And by church I mean the church of love.
Reading this book, and receiving it as an ARC, was very emotional for me. Since I first discovered LJ's books a few years ago, I have been a huge fan of her writing, and an even bigger fan of her as a human being.
Knowing that this book would be her last on the docket so to speak, while she rightly takes care of her beloved husband as they navigate this new stage of health and life for him was so very bittersweet. I look forward to her books like a kid on Christmas morning. I devour the book and then I'm immediately counting down until I can read her next book and get caught back up with the characters she has made me know and love. Andie and Cooper gave me major Rafe and Sadie vibes. (The Last Dance you saved) and I would say now I have to re read their book but let's be real, I'm gonna go all the way back to M&M (The last one you loved) and start the whole Hatley series over again.
So knowing that this book might be it for awhile and how hard that also has to be on her, just made it very emotional for me. I've also had to give up a lot with my poor health over this past year so I get it. I get the pain and the loss. So I was thrilled to finally have my hands on this book and get to read Andie and Cooper's love story, but oh did it make me so emotional.
I realized something as I was reading this book, and as I type this review I'm trying (and failing) to blind back the tears. But one of, if not the thing I love most about LJ's writing is that she writes real life characters. That's what makes you connect so much with her writing because they actually aren't even characters, they are like real life people, with real life problems and feelings and emotions and issues. You fall in love with the people she writes about because they have the same problems you have in your own life. (Ok well most of us might not have crazy stalkers or people trying to off us, but you get what I mean.)
Not only are the characters in her books real, and face things that the rest of us face, but they always choose love. Sometimes it takes them a bit to get it, in Andie and Cooper's case they caught on quickly and I was thankful for that. HA!
But in reality, in all of LJ's books, when the characters fall in love and find their person, they keep choosing them. When it's hard. When it's ugly. When it's painful. When you might want to give up. When it's scary. When you're just not sure if you can do it but you have faith and hope, and you love this person so much that you will fight to love them. You will choose the scary thing, time and time again, if only just to have a life with that person, no matter how short or long it may be. You keep choosing and showing up for your person. Andie and Cooper gave me major Rafe and Sadie vibes. (The Last Dance you saved)
Getting back to what I realized. I realized that in all of the books that LJ has written, she has written about choosing the other person and loving them well even when it's hard and even when it hurts. The thing is, LJ hasn't just written that. The stories she tells and the characters she writes-She has lived that out and continues to live it out with her husband and his health battles this year. It's not just words on a page for LJ, she literally is pouring her heart and soul and the essence of who she is into her books. She's teaching us, taking us to church, showing us how to love someone, and love them well. Just as she does it in real life. I don't quite have words to adequately convey this, (I'm clearly not an Author!) so I hope it comes across, but it is a stunningly beautiful thing to see.
LJ is not just a wonderful writer but she is a incredible human being. I am so glad that I stumbled across her books years ago, and have had the privilege to read (and re read) them and have even gotten to exchange some emails with her. Because again, she is a phenomenal human being.
I know this has turned into less of a book review and more of an I'm the #1 fan of LJ Evans and you should read every single thing she's even written because they are all bangers.
This book was beautiful and romantic and funny, and even had the suspense that I love. I did guess one of the bad people, but not all of them, and I was taken aback at the end, which always delights my little Nancy Drew self.
LJ always has a playlist for her books, and has shared how much music inspires her. As a musician and former music teacher, I love that and also have music on the brain for basically every aspect of my life.
When I got this book the song that came to mind was Boyz II Men "End of the Road"
"Although we've come to the end of the road
Still, I can't let goIt's unnatural, you belong to me, I belong to you
Come to the end of the road
Still, I can't let go
It's unnatural, you belong to me, I belong to you"
While I hope and pray that this isn't the end of the road for her writing, and I also hope that this chorus doesn't throw me into the creepy stalker category. The Swift Rivers Trilogy is over. But I have hope, and prayers that this isn't the end of the stories that LJ has to share with us. After all, isn't that what she has been teaching us all along?
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