Author: Isabelle Broom
Series: Standalone
Genre: Romance
Publisher: Penguin
Release Date: 23 August 2018
I saw this pop up on my Netgallery dashboard and knew I had to request it. I’ve only read one other book by Isabelle Broom and compelely fell in love, so I was hoping it would be the same with this book. I wasn’t wrong!
The book follows best friends Alice, Maureen and Steph, who after all turning 30 within three consecutive days, decided to celebrate with a once in a life time trip to Sri Lanka. This is exactly the kind of adventure that Alice is craving. After an accident when she was younger led her to leading a more protective kind of life style she has since found her life has become a routine. She has a steady job, boyfriend, and a very over protective mother, but she feels stifled.
Max is ready for his next adventure. After a devasting injury, he is determined to prove himself and prove that there is more beyond the man with the disability. Escaping his smoothering family, he too books a once in a life time trip to Sri Lanka, craving adventure. When Alice meets Max, she is instantly drawn to him. This beautiful and emotional journey will see both of them discover who they truly are, and realise that sometimes people come into your life just at the right time and when you least expect it, and these are the people that you need to hold on to.
This book is a heart warming journey from start to finish and will have you hooked from the very first page. I really related with Alice and her struggles as she tried to please everyone whilst ultimately sacrificing her own happiness in the process. I liked her character development through the book, and I felt a burst of emotion when she realised that it was up to her how she lived her life, and she would have to live with the decisions she makes. Escaping the routine of her every day life, truly helped her see more clearly.
I aboultely adored Max. He was such a kind and genuine person and my heart broke when you discovered how he sustained his injury.
A big surprise for me was how my feelings for Alice’s mom changed towards the end. I think I resented her throughout the beginning of the book for trying to change Alice and for being too overprotective. But, when Alice and Freddie both confronted her and she explained her reasons, I really emphasised with her. She is a mother who watched her daughter experience a horrifying injury, and it’s only natural for her to feel protective.
Isabelle Broom is a fantastic author and I really enjoy her writing style. I think what I enjoyed most about this book, is how she allowed the relationship between Alice and Max develop. It didn’t feel rushed or forced, and they really connected from the moment they laid eyes on each other. I liked how both characters challenged each other and weren’t afraid to tell each other their thoughts when they thought they were in the wrong.
The way Isabelle Broom describes places is amazing, and I am sat here contemplating booking a ticket to Sri Lanka right now. It was never a place that really interested me, but the more I read about it in this book, the more I wanted to go, it has now been added to my bucket list.
Make sure you have a box of tissues beside you when reading because if you’re anything like me, you’re bound to shed a few tears! I rate this book five out of five stars, and I would hope all romance fans would go and pre-order this book.
Gina’s Bookshelf 