Review: 4.5* Review, a great read.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 17, 2014
Julia has been in love with Michael all through high school, when finally at the Senior Prom he notices her she can't believe her luck. However, Michael gets what he wants from Julia he ignores her calls and texts.Julia spends a lot of her free time writing, composing and thinking in the woods near her home at "her old oak tree". During some bad weather Julia has been for a run in the forest when she sees someone laying on the ground near a motorbike. She recognises the bike as Michael's. She goes over and Michael wakes says her name before falling unconscious again. Julia phones for an ambulance.After Michael is released from hospital, he appears to only have eyes for Julia. Julia notices that Michael refers to himself in third person sometimes and that he seems to have completely changed, she puts it down to his near death experience. Michael confesses his love for Julia and seems to have lost all of his arrogance.Julia is wary of trusting Michael after their past encounter, but he eventually gains her trust and she gives in to her love for him. Michael begins to feel more and more frequently. Julia questions his behaviour and her fears come back with vengeance.What will happen to Michael? Is Julia about to have her heart broken again after finding such a pure love?Its an interesting and engrossing plot, and has intriguing characters too. This is my first; but not my last; Jen Minkman novel, I was hooked from page 1.I felt like I was right alongside Julia through her happiness, her anguish and her heartbreak. I had tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat a few times too.At first I thought Michael was a complete jerk! After his accident and seeing how he had changed, made my opinion of him change too. I won't say more on Michael because I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read the book yet. Julia is a hard working, straight forward, honest and caring young woman.I loved everything about this book; except for the part of Anne being in the woods. Only due to the reason that Anne is there, which I found to be a little disturbing, however that said, the topic was extremely well written and handled.I found the setting of the book; Austria: to be a refreshing change from the US and UK.Overall I think that Jen Minkman has managed to write a great book with a couple of plot twists, which is beautifully written and touching throughout.I strongly recommend giving this book a read and I give it a 4.5* rating.