Victoriana, gorgeous, young, and scarred by trauma, has decided to die. Adelaine is dead set on living.
On the night of her near-death experience, Adelaine has the shock of her life when she finds herself plopped into an afterlife waiting room. She’s assigned to Earnest, a caseworker who informs her she only has months to live unless she accepts the abandoned, healthy body of supermodel Victoriana. Refusing an offer that others would die for, Adelaine wakes up in the ICU, thrilled to be alive, in her own body, and certain it must have all been a silly dream.
Fragile but determined to recover, Adelaine clings tightly to life and the love of her tiny, tight-knit family, while basking in the joy of being pregnant—a happy shock after years of not being able to conceive. But when a mysterious someone tries to kill her and Earnest—obviously not a dream— continues to pop up out the blue, pressing her to sign legal waivers and droning on and on about her upcoming death, Adelaine begins to realize that nothing will ever be the same again, whether she lives or dies.
Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for an ARC of With Undying Love, Adelaine.
This was such a cool idea for a plot, and I'm convinced there is a really good story tucked in here somewhere, but the execution fell a bit flat for me. It felt like there was a lot of missing information about the main plot that I often felt confused, and too much extra side information that didn't help contribute to the main plot. I really enjoyed how the main plot wrapped up at the end, but there were lots of loose ends with the minor characters. Overall, not a terrible read but not my favorite.
I received an advance review copy for free via BookSirens and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
I started out enjoying this book as the characters are well drawn, the basic idea is interesting and the narrative is warm and genuinely funny at times.
However at around 30% it seemed to lose momentum and felt like it was becoming laboured. The characters often behave in unrealistic ways which lets down the plot. It's almost as though the author has decided what she wants to happen and shoe horns the story to fit, regardless of whether it makes any sense.
There is an unusual amount of death and suicide within a small group of people and some of the names really grated on me.
There are a couple of errors in this advance copy with Harriet being called Viv at one point and "tamper" being used instead of "temper," however I would try more by this writer as I feel there's real talent there.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
There was so much I loved about this book. The concept is genius and I was addicted to the MC’s storyline and so invested in how it all would turn out for her! I loved so much the character details and the relationships. And I also appreciated the inclusion by the author of disabilities. It made the lives of these characters so much more believable!
I had two things though that kept me from leaving this five stars. I felt the sideline of Lucy and the body snatchers was unnecessary. It almost felt like an afterthought or that it was being forced, with no impact to the main story line - now, if there’s a follow up story line or another one coming that goes into this side in more detail, I could get behind it! I think that whole side plot would be great as a standalone!
The other small issue I had was the pacing of the two halves didn’t really match for me. There was so much detail in the first half of the MC’s story. The buildup was so well done. Then when we got to after the major turning point it was like someone pressed fast forward and everything was just crammed in there!
Overall though, I enjoyed this. It was a nice little delve into sci-fi/fantasy without being too heavy!
Adelaine wakes up in an afterlife waiting room, greeted by an enigmatic man named Earnest who introduces himself as her caseworker. Apparently, Adelaine's body is shutting down and she will soon be dead. However, there is an alternative: she can choose to take a new body, one whose owner no longer wants it. Model Victoriana is beautiful, famous and tired of life; all Adelaine has to do is say the word and her soul will be transferred to Victoriana's comatose, but otherwise healthy, body.
With Undying Love, Adelaine is a quirky, thought-provoking novel about love and loss which takes a tragic, all too common situation and examines it through a brilliantly surreal lens.
Adelaine is a beautifully drawn character, at turns sceptical, frightened and pragmatic. I found myself immediately invested in her story and, as a wife and mother myself, I found the scenes with her husband and daughter, and her internal battle over whether to take Victoriana's body, devastatingly sad and authentic. Of course the idea of choosing whether to die or to assume occupancy of someone else's body is proposterous, but the struggle between prioritising yourself and sacrificing everything for your family is an eminently relatable one. Each of the supporting characters is equally thoughtfully portrayed, their interactions with Adelaine and personal histories adding depth and different perspectives to the story.
With Undying Love, Adelaine is the perfect combination of sweet, funny, strange and heart-wrenching, and it is sure to stay with me for a long time. I know some reviewers found the body-snatching subplot jarring, but I found it creepy and exciting; I thought the juxtaposition with the more sentimental and mundane elements of the plot was very effective.
The one thing I felt was missing from the story was Victoriana's perspective; we hear about her from people who knew her, but we never get a clear sense of why exactly she didn't want to live anymore - we only have other people's interpretation of her actions.
Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
“With Undying Love, Adelaine” is a heart-wrenching tale of love, loss, and resilience. The story follows Adelaine, a young woman navigating the complexities of life and love after a tragic event. Sabine masterfully weaves a narrative that is both poignant and uplifting, capturing the raw emotions of her protagonist and the transformative power of love.
Characters:
Adelaine is a deeply relatable character whose journey of healing and self-discovery is both inspiring and moving. Her strength and vulnerability are portrayed with great sensitivity, making her a character readers will root for. The supporting cast, including Adelaine's love interest and close friends, are well-developed and add depth to the story. Each character brings a unique perspective, enriching the narrative and creating a vibrant world.
Writing Style:
Ellie Sabine's writing is lyrical and evocative, drawing readers into Adelaine's world with vivid descriptions and emotional depth. Her prose is both elegant and accessible, making the book a pleasure to read. Sabine has a knack for capturing the small, intimate moments that make life meaningful, adding a layer of realism to her romantic and dramatic storyline.
Themes:
The novel explores themes of love, loss, and redemption, highlighting the resilience of the human spirit. Sabine delves into the complexities of grief and the healing process, showing that love can be a powerful force for change and recovery. The book also touches on themes of friendship, family, and personal growth, making it a well-rounded and thought-provoking read.
Overall Impression:
“With Undying Love, Adelaine” is a beautifully crafted novel that will resonate with readers long after they turn the last page. Ellie Sabine has created a touching and memorable story that speaks to the enduring power of love and the strength it takes to overcome life's challenges. This book is a must-read for fans of contemporary romance and emotional dramas.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book, with my honest review below.
With Undying Love, Adelaine is a mystery to me, still, in how to best describe the genre it should be in. There’s a heavy dose of spiritual fantasy (but this isn’t a spiritual book) and women’s fiction. I’d even go so far as to say it’s a bit of mystery. Whatever genres it best lives in, I enjoyed reading this and thought it was well done, but I ended it feeling that there was more to the story to get me to full closure.
Adelaine is a wife and mother who is on borrowed time. While she and her husband Nick have a great marriage, she’s been waking up wanting to kill him and feeling emotionally dead (outside of her homicidal urges) and physically exhausted. When she has a near death event some of her symptoms are explained as part of a pregnancy she wasn’t aware of, but she now has worse issues in facing her upcoming death and the decision to take up the body of a supermodel who doesn’t want to live, Victoriana.
The rest of the book focuses not only on her conflict but working through what it really means to live (or live again) and a side body snatching conflict. I’d recommend the read because it is truly full of action and interesting ideas, but I do feel there were some loose ends that weren’t resolved - if that is alright with you, then this is one of a kind.
A new (for me) premise that is surely not believable but evokes lots of thinking. I enjoyed the book and loved the various characters. On the night of her near-death experience, Adelaine has the shock of her life when she finds herself plopped into an afterlife waiting room. She’s assigned to Earnest, a caseworker who informs her she only has months to live unless she accepts the abandoned, healthy body of supermodel Victoriana. Refusing an offer that others would die for, Adelaine wakes up in the ICU, thrilled to be alive, in her own body, and certain it must have all been a silly dream. Fragile but determined to recover, Adelaine clings tightly to life and the love of her tiny, tight-knit family, while basking in the joy of being pregnant—a happy shock after years of not being able to conceive. But when a mysterious someone tries to kill her and Earnest—obviously not a dream— continues to pop up out the blue, pressing her to sign legal waivers and droning on and on about her upcoming death, Adelaine begins to realize that nothing will ever be the same again, whether she lives or dies.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is my first time doing this, and I'm pleasantly surprised. I'm usually stingy with 5-star ratings, because I feel like there are so many books that are boring or similar to ones I've already read.
In my 40s, I realized that I love books about magic. Maybe because magic became realistic magic. I read books, and I'm intrigued by the possibilities. It's magic, but it's believable. It evokes something in us and invites us to view the world differently.
I loved this book. The possibilities of the afterlife, healing, and ways to enjoy life and others. Everything is magic, if we are open to it. I would definitely recommend this book to others. It's an emotional read. It's easy, quick, and magical.
"...this is exactly what I want. I want this life exactly. A boring life of being loved and held and cherished..."
This story was weird and beautiful and sad and funny and heartwarming and heart-wrenching, all the emotions! After Adelaine nears death experience, she clings to her family like never before. It's clear she has always been a loving wife and mother but, when she's told she may have to leave the body she's always known, she fights like hell to keep her life as is. Adelaine is a really charming and relatable character. I felt so much for her trying so hard to keep her family together. I didn't find the body-snatching twist to the story necessary or relevant. The characters had enough to process without this additional element. Even though this book deals with death, overall it is a light read.
I received a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
So, that being said, I did not enjoy this one. I didn’t understand how if this crazy stuff is happening and someone is telling you you’re body is going to die, you just say, “meh, I’m not going to die so I’m just going to hide all this paperwork and pretend this isn��t happening.” Adelaide drove me completely nuts. Every decision she made infuriated me.
And why wasn’t Earnest more forceful? Obviously Adelaide didn’t think she was going to die, he should have been more insistent. Or should have listened to Adelaide when she said she didn’t want Victoriana’s body. Instead it was just like, ok, I know you never agreed to this but - boom - now you’re in a different person’s body.
The writing also felt incomplete and unedited. It was too long and felt like it went in circles. This one just wasn’t for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
When Adelaine collapses she finds herself in an afterlife waiting room. A man appears & tells her his name is Earnest & he is her caseworker here to help. He tells her that she the only has months to live unless she moves into the body of model 'Victoriana' who has tried to commit suicide. Of course she dismisses this & tries to regain strength delighting in her family & discovering she's pregnant. When someone attacks her & Earnest keeps turning up with 'waiver' forms a few months later she begins to realise maybe she's not got as many choices as she thought!
This was a brilliant premise & I loved Adelaine & her family. I'm not sure it entirely lived up to its earlier promise. The body snatching part seemed to add nothing useful to the story. The reveal was a surprise. Overall it was a fun unusual read. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.
With Undying Love, Adelaine by Ellie Savine had a good premise, but the book was flat and long. The story was also full of holes. There were details that were missing which leads to a confused reader (had me going “huh”). The story loses momentum about a third of the way through (it really became challenging to read). Plus, there was too much going on (the author kept tossing more ingredients into the soup pot and they did nothing to enhance the flavor). The author had the characters behaving in unrealistic ways (it did not make sense). The case worker situation was just plain odd. There were extraneous details that did not contribute to the plot (and one of the reasons the story was too long). I thought the ending was rushed, but it did have a decent wrap up (there were several loose ends). It seemed like the author had a certain story in mind and she was going to make it work no matter what (whether it made sense or not). The story does contain intimate situations, body image issues, and a significant amount of foul language. With Undying Love, Adelaine was not a hit with me.
This book was so frustrating!!! It started out with a great introduction and hook and then suddenly veered way off track. It was like reading 3 seperate stories that had nothing to do with eachother. Lots of random crap that didn't have any importance to the plot showed up out of no where and often left me questioning if I had accidentally skipped a page.
Once Addy was forced into Vi's body, the story started to pick up again but the 35-70% marks of the book were BRUTAL. I legitimately yelled at my Kindle!!! If Vi had a hysterectomy she can't get a period!! And the weird body Snatcher plot was just f--ed up...WTF did she need to turn into an owl for??
If the body snatcher plot was removed, this story had a way better storyline and may have actually kept my attention.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This is certainly a women's fiction about love and loss and the decisions we make in between.
I found the writing style was enjoyable, the premise of this story is what drew me to it and I was not disappointed. Some points of the story fell al little flat, but overall this book was enjoyable to read. I would say that it is one of those books that you savour, instead of rush through. It is a weekend read when you have the time to fully enjoy all the aspects of the very unique story and the main character.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book presents a quiet exploration of love, loss, and choices. Adelaine is a relatable protagonist caught at the crossroads of life, death, and a second chance. "Undying Love" keeps Adelaine's genre ambiguous; it harbors elements of spiritual fantasy without being a spiritual book, aligning more with women's fiction, and even touches on mystery. Despite the genre overlap, the book is an enjoyable and well-crafted read, although it leaves a lingering desire for more to bring the story to a complete closure. It's an ideal weekend read, allowing time to fully absorb the unique narrative and its central character.
A charming read, not as heavy as a book about dying would suggest. I would recommend this to fans of The Good Place who had wanted more exploration of the notion of soul bureaucracy, similar to the waiting room scene in Beetlejuice. Some of the world building felt a little rushed, a couple if major points about it being boiled down to a few lines of dialogue, but I don't mind too much as the focus is more on the characters than the logistics of the afterlife.
She wants to die as she has been there and is so tired of her life. Meanwhile they will find herself in the afterlife. Things are going to become different for her as she enters a new body. How will they get on? Will her life get better? See how it will all go I received an advance copy from hidden gems and I want to review
I wasn’t expecting this. The premise intrigued me but the writing style kept me. This is a quieter book about love, loss and choices. Adelaine is a relatable protagonist who finds herself at the intersection of life and death as well as a second chance.
This heartwarming and thought-provoking tale has something for everyone. There is a beautiful love story between Adelaine and Noah. Amazing representation of a child on the spectrum. The pull of family, all with some mystery and paranormal. It will make you think about life, death, the in-between, and all your desires and wishes.
I had no idea what to expect with this book, and almost didn't take a chance. I'm SO glad that I did. There is joy, sadness, laughter, and SO much love and heart to this story. If you can only get one book this year, make it this one. I need to go and read it again!
This story had a little bit of everything-suspense&mystery, paranormal, loss, and love. I enjoyed all the characters, including the different dogs in the story. One of them, resembled one of my daughter's dogs, and I could visualize him,every time in the the plot. It was a story,one is unable to believe, and it was fiction, but then, what do I know.
When I first saw this book. I was so enticed by the tittle, the story, that definitely didn’t make any sense.. Just yet.. But I noticed myself staying up late just to read another chapter! Hands down, one of the best books I’ve ever read . Can’t wait to read more of you Ellie Sabine 👌🏻
The subject matter of this book is fascinating. Everyone wonders what life will be like after death! It is well-written, and best of all has a happy ending. It wraps up all of the loose ends nicely. Very enjoyable!
I love a story that isn't like any other, and this book is no exception. Very imaginative, well thought out, and characters you will fall in love with. Read this!