Review: Sweet and Heartbreaking
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 22, 2014
If Only by AJ Pine is a new adult contemporary romance. But don’t let the fact that this book is a NA romance keep you from reading it if that’s not your genre of choice. Because this book is good – really good – and you will enjoy it.The book follows Jordan Brooks, a twenty-year-old college student studying English literature for a year in Aberdeen, Scotland. She is there not only to enjoy her favorite books in their natural setting, but also to try to break out of her shell and live life up a bit while she is away. Life grabs a hold of her on the train ride from London to Aberdeen and doesn’t let her go for the year she’s abroad.Jordan meets two men on the train – Griffin and Noah. She connects with both in different ways and as she navigates the streets of her new home she must also navigate the tricky corners of a love – well, not a triangle, really – more like a parallelogram. It’s complicated.The complications are what AJ Pine writes so well in this novel. Nothing is cut and dried, no one is perfect, and the flaws that drive Jordan insane with pleasure one minute have her gnashing her teeth the next. While the story deals with a lot of up and down emotion, they are never overdone and are mostly believable and relatable. I was able to feel good and bad for everyone involved which is a neat trick for a new adult romance (where over-the-top emotions and poor decision making usually drive me crazy).Jordan is a likable girl, despite her flaws. She has a decent head on her shoulders and is in love with English as much as anything. The books mentioned in this novel are terrific, and her and Noah’s relationships with the classic pieces add depth and enjoyment to the story as a whole. You can’t not love a boy who carries a copy of The Great Gatsby around in his back pocket.And speaking of the boy (I won’t spoil which one is Jordan’s main focus), he was delightful. Infuriating and frustrating at times, but also completely adorable and sweet.I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys NA, English literature, and/or the conflict of having to choose between love(r)s. It is well written and edited.Favorite Quote:“I think we both know that sex could be a game changer for our situation. Maybe there will be a cosmic sign, a new constellation that will form just to let me know tonight is the night. Until then, I’ll keep checking the skies.”