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The Love Market
When a marriage ends and a first love reappears, Celine Lewis is about to find out that moving on is as complicated as going back.
Three years after seeing her first love, Patrick, quite by chance in London, Celine's ten-year marriage to Mike is over. She is running her own business, a professional matchmaking service called The Love Market, in Northern England, and coping with the unanticipated heartbreak of a marriage ending - not to mention her quirky twelve-year-old daughter who blames her for the split.
Then, out of the blue, Patrick emails. Celine is tempted to find out if all the old feelings can still possibly be there, but then Mike has an unusual proposition for her. One that forces her to question whether a divorce really means it's over.
Three years after seeing her first love, Patrick, quite by chance in London, Celine's ten-year marriage to Mike is over. She is running her own business, a professional matchmaking service called The Love Market, in Northern England, and coping with the unanticipated heartbreak of a marriage ending - not to mention her quirky twelve-year-old daughter who blames her for the split.
Then, out of the blue, Patrick emails. Celine is tempted to find out if all the old feelings can still possibly be there, but then Mike has an unusual proposition for her. One that forces her to question whether a divorce really means it's over.
231 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
1014 people are currently reading
2419 people want to read
About the author
Carol Mason
31 books411 followersI am the Kindle #1 and Amazon Charts bestselling author of After You left, The Secrets of Married Women, The Last Time We Met, Send Me A Lover. and The Shadow Between Us. My brand new novel, LITTLE WHITE SECRETS, publishes May 1, 2020 but for the month of April it's an Amazon First Reads pick, so if you have Amazon Prime you can download it free! (if not, it's still on sale for $1.99 through April).
Please feel free to follow me on Amazon to be notified when I have a new release. https://amzn.to/2QrkK4W
Come friend me on Facebook or like my author page as I love interacting on there! https://www.facebook.com/CarolMasonAu...
I always enjoy getting comments about my books (especially lovely ones!), and am always willing to attend your book club or do a phone conference if you'd like to have me.
If you read my books and enjoy them, do consider taking a moment to leave a review on Amazon too. It can be very short if you want, but I cannot stress how important reviews are for authors.. If you have left a review already, then thanks so much!
Wishing you many happy hours of reading! Best wishes, from Carol.
Please feel free to follow me on Amazon to be notified when I have a new release. https://amzn.to/2QrkK4W
Come friend me on Facebook or like my author page as I love interacting on there! https://www.facebook.com/CarolMasonAu...
I always enjoy getting comments about my books (especially lovely ones!), and am always willing to attend your book club or do a phone conference if you'd like to have me.
If you read my books and enjoy them, do consider taking a moment to leave a review on Amazon too. It can be very short if you want, but I cannot stress how important reviews are for authors.. If you have left a review already, then thanks so much!
Wishing you many happy hours of reading! Best wishes, from Carol.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
November 27, 2018
I'm sure we’ve all been there before = that first love that got away. Combine that with the uncertainty of divorcing the only other man you’ve loved who is also the father of your child and you’ve got The Last Time We Met. Celine and her exhusband Mike are now officially divorced except Celine keeps wondering if she made a mistake letting Mike go. He was a faithful and supportive companion of many years yet she never truly felt like she was in love with him. Certainly not like her first true love Patrick who she met in Vietnam when she was 21 years old. She only had a few days with Patrick before he walked out the door, never to be seen again, yet Celine can’t stop thinking about him...wondering if he was the one that got away? 15 years later, Patrick is about to re-enter her life. Will this time be different or was their romance best left in the past?
The story navigates between some awkward and poignant scenes. The author compares that exciting instant attraction kind of love with dependable, deep friendship love. Is it better to be with someone predictable and who loves you to the moon and back, or is it better to play for all the marbles and risk your heart being hurt? There is a whole cast of characters that seem to revolve around Celine including her 11 year old daughter, her step sister, her quirky father and a variety of clients who are also looking for love through Celine’s high end matchmaking business, The Love Market. To be honest, I found the array of characters to be too much distraction as they didn’t seem to add much to the story. I was very taken with Patrick and Celine’s romance and wished the story had focused exclusively on that as well as Celine’s marriage with Mike. I could sense Celine’s impossible decision and her residual feelings for both men, BUT I WANTED MORE! The uncertainty of who Celine would end up with, if anyone, was the heart of the story. A more developed background into each of her relationships and the past and present emotions attached would have made this book 5 stars for me.
Despite its shortcomings, this is a solid piece of chick lit. If you’re looking for something heartwarming, I would suggest giving it a go. It moves at a decent pace. If you enjoy dysfunctional characters trying to sort through love to find THE ONE, this is the book for you.
Thank you to publisher for an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story navigates between some awkward and poignant scenes. The author compares that exciting instant attraction kind of love with dependable, deep friendship love. Is it better to be with someone predictable and who loves you to the moon and back, or is it better to play for all the marbles and risk your heart being hurt? There is a whole cast of characters that seem to revolve around Celine including her 11 year old daughter, her step sister, her quirky father and a variety of clients who are also looking for love through Celine’s high end matchmaking business, The Love Market. To be honest, I found the array of characters to be too much distraction as they didn’t seem to add much to the story. I was very taken with Patrick and Celine’s romance and wished the story had focused exclusively on that as well as Celine’s marriage with Mike. I could sense Celine’s impossible decision and her residual feelings for both men, BUT I WANTED MORE! The uncertainty of who Celine would end up with, if anyone, was the heart of the story. A more developed background into each of her relationships and the past and present emotions attached would have made this book 5 stars for me.
Despite its shortcomings, this is a solid piece of chick lit. If you’re looking for something heartwarming, I would suggest giving it a go. It moves at a decent pace. If you enjoy dysfunctional characters trying to sort through love to find THE ONE, this is the book for you.
Thank you to publisher for an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 26, 2014
As I was reading this book, a strange feeling overwhelmed me: I couldn't wait to review it. I couldn't wait to share it with others. In fact, I opened up a blank Notepad file and began typing this review with 40 pages left to read. This is the same feeling I had when I first read Emily Giffin and made the startling discovery that chick lit didn't have to be vapid--that it could be engaging, intelligent, and introspective.
Celine is a divorcée, mother, and professional matchmaker. Though her own romantic life has always been fraught with uncertainty, it is her job to forge romantic connections between clients. She was married to Mike for over a decade, but always harbored unresolved feelings for Patrick, the man with whom she had a brief-but-passionate affair in Vietnam fifteen years ago. The name of her business, The Love Market, is a direct allusion to her romance with him. Soon after her divorce, the two reconnect and embark on a second chance at love. However, when Mike hires her to find him someone new, she realizes that Patrick is not the only man for whom she harbors unresolved feelings.
The Love Market isn't perfect. By its very nature, it can't be. Celine can be somewhat wishy-washy as she navigates her complex relationships with Mike and Patrick. And what woman wouldn't feel conflicted when she is in love with two men, both integral parts of her past and present? What makes this book resonate is its honesty, and the care with which this complicated love triangle is crafted. So often, authors fall prey to an annoying, lazy tendency to vilify one love interest while sanctifying the other in love triangles, stacking the deck in the future "winner's" favor. Mason does not fall into this storytelling trap. She presents two men that any woman could love and exposes them for the lovable, flawed people they are.
Mason's writing flows beautifully. The book is simultaneously a comedy that knows when to be serious and a drama that knows when to be funny.
Because this is a spoiler-free review, I won't comment specifically on the resolution of this book. All I will say is that I was satisfied. Deeply, deeply satisfied. The story presents two equally compelling potential endings, but the actual ending was, for me, the only viable one. There are no "neat red bows" here. Some things are left unresolved, but the story resolves enough to give the reader closure.
(Disclaimer: I received the galley proofs of this title from McArthur & Company for review.)
Celine is a divorcée, mother, and professional matchmaker. Though her own romantic life has always been fraught with uncertainty, it is her job to forge romantic connections between clients. She was married to Mike for over a decade, but always harbored unresolved feelings for Patrick, the man with whom she had a brief-but-passionate affair in Vietnam fifteen years ago. The name of her business, The Love Market, is a direct allusion to her romance with him. Soon after her divorce, the two reconnect and embark on a second chance at love. However, when Mike hires her to find him someone new, she realizes that Patrick is not the only man for whom she harbors unresolved feelings.
The Love Market isn't perfect. By its very nature, it can't be. Celine can be somewhat wishy-washy as she navigates her complex relationships with Mike and Patrick. And what woman wouldn't feel conflicted when she is in love with two men, both integral parts of her past and present? What makes this book resonate is its honesty, and the care with which this complicated love triangle is crafted. So often, authors fall prey to an annoying, lazy tendency to vilify one love interest while sanctifying the other in love triangles, stacking the deck in the future "winner's" favor. Mason does not fall into this storytelling trap. She presents two men that any woman could love and exposes them for the lovable, flawed people they are.
Mason's writing flows beautifully. The book is simultaneously a comedy that knows when to be serious and a drama that knows when to be funny.
Because this is a spoiler-free review, I won't comment specifically on the resolution of this book. All I will say is that I was satisfied. Deeply, deeply satisfied. The story presents two equally compelling potential endings, but the actual ending was, for me, the only viable one. There are no "neat red bows" here. Some things are left unresolved, but the story resolves enough to give the reader closure.
(Disclaimer: I received the galley proofs of this title from McArthur & Company for review.)
June 24, 2019
DO WE EVER GET OVER REAL LOVE?
THE LAST TIME WE MET by Carol Mason is one of those books you leave everything for until you finish ... Facebook, TV, laundry, talks with your spouse, breathing, EVERYTHING! Because you just have to know what happens to Celine, who though married to the adoring Mike, sees her only real love on a street in London 15 years later. All that time ago she’d spent four blissful days in Vietnam with Patrick but the memory remains indelible upon her heart. And OMG what a story! I absolutely will not tell you what happens. But I will promise that you will thank Carol, a wonderful writer, for giving you respite from reality while mad-dashing you through the whitewater rapids of love. 5 Hearty Stars!
THE LAST TIME WE MET by Carol Mason is one of those books you leave everything for until you finish ... Facebook, TV, laundry, talks with your spouse, breathing, EVERYTHING! Because you just have to know what happens to Celine, who though married to the adoring Mike, sees her only real love on a street in London 15 years later. All that time ago she’d spent four blissful days in Vietnam with Patrick but the memory remains indelible upon her heart. And OMG what a story! I absolutely will not tell you what happens. But I will promise that you will thank Carol, a wonderful writer, for giving you respite from reality while mad-dashing you through the whitewater rapids of love. 5 Hearty Stars!
June 2, 2010
This was a great read.
Firstly, what a great cover. The woman waiting in the window, the muted, sophisticated colours, the title. It is all really fitting of the story within.
The most notable feature of this story is the authors writing style. Mason truly succeeded in giving Celine an engaging voice throughout the story. The writing really wraps the reader into the story. Not only that, Celine is a holistic, down-to-earth and relate-able character.
I also loved the theme of this book. I felt that Celine was unsure of the direction of her love life, unsure of whether the divorce was the right wait to go and unsure of revisiting the relationship with her first love. Isn't that so like life, where you just don't know whether you are making the right choices, even if you are mostly sure that you are.
The book was also injected with some humour, with entertaining support characters who were involved with interesting situations themselves.
The bottom line: It's a great story, but more than that Mason is a talented writer. I will be reading more of her work. In addition, the story line was engaging and the characters were interesting.
Firstly, what a great cover. The woman waiting in the window, the muted, sophisticated colours, the title. It is all really fitting of the story within.
The most notable feature of this story is the authors writing style. Mason truly succeeded in giving Celine an engaging voice throughout the story. The writing really wraps the reader into the story. Not only that, Celine is a holistic, down-to-earth and relate-able character.
I also loved the theme of this book. I felt that Celine was unsure of the direction of her love life, unsure of whether the divorce was the right wait to go and unsure of revisiting the relationship with her first love. Isn't that so like life, where you just don't know whether you are making the right choices, even if you are mostly sure that you are.
The book was also injected with some humour, with entertaining support characters who were involved with interesting situations themselves.
The bottom line: It's a great story, but more than that Mason is a talented writer. I will be reading more of her work. In addition, the story line was engaging and the characters were interesting.
July 7, 2017
Unlikable Characters
This may contain *** SPOILERS***
Two strangers met in a foreign land and spent all of 4 days together and that had an impact and finally destroyed their future relationship with other people? Never mind that all they have had of each other were good looks and good sex.
The main character, Celine, is selfish, ungrateful and immature. She slept with a married man, Patrick, had 4 days together but that didn't stop her to shamefully ask him to leave his wife for her. They broke up when he refused and returned to his wife, but not before he proposed that she follow him and be his mistress. She turned it down of course.
Now ten years on she met a kind and loving Mike and he married her despite knowing she was still pining for a man she had had a 4 day love affair with. Never mind all the love and kindness he has showered her during their 10 year marriage she is still pining and fantasizing about her 4 day love/lust affair with Patrick. I am surprised Mike didn't dump her earlier . I mean, how does a husband feel minutes after buying his wife a £2000.00 diamond ear studs she bolts off, leaving him standing in the middle of the street, running after a man she thought is her long lost 4-day former lover? This poor husband stayed for another 3 years!!
This is a crazy plot, unbelievable and impossible. People do remember their first love. But 4 days sleeping with a married stranger is hardly a great love affair. And not the kind you would risk losing a 10 year marriage with a good man for.
This may contain *** SPOILERS***
Two strangers met in a foreign land and spent all of 4 days together and that had an impact and finally destroyed their future relationship with other people? Never mind that all they have had of each other were good looks and good sex.
The main character, Celine, is selfish, ungrateful and immature. She slept with a married man, Patrick, had 4 days together but that didn't stop her to shamefully ask him to leave his wife for her. They broke up when he refused and returned to his wife, but not before he proposed that she follow him and be his mistress. She turned it down of course.
Now ten years on she met a kind and loving Mike and he married her despite knowing she was still pining for a man she had had a 4 day love affair with. Never mind all the love and kindness he has showered her during their 10 year marriage she is still pining and fantasizing about her 4 day love/lust affair with Patrick. I am surprised Mike didn't dump her earlier . I mean, how does a husband feel minutes after buying his wife a £2000.00 diamond ear studs she bolts off, leaving him standing in the middle of the street, running after a man she thought is her long lost 4-day former lover? This poor husband stayed for another 3 years!!
This is a crazy plot, unbelievable and impossible. People do remember their first love. But 4 days sleeping with a married stranger is hardly a great love affair. And not the kind you would risk losing a 10 year marriage with a good man for.
April 12, 2010
I have never read this author before but will go and get her previous two novels now. This book - The Love Market - was one of the best books i have read in a long time. I have read many women's fiction novels that deal with the one that got away. But this book deals it so differently. Because the book is as much about a marriage that may have got away as it is a first love. I too have divorced and had moments of wondering if I have done the right thing and this author made me so sympathetic to Celine (the main Character) and her dilemma. The chapters were short and highly readable. I could not stop turning pages. There was not a moment's boredom in this book - I was gripped from page one when Celine sighted her true love, quite by chance, in the middle of London. I really wanted did not know which man was right for her - her ex or her first love. I loved both of them. I was surprised by the ending, but relieved by it too - I just was doubting that it was going to happen! In addition to a heartfelt story, this book is so funny at times - Celine's crazy father chasing young women, and her sister making a fool of herself over a man at work.... And Mason writes with such a lyrical quality. The words just flow and you get so swept away with her turn of phrase. LOVED it. Can't recommend it more. Can't wait to read her two others.
July 3, 2019
THE LAST TIME WE MET by Carol Mason is one of those books you leave everything for until you finish ... Facebook, TV, laundry, talks with your spouse, breathing, EVERYTHING! Because you just have to know what happens to Celine, who though married to the adoring Mike, sees her only real love on a street in London 15 years later. All that time ago she’d spent four blissful days in Vietnam with Patrick but the memory remains indelible upon her heart. And OMG what a story! I absolutely will not tell you what happens. But I will promise that you will thank Carol, a wonderful writer, for giving you respite from reality while mad-dashing you through the whitewater rapids of love. 5 Hearty Stars!
March 24, 2010
I got quite a bit more out of this story than I expected before I started it. I was immediately pulled in by the author's flowing prose and lyrical writing; it was very impressive. With that kind of talent, I don't think it will take Carol Mason long to get a pretty large reader base.
This is an emotionally driven story, and even though it revolves around the difficult topic of divorce, the story transmits more hope than regret. Celine and Mark are very fleshed out characters, Mason is as great with character development as she is with prose. The mental struggles the two face head-on in Love Market are realistic and poignant.
I don't know what I was expecting at the end; I truly didn't know which way it would go. There were several possible outcomes. Life is never as black and white as a romance novel, and the ending Mason gave her novel speaks of reality, as it was somewhat bittersweet.
I was very impressed with this book and the real feelings Mason was able to transmit through the pages. Her lyrical writing and true sense of her characters sets her apart from the other writers of the genre.
This is an emotionally driven story, and even though it revolves around the difficult topic of divorce, the story transmits more hope than regret. Celine and Mark are very fleshed out characters, Mason is as great with character development as she is with prose. The mental struggles the two face head-on in Love Market are realistic and poignant.
I don't know what I was expecting at the end; I truly didn't know which way it would go. There were several possible outcomes. Life is never as black and white as a romance novel, and the ending Mason gave her novel speaks of reality, as it was somewhat bittersweet.
I was very impressed with this book and the real feelings Mason was able to transmit through the pages. Her lyrical writing and true sense of her characters sets her apart from the other writers of the genre.
June 9, 2024
True love
I really enjoyed this book. Celine is married to Mark... Mark loves Celine... But Celine is still in love with her true love Patrick & she never moved on.
Mark & Celine divorce as a result of the relationship being empty ... I really felt for Mark because he deserved more but he was not able to move on...but he was so lovely to help the love of his life he did something that allowed Celine to get in touch with Patrick. Giving another chance at the love of her life.
I thought that was unrealistic considering he did a lot for Celine who could never love him back... In reality I think there are very few men if any that could do that for an ex. Especially considering it was a one way relationship. It goes to show her happiness meant the world to him. Seriously amazing dude.
Don't want to make it personal but I'm only use ex taking from you ... Not giving...so this was like a fairytale for Celine. She got what she always wanted.
I really enjoyed this book. Celine is married to Mark... Mark loves Celine... But Celine is still in love with her true love Patrick & she never moved on.
Mark & Celine divorce as a result of the relationship being empty ... I really felt for Mark because he deserved more but he was not able to move on...but he was so lovely to help the love of his life he did something that allowed Celine to get in touch with Patrick. Giving another chance at the love of her life.
I thought that was unrealistic considering he did a lot for Celine who could never love him back... In reality I think there are very few men if any that could do that for an ex. Especially considering it was a one way relationship. It goes to show her happiness meant the world to him. Seriously amazing dude.
Don't want to make it personal but I'm only use ex taking from you ... Not giving...so this was like a fairytale for Celine. She got what she always wanted.
July 30, 2011
Those of us who enjoy reading romance fiction find that we get set to experience the "Happily Ever After" most of the time, regardless of the time period or genre of the context. It just seems that is a part of loving romance fiction. It comes as a bit of an emotional "jar" when we encounter the unhappy ending or at best, the bittersweet resolution . . . the way so much of life tends to be resolved, if the truth be known.
In this newest novel by Canadian author Carol Mason, we meet Celine, a woman who has been married for 13 years and is now newly divorced from Mike, a radio producer for a popular talk show. Their 12 year old daughter is, of course, not at all happy about the break-up of her parents' marriage and added to her burgeoning adolescence, tends to live her days in the fog of confusion. Celine & Mike have had an on-again-off-again relationship pretty much for the majority of their years together. It has become apparent that Mike loves his wife to distraction but Celine has never really let go of her emotional involvement with a Canadian journalist with whom she shared a four-day madcap affair before meeting Mike. Somehow that initial love--the perverbial "first love" has never been left behind and a chanced glimpse of Patrick during a trip to London--a 10th anniversary trip, of all things--ultimately precipitates the end of the marriage. Mike is tired of fighting the old ghosts and Celine can't seem to object when he files for divorce. Just months after the divorce is final, Celine receives an email contact from Patrick and for the first time in fifteen years, is once again in contact with him. When he calls her and she hears his voice again, she is aware that the old feelings are as strong as her ex has maintained and she agrees to renew their relationship, even if it is a long-distance one.
Set in the Northeast of England, particularly in Newcastle, this story of love and loss, hope and disappointment deals realistically with the hurts, wounds, and challenges couples face when they divorce and especially when old attachments and feelings don't seem to want to die. Told in the first person, this novel reads like a biographical tale of a marriage's end, of the sense of loss, the fear of moving forward, the questions as to whether even this divorce was a mistake. Celine is a very intelligent woman--one who has begun her own business as a specialist in being a modern match-maker, one who reads people well but who can't seem to figure out her own feelings and hopes for the future. Mike is a wonderful man who works so hard to be a good husband and father, a man who knows he is almost always emotionally on the outside looking in, who loves his family and never fails to "be there" whenever he is needed in a variety of scenarios. Celine's dad is an aging Lothario who provides companionship for women in his own age range but whose roving eye never fails to draw him toward a beautiful, sexy woman. As an accomplished artist he definitely has an eye for the female form, but he has been unwise and undependable in his relationships for most of his life. Celine's sister has her own problems into which Celine is dragged, often by her own choice, to be sure, but still wanting the best for this woman who is, in reality, a "soul sister" even though biologically she is a step-sister. Their friendship has been forged in life's hardships as they both experienced loss when parents faded from their lives.
In many ways and on many levels, this was not an easy book for me to read. As one who is often called upon to counsel couples in relational trouble, I am probably more sensitive to the nuances of what Mike and Celine went through, the pressures they endured as each tried to make a marriage work, and the knowledge that a divorce would produce some serious emotional hardships for their daughter. Mike freely admits he still loves Celine deeply and irrevocably, but he is unwilling to even consider a reconciliation--being with her is almost more painful than being without her. The reader can feel that pain, and I was aware of being fearful for them both, especially after Patrick once again entered Celine's life and one wondered if his initial willingness to walk away 15 years earlier was necessitated by circumstance or was it a life pattern? The characters in this novel were real and bruised and sometimes bled all over the pages. How I hurt for them all . . . I just wanted them to all find a way to be happy. The background cast of characters was fascinating and sometimes humorous being made up of clients of Celine's who ae seeking relational partners and some of whom are having quite a time of it.
This is no pie-in-the-sky-by-and-by kind of novel with its hefty slice of real life. It never tries to smooth over the raw nature of the circumstances, even when Patrick and Celine re-unite. Even then there is that tentative sense--was this just something Celine wanted so much? Was this old flame and their newly re-awakened affair worth the loss of so much?
This author is new to me, but I must own up to liking her writing style and her willingness to address the brutal nature of divorce, the factors that impact these lives before and after, and the awareness that when writing about real life, there are not often happy endings. Some readers may not enjoy this in-depth exploration as I did. Others will find that such a keen awareness of adult romantic circumstances, both positive and negative, can be stimulating reading and can hold a reader's interest no matter how real and raw. And lastly, I think it important for fans of romance fiction who need to be reminded that the HEA ending is, in many real situations, a fiction in and of itself.
I give this novel a 5 out of 5 rating.
This review was originally posted on Book Binge by Judith.
In this newest novel by Canadian author Carol Mason, we meet Celine, a woman who has been married for 13 years and is now newly divorced from Mike, a radio producer for a popular talk show. Their 12 year old daughter is, of course, not at all happy about the break-up of her parents' marriage and added to her burgeoning adolescence, tends to live her days in the fog of confusion. Celine & Mike have had an on-again-off-again relationship pretty much for the majority of their years together. It has become apparent that Mike loves his wife to distraction but Celine has never really let go of her emotional involvement with a Canadian journalist with whom she shared a four-day madcap affair before meeting Mike. Somehow that initial love--the perverbial "first love" has never been left behind and a chanced glimpse of Patrick during a trip to London--a 10th anniversary trip, of all things--ultimately precipitates the end of the marriage. Mike is tired of fighting the old ghosts and Celine can't seem to object when he files for divorce. Just months after the divorce is final, Celine receives an email contact from Patrick and for the first time in fifteen years, is once again in contact with him. When he calls her and she hears his voice again, she is aware that the old feelings are as strong as her ex has maintained and she agrees to renew their relationship, even if it is a long-distance one.
Set in the Northeast of England, particularly in Newcastle, this story of love and loss, hope and disappointment deals realistically with the hurts, wounds, and challenges couples face when they divorce and especially when old attachments and feelings don't seem to want to die. Told in the first person, this novel reads like a biographical tale of a marriage's end, of the sense of loss, the fear of moving forward, the questions as to whether even this divorce was a mistake. Celine is a very intelligent woman--one who has begun her own business as a specialist in being a modern match-maker, one who reads people well but who can't seem to figure out her own feelings and hopes for the future. Mike is a wonderful man who works so hard to be a good husband and father, a man who knows he is almost always emotionally on the outside looking in, who loves his family and never fails to "be there" whenever he is needed in a variety of scenarios. Celine's dad is an aging Lothario who provides companionship for women in his own age range but whose roving eye never fails to draw him toward a beautiful, sexy woman. As an accomplished artist he definitely has an eye for the female form, but he has been unwise and undependable in his relationships for most of his life. Celine's sister has her own problems into which Celine is dragged, often by her own choice, to be sure, but still wanting the best for this woman who is, in reality, a "soul sister" even though biologically she is a step-sister. Their friendship has been forged in life's hardships as they both experienced loss when parents faded from their lives.
In many ways and on many levels, this was not an easy book for me to read. As one who is often called upon to counsel couples in relational trouble, I am probably more sensitive to the nuances of what Mike and Celine went through, the pressures they endured as each tried to make a marriage work, and the knowledge that a divorce would produce some serious emotional hardships for their daughter. Mike freely admits he still loves Celine deeply and irrevocably, but he is unwilling to even consider a reconciliation--being with her is almost more painful than being without her. The reader can feel that pain, and I was aware of being fearful for them both, especially after Patrick once again entered Celine's life and one wondered if his initial willingness to walk away 15 years earlier was necessitated by circumstance or was it a life pattern? The characters in this novel were real and bruised and sometimes bled all over the pages. How I hurt for them all . . . I just wanted them to all find a way to be happy. The background cast of characters was fascinating and sometimes humorous being made up of clients of Celine's who ae seeking relational partners and some of whom are having quite a time of it.
This is no pie-in-the-sky-by-and-by kind of novel with its hefty slice of real life. It never tries to smooth over the raw nature of the circumstances, even when Patrick and Celine re-unite. Even then there is that tentative sense--was this just something Celine wanted so much? Was this old flame and their newly re-awakened affair worth the loss of so much?
This author is new to me, but I must own up to liking her writing style and her willingness to address the brutal nature of divorce, the factors that impact these lives before and after, and the awareness that when writing about real life, there are not often happy endings. Some readers may not enjoy this in-depth exploration as I did. Others will find that such a keen awareness of adult romantic circumstances, both positive and negative, can be stimulating reading and can hold a reader's interest no matter how real and raw. And lastly, I think it important for fans of romance fiction who need to be reminded that the HEA ending is, in many real situations, a fiction in and of itself.
I give this novel a 5 out of 5 rating.
This review was originally posted on Book Binge by Judith.
February 20, 2019
Celine had a brief fling with Patrick in Vietnam 15 years ago when he was married and returning to his wife, and although she moved on and married Mike and had a daughter she could never forget him, and so when she catches a glimpse of him in London all the feelings come flooding back. Thinking that she never loved Mike in the same way her marriage falls apart and she divorces Mike and is back in touch with the also now divorced Patrick....... but has she made a big mistake and is what she has always wanted been right that her nose all the time or is Patrick really her destiny?
A good book with interesting storyline, is first love the one that you always remember and are you wearing rose tinted spectacles with your memories, I felt sorry for Mike a as he came across as such a nice man.
A good book with interesting storyline, is first love the one that you always remember and are you wearing rose tinted spectacles with your memories, I felt sorry for Mike a as he came across as such a nice man.
March 2, 2022
I was expecting more from this book
It’s nothing but a dull love story filled with uninteresting characters
It’s nothing but a dull love story filled with uninteresting characters
January 31, 2023
A long lost 4 day relationship breaks up a marriage.... a reunion....good story.
April 12, 2019
God, what a ride this book was. I gobbled the entire thing up in less than 24 hours and I can’t help but wish it was about 200 pages longer because I’m not ready to give it up yet. I expected an entirely different ending than the one I got and I finished the last few pages with tears in my eyes. What a wonderful story about the enduring power of love and the idea that even if life takes a lot of turns, and it takes a lot longer than it could have, sometimes you end up with everything you’ve wanted.
May 4, 2020
It’s all too good. I can’t manage the genre of romantic fiction.
February 11, 2011
Celine is a romantic married to an incredibly practical and good-natured man, Mike. Since her time visiting The Love Market in Vietnam, years before her marriage, she's only been able to think about another man, Patrick. When, by an incredible set of circumstances, she sees Patrick again while visiting London with Mike she's thrown for a loop and suddenly her whole life veers off track. A few years later, an extremely amicable divorce, a random phone call and suddenly Celine is more unsure of her love life than ever. Will she choose the more predictable, Mike, or will she follow her heart by taking a leap toward the practically unknown, Patrick? Only time will tell.
Wow! If only there were some way for me to give this book more than 5 stars? I can honestly say that without a doubt, The Love Market is by far my favorite Chick Lit novel I've ever read. Ever. What Carol Mason has done within the pages of this brief, but incredibly lovely novel is something I feel I've been looking for without consciously recognizing it. It's as if everything I've ever wanted in an adult fiction novel has been tied up nice and neatly with a pretty bow wrapping it tightly, just waiting to be opened and read again and again.
Now, the question is, how do I talk about this story without giving away it's most important details and the ending? First of all, the writing. My biggest question is why is Carol Mason not more well known? Her writing is gorgeous! That being said, this is my first experience reading her books and I'm eager to try her others. But honestly, I'm quite surprised she isn't more well known. Her writing is equal to, if not better than many of the biggest authors I read day in and day out. This story in particular had me guessing until the very last pages what the outcome would be, but she would give glimpses along the way that would give you hope without being unrealistic. Mason also wove in the story of Celine's career as a matchmaker between the story of Celine's love life, making it blend seamlessly with what seemed to me to be little effort (though I'm sure that wasn't the case).
As for the characters...I'm absolutely head over heels in love with Mike! I know, the underdog, but I couldn't help routing for him all along the way. He was so incredible in his love for Celine and the way he cared for not only her but everyone around him. Such a catch! I just kept hoping that no matter the ending he'd end up swept off his feet in love. In the case of Celine, I actually quite enjoyed her character. She could have turned out to be quite annoying, having just divorced and still longing for a relationship that was in her past, but she wasn't at all. Each of the characters were so refreshingly true-to-life, it was beyond enjoyable. Even the 12 year old Aimee was a doll! I loved how they each felt and seemed so real, as if you could walk down the street and bump into Jacq on her way to her big architecture job.
The Love Market is absolutely one of the best Chick Lit novels out there and definitely a perfect read for the upcoming Valentine's Day holiday. A story of love lost and gained and the choices we make to have it in our lives, Carol Mason has created a story so real that the characters come to life before your eyes. Be prepared to fall in love and enjoy a book that could be the story of anyone anywhere or no one at all. So unbelievably well written and timeless. The Love Market is a book you cannot miss!
Wow! If only there were some way for me to give this book more than 5 stars? I can honestly say that without a doubt, The Love Market is by far my favorite Chick Lit novel I've ever read. Ever. What Carol Mason has done within the pages of this brief, but incredibly lovely novel is something I feel I've been looking for without consciously recognizing it. It's as if everything I've ever wanted in an adult fiction novel has been tied up nice and neatly with a pretty bow wrapping it tightly, just waiting to be opened and read again and again.
Now, the question is, how do I talk about this story without giving away it's most important details and the ending? First of all, the writing. My biggest question is why is Carol Mason not more well known? Her writing is gorgeous! That being said, this is my first experience reading her books and I'm eager to try her others. But honestly, I'm quite surprised she isn't more well known. Her writing is equal to, if not better than many of the biggest authors I read day in and day out. This story in particular had me guessing until the very last pages what the outcome would be, but she would give glimpses along the way that would give you hope without being unrealistic. Mason also wove in the story of Celine's career as a matchmaker between the story of Celine's love life, making it blend seamlessly with what seemed to me to be little effort (though I'm sure that wasn't the case).
As for the characters...I'm absolutely head over heels in love with Mike! I know, the underdog, but I couldn't help routing for him all along the way. He was so incredible in his love for Celine and the way he cared for not only her but everyone around him. Such a catch! I just kept hoping that no matter the ending he'd end up swept off his feet in love. In the case of Celine, I actually quite enjoyed her character. She could have turned out to be quite annoying, having just divorced and still longing for a relationship that was in her past, but she wasn't at all. Each of the characters were so refreshingly true-to-life, it was beyond enjoyable. Even the 12 year old Aimee was a doll! I loved how they each felt and seemed so real, as if you could walk down the street and bump into Jacq on her way to her big architecture job.
The Love Market is absolutely one of the best Chick Lit novels out there and definitely a perfect read for the upcoming Valentine's Day holiday. A story of love lost and gained and the choices we make to have it in our lives, Carol Mason has created a story so real that the characters come to life before your eyes. Be prepared to fall in love and enjoy a book that could be the story of anyone anywhere or no one at all. So unbelievably well written and timeless. The Love Market is a book you cannot miss!
July 18, 2014
Esta novela me encantó por que tiene personajes muy reales, que te transmiten sentimientos, que te hacen preguntarte y replantearte un montón de cosas acerca del amor y los sacrificios que aveces se hacen en nombre de él...
La pluma de Carol Mason es fantástica, escribe de una manera que logra tenerte pegada al libro hasta que lo has terminado. Lo que más me ha gustado es que te permite conocer a los personajes de modo que no puedas tomar partido por ninguno o condenarlo, pues simplemente sabes que son "personas" con defectos, gente que comete errores, etc... Gente que podría ser real. Yo no podía decidirme por Mike (el padre de su hija) o por Patrick (su antiguo amor). Del mismo modo que no entendía por qué ella debía renunciar a algo por "él", me desesperaba pensar que él no haría ni el más mínimo intento por que hubiera una oportunidad para ellos de nuevo.
Amé The Love Market por que Cecile es una mujer que te contagia de sus dudas, deseos y temores. Incluso su hermana, es un personaje con el que simpatizas en seguida y puedes hasta llegar a sentirte identificada con algunas de sus dudas... O como el caso de la hija, a quien consigues ver cómo madura a través de la historia...
Creo que The Love Market es una hermosa historia de amor, muy recomendable para quien busca algo ligero pero con personajes fantásticos que te mantienen con una sonrisa y suspirando.
Fue una de las mejores lecturas del 2010.
June 2, 2010
All You Need Is Love, The Beatles said. Yeah, right...
Celine is a 30-something women, recently divorced, and mother of a teenager, who can't control the desires of her heart.
For several years she have been trying to make her marriage work, but it seemed destined to fail. And when, for some reason, she receives an email of Patrick, her first love, whom she never forgot, it seems like she is finally going to be happy.
It's a very realistic book, because although I had never had the opportunity to understand everything that involves a divorce, the dilemma that Celine is going through is exactly the same that any woman feels at the end of a relationship. Is this the right decision? So many people are affected, and you just want to find love. But maybe you didn't try enough? But love shouldn't be that hard, right? And why, if you're in love, everything isn't perfect?
The writing is excellent. Doesn't let you drop the book, and makes you sympathize with all the characters. Usually when I read, I tend to prefer one character than the other, but honestly, this book had moments that I didn't know who was the right person for Celine.
And although it seems to be a heavy reading, it's actually a gentle and very light book, and it also makes you laugh. The sister, who is not sure of her relationship, and the father, a lovesick, are very funny, and each one of them are very supportive.
A short and easy read, I just loved it. A heartwarming love story, full of sad but sweet moments.
Review at Oh My Books! | Historias Imaginarias
Celine is a 30-something women, recently divorced, and mother of a teenager, who can't control the desires of her heart.
For several years she have been trying to make her marriage work, but it seemed destined to fail. And when, for some reason, she receives an email of Patrick, her first love, whom she never forgot, it seems like she is finally going to be happy.
It's a very realistic book, because although I had never had the opportunity to understand everything that involves a divorce, the dilemma that Celine is going through is exactly the same that any woman feels at the end of a relationship. Is this the right decision? So many people are affected, and you just want to find love. But maybe you didn't try enough? But love shouldn't be that hard, right? And why, if you're in love, everything isn't perfect?
The writing is excellent. Doesn't let you drop the book, and makes you sympathize with all the characters. Usually when I read, I tend to prefer one character than the other, but honestly, this book had moments that I didn't know who was the right person for Celine.
And although it seems to be a heavy reading, it's actually a gentle and very light book, and it also makes you laugh. The sister, who is not sure of her relationship, and the father, a lovesick, are very funny, and each one of them are very supportive.
A short and easy read, I just loved it. A heartwarming love story, full of sad but sweet moments.
Review at Oh My Books! | Historias Imaginarias
October 4, 2018
I received this book "The Last Time We Met" from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own.
I loved the idea of this story - well the description of the book about first loves. Celine and Patrick were quite annoying though. She sleeps with a stranger, only knows him 4 days and she is in love. You really don't know someone in four days. So you pick up where you left off 15 years later and give up your marriage for some fantasy. Then she seemed to regret it and then she didn't. The story was all over the place.
I loved the idea of this story - well the description of the book about first loves. Celine and Patrick were quite annoying though. She sleeps with a stranger, only knows him 4 days and she is in love. You really don't know someone in four days. So you pick up where you left off 15 years later and give up your marriage for some fantasy. Then she seemed to regret it and then she didn't. The story was all over the place.
February 26, 2013
I couldn't finish this book!
October 13, 2018
You could not in all honesty call this ‘chic lit’. I am sure it will be featured as a ‘romance’ and written for women, but it is better than the ‘chick lit’ phrase suggests.
Celine travelled to Vietnam 15 years ago where she encountered Patrick who she terms ‘the love of her life’. Over four days, they meet, enter into a love affair and she is smitten forever. She learns that he is married but although he wants to be with her he cannot abandon his wife in Hong Kong. After all she followed him there to enable him to further his career as a photo journalist and it would ‘not be right’ to leave her in those circumstances – but he would work something out. So Celine watches him leave, her heart broken. (So far sounds pretty chick-let, doesn’t it.
Moving on, Celine is now married and she has a daughter. She admits to her sister that she is not ‘in love’ with Mike as she can only recognise Patrick as her one true love. Then on a visit to London she catches sight of Patrick and chases after him. Poor Mike. So eventually she and Mike divorce to the dismay of their daughter. The divorce is amicable and they both work hard to keep it that way. In the meantime she focuses on her introduction business ‘The Love Market’ named after the market where she met Patrick in Vietnam.
I found the whole matchmaking business fascinating as it allowed the author to introduce some interesting, funny characters and situations whilst the irony was not lost on me that she could not order her own love life. We are presented with an examination of what true love is – romantic love or lust or the love measured in kindness, respect and time. What is interesting is that there are no real badies in this, just measured acknowledgement and understanding.
Thank you Ms Mason for a really, really good piece of women’s fiction.
Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.
Celine travelled to Vietnam 15 years ago where she encountered Patrick who she terms ‘the love of her life’. Over four days, they meet, enter into a love affair and she is smitten forever. She learns that he is married but although he wants to be with her he cannot abandon his wife in Hong Kong. After all she followed him there to enable him to further his career as a photo journalist and it would ‘not be right’ to leave her in those circumstances – but he would work something out. So Celine watches him leave, her heart broken. (So far sounds pretty chick-let, doesn’t it.
Moving on, Celine is now married and she has a daughter. She admits to her sister that she is not ‘in love’ with Mike as she can only recognise Patrick as her one true love. Then on a visit to London she catches sight of Patrick and chases after him. Poor Mike. So eventually she and Mike divorce to the dismay of their daughter. The divorce is amicable and they both work hard to keep it that way. In the meantime she focuses on her introduction business ‘The Love Market’ named after the market where she met Patrick in Vietnam.
I found the whole matchmaking business fascinating as it allowed the author to introduce some interesting, funny characters and situations whilst the irony was not lost on me that she could not order her own love life. We are presented with an examination of what true love is – romantic love or lust or the love measured in kindness, respect and time. What is interesting is that there are no real badies in this, just measured acknowledgement and understanding.
Thank you Ms Mason for a really, really good piece of women’s fiction.
Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.
November 28, 2017
Marriage. Divorce. First love. Second chances. Romance.
This book takes its readers through the life of Celine who runs a match-making business, The Love Market. Mother of a beautiful daughter, Aimee, she is going through her divorce after 10 years of marriage with Mark. Ironical, isn't it?
"It was about how memories of your first love can ruin your future relationships."
Retrospective to some fifteen years earlier, Celine met her lost first true love, Patrick during a holiday in Sa Pa. But, do first loves really fade away? It didn't for Celine. Do we have second chances at first loves? Maybe?
The author's writing is incredible. She has a lyrical prose. The words just flow. The author, Carol Mason knows how to keep the interest of her readers. Good character development. However, the story-line did not exactly work out for me; I could not connect with the main character, Celine. Her feelings were genuine. Still, her confusion in the face of the events that she faced made me somehow resent her. On the other hand, Mark was an admirable character. I loved how he dealt with his divorce. I admire his resilience. Also, Celine's sister, Jacqui was a vibrant character. I loved how she went around chasing her dreams.
Overall, it was a good read.
This book takes its readers through the life of Celine who runs a match-making business, The Love Market. Mother of a beautiful daughter, Aimee, she is going through her divorce after 10 years of marriage with Mark. Ironical, isn't it?
"It was about how memories of your first love can ruin your future relationships."
Retrospective to some fifteen years earlier, Celine met her lost first true love, Patrick during a holiday in Sa Pa. But, do first loves really fade away? It didn't for Celine. Do we have second chances at first loves? Maybe?
The author's writing is incredible. She has a lyrical prose. The words just flow. The author, Carol Mason knows how to keep the interest of her readers. Good character development. However, the story-line did not exactly work out for me; I could not connect with the main character, Celine. Her feelings were genuine. Still, her confusion in the face of the events that she faced made me somehow resent her. On the other hand, Mark was an admirable character. I loved how he dealt with his divorce. I admire his resilience. Also, Celine's sister, Jacqui was a vibrant character. I loved how she went around chasing her dreams.
Overall, it was a good read.
August 29, 2020
As a divorced woman, it is always difficult for me to read about marriages ending. And I wonder if I should have made extra efforts to encourage a relationship with someone who might have been my true love. I have to admit that I have thought about that individual for years…since our last interaction. And with the failure of my marriage, should I have made the effort to reach out to the guy for whom I really cared?
So I recognized myself throughout the pages of this book. However, Celine’s feelings for both men and the decision she had to make were tough. I think I would have enjoyed learning more about the background of each of her relationships and how the past and present emotions were factors in her life.
This is a somewhat heartwarming but not a quick read. The writing flowed and the author kept your attention with good character development. However, I did not connect well with Celine…who was the main character.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
So I recognized myself throughout the pages of this book. However, Celine’s feelings for both men and the decision she had to make were tough. I think I would have enjoyed learning more about the background of each of her relationships and how the past and present emotions were factors in her life.
This is a somewhat heartwarming but not a quick read. The writing flowed and the author kept your attention with good character development. However, I did not connect well with Celine…who was the main character.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
August 29, 2020
As a divorced woman, it is always difficult for me to read about marriages ending. And I wonder if I should have made extra efforts to encourage a relationship with someone who might have been my true love. I have to admit that I have thought about that individual for years…since our last interaction. And with the failure of my marriage, should I have made the effort to reach out to the guy for whom I really cared?
So I recognized myself throughout the pages of this book. However, Celine’s feelings for both men and the decision she had to make were tough. I think I would have enjoyed learning more about the background of each of her relationships and how the past and present emotions were factors in her life.
This is a somewhat heartwarming but not a quick read. The writing flowed and the author kept your attention with good character development. However, I did not connect well with Celine…who was the main character.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
So I recognized myself throughout the pages of this book. However, Celine’s feelings for both men and the decision she had to make were tough. I think I would have enjoyed learning more about the background of each of her relationships and how the past and present emotions were factors in her life.
This is a somewhat heartwarming but not a quick read. The writing flowed and the author kept your attention with good character development. However, I did not connect well with Celine…who was the main character.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
October 3, 2018
You are sitting in traffic. Your mind wanders from your to-do list to the what-ifs in your life. What would your life be like if your first (blinding) love had worked out? Suppose you had a second chance?? Carol Mason explores those questions, contrasting one woman's memories and reunion with her first love, fifteen years later while juggling the demands of family, work, and friends.
Mason writes in first person and often, present tense so that the reader is experiencing life from the main character's point of view. Her dialogue is spot on, and frequently, reminded me of my own conversations. The plot moves at a fairly fast pace. While it seems like light romance, this is by no means fluff. Mason slides in enough insight about life and love so that you will feel satisfied with the time spent!
#thelasttimewemet #netgalley
Mason writes in first person and often, present tense so that the reader is experiencing life from the main character's point of view. Her dialogue is spot on, and frequently, reminded me of my own conversations. The plot moves at a fairly fast pace. While it seems like light romance, this is by no means fluff. Mason slides in enough insight about life and love so that you will feel satisfied with the time spent!
#thelasttimewemet #netgalley
November 21, 2018
Easy, escapist fiction with relatable characters, a dilemma that doesn't feel too forced for the genre, and some hard-hitting lines. Easy to read, but still relatively meaty.
(The cover makes it look like more of a classic, period-type romance book when it's in fact largely set in 2017.)
One line stuck out as being out of place, purely because when a British character visits Canada and describes the temperature as being "in the nineties", it makes no sense given that no one in that scenario, including the British author, would use Fahrenheit. A small quibble, but enough to take me out of the page for long enough to google the author's nationality (grew up in England, moved to Canada)!
(The cover makes it look like more of a classic, period-type romance book when it's in fact largely set in 2017.)
One line stuck out as being out of place, purely because when a British character visits Canada and describes the temperature as being "in the nineties", it makes no sense given that no one in that scenario, including the British author, would use Fahrenheit. A small quibble, but enough to take me out of the page for long enough to google the author's nationality (grew up in England, moved to Canada)!
February 7, 2019
This has taken me quite a long time to read because I just couldn’t get into it. Always feel I have to finish a book once started it though , unless it’s awful. This isn’t away, but I did find it incredibly irritating. Celine, the main character, nothing to like about her. Will she, won’t she, who will she go with, change her mind again, over and over.
And her rediculous matching agency, which she puts no effort into at all, and only seems to have about 20 clients. How is this even realistic?
Couldn’t care less about anyone by time I finally got to the last few chapters, and am rather glad I’ve finished it. Next !
And her rediculous matching agency, which she puts no effort into at all, and only seems to have about 20 clients. How is this even realistic?
Couldn’t care less about anyone by time I finally got to the last few chapters, and am rather glad I’ve finished it. Next !
December 26, 2019
Spoiler alert – don’t read on of you don’t want to spoil the book
I have to admit I had higher hopes of this book. The Celine, Patrick, Mike love triangle sounded promising
My first gripe was I didn’t like the book cover (just a “thing” I have) 😀 – think the publishers could have done so much more. Meeting in Vietnam and a lost love could have evoked so much more than a woman in a yellow dress (anyway a minor point)
The Patrick, Mike back and forth was promising and I guess it could have gone either way in the final chapter of this what promised to be intriguing and at some points quotable book but I was left feeling a bit flat at the end
I found myself rooting for Mike. Maybe the author is leaving it open for another book
It’s a story of missed chances and first love that will appeal to most if you like romantic books
“Real love never lets you go” – Carol Mason
I have to admit I had higher hopes of this book. The Celine, Patrick, Mike love triangle sounded promising
My first gripe was I didn’t like the book cover (just a “thing” I have) 😀 – think the publishers could have done so much more. Meeting in Vietnam and a lost love could have evoked so much more than a woman in a yellow dress (anyway a minor point)
The Patrick, Mike back and forth was promising and I guess it could have gone either way in the final chapter of this what promised to be intriguing and at some points quotable book but I was left feeling a bit flat at the end
I found myself rooting for Mike. Maybe the author is leaving it open for another book
It’s a story of missed chances and first love that will appeal to most if you like romantic books
“Real love never lets you go” – Carol Mason
June 18, 2020
This novel has been hovering about the bestseller list for a while, another light romantic drama from Carol Mason, well written, neatly structured and very satisfying.
Story - Fifteen years ago in Vietnam, Celine and Patrick had a short but passionate affair before they both returned to their own lives in opposite parts of the world. In the present, Celine thinks she catches a glimpse of her first love. She throws herself into her matchmaking business whilst going through a divorce that’s so amicable her estranged husband has asked for help to meet someone new. Will her first love win back her heart or will her husband win her back?
Story - Fifteen years ago in Vietnam, Celine and Patrick had a short but passionate affair before they both returned to their own lives in opposite parts of the world. In the present, Celine thinks she catches a glimpse of her first love. She throws herself into her matchmaking business whilst going through a divorce that’s so amicable her estranged husband has asked for help to meet someone new. Will her first love win back her heart or will her husband win her back?
November 9, 2020
I had such a mix of emotions when reading this book. Celine's business venture is fantastic - matching couples. She does a great job reading people, knowing their likes and dislikes, and finds success, with a lot of patience for picky customers. But, she can't figure out what she wants. That part was frustrating. She's got the guy who has loved her and is there for her, and the father of Amy, and then Patrick, who was a great first love, but lives a completely different life.
I don't want to give away anything. Just thought this book would have more of a moral compass. Mike is quite endearing, and Celine's Dad is hilarious. Her relationship with Jackie is amazing for sisters.
I don't want to give away anything. Just thought this book would have more of a moral compass. Mike is quite endearing, and Celine's Dad is hilarious. Her relationship with Jackie is amazing for sisters.
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