Review: A realistic take on romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 11, 2014
*Received an ARC for a blog tour in exchange for an honest review.*Originally posted on All in a Book. Visit the page to enter a giveaway!Bird After Bird is a real take on romance—Wren and Laurie are recovering from tragedies in their past, when they meet and find the encouragement to move on in each other.Wren is the kind of character we all understand at some point—she's driven to a fault and determined to move away from her start in life. But a letter from her recently-deceased father serves to change all that. Suddenly her priorities aren't so clear-cut and she finds herself reliving the past. Which is how she comes across Laurie.Laurie is a little bit like the puppies he raises in the best way. He's so kind, honest, and loving that you can't help but swoon. Bad boys are great and all, but Laurie is really and truly the kind of guy that's going to be a rock—constant, upfront, and ever-considerate.Really, the best word to describe the whole story is sweet. These are two characters who are good people and overall good to each other (with the exception of a period of running-scared-ness). While angst and tension are nice, there's definitely something to be said for two people who are up-front about how they feel about each other and not constantly fighting what they want. Sure, Wren was a little misguided and unwilling to compromise at times, but it was never in the context of her lack of feelings for Laurie. And I really loved that.Wren's story also really made me want to call my dad, but I'm a sap like that. The glimpse into her relationship with her late father is so heartfelt, honest, and beautiful that it rivaled Wren and Laurie's relationship in terms of my investment in it. The passages from their "bird book" served to ground the story and give it solid continuity throughout, which really helped keep the location changes smooth. And they also seriously brought the daddy/daughter feels.Bird After Bird is an enjoyable, sweet romance with likable characters that will keep you interested from start to finish!