There are first loves and there are last loves. But what happens when they overlap?
Tom Blythe falls in love quickly. He fell for Olivia the first time they met. The same thing happens when he meets Grace. The problem is: Tom is still in love with Olivia.
Pulled in two different directions, Tom has a choice to make. He knows he’s unhappy, but is that enough for him to forget the vows he made? Both women have difficult pasts and Tom is desperate to help them, but at what cost?
Can he let Olivia go and commit his future to Grace? Or will the pull of the past prove too strong? (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)
Tom and Olivia’s love story reminded me of the classic college sweethearts experience, where two people who have known each other for several years and were young during their initial courtship and relationship, grow older and can in turn, grow apart. After children and jobs and responsibilities, life doesn’t feel like it once did, and Tom finds himself within a crossroads. As the synopsis indicates, he is still very much in love with Olivia–she’s been all he’s known for so long. Yet, after meeting Grace, he develops feelings for her, too, and it’s a difficult situation, considering he’s never believed that a person can love more than one person at the same time.
What I appreciated about Unforgettable was the honest portrayal of a changed marriage. Tom isn’t written to be a villain; instead, he’s written to be a man who respects his wife and family, and will do whatever he can to maintain that, even if it means potentially living an unhappy life. That’s where the reader begins to struggle–is it wrong for Tom to love Grace, too? Doesn’t he deserve happiness, too? I went back and forth on what was best for Tom and who Tom should be with, if he should try harder to have a better relationship with his wife, or maybe they’d come to a point where it wouldn’t be possible. I felt just as confused and unsettled as Tom does!
The only thing I think I would have wanted to gain a better understanding of, would be how Tom is able to spend so much time with Grace, with very little show from Olivia. Tom and Grace embark on an extracurricular activity that keeps him from home many nights/evenings, and I kept thinking, “Where is Olivia during all of this?” I’d imagine if my spouse were gone most nights, I’d probably question that, at some point. We find out later why that is, but it might have been more helpful to introduce that earlier in the story, so Tom’s time with Grace would feel more realistic. Other than that, though, I enjoyed the smooth emotional wave that takes Tom through two different timeframes, back and forth, from Olivia to Grace, until it all melds together, leading to Tom’s eventual need to make a decision that is based on matters of the heart, for all involved.
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.
Giveaway to win a signed paperback copy or a kindle version of Unforgettable (UK Only)
1 comment:
Sounds like a good story.
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