wish she wasn't so stubborn at times,
Sadness level: Moderate/high. I think I had a constant stream of tears going while reading this book. It never turned into an ugly cry, but it definitely got the waterworks going!
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Moderate. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. I wouldn't say the few scenes are really all that descriptive, as they are more focused on the emotions going on at the time (but also not fade to black type scenes either).
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW/OM drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: Yes IMO
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This is yet another book that had the conflict resolved right at the end. It left me wanting more of a glimpse into the couple's future than what I got, but I would still call it a HEA ending.
Safety: This one should be either Safe with exception or Not Safe for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences.
Overall Opinion: This definitely packed a punch with the angst! I am a sucker for unrequited love type stories, and this fit the bill perfectly. My heart broke almost from the start of the book for the h and her insecurities and feelings of unrequited love for the H. The H was a mess too. He wasn't my favorite H by a long shot, but I also understood what the power of "what ifs" can do to a person. I wasn't a huge fan of Tessa, but then again, I'm not sure I was supposed to be. There is a parallel story going on with the grandmother and her love life that I thought was a sweet touch. My biggest gripe is that towards the it felt like all the issues were resolved a little too easily. It was like everything all of a sudden took a 180 turn and was all copacetic. I also would've loved a longer and farther glimpse into their future! The epilogue felt lacking and focused on the wrong characters tbh.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Alli and Sam's story. Alli and Sam had grown up together along with Alli's older sister, Tessa. Tessa and Sam had always been inseparable and Alli had always been following along. Something happens and Alli finds herself pregnant with Sam's baby, and he breaks Tessa's heart and marries Allie. The story starts ~9 years later when Alli had decided to finally set Sam free of his obligation to her because she is tired of living in a marriage full of "what ifs" and unrequited love. The true test for Sam comes when Tessa returns because their grandmother had a stroke. There is some confrontation, some sad moments, a few sexy times...and a HEA ending.
POV: This alternated between focusing mainly on Alli and Sam in 3rd person narrative. It did have some sections that focused on the h's sister, Tessa, and the grandmother as well.
Overall Pace of Story: Good until the abrupt ending. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, they had known each other since they were kids and had been married for ~9 years.
H rating: 3 stars. Sam. He was a little oblivious to the harm he did a lot of the time, but I did feel like he was likable at some points too.
h rating: 3.5 stars. Alli. I liked her. I did wish she wasn't so stubborn at times,
Sadness level: Moderate/high. I think I had a constant stream of tears going while reading this book. It never turned into an ugly cry, but it definitely got the waterworks going!
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Moderate. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. I wouldn't say the few scenes are really all that descriptive, as they are more focused on the emotions going on at the time (but also not fade to black type scenes either).
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW/OM drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: Yes IMO
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This is yet another book that had the conflict resolved right at the end. It left me wanting more of a glimpse into the couple's future than what I got, but I would still call it a HEA ending.
Safety: This one should be either Safe with exception or Not Safe for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences.
December 10, 2024
"Daddy, did you ever love mommy?"
"I love your mother very much...for giving me you ".
Alli and Tessa were living with their grandmother in an Oregon seaside town. Tessa was two years older and she and Sam, the handsome guy next door, were High school sweethearts.
Tessa was model like gorgeous and Alli was pretty.
Alli was secretly in love with Sam but he only had eyes for Tessa.
At 20 years of age, Sam and Tessa had a fight. She left town for a modelling assignment and Sam was devastated. He felt like he was losing her.
He got tipsy, Alli tried to console him and they ended up been intimate.
Alli got pregnant and Sam decided to do the right thing, marry her, even though his heart belonged to Tessa.
Tessa left town after the incident, and never returned back. She went on to become a very successful international model.
The sisters never spoke to each other again.
Alli had a baby daughter, Megan. Sam and Alli went on to build a life together, a beautiful home, were getting along great, they had a great sex and family life and both had their own successful businesses in town. Sam was always faithful to her.
On the downside, Sam never told Alli in nine years of marriage, that he loved her, not even when they made love which was perhaps the only honest part of their relationship.
She knew he did not love her and never would. He'd married her because she was pregnant.
She'd been his duty, not his love and though they'd build a life together, shared some wonderful moments, deep down Sam had always wanted someone else.
Alli wanted more children but he refused over and over again.
Alli knew that was because having another child would mean he was planning to stay with her, but he couldn't make that commitment because he wasn't planning to stay with her forever.
The last straw came three months earlier when she'd found hidden away in his office drawer a box full of magazine clippings of Tessa's photographs.
For Alli it was like seeing him in the arms of another woman. The box of photos was the last straw, not the first.
It made clear to her that Sam still held hopes of being with her sister.
Despite years of trying to be the best wife, the best mother, the best woman she could be, Sam still loved Tessa.
That realisation drove Alli to ask for a separation.
Sam strongly objected but in the end he moved back to his parents house and Alli initiated divorce proceedings.
The couple was sharing time with Megan.
Sam was angry with Alli. He felt that she'd destroyed his life twice.
The first time when she got pregnant and he'd lost Tessa as a result, and now she was destroying their family by wanting a divorce.
He didn't know whether to be furious or relieved, it was all over.
Alli's grandmother suffered a stroke and Tessa was coming back after nine years.
Her grandmother's illness was devastating to Alli and now the news that Tessa was coming back gave her an unsettling feeling.
"Those divorce papers can't come a minute too soon now that Tessa is coming back. You don't have to pretend you care about me anymore Sam. We both know it isn't true."
"I married you, didn't l?"
"There it is again, your favourite refrain, you married me. That was your gift to me. And l'm divorcing you. That's my gift to you. Now l guess it's Tessa's turn."
Tessa had return to town determined to win Sam back, and Sam would try to figure out his unresolved feelings for her.
The super model and the small-town guy.
Alli wanted him to find out what he and Tessa were to each other. Unless he did that, Alli and Sam would keep circling around Tessa, unable to move forward, not getting anywhere.
"I don't want you anymore Sam. I don't want to be second choice, second best, second whatever.
I don't want to be the one who trails after you like some stupid lost puppy dog.
I don't want to be the one you got stuck with after the one you loved got away."
"I love your mother very much...for giving me you ".
Alli and Tessa were living with their grandmother in an Oregon seaside town. Tessa was two years older and she and Sam, the handsome guy next door, were High school sweethearts.
Tessa was model like gorgeous and Alli was pretty.
Alli was secretly in love with Sam but he only had eyes for Tessa.
At 20 years of age, Sam and Tessa had a fight. She left town for a modelling assignment and Sam was devastated. He felt like he was losing her.
He got tipsy, Alli tried to console him and they ended up been intimate.
Alli got pregnant and Sam decided to do the right thing, marry her, even though his heart belonged to Tessa.
Tessa left town after the incident, and never returned back. She went on to become a very successful international model.
The sisters never spoke to each other again.
Alli had a baby daughter, Megan. Sam and Alli went on to build a life together, a beautiful home, were getting along great, they had a great sex and family life and both had their own successful businesses in town. Sam was always faithful to her.
On the downside, Sam never told Alli in nine years of marriage, that he loved her, not even when they made love which was perhaps the only honest part of their relationship.
She knew he did not love her and never would. He'd married her because she was pregnant.
She'd been his duty, not his love and though they'd build a life together, shared some wonderful moments, deep down Sam had always wanted someone else.
Alli wanted more children but he refused over and over again.
Alli knew that was because having another child would mean he was planning to stay with her, but he couldn't make that commitment because he wasn't planning to stay with her forever.
The last straw came three months earlier when she'd found hidden away in his office drawer a box full of magazine clippings of Tessa's photographs.
For Alli it was like seeing him in the arms of another woman. The box of photos was the last straw, not the first.
It made clear to her that Sam still held hopes of being with her sister.
Despite years of trying to be the best wife, the best mother, the best woman she could be, Sam still loved Tessa.
That realisation drove Alli to ask for a separation.
Sam strongly objected but in the end he moved back to his parents house and Alli initiated divorce proceedings.
The couple was sharing time with Megan.
Sam was angry with Alli. He felt that she'd destroyed his life twice.
The first time when she got pregnant and he'd lost Tessa as a result, and now she was destroying their family by wanting a divorce.
He didn't know whether to be furious or relieved, it was all over.
Alli's grandmother suffered a stroke and Tessa was coming back after nine years.
Her grandmother's illness was devastating to Alli and now the news that Tessa was coming back gave her an unsettling feeling.
"Those divorce papers can't come a minute too soon now that Tessa is coming back. You don't have to pretend you care about me anymore Sam. We both know it isn't true."
"I married you, didn't l?"
"There it is again, your favourite refrain, you married me. That was your gift to me. And l'm divorcing you. That's my gift to you. Now l guess it's Tessa's turn."
Tessa had return to town determined to win Sam back, and Sam would try to figure out his unresolved feelings for her.
The super model and the small-town guy.
Alli wanted him to find out what he and Tessa were to each other. Unless he did that, Alli and Sam would keep circling around Tessa, unable to move forward, not getting anywhere.
"I don't want you anymore Sam. I don't want to be second choice, second best, second whatever.
I don't want to be the one who trails after you like some stupid lost puppy dog.
I don't want to be the one you got stuck with after the one you loved got away."
November 23, 2023
Not safe
He dated her sister for seven years. They had their first kiss at 13 and broke up at 20
He never slept with the sister, but they almost did it and he was truly in love with her. She was the love of his life but it was basically impossible for both to be together now wanting different things so he settle for the wife who loved him more than life. He was everything for his wife.
The heroine was second best, second choice, a mistake, a regret, he was never sure, he never answered her questions or her sisters questions. He always deflated.
He couldn’t tell the sister he didn’t want her anyone. 86% and he was thinking if the sister could have him back.
The heroine spends the whole book waiting for him to throw her some crumbs and show her the smallest sing of love. After sailing with her sister and forgetting about the time, after making her feel like a mistake and like she ruined his life for nine years, he finally tells her he loves her, he doesn’t know if that happened eight years ago or barely days ago when her grandma died.
He only now realizes she is beautiful. I was disgusted.
He didn’t want to be divorced... but he was never sure about it. He kissed her sister and later was kissed by her (same moment), refused to tell her about it and kissed her minutes later.
I always find it disgusting when a woman settle for being a mere option, I was disgusted by everybody around her finding it okay for him o have to choose between the sisters. Her grandma literally gave him a colar and told him to give to the woman he really loved, the heroine was waiting like a fool for him to realize if he loved her or her sister!!!! Cmon author this shit is disgusting.
He didn’t deserve neither of them. She should have filled for divorce, find a man who loves her like crazy and have two babies with him while the hero ended up alone coparenting their daughter.
Her sister has a man in love with her, heroine had this disgusting asshole who doesn’t even bother to stick to her side.
When he dated the sister he had no problem showing love because he felt it, he always took her side whenever she said anything about the heroine, but when it comes to the heroine he doesn’t declare his feelings and think she should be okay with it because he ruined his plans to take care of their family. He doesn’t take her side.
He forget everything when he is with the sister and lost a work thing while when he was married he never did it, he actually forgot their important dates.
He is perfectly fine with two women in love with him waiting patiently for him to decide who he wants ohh and he gets to fuck his wife while deciding because she is a stupid fool who turns into flame whenever he touches her. Body betrayal syndrome in its finest. Yuck 🤮
How can a woman be so fucking pathetic? Jesus Christ, love is not everything in a relationship, he doesn’t respect you. He literally took your sister sailing when he knew it would hurt you and he kissed her and didn’t even bother telling you.
She was his perfect little doormat, in the end I believe he was happy. Why wouldn’t he? His wife settle for any crumps he throws her way, is crazy about him and fucks him whenever he wants, she will never stray and will never divorce him even though he was torn about wanting her fucking sister. What a beautiful HEA
For eight years he always used a condom because even though she wanted a baby he didn’t want it. Okay, his choice. But later at the end of the book right after he finally recognizes he loved her, he simple states he is coming back home, they are together again and he is not using a condom anymore because he wants a baby and the doormat is super happy. She is willing to take anything, she is pathetic.
Lovely quotes about her sister:
1) He stopped abruptly as he took in the tousled blond hair, the blue, blue eyes, the trembling lips, the perfect oval angel face.
She was more beautiful than he remembered, a woman now, he realized, taking in the slender curves accentuated by her designer jeans and short clinging sweater.
2) Yet here she was—in the one place he'd never expected to see her again and looking as beautiful, as desirable, as vulnerable as he'd ever seen her.
3) Looking at her now, in the light of the kitchen, he was struck again by the sheer beauty of her. And what he liked even better was that she could still blush.
4) “Tessa, wait." He grabbed her arm. She looked at him through big, blue eyes, and he could no more let her go than he could stop himself from breathing. "What do you want to ask me?"
5) He didn't cheat. But here he was feeling lust for one woman, at the same time wondering whether or not he still had feelings for her sister.
He is lusting after the heroine but after eight years of marriage still confused about his feelings for her sister
6) 🤢
Sam looked into a pair of beautiful blue eyes set in the prettiest face he had ever seen—a face that was offered up to him with a mouth begging to be kissed. He'd never refused Tessa anything. And he didn't know how to start now.
He lowered his head and allowed his mouth to touch hers, a brief, chaste kiss, much like the very first one they'd shared when they were thirteen years old. Her lips were cool. Or maybe his were. It felt strange to be this close to her after years of separation. He started to slide his arms around her waist, then hesitated. She was taller than he remembered. Her body felt too thin, too angled. She was perfect, he reminded himself. The whole world thought so. But it didn't feel right. Not at all.
Tessa pulled away from him. "You kissed me like you were afraid I was going to break." Her eyes were worried. She looked as unsure as he felt. "Maybe I am afraid you'll break, or that you'll disappear. Maybe this is all a dream." "I'm here, Sam. I'm not going anywhere." Her words became a lie as the boat pitched suddenly, sending her into Sam's arms. He caught her as a gust of wind rocked the boat back and forth on the water. Tessa rested her hands on his shoulders. "Fate," she said with a small smile.
She took the initiative away from him and kissed him firmly on the mouth. He wanted to kiss her back, but there was something unbelievably awkward about their embrace. "I'm a fool," he muttered, pulling away.
7) At 90% he decided he want the heroine not the sis
Do you want to be free of my sister?" There was a challenge in her words, a call to speak the truth. He thought about the pearl necklace Phoebe had given him, and her instructions to give it to the woman he truly loved. Was that Tessa—his first love? Or was it Alli—his wife, the woman who shared his life? "No, that's not what I want," he said.
8) “You know where I've been the last nine years in terms of women. What about you and other men? Have yo..." What the hell was he trying to say? Of course she'd made love to other men. She was twenty-nine years old and gorgeous.
9) epilogue
Sam entered the room, his smile growing more appreciative as he took in Tessa in all her beauty
He dated her sister for seven years. They had their first kiss at 13 and broke up at 20
He never slept with the sister, but they almost did it and he was truly in love with her. She was the love of his life but it was basically impossible for both to be together now wanting different things so he settle for the wife who loved him more than life. He was everything for his wife.
The heroine was second best, second choice, a mistake, a regret, he was never sure, he never answered her questions or her sisters questions. He always deflated.
He couldn’t tell the sister he didn’t want her anyone. 86% and he was thinking if the sister could have him back.
The heroine spends the whole book waiting for him to throw her some crumbs and show her the smallest sing of love. After sailing with her sister and forgetting about the time, after making her feel like a mistake and like she ruined his life for nine years, he finally tells her he loves her, he doesn’t know if that happened eight years ago or barely days ago when her grandma died.
He only now realizes she is beautiful. I was disgusted.
He didn’t want to be divorced... but he was never sure about it. He kissed her sister and later was kissed by her (same moment), refused to tell her about it and kissed her minutes later.
I always find it disgusting when a woman settle for being a mere option, I was disgusted by everybody around her finding it okay for him o have to choose between the sisters. Her grandma literally gave him a colar and told him to give to the woman he really loved, the heroine was waiting like a fool for him to realize if he loved her or her sister!!!! Cmon author this shit is disgusting.
He didn’t deserve neither of them. She should have filled for divorce, find a man who loves her like crazy and have two babies with him while the hero ended up alone coparenting their daughter.
Her sister has a man in love with her, heroine had this disgusting asshole who doesn’t even bother to stick to her side.
When he dated the sister he had no problem showing love because he felt it, he always took her side whenever she said anything about the heroine, but when it comes to the heroine he doesn’t declare his feelings and think she should be okay with it because he ruined his plans to take care of their family. He doesn’t take her side.
He forget everything when he is with the sister and lost a work thing while when he was married he never did it, he actually forgot their important dates.
He is perfectly fine with two women in love with him waiting patiently for him to decide who he wants ohh and he gets to fuck his wife while deciding because she is a stupid fool who turns into flame whenever he touches her. Body betrayal syndrome in its finest. Yuck 🤮
How can a woman be so fucking pathetic? Jesus Christ, love is not everything in a relationship, he doesn’t respect you. He literally took your sister sailing when he knew it would hurt you and he kissed her and didn’t even bother telling you.
She was his perfect little doormat, in the end I believe he was happy. Why wouldn’t he? His wife settle for any crumps he throws her way, is crazy about him and fucks him whenever he wants, she will never stray and will never divorce him even though he was torn about wanting her fucking sister. What a beautiful HEA
For eight years he always used a condom because even though she wanted a baby he didn’t want it. Okay, his choice. But later at the end of the book right after he finally recognizes he loved her, he simple states he is coming back home, they are together again and he is not using a condom anymore because he wants a baby and the doormat is super happy. She is willing to take anything, she is pathetic.
Lovely quotes about her sister:
1) He stopped abruptly as he took in the tousled blond hair, the blue, blue eyes, the trembling lips, the perfect oval angel face.
She was more beautiful than he remembered, a woman now, he realized, taking in the slender curves accentuated by her designer jeans and short clinging sweater.
2) Yet here she was—in the one place he'd never expected to see her again and looking as beautiful, as desirable, as vulnerable as he'd ever seen her.
3) Looking at her now, in the light of the kitchen, he was struck again by the sheer beauty of her. And what he liked even better was that she could still blush.
4) “Tessa, wait." He grabbed her arm. She looked at him through big, blue eyes, and he could no more let her go than he could stop himself from breathing. "What do you want to ask me?"
5) He didn't cheat. But here he was feeling lust for one woman, at the same time wondering whether or not he still had feelings for her sister.
He is lusting after the heroine but after eight years of marriage still confused about his feelings for her sister
6) 🤢
Sam looked into a pair of beautiful blue eyes set in the prettiest face he had ever seen—a face that was offered up to him with a mouth begging to be kissed. He'd never refused Tessa anything. And he didn't know how to start now.
He lowered his head and allowed his mouth to touch hers, a brief, chaste kiss, much like the very first one they'd shared when they were thirteen years old. Her lips were cool. Or maybe his were. It felt strange to be this close to her after years of separation. He started to slide his arms around her waist, then hesitated. She was taller than he remembered. Her body felt too thin, too angled. She was perfect, he reminded himself. The whole world thought so. But it didn't feel right. Not at all.
Tessa pulled away from him. "You kissed me like you were afraid I was going to break." Her eyes were worried. She looked as unsure as he felt. "Maybe I am afraid you'll break, or that you'll disappear. Maybe this is all a dream." "I'm here, Sam. I'm not going anywhere." Her words became a lie as the boat pitched suddenly, sending her into Sam's arms. He caught her as a gust of wind rocked the boat back and forth on the water. Tessa rested her hands on his shoulders. "Fate," she said with a small smile.
She took the initiative away from him and kissed him firmly on the mouth. He wanted to kiss her back, but there was something unbelievably awkward about their embrace. "I'm a fool," he muttered, pulling away.
7) At 90% he decided he want the heroine not the sis
Do you want to be free of my sister?" There was a challenge in her words, a call to speak the truth. He thought about the pearl necklace Phoebe had given him, and her instructions to give it to the woman he truly loved. Was that Tessa—his first love? Or was it Alli—his wife, the woman who shared his life? "No, that's not what I want," he said.
8) “You know where I've been the last nine years in terms of women. What about you and other men? Have yo..." What the hell was he trying to say? Of course she'd made love to other men. She was twenty-nine years old and gorgeous.
9) epilogue
Sam entered the room, his smile growing more appreciative as he took in Tessa in all her beauty
October 4, 2024
Just the Way You Are by Barbara Freethy is a 2000 Avon publication.
I didn't warm up to the 'contemporary fiction/ women's fiction' genre until I was a bit older. So, while I had a few of Freethy's romantic suspense books, I didn't read her contemporary fiction novels until they digitized.
I first read this book back in 2012 when I picked it up for free back in the earlier days of the Kindle when many authors were taking the initiative and digitizing their older books.
While cleaning up my listed books on another book site, I stopped to see if I'd posted a review this book there, and was appauled by my horrible review- not a negative review for the book itself- but my horrible writing!!
I felt this needed to be rectified. My skills are still not great, but good grief, at least I don't write an entire book report with a lot of plot summaries that gives away a lot more than they should anymore... well mostly. LOL!
So here's the set up:
Sam and Tessa were a hot item, but Tessa's modeling career was taking off and Sam could feel her slipping away. When Tessa skipped Christmas with her family for a modeling job, Sam and Tessa's sister, Alli, wound up at the same party. Alli had always had a crush on Sam, and long story short they hooked up- Alli got pregnant and Sam married her, ending his future with Tessa, with whom he was still in love...
Fastfoward nine years-
Sam and Alli's marriage is not a happy one. They stay together for their daughter, but it seems like a loveless, hopeless, dead end relationship. When Alli finds a stash of photos of her sister in Sam's drawer she assumes they are having an affair and files for divorce.
To make matters even more complicated, the girls' grandmother has a stroke, and this brings Tessa back home and face to face with Sam after all these years. Realizing they may finally get their chance to be together, Sam and Tessa ponder the future, while Alli prepares herself for different life, one in which she could be with someone who really loved her...
I originally gave this book three stars due to a little bit of datedness and because I was still just dipping my toes into this area of fiction. Now, many years later, though the book still has some dated qualities, I think the story is thought provoking. It's a very unusual situation, pitting two sisters against each other. I admit I never warmed up to Tessa- at all, and thought the grandmother, though well meaning, perhaps crossed a line.
Still, at the end of the day, I loved the way everything worked out for Alli. Even after all these years, I still remember the details of this book, and I think it deserves a higher rating than I initially gave it.
3.5 round up.
May 19, 2014
This is one of my fave books evah, and it's currently free on Amazon!!
I wasn't supposed to read this book yet. God knows I have a lot of ARCs to get through and Just the Way You Are has been sitting around my Kindle for a while now. I think I got it for free a while back but I never got around to reading it until now. I wasn't really expecting anything. Barbara Freethy has been a hit or miss for me, so it came as a pleasant surprise how much I loved it. The moment I started it, I couldn't put it down and let me tell, the tears started flowing early on.
The Story
Sam and Tessa were high school sweethearts. They lived next door to each other and when they were both 12, they fell in love. But their love was tested when Tessa chose to leave Tucker's Landing for a modeling gig in Aspen. Sam, feeling like Tessa abandoned him slept with Tessa's sister Allie, which resulted in a pregnancy. Sam did the "right" thing and married Allie while Tessa, feeling their betrayal left Tucker's Landing and the love of her life.
Alli, as mentioned was Tessa's sister, younger sister who always had a crush on Sam. She was considered a nuisance by Tessa and tolerated by Sam. It was Alli who seduced Sam that night that resulted in her getting pregnant. It was also Alli, who after 8 years of marriage, decided to let Sam go after she realized he was still pining for her sister after she
Although, Sam did the honorable thing of marrying Alli, he never quite let go of the past. He still yearned to do the things he planned to do with Tessa. Alli's pregnancy and subsequent marriage ended all that and he can't help but think of what could have been. To add to his confusion, Tessa comes back to Tucker's Landing to care for her grandmother who suffered a stroke and this brought back memories of their time together, which added more strain to Sam and Alli's tenuous relationship.
With Alli finally letting go of Sam, he has to decided what he wants; stay and fight for his wife and family or chase the woman and the dream that he lost a long time ago?
My Thoughts
This was a heart-wrenching, emotional read for me from start to finish. I always have a soft spot for stories that deals with married couples and this book hits all the right spot for me. Great plot, fantastic dialogue and most of all sympathetic characters. I was expecting to Alli or Sam or Tessa or even their grandmother but in the end, I couldn't. I didn't always like their decisions, didn't always agree with them, I cringed at some of the things they said to each other but I sympathized with all of them.
Sam was a very flawed hero. He was holding on something that he felt was taken away from him. He always considered his marriage to Alli as a mistake even though he did love their daughter and made a life for them in Tucker's Landing. You can feel his conflict but at the same time, as a reader, it's very clear from the very beginning who he was going to choose. His feelings were quite obvious to me as a reader and I couldn't wait for that moment when he would finally see the answer.
Alli's insecurities was painfully obvious. Growing up in her beautiful sister's shadow really did a number on her. I felt that she just gave up. She was tired of always fighting for Sam's affection and just threw in the towel and ask for a divorce. It's quite obvious she still loved her husband but she had to give him his freedom. I didn't quite expect to sympathize with her the most. I mean, first of all, she basically seduced Sam away from her sister. I loved that you can truly see how she regretted her actions and was willing to do everything to make it right.
Tessa, I feel, was supposed to be the "heroine" here being that she was the love of Sam's life. She was the woman wronged. If there's anyone who should be angry, it should be her. I liked her but surprisingly, not as much as liked Alli. She stayed away from her family because she didn't want to witness Alli and Sam's life together. She actually thought they were happy. She was surprised when she arrived that they were divorcing and finally has her chance with Sam.
This book also had a plethora of interesting characters. First off, Alli and Tessa's grandmother. She has her own story going on there which mirrors her granddaughter's. I also loved Jimmy, Tessa's photographer friend. He provided some great insights into Sam and Alli and Tessa's relationship that weren't obvious to those involved. He was such a great character and he stayed wonderful throughout the whole book.
I really don't want to spoil the whole book by revealing Sam's choice. You have to read this book yourself. It might be obvious or already known to some but I tell you, you will miss an incredible journey by not reading this book. Personally, I felt that this is a great book to read just to get away from the usual NA/YA, billionaire-virgin type of books that's so popular nowadays. As for me, I'm glad I took a bit of a detour in my reading today. �
I wasn't supposed to read this book yet. God knows I have a lot of ARCs to get through and Just the Way You Are has been sitting around my Kindle for a while now. I think I got it for free a while back but I never got around to reading it until now. I wasn't really expecting anything. Barbara Freethy has been a hit or miss for me, so it came as a pleasant surprise how much I loved it. The moment I started it, I couldn't put it down and let me tell, the tears started flowing early on.
The Story
Sam and Tessa were high school sweethearts. They lived next door to each other and when they were both 12, they fell in love. But their love was tested when Tessa chose to leave Tucker's Landing for a modeling gig in Aspen. Sam, feeling like Tessa abandoned him slept with Tessa's sister Allie, which resulted in a pregnancy. Sam did the "right" thing and married Allie while Tessa, feeling their betrayal left Tucker's Landing and the love of her life.
Alli, as mentioned was Tessa's sister, younger sister who always had a crush on Sam. She was considered a nuisance by Tessa and tolerated by Sam. It was Alli who seduced Sam that night that resulted in her getting pregnant. It was also Alli, who after 8 years of marriage, decided to let Sam go after she realized he was still pining for her sister after she
Although, Sam did the honorable thing of marrying Alli, he never quite let go of the past. He still yearned to do the things he planned to do with Tessa. Alli's pregnancy and subsequent marriage ended all that and he can't help but think of what could have been. To add to his confusion, Tessa comes back to Tucker's Landing to care for her grandmother who suffered a stroke and this brought back memories of their time together, which added more strain to Sam and Alli's tenuous relationship.
With Alli finally letting go of Sam, he has to decided what he wants; stay and fight for his wife and family or chase the woman and the dream that he lost a long time ago?
My Thoughts
This was a heart-wrenching, emotional read for me from start to finish. I always have a soft spot for stories that deals with married couples and this book hits all the right spot for me. Great plot, fantastic dialogue and most of all sympathetic characters. I was expecting to Alli or Sam or Tessa or even their grandmother but in the end, I couldn't. I didn't always like their decisions, didn't always agree with them, I cringed at some of the things they said to each other but I sympathized with all of them.
Sam was a very flawed hero. He was holding on something that he felt was taken away from him. He always considered his marriage to Alli as a mistake even though he did love their daughter and made a life for them in Tucker's Landing. You can feel his conflict but at the same time, as a reader, it's very clear from the very beginning who he was going to choose. His feelings were quite obvious to me as a reader and I couldn't wait for that moment when he would finally see the answer.
Alli's insecurities was painfully obvious. Growing up in her beautiful sister's shadow really did a number on her. I felt that she just gave up. She was tired of always fighting for Sam's affection and just threw in the towel and ask for a divorce. It's quite obvious she still loved her husband but she had to give him his freedom. I didn't quite expect to sympathize with her the most. I mean, first of all, she basically seduced Sam away from her sister. I loved that you can truly see how she regretted her actions and was willing to do everything to make it right.
Tessa, I feel, was supposed to be the "heroine" here being that she was the love of Sam's life. She was the woman wronged. If there's anyone who should be angry, it should be her. I liked her but surprisingly, not as much as liked Alli. She stayed away from her family because she didn't want to witness Alli and Sam's life together. She actually thought they were happy. She was surprised when she arrived that they were divorcing and finally has her chance with Sam.
This book also had a plethora of interesting characters. First off, Alli and Tessa's grandmother. She has her own story going on there which mirrors her granddaughter's. I also loved Jimmy, Tessa's photographer friend. He provided some great insights into Sam and Alli and Tessa's relationship that weren't obvious to those involved. He was such a great character and he stayed wonderful throughout the whole book.
I really don't want to spoil the whole book by revealing Sam's choice. You have to read this book yourself. It might be obvious or already known to some but I tell you, you will miss an incredible journey by not reading this book. Personally, I felt that this is a great book to read just to get away from the usual NA/YA, billionaire-virgin type of books that's so popular nowadays. As for me, I'm glad I took a bit of a detour in my reading today. �
October 6, 2020
Re-read Sept 24, 2020. This one is still angsty AF, and I definitely enjoyed the heartbreaking angst all over again. I decided this time that Grandma was kind of an asshole the way she messed with her granddaughter's marriage the way she did. Also the way she treated her old beau who was still madly in love with her. Yeah, the grandma was definitely an asshole.
***FOUR STARS***
I loved this story. I loved Alli's gutted realization that her husband truly will never love her the way she deserves to be loved, and the emotional sadness she went through as she tried to divorce him. The doubt and jealousy she felt when her sister came back home again felt so real too. So many angsty emotions. This is such a great story with a perfect ending (the actual one I was rooting for!). Total recommend!
***FOUR STARS***
I loved this story. I loved Alli's gutted realization that her husband truly will never love her the way she deserves to be loved, and the emotional sadness she went through as she tried to divorce him. The doubt and jealousy she felt when her sister came back home again felt so real too. So many angsty emotions. This is such a great story with a perfect ending (the actual one I was rooting for!). Total recommend!
Read
June 9, 2020Should not have read this.
Poor heroine. The husband who was dating her sister, that she chased, slept with and got pregnant doesn't love her like she wants. Or does he?
If that weren't bad enough she flirts with the guy that's now chasing her sister.
DNF.
Poor heroine. The husband who was dating her sister, that she chased, slept with and got pregnant doesn't love her like she wants. Or does he?
If that weren't bad enough she flirts with the guy that's now chasing her sister.
DNF.
March 13, 2022
5 Alli and Sam Stars
It's been a little while since I have stayed up half the night because I just couldn't put a book down but 'Just The Way You Are' had me hooked from the first couple of pages. I normally run a mile from a book where siblings have both loved the same person - I find it a bit icky- but the writing in this book is so good and there were certain things that worked as caveats to my usual rule that I took a leap of faith and went for it. I am so very glad I did.
Alli (27) and Sam (29) have been married for nine years and have an eight year old daughter, Megan. They married because Alli got pregnant the one time they had sex when she was eighteen and he was twenty. The big issue around this is that Sam had been in a relationship with someone since he was 13 and that someone was Alli's big sister Tessa. The beautiful, stunning, popular, now supermodel, Tessa.
Alli and Sam stayed in their small town and made a life for themselves, Tessa went and conquered the modelling world and she doesn't come back until her and Alli's Granny (Phoebe) becomes poorly. When Tessa sweeps back into town she is apprehensive about seeing her first love, Sam. She and Alli hate each other following the events of nine years ago but even before that Alli had always been in her big sister's shadow. Tessa is stunned to find that Alli and Sam have separated and are looking to divorce - Alli finally decided to let Sam go , walk away , because for all these years Sam has loved Tessa and although Alli has loved him with all that she has, she just can't be second choice anymore. Meanwhile, Tessa sees an opportunity to get Sam back.
Hang on to your hearts my fellow angst junkies....this is game on.
I was thinking that it would have been good to see a flashback of the fallout after Sam and Alli slept together but actually that may have detracted from my sympathy for Alli. She is such a strong heroine and I loved her character. She was so isolated when she was little and Tessa swanned about with her stunning looks, popular personality and pretty much mesmerised everyone , even their parents appeared to prefer her. In Sam's presence especially, Tessa eclipsed Alli. How do you ever compete with that? How hard must it have been for Alli who had loved Sam from the very start to see him of all people fall under Tessa's spell?
"You know what you said about Tessa teaching you how to dream? Well, since I spent most of my time standing on the ground beneath that damn treehouse, I always had to look up to see anything, and when I looked up, I saw you." Her eyes grew watery. "You were my dream, Sam. I wanted so badly to be yours."
Nine years later, Alli is finally done chasing her dream. Her husband is mooning over her sister and she is done. I was cheering for Alli for standing up for herself and realising that she deserves to be loved for who she is and not be married to someone who married her out of a sense of duty. All that said, you can feel her heart breaking at the same time.
"I'm surprised you didn't jump in front of her, protect her from her nasty little sister," Alli said to Sam.
"I don't think I need to get between you two any more than I already have."
"Is that where you are—between us? Or are you with Tessa now? You never run late, Sam. You never forget about your business. Oh, you can forget to come home for dinner or buy me a birthday present or show up for our anniversary, but you never forget business—until now. I guess Tessa must have kept you occupied."
"It wasn't like that. We were talking."
"Oh, sure, talking. God, I hate you." She felt the anger rage within her, and she just couldn't stop it from bursting out. She picked up a fish and threw at him.
"I hate that you took her out on our boat.... I hate that you can lose track of time with her but not with me." Sam sidestepped another throw.
"Alli, calm down."
"And I hate it when you tell me to calm down," she cried, launching another fish in his direction.
"Did you kiss her like she was the only woman in the world and you couldn't live without her? Why do I let you do this to me? Stay away from me, Sam. Just stay away from me." She peeled off her gloves and tossed them onto the deck. "I don't want you anymore. I don't want to be second choice, second best, second whatever. I don't want to be the one who trails after you like some stupid lost puppy dog. I don't want to be the one you got stuck with after the one you loved got away. She's here, Sam. Tessa is right here in Tucker's Landing. You want to make love to someone. Make love to her."
I disliked Tessa for the most part. I think she is a character that will divide readers and maybe how you feel about / towards her will influence how much you enjoy this book. I felt some sympathy for her initially - your boyfriend and sister sleeping together and getting pregnant would be pretty devastating and a good reason to stay away but honestly , Tessa was never going to settle for small town life, she was heading for the bright lights and fame and fortune and nothing was holding her back. Tessa was all about herself and that vanity and sense of self importance radiates from her.
Tessa straddled the bike, her short dress hitched up to mid-thigh. "I think I should be wearing jeans for this," she said. "I might stop traffic."
Alli has strength, is grounded, funny and independent. She may not be a supermodel but she is gorgeous and she doesn't see her own beauty but Sam does.
Her eyes were sparkling with mischief, her cheeks a rosy pink, her hair a glorious tangle of reds and golds that reminded him of incredible sunsets over the ocean. He'd always thought Alli was pretty, but today she looked spectacular.
And then there was Sam. Oh Sam...you idiot man.
I went from feeling sorry for him to wanting to slap him upside the head. He messes up repeatedly. Just as I got to a point where I thought he had got his head on straight , he would say or do something and I was back to being so frustrated and disappointed with him. Did he redeem himself? Yes but good Lord it was an arduous (and utterly deliciously angsty) journey to get there.
A long time ago he'd thought of himself as a one-woman man, and Tessa had been that woman. Then Alli had come along and they'd married and shared so many days and nights together that she'd become a part of his existence. She had carved a place in his life, a place that now felt empty, more empty than he would have imagined.
The chemistry between Alli and Sam is palpable and the scenes of them together are passionate. When he is under Tessa's spell , that chemistry just isn't there. Yeah, she's a beautiful woman but she has no substance. A first love is a pretty memory, but that is all it is. It's as delicate as Tessa's bone structure. Alli is strength , passion, has shown undying loyalty to Sam and she has truly loved him from the very beginning. The love has never wavered but one sided marriages do.
The story is told in multiple viewpoints - mainly Allie & Sam's , but also Tessa, Phoebe and Jimmy's (Tessa's friend). It has humour as well as heartbreakingly sad moments. You will need tissues...
HEA? Yes
Cheating? Definitely emotional. Also, whilst Sam and Alli are separated there is a chaste kiss between Sam and Tessa. It didn't bother me. It's important to the plot.
Huge thanks (again) to Lydia and Nicole who introduced me to this book.
Musical Muses:
Love You Like I Used Too - Russell Dickerson (Sam and Alli)
You Belong With Me - Taylor Swift (Young Alli)
The Walls Are Way Too Thin - Holly Humberstone (Young Alli)
Girl Crush -Sugarland (Young Alli)
Closer Than You Might Believe - Alanis Morissette (Young Alli)
Whatever It Takes - Lifehouse (Alli and Sam)
Last Shot - Kip Moore (Sam and Alli)
I Don't Love You Much Do I? - Guy Clark (Sam to Alli)
Stuck On You - Lionel Richie (Sam to Alli)
It's been a little while since I have stayed up half the night because I just couldn't put a book down but 'Just The Way You Are' had me hooked from the first couple of pages. I normally run a mile from a book where siblings have both loved the same person - I find it a bit icky- but the writing in this book is so good and there were certain things that worked as caveats to my usual rule that I took a leap of faith and went for it. I am so very glad I did.
Alli (27) and Sam (29) have been married for nine years and have an eight year old daughter, Megan. They married because Alli got pregnant the one time they had sex when she was eighteen and he was twenty. The big issue around this is that Sam had been in a relationship with someone since he was 13 and that someone was Alli's big sister Tessa. The beautiful, stunning, popular, now supermodel, Tessa.
Alli and Sam stayed in their small town and made a life for themselves, Tessa went and conquered the modelling world and she doesn't come back until her and Alli's Granny (Phoebe) becomes poorly. When Tessa sweeps back into town she is apprehensive about seeing her first love, Sam. She and Alli hate each other following the events of nine years ago but even before that Alli had always been in her big sister's shadow. Tessa is stunned to find that Alli and Sam have separated and are looking to divorce - Alli finally decided to let Sam go , walk away , because for all these years Sam has loved Tessa and although Alli has loved him with all that she has, she just can't be second choice anymore. Meanwhile, Tessa sees an opportunity to get Sam back.
Hang on to your hearts my fellow angst junkies....this is game on.
I was thinking that it would have been good to see a flashback of the fallout after Sam and Alli slept together but actually that may have detracted from my sympathy for Alli. She is such a strong heroine and I loved her character. She was so isolated when she was little and Tessa swanned about with her stunning looks, popular personality and pretty much mesmerised everyone , even their parents appeared to prefer her. In Sam's presence especially, Tessa eclipsed Alli. How do you ever compete with that? How hard must it have been for Alli who had loved Sam from the very start to see him of all people fall under Tessa's spell?
"You know what you said about Tessa teaching you how to dream? Well, since I spent most of my time standing on the ground beneath that damn treehouse, I always had to look up to see anything, and when I looked up, I saw you." Her eyes grew watery. "You were my dream, Sam. I wanted so badly to be yours."
Nine years later, Alli is finally done chasing her dream. Her husband is mooning over her sister and she is done. I was cheering for Alli for standing up for herself and realising that she deserves to be loved for who she is and not be married to someone who married her out of a sense of duty. All that said, you can feel her heart breaking at the same time.
"I'm surprised you didn't jump in front of her, protect her from her nasty little sister," Alli said to Sam.
"I don't think I need to get between you two any more than I already have."
"Is that where you are—between us? Or are you with Tessa now? You never run late, Sam. You never forget about your business. Oh, you can forget to come home for dinner or buy me a birthday present or show up for our anniversary, but you never forget business—until now. I guess Tessa must have kept you occupied."
"It wasn't like that. We were talking."
"Oh, sure, talking. God, I hate you." She felt the anger rage within her, and she just couldn't stop it from bursting out. She picked up a fish and threw at him.
"I hate that you took her out on our boat.... I hate that you can lose track of time with her but not with me." Sam sidestepped another throw.
"Alli, calm down."
"And I hate it when you tell me to calm down," she cried, launching another fish in his direction.
"Did you kiss her like she was the only woman in the world and you couldn't live without her? Why do I let you do this to me? Stay away from me, Sam. Just stay away from me." She peeled off her gloves and tossed them onto the deck. "I don't want you anymore. I don't want to be second choice, second best, second whatever. I don't want to be the one who trails after you like some stupid lost puppy dog. I don't want to be the one you got stuck with after the one you loved got away. She's here, Sam. Tessa is right here in Tucker's Landing. You want to make love to someone. Make love to her."
I disliked Tessa for the most part. I think she is a character that will divide readers and maybe how you feel about / towards her will influence how much you enjoy this book. I felt some sympathy for her initially - your boyfriend and sister sleeping together and getting pregnant would be pretty devastating and a good reason to stay away but honestly , Tessa was never going to settle for small town life, she was heading for the bright lights and fame and fortune and nothing was holding her back. Tessa was all about herself and that vanity and sense of self importance radiates from her.
Tessa straddled the bike, her short dress hitched up to mid-thigh. "I think I should be wearing jeans for this," she said. "I might stop traffic."
Alli has strength, is grounded, funny and independent. She may not be a supermodel but she is gorgeous and she doesn't see her own beauty but Sam does.
Her eyes were sparkling with mischief, her cheeks a rosy pink, her hair a glorious tangle of reds and golds that reminded him of incredible sunsets over the ocean. He'd always thought Alli was pretty, but today she looked spectacular.
And then there was Sam. Oh Sam...you idiot man.
I went from feeling sorry for him to wanting to slap him upside the head. He messes up repeatedly. Just as I got to a point where I thought he had got his head on straight , he would say or do something and I was back to being so frustrated and disappointed with him. Did he redeem himself? Yes but good Lord it was an arduous (and utterly deliciously angsty) journey to get there.
A long time ago he'd thought of himself as a one-woman man, and Tessa had been that woman. Then Alli had come along and they'd married and shared so many days and nights together that she'd become a part of his existence. She had carved a place in his life, a place that now felt empty, more empty than he would have imagined.
The chemistry between Alli and Sam is palpable and the scenes of them together are passionate. When he is under Tessa's spell , that chemistry just isn't there. Yeah, she's a beautiful woman but she has no substance. A first love is a pretty memory, but that is all it is. It's as delicate as Tessa's bone structure. Alli is strength , passion, has shown undying loyalty to Sam and she has truly loved him from the very beginning. The love has never wavered but one sided marriages do.
The story is told in multiple viewpoints - mainly Allie & Sam's , but also Tessa, Phoebe and Jimmy's (Tessa's friend). It has humour as well as heartbreakingly sad moments. You will need tissues...
HEA? Yes
Cheating? Definitely emotional. Also, whilst Sam and Alli are separated there is a chaste kiss between Sam and Tessa. It didn't bother me. It's important to the plot.
Huge thanks (again) to Lydia and Nicole who introduced me to this book.
Musical Muses:
Love You Like I Used Too - Russell Dickerson (Sam and Alli)
You Belong With Me - Taylor Swift (Young Alli)
The Walls Are Way Too Thin - Holly Humberstone (Young Alli)
Girl Crush -Sugarland (Young Alli)
Closer Than You Might Believe - Alanis Morissette (Young Alli)
Whatever It Takes - Lifehouse (Alli and Sam)
Last Shot - Kip Moore (Sam and Alli)
I Don't Love You Much Do I? - Guy Clark (Sam to Alli)
Stuck On You - Lionel Richie (Sam to Alli)
May 20, 2012
Oh, good lord, how much stupid can you have in one book? This one was a freebie from ibooks and it's VERY easy to see why. I read about a quarter of it and then skimmed the rest. Anyone for a big, stinky ball of cheese?
This is a story about a bitch, who ruins the lives of others and then spends a decade bitching about it and whining and complaining and playing stupid mind games with her husband and sister all to feed in to her idiotic inferiority complex and low self esteem issues.
While the plot really could have been an interesting one, the writing squanders all potential. It's so funny to me how many people who only write for fun get published. Barbara Freethy apparently has been published multiple times, which means people are actually BUYING this garbage! A novel should have a beginning, a middle and an end. It should also not be a straight line from the first point to the last. There should be some hitches and some twists and turns. This story was very lacking in anything that wasn't a recollection of the past or a redundant complaint about the present situation. Ultimately, nothing happens here... aaaaaand then all the conflict is magically resolved because everyone loves a happy ending in a chick novel.
I'm all for chick lit or books that would make good Lifetime movies or easy summer reads, but this is too far in the direction of brainlessness. If this book sounds good to you from the synopsis, I'd suggest you skip it and go for a Nicholas Sparks instead.
This is a story about a bitch, who ruins the lives of others and then spends a decade bitching about it and whining and complaining and playing stupid mind games with her husband and sister all to feed in to her idiotic inferiority complex and low self esteem issues.
While the plot really could have been an interesting one, the writing squanders all potential. It's so funny to me how many people who only write for fun get published. Barbara Freethy apparently has been published multiple times, which means people are actually BUYING this garbage! A novel should have a beginning, a middle and an end. It should also not be a straight line from the first point to the last. There should be some hitches and some twists and turns. This story was very lacking in anything that wasn't a recollection of the past or a redundant complaint about the present situation. Ultimately, nothing happens here... aaaaaand then all the conflict is magically resolved because everyone loves a happy ending in a chick novel.
I'm all for chick lit or books that would make good Lifetime movies or easy summer reads, but this is too far in the direction of brainlessness. If this book sounds good to you from the synopsis, I'd suggest you skip it and go for a Nicholas Sparks instead.
April 20, 2023
4 Messy Stars
This was so good and so frustrating at the same time. I read it in one sitting. I don't know how my eyes were not bleeding from reading nonstop, all night. My bleary eyes couldn't focus on the Kindle screen. But I. Could. Not. Stop.
My reading addiction is insane.
I have mixed feelings about this one. I can't decide if I loved it or not. It has a HEA that I did love but I also feel like I needed more? Idk, but I was left with lingering questions. I'm emotional at the moment and I blame Sam, the hero.
A few reviews I rec are from:
NMmomof4
Geri Reads
Nikki � Navareus (this one made me laugh)
I hated Sam. I loved Sam. I had a love/hate relationship with him. He was annoyingly evasive about his feelings, it made me want to scream. Regardless, I truly believe our heroine, Alli, was his forever love. Without a doubt, his ideal match. He explained himself well to Alli at the end and he sounded genuine to me. I hero-worshiped the guy just as much as Alli and her sister, Tessa, did. I saw him through their eyes and I couldn't help but feel the same.
I loved Alli. Despite the wrong she did when she was young (and in love!) I rooted for her—badly. I felt her anguish, her insecurities. My eyes got misty during one of her heartfelt conversations with Sam. I'm also glad she demanded better from Sam and didn't settle. She was stubborn and rightfully so. I cheered her on.
I hated Tessa for many reasons that I don't feel like going into. But why, OH WHY did she have to be so beautiful? I was sick of reading about her beauty because she was the other woman! Alli's archnemesis. She was the hero's childhood best friend and first love, and even though that was in the past, she was still an issue between Alli and Sam, 9 years later.
HEA: Yes.
Epilogue: Yes
Cheating: Um..this is a gray area, in my opinion. A light kiss. And maybe some emotional cheating.
Would I read this again? Yes, purely for the angst and because I feel another read might clarify a few things for me.
This was so good and so frustrating at the same time. I read it in one sitting. I don't know how my eyes were not bleeding from reading nonstop, all night. My bleary eyes couldn't focus on the Kindle screen. But I. Could. Not. Stop.
My reading addiction is insane.
I have mixed feelings about this one. I can't decide if I loved it or not. It has a HEA that I did love but I also feel like I needed more? Idk, but I was left with lingering questions. I'm emotional at the moment and I blame Sam, the hero.
A few reviews I rec are from:
NMmomof4
Geri Reads
Nikki � Navareus (this one made me laugh)
I hated Sam. I loved Sam. I had a love/hate relationship with him. He was annoyingly evasive about his feelings, it made me want to scream. Regardless, I truly believe our heroine, Alli, was his forever love. Without a doubt, his ideal match. He explained himself well to Alli at the end and he sounded genuine to me. I hero-worshiped the guy just as much as Alli and her sister, Tessa, did. I saw him through their eyes and I couldn't help but feel the same.
I loved Alli. Despite the wrong she did when she was young (and in love!) I rooted for her—badly. I felt her anguish, her insecurities. My eyes got misty during one of her heartfelt conversations with Sam. I'm also glad she demanded better from Sam and didn't settle. She was stubborn and rightfully so. I cheered her on.
I hated Tessa for many reasons that I don't feel like going into. But why, OH WHY did she have to be so beautiful? I was sick of reading about her beauty because she was the other woman! Alli's archnemesis. She was the hero's childhood best friend and first love, and even though that was in the past, she was still an issue between Alli and Sam, 9 years later.
HEA: Yes.
Epilogue: Yes
Cheating: Um..this is a gray area, in my opinion. A light kiss. And maybe some emotional cheating.
Would I read this again? Yes, purely for the angst and because I feel another read might clarify a few things for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2024
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Liked it!
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˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥
♥♥♥♥Rereading in 2024♥♥♥♥�
˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥
==>Re-read 13 August 2016
==>Read on 30 October 2012
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emotional cheating + kissed another woman
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˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥
♥♥♥♥Rereading in 2024♥♥♥♥�
˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥˥♥
==>Re-read 13 August 2016
==>Read on 30 October 2012
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emotional cheating + kissed another woman
December 16, 2024
Reread 12/14/2024� 😑. Really unlikable characters—all living in the past with anger and resentment in the forefront of every interaction.
Reread 5/9/2021
I like this book more than I should.
Husband and wife are separated. His first love is the wife’s sister, a drunken ONS while the sister is away, leaves her pregnant and they marry. Nine years later, the sister that they haven’t seen or heard from is still part of their marriage and the wife is tired of being second best. And she is second best, they’ve made a good life, but he’s never said ILY and won’t risk having more children.
The sisters� grandmother has a stroke, and the sister comes home for the first time. She’s still in love with the husband. She’s had relationships but has never fallen in love again.
The husband is difficult to read, he pursues his wife and wants home. But, when the sister comes home, he appears to still be interested. What the wife wants is simple, she wants to be loved and to know she isn’t second best. She brutally honest about what she wants and has a chip on her shoulder about it, but so does he—never admitting what’s right in front of him.
He’s outright given the choice, which sister. He can move on with his first love or stay with his wife, and he realizes he has everything he wants in life with his wife and his relationship with the sister would not have lasted, they were too different and ultimately weren’t meant to be.
To be honest, none of the characters are that likable, with the exception of the sister’s new love interest—but the story still worked for me.
Reread 5/9/2021
I like this book more than I should.
Husband and wife are separated. His first love is the wife’s sister, a drunken ONS while the sister is away, leaves her pregnant and they marry. Nine years later, the sister that they haven’t seen or heard from is still part of their marriage and the wife is tired of being second best. And she is second best, they’ve made a good life, but he’s never said ILY and won’t risk having more children.
The sisters� grandmother has a stroke, and the sister comes home for the first time. She’s still in love with the husband. She’s had relationships but has never fallen in love again.
The husband is difficult to read, he pursues his wife and wants home. But, when the sister comes home, he appears to still be interested. What the wife wants is simple, she wants to be loved and to know she isn’t second best. She brutally honest about what she wants and has a chip on her shoulder about it, but so does he—never admitting what’s right in front of him.
He’s outright given the choice, which sister. He can move on with his first love or stay with his wife, and he realizes he has everything he wants in life with his wife and his relationship with the sister would not have lasted, they were too different and ultimately weren’t meant to be.
To be honest, none of the characters are that likable, with the exception of the sister’s new love interest—but the story still worked for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2018
I've had this book on my Kindle for ages so when Vee recommend it I jumped straight in. See, I love me an angsty marriage in trouble read and I definitively got that here.
I don't think I've read a book before where the wife is the other woman - very different and it totally worked. We ALL mess up at some stage in our lives, it's how we learn and grow that counts and Sam, Allie and Tessa did, some sooner than others.
Loved the growth the characters had, loved seeing Sam slowly extract his head from his rear end and fight for what he had all along and almost lost.
I don't think I've read a book before where the wife is the other woman - very different and it totally worked. We ALL mess up at some stage in our lives, it's how we learn and grow that counts and Sam, Allie and Tessa did, some sooner than others.
Loved the growth the characters had, loved seeing Sam slowly extract his head from his rear end and fight for what he had all along and almost lost.
April 11, 2011
Awesome read,It was a wonderful uplifting heart warming story, this story is what happens after a moment that changes all 3 peoples's lives,their relations and how they cope with it
Allison and Tessa are sisters, only two years apart, whose parents were killed in an auto accident when they were still young. After the accident, the girls move to Tucker's Landing, a small town on the Oregon coast to live with their aunt Phoebe. And next door to Phoebe lives the town founders, including the proverbial boy-next-door, Sam Tucker.
Alli has loved Sam all her life. Sam has loved Tessa (Alli's sister) since they were children. Tessa and Sam were an item back in high school, and Alli always ended up as the 3rd wheel.
Then Tessa, the beauty of the sisters, is offered the opportunity of a lifetime to go modeling and she takes it leaving Sam by himself with a broken heart and a lot of alcohol. Alli took the chance she had been waiting for all her life, and comforted Sam in ways she had only dreamed of.
9 years later and Alli and Sam are unhappily married with a child that came from that night of broken hearts and alcohol.
Sam seems to resent Alli for tying him up to a life he never asked for (however he adores his daughter), but has grown accostomed to.
Alli, on the other hand, is sick and tired of being the cause of so much unhappines in Sam's life and to add insult to serious injury, she finds out that Sam has not forgotten Tessa after all this years and actually keeps wondering of what his life would have been with her in it, and without Alli and Megan (their daughter) in it. So she decides to set Sam free, even if it hurts her like crazy.
No, dont think she does it for the noble reasons, she is sick of loving Sam with all her heart while all this time he has never told her that he loves her, or anything similar for that matter.
Now, Sam is confused, and angry at Alli for separating him from his family and most importantly his daughter, after he has finally resigned himself to that life, but no matter what, Alli is not backing down. She is sure she deserves a man that loves her back, and she doesn't want to keep on going with her life without ever having experienced that feeling.
Alli yes committed a mistake but she has paying for that mistake for past 9 years my heart really went out to her,she loves Sam so much but still she lets him go it was very painful for her and it became more difficult to cope with Sam-Tessa,she was jealous n hurt.Alli is a real wounded woman and simpathizing with her is so easy, even when she is behaving like a child. And how could you not after putting yourself in her shoes, however, she takes control of things most of the time and does the right thing as well.
Tessa is not as likeable as Alli, but she is not hateable by any chance. You can see her point and understand why she is seeking for a second chance with Sam, the man she thought was meant for her, before her sister came crashing into her relationship.Tessa does'nt wants to move on and refuses to accept Sam might have changed she even goes on planning how she will move in here,live with Sam n Megan,Tessa was real selfish ,rude n mean and she did'nt liked a bit when Sam defended Alli and she refuses to accept Alli has grown up but few incidents make her realise how Alli is gr8 mother and is mature n has become responsible though i hated the fact she still wanted Sam
Sam is a great man, he's so very real and palpable.but he acted jerk for 9 years of his married life and he was confused with his feelings for Tessa but he was a great father,but i was irritaed with Sam's indecision and weakness
Jimmy's character is the one that I enjoy most. I believe in his opinion that eye is the window to human soul. And camera sometimes can capture the feelings better than our own eyes. He's the most likable characters along with Megan a sweet child loved all her scenes and dialogues
Actully loved the fact how both sisters come together and realise their bond can never be broken and Sam slowly comes to his senses n realises how much he loves Alli
It is a beautiful and emotionally satisfying story,The secondary characters are compelling and perfectly compliment the emotional attachment and age-old pain that Sam and Allie have to deal with in order to decide what to do with their future.
Excellent read,definetely a keeper
Highly Recommend it
Allison and Tessa are sisters, only two years apart, whose parents were killed in an auto accident when they were still young. After the accident, the girls move to Tucker's Landing, a small town on the Oregon coast to live with their aunt Phoebe. And next door to Phoebe lives the town founders, including the proverbial boy-next-door, Sam Tucker.
Alli has loved Sam all her life. Sam has loved Tessa (Alli's sister) since they were children. Tessa and Sam were an item back in high school, and Alli always ended up as the 3rd wheel.
Then Tessa, the beauty of the sisters, is offered the opportunity of a lifetime to go modeling and she takes it leaving Sam by himself with a broken heart and a lot of alcohol. Alli took the chance she had been waiting for all her life, and comforted Sam in ways she had only dreamed of.
9 years later and Alli and Sam are unhappily married with a child that came from that night of broken hearts and alcohol.
Sam seems to resent Alli for tying him up to a life he never asked for (however he adores his daughter), but has grown accostomed to.
Alli, on the other hand, is sick and tired of being the cause of so much unhappines in Sam's life and to add insult to serious injury, she finds out that Sam has not forgotten Tessa after all this years and actually keeps wondering of what his life would have been with her in it, and without Alli and Megan (their daughter) in it. So she decides to set Sam free, even if it hurts her like crazy.
No, dont think she does it for the noble reasons, she is sick of loving Sam with all her heart while all this time he has never told her that he loves her, or anything similar for that matter.
Now, Sam is confused, and angry at Alli for separating him from his family and most importantly his daughter, after he has finally resigned himself to that life, but no matter what, Alli is not backing down. She is sure she deserves a man that loves her back, and she doesn't want to keep on going with her life without ever having experienced that feeling.
Alli yes committed a mistake but she has paying for that mistake for past 9 years my heart really went out to her,she loves Sam so much but still she lets him go it was very painful for her and it became more difficult to cope with Sam-Tessa,she was jealous n hurt.Alli is a real wounded woman and simpathizing with her is so easy, even when she is behaving like a child. And how could you not after putting yourself in her shoes, however, she takes control of things most of the time and does the right thing as well.
Tessa is not as likeable as Alli, but she is not hateable by any chance. You can see her point and understand why she is seeking for a second chance with Sam, the man she thought was meant for her, before her sister came crashing into her relationship.Tessa does'nt wants to move on and refuses to accept Sam might have changed she even goes on planning how she will move in here,live with Sam n Megan,Tessa was real selfish ,rude n mean and she did'nt liked a bit when Sam defended Alli and she refuses to accept Alli has grown up but few incidents make her realise how Alli is gr8 mother and is mature n has become responsible though i hated the fact she still wanted Sam
Sam is a great man, he's so very real and palpable.but he acted jerk for 9 years of his married life and he was confused with his feelings for Tessa but he was a great father,but i was irritaed with Sam's indecision and weakness
Jimmy's character is the one that I enjoy most. I believe in his opinion that eye is the window to human soul. And camera sometimes can capture the feelings better than our own eyes. He's the most likable characters along with Megan a sweet child loved all her scenes and dialogues
Actully loved the fact how both sisters come together and realise their bond can never be broken and Sam slowly comes to his senses n realises how much he loves Alli
It is a beautiful and emotionally satisfying story,The secondary characters are compelling and perfectly compliment the emotional attachment and age-old pain that Sam and Allie have to deal with in order to decide what to do with their future.
Excellent read,definetely a keeper
Highly Recommend it
July 31, 2011
I was going from hot to cold and from tears to frowns reading this book.
Very rarely an author makes me root for the cheating couple. Almost never.
In this book,to my own surprise, I was all for the sister that married the all around wanted guy. Yes she 'stole' him from her sister. Yes, she had sex with him and got pregnant. Yes, yes yes... but it is just...lets face it. Sam and Tessa were over. He knew. That is why he wanted to ask her to marry him. And she knew she was leaving him when she went to model that Christmas.
I know I was supossed to feel Tessa's hurt. I know! But I just did not.
I know EVERYBODY told me Ally was a nuisance when she was young.
I did not see it like this. Tessa saw her like this still, but even Sam saw her for what she was- a girl her sister pushed out of the light all the time. Ally took it. But she freaked when Tessa left her in the dark. The only person Ally had was Tessa.
Later when it comes to Sam...ah,love. I cried when Ally tells us how she wished she could take it all back. Even if she never had her kid. She really thinks she hurt somebody.
Lets face it- she did not.
Sam was made for her.
So why did Tessa want want him still?
Her plans about him moving to Portland,leaving everything, even his kid so they could be half way from LA? These kinds of daydreams? They made me sick. And the fact that she just went on and on about how she would never separate Ally and Sam but you know...now that they are not together...umm,babe,they are together. They are with each other all the time. They have a kid they love... why do you keep pushing it?
But if were only this...she just kept bad mouthing Ally to her husband and being surprised when he told her she was wrong. I mean...ummm...the man was married to her for 9 years! Duuuh!
She just bitched and bitched but in the end she was the shallow lame one.
But still it would have all been ok and I could have just kept hating Tess if not for Sam.
I know he realized that he loved his wife. I know he realized he loved his life and should stop looking back. But God damn it! Like 10 pages till the end when Tessa asked him to have a future with her he DID NOT TELL HER NO! He just looked as his wife and kid and Tess was like-ok I get it.
Well,god for her. Look a her 'getting it'. I did not get it. Ally deserved more after 9 years of marriage then a look in her direction.
THE FRUSTRATION!
The author patched it all up somehow but I still felt cheated.
I kind of wanted Ally to get Tessa's love interest, live happy ever after and Sam and Tessa could then find out they do not suit and be miserable. Yeah! But alas.
Still this book made me cry a few times. It has a bit to do with being...you know.. but mostly it was because this was fairly good writing. I feel it could have been so much better if there were more pages to it all.
Very rarely an author makes me root for the cheating couple. Almost never.
In this book,to my own surprise, I was all for the sister that married the all around wanted guy. Yes she 'stole' him from her sister. Yes, she had sex with him and got pregnant. Yes, yes yes... but it is just...lets face it. Sam and Tessa were over. He knew. That is why he wanted to ask her to marry him. And she knew she was leaving him when she went to model that Christmas.
I know I was supossed to feel Tessa's hurt. I know! But I just did not.
I know EVERYBODY told me Ally was a nuisance when she was young.
I did not see it like this. Tessa saw her like this still, but even Sam saw her for what she was- a girl her sister pushed out of the light all the time. Ally took it. But she freaked when Tessa left her in the dark. The only person Ally had was Tessa.
Later when it comes to Sam...ah,love. I cried when Ally tells us how she wished she could take it all back. Even if she never had her kid. She really thinks she hurt somebody.
Lets face it- she did not.
Sam was made for her.
So why did Tessa want want him still?
Her plans about him moving to Portland,leaving everything, even his kid so they could be half way from LA? These kinds of daydreams? They made me sick. And the fact that she just went on and on about how she would never separate Ally and Sam but you know...now that they are not together...umm,babe,they are together. They are with each other all the time. They have a kid they love... why do you keep pushing it?
But if were only this...she just kept bad mouthing Ally to her husband and being surprised when he told her she was wrong. I mean...ummm...the man was married to her for 9 years! Duuuh!
She just bitched and bitched but in the end she was the shallow lame one.
But still it would have all been ok and I could have just kept hating Tess if not for Sam.
I know he realized that he loved his wife. I know he realized he loved his life and should stop looking back. But God damn it! Like 10 pages till the end when Tessa asked him to have a future with her he DID NOT TELL HER NO! He just looked as his wife and kid and Tess was like-ok I get it.
Well,god for her. Look a her 'getting it'. I did not get it. Ally deserved more after 9 years of marriage then a look in her direction.
THE FRUSTRATION!
The author patched it all up somehow but I still felt cheated.
I kind of wanted Ally to get Tessa's love interest, live happy ever after and Sam and Tessa could then find out they do not suit and be miserable. Yeah! But alas.
Still this book made me cry a few times. It has a bit to do with being...you know.. but mostly it was because this was fairly good writing. I feel it could have been so much better if there were more pages to it all.
July 12, 2018
I bought the book because it got a lot of high
reviews and my bestie recommended it so much.
But I regret every minute I spent reading this
horrible book.
Sam, Tessa, and Alli grew up together. Sam and
Tessa were apparently madly in lurve, but during a
Christmas break when Tessa decided not to come home,
Sam got drunk and slept with Alli. Nine years later Alli
and Sam are married and have a little girl, the product of
that night. At this point Tessa is a famous model and
one day Alli finds a box full of pictures of Tessa
among Sam's possessions. Tired of being in love
with a man that will forever love her sister Alli
files for divorce.
During all this drama Tessa and Alli's grandma is
hospitalized due to health issues and Tessa has to
come back home. Her return causes a lot of issues for
Sam and Alli and so the angstiness ensues.
OMG, the angst was too much for me and I spent the
rest of the book wanting to punch Tessa and kick Sam
in the nuts.
First of all, I know I have an unpopular opinion
because most of my friends stated that Allie was the
villain of the story for separating Sam and Tessa.
However, to me both Sam and Allie were at fault
because no one forced him to stick his **** into
her when he was supposedly madly in love with Tessa.
I would have felt bad for Tessa but she was such
a brat throughout the story that it drove me nuts.
With that being said here are the reasons why I hated
pretty much everyone in the story except for
the photographer.
This is a lengthy rant, DO NOT click on the spoiler
because it will give away practically the entire story.
reviews and my bestie recommended it so much.
But I regret every minute I spent reading this
horrible book.
Sam, Tessa, and Alli grew up together. Sam and
Tessa were apparently madly in lurve, but during a
Christmas break when Tessa decided not to come home,
Sam got drunk and slept with Alli. Nine years later Alli
and Sam are married and have a little girl, the product of
that night. At this point Tessa is a famous model and
one day Alli finds a box full of pictures of Tessa
among Sam's possessions. Tired of being in love
with a man that will forever love her sister Alli
files for divorce.
During all this drama Tessa and Alli's grandma is
hospitalized due to health issues and Tessa has to
come back home. Her return causes a lot of issues for
Sam and Alli and so the angstiness ensues.
OMG, the angst was too much for me and I spent the
rest of the book wanting to punch Tessa and kick Sam
in the nuts.
First of all, I know I have an unpopular opinion
because most of my friends stated that Allie was the
villain of the story for separating Sam and Tessa.
However, to me both Sam and Allie were at fault
because no one forced him to stick his **** into
her when he was supposedly madly in love with Tessa.
I would have felt bad for Tessa but she was such
a brat throughout the story that it drove me nuts.
With that being said here are the reasons why I hated
pretty much everyone in the story except for
the photographer.
This is a lengthy rant, DO NOT click on the spoiler
because it will give away practically the entire story.
February 6, 2022
my life is so simple and boring ,I'm looking for drama and angst in books but I'm okay with that.
marriage in trouble trope just do it for me , all those harlequins I read when I was 16 take the blame for that , plus one of my favorite books is the unwanted wife , and I do a reread every year,not a surprise i don't have a social life beside reading books.
I did like this one , pretty good marriage in trouble , no cheating , but why the book had like 5 pov , I could have done without the sister pov or her friend.
obviously i rooted for the main couple but i just think cheating is never a good start, so I definitely sympathized with the sister and understood why she hated the heroine , but she wasn't any better when she tried to rekindle a relationship with the hero, her sister husband and the father of her niece, even thought the h/H were separated at the time.
both of them were tacky , like there's plenty of men in the world , why choose your sister boyfriend or husband.
i was satisfied with the ending and now I'm going to read another troubled marriage book cuz I'm bored and need of a good cry 🤡
marriage in trouble trope just do it for me , all those harlequins I read when I was 16 take the blame for that , plus one of my favorite books is the unwanted wife , and I do a reread every year,not a surprise i don't have a social life beside reading books.
I did like this one , pretty good marriage in trouble , no cheating , but why the book had like 5 pov , I could have done without the sister pov or her friend.
obviously i rooted for the main couple but i just think cheating is never a good start, so I definitely sympathized with the sister and understood why she hated the heroine , but she wasn't any better when she tried to rekindle a relationship with the hero, her sister husband and the father of her niece, even thought the h/H were separated at the time.
both of them were tacky , like there's plenty of men in the world , why choose your sister boyfriend or husband.
i was satisfied with the ending and now I'm going to read another troubled marriage book cuz I'm bored and need of a good cry 🤡
May 29, 2012
I initially picked up this book because the premise seemed to promise a lot of drama.
The main character Allie was by far the best character in the book. She is the younger of two sisters. Her older sister Tessa is (in Allie's eyes) perfect. She's tall, thin and gorgeous. She is also the first love of Allie's husband Sam.
Allie is a wonderful contradiction and that is why i think she is a great character. On the one hand she is a go-getter. She is focused, a good mother, incredibly likeable -- she simply makes things happen. However around Tessa and Sam she is mass of insecurities. In Tessa's case Allie always compares herself negatively to Tessa mainly on the basis of looks. In Sam's case she feels that she got him by default because nine years ago while Sam and Tessa had broken up after an argument, Allie slept with Sam and got pregnant.
As the book opens Allie and Sam are separated. Allie has been madly in love with Sam since she can remember and although he has been a good husband and father, she feels that something is missing -- that he is holding a part of himself back. And she has come to conclusion that she simply can't love enough for the both of them. So she wants out.
Coincidentally, Tessa is coming back to town to see their ailing grand-mother. Tessa has not been back home since Allie and Sam got married. For Allie it just means that Sam and Tessa can finally get together the way they should have all those years ago. From her perspective she had gotten in the way of fate, now she is getting out of the way and letting true nature take it's course.
I think on some level the author succeeds in showing us that Allie's perspective is skewed when it comes to those two and that it isn't quite an easy thing for a man to relegate his wife of nine years into the role of interloper. Especially when the marriage has been a pretty good one. And yet the author also succeeds -- on another level -- in showing that Sam and Tessa do have some unresolved feelings for each other that they clearly do need to work out. So what is real? Sam's nine-year marriage and his wife or his old feelings for an ex-flame?
The problem is don't think the story works through that question all that well. I wanted to see Sam clearly examine what/who he wanted. I wanted the author to show me that Sam was truly struggling with the options he was given. I don't feel that happened. There would be points in the story when I felt like the we were getting tantalizingly close to a point where the story would click and I actually feel that the tangle of feelings and emotions being grappled with. But it always slid away, just out of reach. The whole time I felt that all the characters, especially Sam and Tessa tended to talk around each other (when they could actually finish a conversation without being interrupted).
In the end, Sam does realize where his true feelings lay, but it wasn't very satisfying. Throughout the story I thought that Sam was pretty passive-aggressive., And a bit of a jerk as well, really. Allie was clear about what she wanted from him and he stubbornly refused to give it to her and yet at the same time he wonders why she is pushing for a divorce. Allie left no area for misunderstanding and yet he just didn't hear her.
Tessa comes off as pouty and entitled. She is also, imo, the least developed of the three.
The writing was excellent, I just wish the story had lived up to the dramatic promise.
The main character Allie was by far the best character in the book. She is the younger of two sisters. Her older sister Tessa is (in Allie's eyes) perfect. She's tall, thin and gorgeous. She is also the first love of Allie's husband Sam.
Allie is a wonderful contradiction and that is why i think she is a great character. On the one hand she is a go-getter. She is focused, a good mother, incredibly likeable -- she simply makes things happen. However around Tessa and Sam she is mass of insecurities. In Tessa's case Allie always compares herself negatively to Tessa mainly on the basis of looks. In Sam's case she feels that she got him by default because nine years ago while Sam and Tessa had broken up after an argument, Allie slept with Sam and got pregnant.
As the book opens Allie and Sam are separated. Allie has been madly in love with Sam since she can remember and although he has been a good husband and father, she feels that something is missing -- that he is holding a part of himself back. And she has come to conclusion that she simply can't love enough for the both of them. So she wants out.
Coincidentally, Tessa is coming back to town to see their ailing grand-mother. Tessa has not been back home since Allie and Sam got married. For Allie it just means that Sam and Tessa can finally get together the way they should have all those years ago. From her perspective she had gotten in the way of fate, now she is getting out of the way and letting true nature take it's course.
I think on some level the author succeeds in showing us that Allie's perspective is skewed when it comes to those two and that it isn't quite an easy thing for a man to relegate his wife of nine years into the role of interloper. Especially when the marriage has been a pretty good one. And yet the author also succeeds -- on another level -- in showing that Sam and Tessa do have some unresolved feelings for each other that they clearly do need to work out. So what is real? Sam's nine-year marriage and his wife or his old feelings for an ex-flame?
The problem is don't think the story works through that question all that well. I wanted to see Sam clearly examine what/who he wanted. I wanted the author to show me that Sam was truly struggling with the options he was given. I don't feel that happened. There would be points in the story when I felt like the we were getting tantalizingly close to a point where the story would click and I actually feel that the tangle of feelings and emotions being grappled with. But it always slid away, just out of reach. The whole time I felt that all the characters, especially Sam and Tessa tended to talk around each other (when they could actually finish a conversation without being interrupted).
In the end, Sam does realize where his true feelings lay, but it wasn't very satisfying. Throughout the story I thought that Sam was pretty passive-aggressive., And a bit of a jerk as well, really. Allie was clear about what she wanted from him and he stubbornly refused to give it to her and yet at the same time he wonders why she is pushing for a divorce. Allie left no area for misunderstanding and yet he just didn't hear her.
Tessa comes off as pouty and entitled. She is also, imo, the least developed of the three.
The writing was excellent, I just wish the story had lived up to the dramatic promise.
September 21, 2020
I enjoyed this angsty read! I felt for Alli, she spent her life pining for her husband, Sam who took her for granted because he fancied himself still in love with her sister, Tessa.
Their grandmother, Phoebe has a stroke and Tessa, a famous model comes back to town with her photographer in tow. Sam and Tessa have a chance to rekindle their romance because Alli has finally given up. She realizes she has to set Sam free.
I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. I needed an angst fix and this book had it in spades! Although Tessa was initially the wronged one, she behaved abominably in the novel. I didn’t feel bad for her!
Their grandmother, Phoebe has a stroke and Tessa, a famous model comes back to town with her photographer in tow. Sam and Tessa have a chance to rekindle their romance because Alli has finally given up. She realizes she has to set Sam free.
I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. I needed an angst fix and this book had it in spades! Although Tessa was initially the wronged one, she behaved abominably in the novel. I didn’t feel bad for her!
April 28, 2024
Приятна история на тема “какв� щеше да се случи, ако не се беше случило това, което се случи�. Всеки рано или късно стига до въпроса за пропуснатите алтернативи. Липсата на комуникация обаче беше брутално дълга преди дългоочаквания хепи енд, и поразвали картинката.
На втори прочит - все пак преоценката на миналото тук си струваше и май за първи път никой не беше изкаран злодей 😆
3,5⭐️
На втори прочит - все пак преоценката на миналото тук си струваше и май за първи път никой не беше изкаран злодей 😆
3,5⭐️
February 12, 2023
This is a Kindle Unlimited book about dysfunctional relationships between three fairly unlikeable people. The story focuses on the relationship of two sisters Tessa and Alli, and the man they both loved Sam. It’s all very J. Hawkins� Something in the Way like except shorter, and Alli is much more aggressive in gaining Sam’s affections. *The book starts with a weird dream sequence between the grandma (Phoebe) and her late husband. It doesn’t fit with the book blurb, so just go with it. *
Most of the conflict has happened prior to the book starting. We go in knowing these facts� Tessa and Sam were childhood sweethearts� they had a fight on Christmas because she chose to go model instead of coming home to him�. he got drunk and slept with Alli� Alli (18) became pregnant� Sam married Alli� Tessa left and has not been back in nine years.
At the beginning Alli has already asked Sam for a divorce (they are separated) because she can’t stand being second best anymore. Her and Sam have a good marriage, (loads of sex/faithful) but he has never told her he loves her, and refuses to have more children. She has always felt like she trapped him, and that he still had feelings for Tessa. Sam is shocked and angry that Alli is breaking their family up. He feels he has done everything to be a good hubs/father, and that Alli will never be satisfied. Meanwhile, Phoebe has a stroke forcing Tessa to return home in the midst of their marital strife.
The author stated that she tried to explore the idea of first love vs. deep long-lasting love. The problem for me was it was hard to find the “feelings� authentic or believable from characters that I didn’t really like. Tessa is portrayed as a catty, self-centered bitch. Alli is portrayed as an insecure, jealous brat. Sam is portrayed as a wimpy, dodgy coward.
Although, Sam doesn’t really act (he kisses her-no tongue) on anything with Tessa, and it’s clear his feelings are for Alli. He certainly is awfully wobbly; he avoids answering any questions of telling either one how he feels�. which got SO annoying� He’s still doing “soul searching� as to what he really wants up until the end. It’s all very The Bachelor� How is it deep true love if you are even having to “think� about it?
Then we have this sister element. These two don’t like each other at all, and didn’t even before Sam slept with Alli. They never say anything nice to or about each other. Tessa is aggressively pursuing Sam even though she hasn’t seen him in almost a decade. Then…poof…after one food fight, everything’s perfect. They love each other…all forgiven. Except Tessa still double checks just to make sure she doesn’t have a shot with Sam…sigh
The book is not all that long (384 pages) and it’s free so you really have nothing to lose. Everyone gets a HEA by the end.
Most of the conflict has happened prior to the book starting. We go in knowing these facts� Tessa and Sam were childhood sweethearts� they had a fight on Christmas because she chose to go model instead of coming home to him�. he got drunk and slept with Alli� Alli (18) became pregnant� Sam married Alli� Tessa left and has not been back in nine years.
At the beginning Alli has already asked Sam for a divorce (they are separated) because she can’t stand being second best anymore. Her and Sam have a good marriage, (loads of sex/faithful) but he has never told her he loves her, and refuses to have more children. She has always felt like she trapped him, and that he still had feelings for Tessa. Sam is shocked and angry that Alli is breaking their family up. He feels he has done everything to be a good hubs/father, and that Alli will never be satisfied. Meanwhile, Phoebe has a stroke forcing Tessa to return home in the midst of their marital strife.
The author stated that she tried to explore the idea of first love vs. deep long-lasting love. The problem for me was it was hard to find the “feelings� authentic or believable from characters that I didn’t really like. Tessa is portrayed as a catty, self-centered bitch. Alli is portrayed as an insecure, jealous brat. Sam is portrayed as a wimpy, dodgy coward.
Although, Sam doesn’t really act (he kisses her-no tongue) on anything with Tessa, and it’s clear his feelings are for Alli. He certainly is awfully wobbly; he avoids answering any questions of telling either one how he feels�. which got SO annoying� He’s still doing “soul searching� as to what he really wants up until the end. It’s all very The Bachelor� How is it deep true love if you are even having to “think� about it?
Then we have this sister element. These two don’t like each other at all, and didn’t even before Sam slept with Alli. They never say anything nice to or about each other. Tessa is aggressively pursuing Sam even though she hasn’t seen him in almost a decade. Then…poof…after one food fight, everything’s perfect. They love each other…all forgiven. Except Tessa still double checks just to make sure she doesn’t have a shot with Sam…sigh
The book is not all that long (384 pages) and it’s free so you really have nothing to lose. Everyone gets a HEA by the end.
January 6, 2021
Sweet divine. This should be a how to book on how to write pathetic characters.
OH my god the husband was just horrible and the sense of entitlement he felt he should 'explore' if he loved the other sister.
The grandmother handing him a trophy in the form of her pearls and telling him to give it to the woman he truly loved. Like they were prize pigs! How demeaning and then he just said I am coming home, I am moving in and I want another baby.
"I do know what I'm saying. You're the one who isn't listening. I don't love Tessa anymore. All these years I remembered her only as I knew her, but she's different. I'm different. So are you. We all grew up. We all grew into ourselves. Tessa and I don't belong together. Her life is not what I want. My life is not what she wants. We flirted with the possibility of what if, because of the way it all ended so abruptly. We never felt like we had a choice. But the truth is, we always had choices, and we made the right ones." gag!
And she breathlessly said oh yes yes please. Grrrrr
Go jump of a cliff Sam and grow a spine Allie, and Tessa don't be so full of yourself!!!
OH my god the husband was just horrible and the sense of entitlement he felt he should 'explore' if he loved the other sister.
The grandmother handing him a trophy in the form of her pearls and telling him to give it to the woman he truly loved. Like they were prize pigs! How demeaning and then he just said I am coming home, I am moving in and I want another baby.
"I do know what I'm saying. You're the one who isn't listening. I don't love Tessa anymore. All these years I remembered her only as I knew her, but she's different. I'm different. So are you. We all grew up. We all grew into ourselves. Tessa and I don't belong together. Her life is not what I want. My life is not what she wants. We flirted with the possibility of what if, because of the way it all ended so abruptly. We never felt like we had a choice. But the truth is, we always had choices, and we made the right ones." gag!
And she breathlessly said oh yes yes please. Grrrrr
Go jump of a cliff Sam and grow a spine Allie, and Tessa don't be so full of yourself!!!
September 27, 2020
Una historia bastante compleja que me atrapó desde el primer momento.
Hubo muchas escenas conmovedoras, personajes con personalidades muy complejas, los cuales luchan con el pasado y la forma en que afectó sus vidas.
No es el romance típico, pero la autora supo conquistarme con las diferentes historias de amor aqui contadas.
"You might think you can choose who you want to love, Sam, but that's not the way it works. Love chooses you."
"Time passes more quickly than we realize. I look back at all the things I should have said, should have done. Why didn't I?" He gave a regretful shake of his head. "Don't waste time, Sam. Not a second. You'll regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did, no matter what kind of a hash you made of them. Living is about doing, not watching, not waiting." He sat down in the chair next to Phoebe. "I should know. I've waited forever."
3.75 stars
Hubo muchas escenas conmovedoras, personajes con personalidades muy complejas, los cuales luchan con el pasado y la forma en que afectó sus vidas.
No es el romance típico, pero la autora supo conquistarme con las diferentes historias de amor aqui contadas.
"You might think you can choose who you want to love, Sam, but that's not the way it works. Love chooses you."
"Time passes more quickly than we realize. I look back at all the things I should have said, should have done. Why didn't I?" He gave a regretful shake of his head. "Don't waste time, Sam. Not a second. You'll regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did, no matter what kind of a hash you made of them. Living is about doing, not watching, not waiting." He sat down in the chair next to Phoebe. "I should know. I've waited forever."
3.75 stars
June 10, 2012
I liked this book way more than I thought I would! It was a pleasant surprise!
When Tessa's and Allie's parents die, they move to Tucker's Landing to be raised by their grandma, Phoebe. They both fall in love with the boy next door, Sam. He falls in love with Tessa, and they are inseparable. Not wanting to be left out, Allie tags along with them wherever they go. They both see Allie as an unwelcome pest.
When Sam and Tessa are 20 (and Allie is 18), Tessa leaves Sam at Christmastime for a modeling job she can't turn down. Sam's heart is broken and he confesses to Allie that he was going to propose to Tessa. He drinks way too much alcohol.... one thing leads to another.... Allie ends up pregnant. Sam and Allie get married, and now Tessa's heart is broken and she stays away from Tucker's Landing... which isn't too hard to do with her supermodel career.
Now it's 9 years later, and Allie is tired of loving a man who still thinks of her as his greatest mistake. Shocking Sam (who was sure Allie would adore him forever), she asks for a separation.
Three months into the separation, Phoebe has a stroke and a family friend notifies Tessa. Even though she has sworn not to return to Tucker's Landing, Tessa dearly loves her grandmother and comes to her side. She is shocked to discover that Sam and Allie are separated and she thinks she may have a second chance at love with Sam... the boy she could never forget!
Then a photographer she does a lot of work with shows up! Jimmy is one of those characters that added so much to the story. He takes pictures of Tessa and Allie and shows them to each other to force them to look at each other. As a photographer, he is able to read so much into what is happening to people. Even though he appears to be a hopeless flirt, he really has a lot of depth and understanding about what is happening to Tessa and Allie.
I think Sam and Allie got caught in patterns early in their marriage - and they each just kept playing their roles over the 9 years. Faced with a separation from Allie and the unexpected appearance of Tessa, Sam is forced to see them for the women they are today. Faced with an opportunity to sell his fishing business (that he never wanted, but inherited from his dad so he could support a family) and reunite with his first love (who he always thought he wanted), he discovers that happiness comes in unexpected ways sometimes...
When Tessa's and Allie's parents die, they move to Tucker's Landing to be raised by their grandma, Phoebe. They both fall in love with the boy next door, Sam. He falls in love with Tessa, and they are inseparable. Not wanting to be left out, Allie tags along with them wherever they go. They both see Allie as an unwelcome pest.
When Sam and Tessa are 20 (and Allie is 18), Tessa leaves Sam at Christmastime for a modeling job she can't turn down. Sam's heart is broken and he confesses to Allie that he was going to propose to Tessa. He drinks way too much alcohol.... one thing leads to another.... Allie ends up pregnant. Sam and Allie get married, and now Tessa's heart is broken and she stays away from Tucker's Landing... which isn't too hard to do with her supermodel career.
Now it's 9 years later, and Allie is tired of loving a man who still thinks of her as his greatest mistake. Shocking Sam (who was sure Allie would adore him forever), she asks for a separation.
Three months into the separation, Phoebe has a stroke and a family friend notifies Tessa. Even though she has sworn not to return to Tucker's Landing, Tessa dearly loves her grandmother and comes to her side. She is shocked to discover that Sam and Allie are separated and she thinks she may have a second chance at love with Sam... the boy she could never forget!
Then a photographer she does a lot of work with shows up! Jimmy is one of those characters that added so much to the story. He takes pictures of Tessa and Allie and shows them to each other to force them to look at each other. As a photographer, he is able to read so much into what is happening to people. Even though he appears to be a hopeless flirt, he really has a lot of depth and understanding about what is happening to Tessa and Allie.
I think Sam and Allie got caught in patterns early in their marriage - and they each just kept playing their roles over the 9 years. Faced with a separation from Allie and the unexpected appearance of Tessa, Sam is forced to see them for the women they are today. Faced with an opportunity to sell his fishing business (that he never wanted, but inherited from his dad so he could support a family) and reunite with his first love (who he always thought he wanted), he discovers that happiness comes in unexpected ways sometimes...
July 26, 2022
It is good because it is good.
Very professional explanation.
I mean, it was very well written and interesting even if the plot is not really original but it's the pOV that is original
Actually we have the story of the other woman, the woman who tries to break up the hero and his fiancee and is in this case succeeds.
What is worse is that the woman who was with the hero is heroine's sister.
She was away from home because she had an assignment as a model and the hero got drunk and had sex with her sister- her younger sister, who got pregnant.
Then he marries her and has a daughter with her but after some years she still doesn't feel he loves her.
But don't tell me.
They haven't seen the heroine for years since she never came back home.
Then the sister comes back home because their grandma has a stroke and the heroine is afraid she and the hero will get back together again.
The hero is no good because he held a grudge and thought he lost the love of his life and yes, he's still carrying a torch for his lost love.
They meet again and the sister tries to win him back but the hero is a lil confused.
His ex, now sister in law, lost some of the appeal she had years before and he understands that what he felt for her was an infatuation while he feels true love for the heroine.
This is why he never wanted any other children with her right?
I liked the book because it was angsty, the heroine was really a ow, but I didn't like how the hero behaved.
He married her but kept on pining for his sister in love, never really moving on.
There's also a very angsty part where the heroine finds some pictures of her sister in the hero's drawer and she thinks he's never stopped loving her.
There's also a kiss between the sister and the hero that I didn't just liked.
They were both guilty.
They were very selfish so I didn't feel sorry for them and I wasn't agry with the heroine even if I didn't like her very much too.
She was a loser, too much attached to the hero who never loved her (no matter what he said to her the fact was that he never loved her and married only for their daughter)
I think that the only good character in this book was om/ photographer who was in love with sister in law and eventually married her.
The other people were all very bad and deserved all their issues.
Very professional explanation.
I mean, it was very well written and interesting even if the plot is not really original but it's the pOV that is original
Actually we have the story of the other woman, the woman who tries to break up the hero and his fiancee and is in this case succeeds.
What is worse is that the woman who was with the hero is heroine's sister.
She was away from home because she had an assignment as a model and the hero got drunk and had sex with her sister- her younger sister, who got pregnant.
Then he marries her and has a daughter with her but after some years she still doesn't feel he loves her.
But don't tell me.
They haven't seen the heroine for years since she never came back home.
Then the sister comes back home because their grandma has a stroke and the heroine is afraid she and the hero will get back together again.
The hero is no good because he held a grudge and thought he lost the love of his life and yes, he's still carrying a torch for his lost love.
They meet again and the sister tries to win him back but the hero is a lil confused.
His ex, now sister in law, lost some of the appeal she had years before and he understands that what he felt for her was an infatuation while he feels true love for the heroine.
This is why he never wanted any other children with her right?
I liked the book because it was angsty, the heroine was really a ow, but I didn't like how the hero behaved.
He married her but kept on pining for his sister in love, never really moving on.
There's also a very angsty part where the heroine finds some pictures of her sister in the hero's drawer and she thinks he's never stopped loving her.
There's also a kiss between the sister and the hero that I didn't just liked.
They were both guilty.
They were very selfish so I didn't feel sorry for them and I wasn't agry with the heroine even if I didn't like her very much too.
She was a loser, too much attached to the hero who never loved her (no matter what he said to her the fact was that he never loved her and married only for their daughter)
I think that the only good character in this book was om/ photographer who was in love with sister in law and eventually married her.
The other people were all very bad and deserved all their issues.
January 28, 2011
4,5 stars....
duuuh pas banget deh judulnya...mana gw lagi demen2nya sama lagu Bruno Mars...
And when you smile..
The whole world stops and stares for awhile..
Cause girl you're amazing..
Just the way you are..
Alli dan Sam udah nikah selama 9 tahun bahkan mereka dah punya seorang anak perempuan imut bernama Megan...tadinya sih pernikahan mereka baik2 aja tapi semua berubah pas suatu ketika Allie nemuin kotak tersembunyi di mejanya Sam...ternyata di dalem kotak itu isinya kliping2 tentang Tessa...dan itu bikin Alli syok berat...
siapakah Tessa? Tessa itu kakak perempuan Allie sekaligus cinta pertama Sam...9 tahun lalu pas malem natal Sam sebenernya berencana ngelamar Tessa,tapi Tessa lebih milih pergi ke Aspen karena dia ada kerjaan jadi model disana..yaudah deh,si Sam sedih dan mabok...
nah datenglah si Alli buat ngehibur...berhubung Alli emang naksir berat sama si Sam jreng jreng.....terjadilah hal yang diinginkan Alli...hmpfh
apakah yang terjadi kemudian? yup bisa ditebak....si Alli hamil...dan si Sam terus ya nikahin dia...dalam usia yang masih tergolong muda(Alli 18 taun dan Sam 20 taun), mereka mulai ngejalanin pernikahan itu dan ngebesarin Megan bareng2..
terus Tessa nya kemana dong? jiaaaaah pake nanya....ya jelas aja Tessa nya ngamuk...merasa dikhianati...kabur dan ga pernah balik ke kampung halamannya selama 9 taun....trus jadi model terkenal yang banyak nongol di majalah...
itu kan cerita dulu...trus sekarang gimana? hmmmmm...*mikir*
jadi gini...balik lagi nih ke 9 taun kemudian...
karena oma Phoebe kena stroke,Tessa pun kembali ke kampung halamannya...
Alli ga siap ketemu Tessa dan merasa insecure...dia yakin kalau Sam masih cinta sama Tessa karena selama 9 taun pernikahan,Sam sekali pun ga pernah bilang cinta ke dia..
Sam juga bimbang bener apa bener dia masih cinta sama Tessa..
Tessa pun masih menyimpan benci sama Alli sekaligus harapan bisa balikan lagi sama Sam...
dari tadi muter2...jadi inti ceritanya apaan nih?
ceritanya sih ga cuman tentang cinta2an aja tapi juga cerita tentang keluarga....
gimana dua orang kakak adik yang karena seorang pria bisa tiba-tiba kaya orang asing dan saling musuhan...
sepasang orang tua yang sayang banget sama anak perempuannya dan berusaha setengah mati bikin anaknya bahagia walaupun sebenernya mereka di ambang perceraian...
seorang tante, yang selama 9 tahun ga pernah ngeliat keponakannya tau2 pas ketemu ternyata keponakannya itu memuja dia setengah mati...
seorang istri yang selama 9 tahun cinta setengah mati sama suaminya...setelah tau kalo cinta pertama suaminya balik,merasa bahwa itu saatnya buat ngerelain suaminya pergi...
seorang suami,yang selama 9 tahun ga pernah nyadar kalau dia selama ini udah jatuh cinta sama istrinya...pas mau dicerain dan ngerasa kehilangan baru deh mulai merasa kalau istrinya tu ternyata cantik (kemane aje selama ini bang???)
kaya lagunya si Bruno..Oh her eyes, her eyes..Make the stars look like they're not shining..Her hair, her hair..Falls perfectly without her trying..She's so beautiful..
dan tentu aja seorang oma yang dengan usahanya berusaha memperbaiki hubungan persaudaraan antara kakak dan adik yang putus....
trus endingnya gimana dong? jiaaaaah pake nanya(lagi)..pastinya hepi ending dong...kalo ga gw bisa ngamuk2 karena waktu baca gw selama 3 jam bisa sia-sia belaka kalo endingnya bikin sakit ati.....hmpfh
duuuh pas banget deh judulnya...mana gw lagi demen2nya sama lagu Bruno Mars...
And when you smile..
The whole world stops and stares for awhile..
Cause girl you're amazing..
Just the way you are..
Alli dan Sam udah nikah selama 9 tahun bahkan mereka dah punya seorang anak perempuan imut bernama Megan...tadinya sih pernikahan mereka baik2 aja tapi semua berubah pas suatu ketika Allie nemuin kotak tersembunyi di mejanya Sam...ternyata di dalem kotak itu isinya kliping2 tentang Tessa...dan itu bikin Alli syok berat...
siapakah Tessa? Tessa itu kakak perempuan Allie sekaligus cinta pertama Sam...9 tahun lalu pas malem natal Sam sebenernya berencana ngelamar Tessa,tapi Tessa lebih milih pergi ke Aspen karena dia ada kerjaan jadi model disana..yaudah deh,si Sam sedih dan mabok...
nah datenglah si Alli buat ngehibur...berhubung Alli emang naksir berat sama si Sam jreng jreng.....terjadilah hal yang diinginkan Alli...hmpfh
apakah yang terjadi kemudian? yup bisa ditebak....si Alli hamil...dan si Sam terus ya nikahin dia...dalam usia yang masih tergolong muda(Alli 18 taun dan Sam 20 taun), mereka mulai ngejalanin pernikahan itu dan ngebesarin Megan bareng2..
terus Tessa nya kemana dong? jiaaaaah pake nanya....ya jelas aja Tessa nya ngamuk...merasa dikhianati...kabur dan ga pernah balik ke kampung halamannya selama 9 taun....trus jadi model terkenal yang banyak nongol di majalah...
itu kan cerita dulu...trus sekarang gimana? hmmmmm...*mikir*
jadi gini...balik lagi nih ke 9 taun kemudian...
karena oma Phoebe kena stroke,Tessa pun kembali ke kampung halamannya...
Alli ga siap ketemu Tessa dan merasa insecure...dia yakin kalau Sam masih cinta sama Tessa karena selama 9 taun pernikahan,Sam sekali pun ga pernah bilang cinta ke dia..
Sam juga bimbang bener apa bener dia masih cinta sama Tessa..
Tessa pun masih menyimpan benci sama Alli sekaligus harapan bisa balikan lagi sama Sam...
dari tadi muter2...jadi inti ceritanya apaan nih?
ceritanya sih ga cuman tentang cinta2an aja tapi juga cerita tentang keluarga....
gimana dua orang kakak adik yang karena seorang pria bisa tiba-tiba kaya orang asing dan saling musuhan...
sepasang orang tua yang sayang banget sama anak perempuannya dan berusaha setengah mati bikin anaknya bahagia walaupun sebenernya mereka di ambang perceraian...
seorang tante, yang selama 9 tahun ga pernah ngeliat keponakannya tau2 pas ketemu ternyata keponakannya itu memuja dia setengah mati...
seorang istri yang selama 9 tahun cinta setengah mati sama suaminya...setelah tau kalo cinta pertama suaminya balik,merasa bahwa itu saatnya buat ngerelain suaminya pergi...
seorang suami,yang selama 9 tahun ga pernah nyadar kalau dia selama ini udah jatuh cinta sama istrinya...pas mau dicerain dan ngerasa kehilangan baru deh mulai merasa kalau istrinya tu ternyata cantik (kemane aje selama ini bang???)
kaya lagunya si Bruno..Oh her eyes, her eyes..Make the stars look like they're not shining..Her hair, her hair..Falls perfectly without her trying..She's so beautiful..
dan tentu aja seorang oma yang dengan usahanya berusaha memperbaiki hubungan persaudaraan antara kakak dan adik yang putus....
trus endingnya gimana dong? jiaaaaah pake nanya(lagi)..pastinya hepi ending dong...kalo ga gw bisa ngamuk2 karena waktu baca gw selama 3 jam bisa sia-sia belaka kalo endingnya bikin sakit ati.....hmpfh
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2013
That was... Painful. At first I felt bad for Alli because come on spending nine years in a love less marriage that's gotta suck but then you realize she brought it upon herself and was never happy with what she had and found ways to blame her unhappiness on everyone else. Sam didn't sound like much he used her for sex and got stuck when Tessa came back he knew he wasn't going to be enough for her he decided to tell Alli things she wanted to hear pretty sure he just didn't want to be alone in life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2019
This story started off a bit slow, but I was riveted by this family drama. Sam still mourned his first love for Tessa, but he was married to her sister and had a daughter with her naow.
Alli had always loved Sam, but he'd only ever had eyes for beauty queen Tessa.
Tessa had the world at her feet and she chose fame and fortune over Sam, and Sam had turned to the very willing Alli for consolation. When Tessa and Alli's grandmother has a stroke, both women are forced to come to terms with the past. Alli is divorcing Sam, wanting to make amends and tired of being the only one in love in her marriage. She wants better for herself. Sam is torn: one part of him wants to keep his family together, but the other part has always held something back from his marriage, always wondering what might have been.
The second half of this story was truly well done. What a great ending!
Alli had always loved Sam, but he'd only ever had eyes for beauty queen Tessa.
Tessa had the world at her feet and she chose fame and fortune over Sam, and Sam had turned to the very willing Alli for consolation. When Tessa and Alli's grandmother has a stroke, both women are forced to come to terms with the past. Alli is divorcing Sam, wanting to make amends and tired of being the only one in love in her marriage. She wants better for herself. Sam is torn: one part of him wants to keep his family together, but the other part has always held something back from his marriage, always wondering what might have been.
The second half of this story was truly well done. What a great ending!
July 23, 2013
Really loved the angst in the book, Liked Alli, didn't like Tessa and was not that fond of Sam....spoilers
I had issues with how Alli was to blame for the pregnancy (takes two) and his choosing to marry her and pissed about him purposely mistreating her more or less the entire marriage punishing her for his sleeping iwth her and getting pregnant....and then using her for his sexual release while withholding the L word and wearing a condom EVERYTIME they had sex... I liked the begining of his redemption ...but nowhere was he near groveling enough for his behavior.... as he was not the victim in this in any manner and i never felt sorry for Tessa either she came across as selfish and vain and about as lovely as a rattlesnake and this person was the love of his life....? Alli did sleep with him AFTER her sister chose to NOT be with him and lets be honest... poor little supermodel is not the most sympathetic character especially with her nasty attitude.
I had issues with how Alli was to blame for the pregnancy (takes two) and his choosing to marry her and pissed about him purposely mistreating her more or less the entire marriage punishing her for his sleeping iwth her and getting pregnant....and then using her for his sexual release while withholding the L word and wearing a condom EVERYTIME they had sex... I liked the begining of his redemption ...but nowhere was he near groveling enough for his behavior.... as he was not the victim in this in any manner and i never felt sorry for Tessa either she came across as selfish and vain and about as lovely as a rattlesnake and this person was the love of his life....? Alli did sleep with him AFTER her sister chose to NOT be with him and lets be honest... poor little supermodel is not the most sympathetic character especially with her nasty attitude.
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