Review: Sweet story about a second chance at first love
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 27, 2014
This Time Around was the first book I had read by Ellie Grace, so I had no idea what to expect. Before starting this book, I’d been reading a lot of dark and damaged love stories so this book was a much needed breath of fresh air. This is such a sweet story, a hearts and flowers kind of love. This Time Around is a story about a second chance at love. Nora and Jake fell in love in high school, until Jake broke Nora’s heart. She leaves for college in New York City and never looks back. Four years later, her best friend from high school, Susie, is getting married to Ethan, Jake’s best friend. As Susie’s maid of honor, she has no choice but to head home and face the love she left behind.Nora and Jake are all grown up and living completely different lives, but their love still burns hot underneath all the pain and anger they both carry. I really liked them both as characters, but I liked them together so much more. They complemented each other. I enjoyed watching the characters both grow in each other’s presence. These two weren’t necessarily opposites in every way, but they made each other better. I enjoyed seeing their transformations. We get to see the characters in many different settings, which allowed me to really understand and feel their dynamic. Seeing their relationship juxtaposed with Susie and Ethan’s added a lot to the story as well. Since Susie and Ethan had been together since high school, we got a glimpse into how it could have been for Nora and Jake. Overall I thought this was a great, sweet story of defining yourself and getting a second chance at love. This Time Around will make you smile and leave you with a warm and fuzzy feeling.