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When I Was Yours
“Marry me.”
“What?” I stared back at him, unblinking.
He moved closer, taking my face in his hands. “I love you, Evie. I look into the future, and the only thing I see clearly is you. Marry me.”
What’s an eighteen-year-old girl who was madly in love with her nineteen-year-old boyfriend say?
Of course, I said yes.
Twenty-four hours later, I married Adam Gunner at a Vegas chapel to the sounds of “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi. Not the best omen. I get that now.
Then, exactly one week later, I left him. I walked out, leaving behind my wedding ring, annulment papers, and my heart, and he never knew why.
I haven’t seen him since. Not in ten long years.
Now, he’s here, standing before me. Looking at me with nothing but hurt and hatred in his eyes, he wants answers.
Answers I can’t give.
“What?” I stared back at him, unblinking.
He moved closer, taking my face in his hands. “I love you, Evie. I look into the future, and the only thing I see clearly is you. Marry me.”
What’s an eighteen-year-old girl who was madly in love with her nineteen-year-old boyfriend say?
Of course, I said yes.
Twenty-four hours later, I married Adam Gunner at a Vegas chapel to the sounds of “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi. Not the best omen. I get that now.
Then, exactly one week later, I left him. I walked out, leaving behind my wedding ring, annulment papers, and my heart, and he never knew why.
I haven’t seen him since. Not in ten long years.
Now, he’s here, standing before me. Looking at me with nothing but hurt and hatred in his eyes, he wants answers.
Answers I can’t give.
Audible Audio
First published November 10, 2015
782 people are currently reading
8988 people want to read
About the author
Samantha Towle
36 books11.9k followersSamantha Towle is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author.
A native of Hull, she lives in East Yorkshire with her husband, their son and daughter, and three large furbabies.
She is the author of contemporary romances, The Storm Series, The Revved Series, The Wardrobe Series, The Gods Series, and standalones, Trouble, When I Was Yours, The Ending I Want, Unsuitable, Under Her, River Wild, Dead Pretty, The Two Week Stand and Sacking the Quarterback which was written with James Patterson. She has also written paranormal romances, The Bringer and The Alexandra Jones Series. With over a million books sold, her titles have appeared in countless bestseller lists, and are currently translated into ten languages.
To receive an email when Samantha releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter - http://samanthatowle.co.uk/newsletter...
You can also find Samantha at -
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Samantha-Tow...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/samtowlewrites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samtowlewri...
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/saman...
A native of Hull, she lives in East Yorkshire with her husband, their son and daughter, and three large furbabies.
She is the author of contemporary romances, The Storm Series, The Revved Series, The Wardrobe Series, The Gods Series, and standalones, Trouble, When I Was Yours, The Ending I Want, Unsuitable, Under Her, River Wild, Dead Pretty, The Two Week Stand and Sacking the Quarterback which was written with James Patterson. She has also written paranormal romances, The Bringer and The Alexandra Jones Series. With over a million books sold, her titles have appeared in countless bestseller lists, and are currently translated into ten languages.
To receive an email when Samantha releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter - http://samanthatowle.co.uk/newsletter...
You can also find Samantha at -
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Samantha-Tow...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/samtowlewrites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samtowlewri...
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/saman...
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Want to read
November 3, 2015
TEASER #1 - Adam's POV...
I’m pretty sure I just fell in love.
Well, it’s probably more like lust—big lust—but whatever. I have to have her. Now.
I take a step toward her, following her. “I think you’re fucking amazing.”
Her smile gets wider, and she laughs, biting down on her bottom lip. “And I think you might be a little crazy. Oh, I forgot to give you this.”
Jogging back to me, she pulls her sketchpad from her bag, opens it up and tears a page out. She shoves the sketchpad back in her bag and hands me the piece of paper. “I’ve been working on it all week. I think it’s finished.” She meets my stare, blinking those stunning whiskey-coloured eyes of hers up at me.
My breath catches.
I have never wanted to kiss a girl more than I do her in this moment.
Taking a step back, she breaks the connection. She lifts a hand, her perfect fingers wiggling goodbye to me. “I’ll see you tomorrow. And it was nice to finally meet you, Adam.”
“Wait…I never told you my name.”
“I know.” She grins. “Max told me.” And on a cheeky wink, she turns and jogs up the beach, leaving me standing here.
November 10, 2015
4 stars!
When I Was Yours is a book I’ve been looking forward to for a while. This is a second chance romance, and it’s angsty, heartbreaking and emotional. I love all of Samantha Towle’s books, and although this one wasn’t my favorite, it was still enjoyable for me.
Adam and Evie had an epic year of romance when they were younger. They fell in love fast and hard, and even though they were young, they were happy and in love. They knew for sure this was the real deal. So they got married. She was 18, he was 19, and they were determined to make it work. Then a week later, Evie left. No explanation, just her rings and annulment papers left behind. Adam looked, but couldn’t find her.
They’ve been apart ten years, and neither have moved on. Not in the way it counts. Not in the heart. Adam wants answers. He needs closure on why Evie left him… but she doesn’t think either are ready for her to give him those answers.
Past Adam and present Adam are so different. I loved young Adam, he was the best… Adam now- well, he has his moments. I understand why he is the way he is, thats for sure. Evie is great and even though I wanted to yell at her to come out with it already I still liked her a lot. The main reason this wasn’t a 5 for me was because it was fairly predictable. I was able to tell pretty much straight away why Evie left. I understood and sympathized with her reasoning, I just wish it would have been a little harder to guess.
If you’re looking for a feel good love story, this probably isn’t the book for you. It takes a lot of heartache and angst to get to the happy. I did love the way the story ended and I love Towle’s writing, so this gets a 4 star rating from me.
When I Was Yours is a book I’ve been looking forward to for a while. This is a second chance romance, and it’s angsty, heartbreaking and emotional. I love all of Samantha Towle’s books, and although this one wasn’t my favorite, it was still enjoyable for me.
Adam and Evie had an epic year of romance when they were younger. They fell in love fast and hard, and even though they were young, they were happy and in love. They knew for sure this was the real deal. So they got married. She was 18, he was 19, and they were determined to make it work. Then a week later, Evie left. No explanation, just her rings and annulment papers left behind. Adam looked, but couldn’t find her.
They’ve been apart ten years, and neither have moved on. Not in the way it counts. Not in the heart. Adam wants answers. He needs closure on why Evie left him… but she doesn’t think either are ready for her to give him those answers.
The truth is a hard thing. He might think he wants the truth, but honestly, if he has it, I think he’d realize he never wanted it.
The truth can hurt, and this one would hurt him like a motherfucker.
Past Adam and present Adam are so different. I loved young Adam, he was the best… Adam now- well, he has his moments. I understand why he is the way he is, thats for sure. Evie is great and even though I wanted to yell at her to come out with it already I still liked her a lot. The main reason this wasn’t a 5 for me was because it was fairly predictable. I was able to tell pretty much straight away why Evie left. I understood and sympathized with her reasoning, I just wish it would have been a little harder to guess.
If you’re looking for a feel good love story, this probably isn’t the book for you. It takes a lot of heartache and angst to get to the happy. I did love the way the story ended and I love Towle’s writing, so this gets a 4 star rating from me.
Want to read
October 19, 2015I. NEED. THIS. BOOK!!!!!
“Marry me.”
“What?” I stared back at him, unblinking.
He moved closer, taking my face in his hands. “I love you, Evie. I look into the future, and the only thing I see clearly is you. Marry me.”
What’s an eighteen-year-old girl who was madly in love with her nineteen-year-old boyfriend say?
Of course, I said yes.
Twenty-four hours later, I married Adam Gunner at a Vegas chapel to the sounds of “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi. Not the best omen. I get that now.
Then, exactly one week later, I left him. I walked out, leaving behind my wedding ring, annulment papers, and my heart, and he never knew why.
I haven’t seen him since. Not in ten long years.
Now, he’s here, standing before me. Looking at me with nothing but hurt and hatred in his eyes, he wants answers.
Answers I can’t give.
“Marry me.”
“What?” I stared back at him, unblinking.
He moved closer, taking my face in his hands. “I love you, Evie. I look into the future, and the only thing I see clearly is you. Marry me.”
What’s an eighteen-year-old girl who was madly in love with her nineteen-year-old boyfriend say?
Of course, I said yes.
Twenty-four hours later, I married Adam Gunner at a Vegas chapel to the sounds of “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi. Not the best omen. I get that now.
Then, exactly one week later, I left him. I walked out, leaving behind my wedding ring, annulment papers, and my heart, and he never knew why.
I haven’t seen him since. Not in ten long years.
Now, he’s here, standing before me. Looking at me with nothing but hurt and hatred in his eyes, he wants answers.
Answers I can’t give.
November 9, 2015
5 Beautiful Stars++++++
Wow just wow what a beautiful read!!!
This is the reason why I love to read Romance, why I love to read total! I have been in deep with this book all weekend, I thought about the characters and their love and how much they meant to each other. How they were obviously meant to be. This is a story based on how two people fell for each other, yet it takes ALOT of pain to get to be happy. Their happy. It's the Epic kind of love that I look for and thrive to look for when I want an deep emotional raw and intense love story. This was alllll that.
So what's it about?
This is about Adam and Evie, first of all I just want to explain how this was a real character driven story spanning 10 years previous to present day. Adam was a one night kind of man he hasn't got the best childhood he has money yes, a roof over his head and food to fill his belly but love is something he definitely doesn't have apart from his best buddy Max. Therefore he just sleeps with the girls one night and they're out by the next morning. Adams parents are in the movie industry, his mum especially is in the Oscars and into owning their studio yet Adam doesn't love it actually he detests it. But it's his family business and it's what his father has said he must do. So he is happy for this in some respect as long as he gets a year to enjoy his freedom in Malibu, to surf and to live with Max his best buddie/Brother. Adam lives to surf it's what is soul thrives for and he's good at it. Then he spots the most beautiful girl and he wants her BADLY, he thinks a hook up yet he feels a more and he actually wants to protect, which is a SHOCKING reaction from him.
They go on to have a year of fun and fall for each other. But a secret happens and that leaves them separated for 10 years. (This is not a spoiler and is stated in the blurb, just re-hashing slightly that small amount of info, I won't be going into much more on that and trying my hardest to make this spoiler free so bare with me.) Therefore this story goes back to 10 years prior and how they met, how they laughed and how they started to love. Then to present day where they are now in touch and in pain because they still love each other yet are miles apart by one secret that is crippling them.
This story though is about family, loyalties, LOVE LOVE LOVE. Pain, despair, forgiveness, raw intense kind of Love. It's two people who, however much they've been through need each other to breathe you know, they struggle to see a future without the other, and are finding it hard to let go of the other person.
Adam
If there ever was so much as a swoony heroes then Adam is it. He is a dominant Alpha in one moment and a loyal and lovable man in the next. He loves easily and has a big heart but that puts his heart on the line. In present day he struggles to trust, so only has a select few he's close to. But my God how much I fell for him and his intense charismatic eyes, his intense stares and how much he truly LOVED Evie. I wanted to be Evie, I wanted to wrap myself around Adam LOL He.Is.Mine Dammit too much?. Gah he's going into my ultimate favourite broken heroes list. That's all I'm saying..
Evie
Sometimes heroines have that annoying, whinging (just for Allison and Flo) wink, needy trait that you get annoyed with right? Yet Evie wasn't like that. While reading this just remember she does what she thinks is best. She does everything for ADAM! He is everything to her, just know that and know that her life is about HER FAMILY. About who's important to her, she works in a coffee shop to help with bills, she lives a different kind of life that Adam is from, but opposites attract and the heart wants what the heart wants. Evie was a person that put everyone in front of herself. She walked the path she is given but she's dealt with a lot of pain along the way. But she shone in my book, no other words needed.
And the sex.. Primal, intense but ultimately loving! Those scenes were never too much, and so very sensual.
Samantha is a favourite author of mine but I haven't read a book from her for a while, I kind of forgot why I love her so much but boy am I glad I picked this up as this is such a beautiful beautiful read!
Sorry for the overkill but I fell for these characters hook, line and sinker. If you love the second chance romance trope then this is a must read.
#TopRecomendationfromKaty<
Enjoy Xo
P.S this is a STANDALONE and an HEA, but I'm hoping that maybe one day we may get a book for Max as I kind of feel for him too.
ARC generously gifted in exchange for an honest review
For more reviews and blog posts
Wow just wow what a beautiful read!!!
This is the reason why I love to read Romance, why I love to read total! I have been in deep with this book all weekend, I thought about the characters and their love and how much they meant to each other. How they were obviously meant to be. This is a story based on how two people fell for each other, yet it takes ALOT of pain to get to be happy. Their happy. It's the Epic kind of love that I look for and thrive to look for when I want an deep emotional raw and intense love story. This was alllll that.
So what's it about?
This is about Adam and Evie, first of all I just want to explain how this was a real character driven story spanning 10 years previous to present day. Adam was a one night kind of man he hasn't got the best childhood he has money yes, a roof over his head and food to fill his belly but love is something he definitely doesn't have apart from his best buddy Max. Therefore he just sleeps with the girls one night and they're out by the next morning. Adams parents are in the movie industry, his mum especially is in the Oscars and into owning their studio yet Adam doesn't love it actually he detests it. But it's his family business and it's what his father has said he must do. So he is happy for this in some respect as long as he gets a year to enjoy his freedom in Malibu, to surf and to live with Max his best buddie/Brother. Adam lives to surf it's what is soul thrives for and he's good at it. Then he spots the most beautiful girl and he wants her BADLY, he thinks a hook up yet he feels a more and he actually wants to protect, which is a SHOCKING reaction from him.
They go on to have a year of fun and fall for each other. But a secret happens and that leaves them separated for 10 years. (This is not a spoiler and is stated in the blurb, just re-hashing slightly that small amount of info, I won't be going into much more on that and trying my hardest to make this spoiler free so bare with me.) Therefore this story goes back to 10 years prior and how they met, how they laughed and how they started to love. Then to present day where they are now in touch and in pain because they still love each other yet are miles apart by one secret that is crippling them.
This story though is about family, loyalties, LOVE LOVE LOVE. Pain, despair, forgiveness, raw intense kind of Love. It's two people who, however much they've been through need each other to breathe you know, they struggle to see a future without the other, and are finding it hard to let go of the other person.
Adam
If there ever was so much as a swoony heroes then Adam is it. He is a dominant Alpha in one moment and a loyal and lovable man in the next. He loves easily and has a big heart but that puts his heart on the line. In present day he struggles to trust, so only has a select few he's close to. But my God how much I fell for him and his intense charismatic eyes, his intense stares and how much he truly LOVED Evie. I wanted to be Evie, I wanted to wrap myself around Adam LOL He.Is.Mine Dammit too much?. Gah he's going into my ultimate favourite broken heroes list. That's all I'm saying..
Evie
Sometimes heroines have that annoying, whinging (just for Allison and Flo) wink, needy trait that you get annoyed with right? Yet Evie wasn't like that. While reading this just remember she does what she thinks is best. She does everything for ADAM! He is everything to her, just know that and know that her life is about HER FAMILY. About who's important to her, she works in a coffee shop to help with bills, she lives a different kind of life that Adam is from, but opposites attract and the heart wants what the heart wants. Evie was a person that put everyone in front of herself. She walked the path she is given but she's dealt with a lot of pain along the way. But she shone in my book, no other words needed.
And the sex.. Primal, intense but ultimately loving! Those scenes were never too much, and so very sensual.
Samantha is a favourite author of mine but I haven't read a book from her for a while, I kind of forgot why I love her so much but boy am I glad I picked this up as this is such a beautiful beautiful read!
Sorry for the overkill but I fell for these characters hook, line and sinker. If you love the second chance romance trope then this is a must read.
#TopRecomendationfromKaty<
Enjoy Xo
P.S this is a STANDALONE and an HEA, but I'm hoping that maybe one day we may get a book for Max as I kind of feel for him too.
ARC generously gifted in exchange for an honest review
For more reviews and blog posts
February 10, 2019
The story is predictable and cliché but it’s hot and enjoyable nonetheless.
Adam & Evie
Adam & Evie
January 21, 2016
It's Live! * Amazon US * Amazon UK * iBooks US * iBooks UK * Kobo * B&N *
WHEN I WAS YOURS is a sweet and tender second chance Contemporary Romance steeped with heartfelt emotions and a dash of intrigue. I felt the tense interaction between the hero and heroine who demonstrate a strong physical connection as they navigate their way through their relationship that on the outside appears to be irreparably broken. I smiled and shed a tear as their journey through life unravels showcasing their pain and hope, sadness and love.
Adam and Evie marry and separate within a week, then after ten years they find themselves face to face, the starting point for the love story and offers an immediate setting of angst and heartache which I absolutely loved. The perspective alternates between the hero and heroine and presents a time period toggling between the past and present day. The past showcasing key moments that have shaped their relationship and the present capturing the development of their worlds, once again colliding, and depicting the fallout from the rekindling of their passion.
Adam is the head of Gunner entertainment and is most definitely the star of this story. His broken-hero persona totally appeals to my reading tastes and my book heart. I felt his sadness, regret and passion. The heroine, in many ways, is the polar opposite to Adam. She has a close relationship with her father and sister and we feel the impact of their closeness as the story unfolds. From the start the reader is aware that she's the woman Adam falls in love with and subsequently breaks his heart the question is why? I felt the tension between the protagonists during their early re-connection and highly anticipated the unfolding of their story which the author reveals at a lovely pace, layer by layer through the telling of the past and the present until the reader fully comprehends why everything fell apart all those years ago.
I wish a couple of things had been different in terms of the heroine who at times irked me with her decisions and thought process. I felt a little repetition and frustration with certain aspects of the story but maybe this was necessary to drive the angst.
I highly anticipated the action in the present time period, the angst, tone and pace of it captured my attention, made me feel and towards the end made my eyes water with a tear. There is intrigue and wondering along the way but happily I felt secure in my predictions of the past and the present which offered me a contented warm aspect to the telling and made my heart swell with love for this sweet, emotional story. The sentiment and ethos driving WHEN I WAS YOURS is one of beauty and love which I wholeheartedly enjoyed and highly recommend to all romance readers of sweet second chance love.
Excerpt
Advanced copy provided for my honest review thoughts
WHEN I WAS YOURS is a sweet and tender second chance Contemporary Romance steeped with heartfelt emotions and a dash of intrigue. I felt the tense interaction between the hero and heroine who demonstrate a strong physical connection as they navigate their way through their relationship that on the outside appears to be irreparably broken. I smiled and shed a tear as their journey through life unravels showcasing their pain and hope, sadness and love.
Adam and Evie marry and separate within a week, then after ten years they find themselves face to face, the starting point for the love story and offers an immediate setting of angst and heartache which I absolutely loved. The perspective alternates between the hero and heroine and presents a time period toggling between the past and present day. The past showcasing key moments that have shaped their relationship and the present capturing the development of their worlds, once again colliding, and depicting the fallout from the rekindling of their passion.
Adam is the head of Gunner entertainment and is most definitely the star of this story. His broken-hero persona totally appeals to my reading tastes and my book heart. I felt his sadness, regret and passion. The heroine, in many ways, is the polar opposite to Adam. She has a close relationship with her father and sister and we feel the impact of their closeness as the story unfolds. From the start the reader is aware that she's the woman Adam falls in love with and subsequently breaks his heart the question is why? I felt the tension between the protagonists during their early re-connection and highly anticipated the unfolding of their story which the author reveals at a lovely pace, layer by layer through the telling of the past and the present until the reader fully comprehends why everything fell apart all those years ago.
I wish a couple of things had been different in terms of the heroine who at times irked me with her decisions and thought process. I felt a little repetition and frustration with certain aspects of the story but maybe this was necessary to drive the angst.
I highly anticipated the action in the present time period, the angst, tone and pace of it captured my attention, made me feel and towards the end made my eyes water with a tear. There is intrigue and wondering along the way but happily I felt secure in my predictions of the past and the present which offered me a contented warm aspect to the telling and made my heart swell with love for this sweet, emotional story. The sentiment and ethos driving WHEN I WAS YOURS is one of beauty and love which I wholeheartedly enjoyed and highly recommend to all romance readers of sweet second chance love.
Excerpt
Advanced copy provided for my honest review thoughts
January 6, 2016
4 Second Chance Stars
Adam and Evie fell in love. The got married and they thought it was forever… until it wasn’t anymore. One morning Evie left without one explanation.
Adam never recovered… and never forgave her as well.
Ten years later Evie is back and determined to finally tell the truth, but can be a love too broken for a second chance?
I love second chance romances, and to be honest, this one was right up my alley. Mix a sexy couple, a past secret, some emotion and a love that never died? Win for me.
Add the amazing gift for storytelling that Samantha as and this book is definitely a winner.
The “secret” was obvious from a mile away, which at moments made all the angst just look annoying, because it was one of those secrets that a honest talk could have solved everything and cut the unnecessary drama by half.
In the end, it is a sexy, emotional and sweet book and if you like second chance romances you should definitely give it a try.
Rating: 4 Stars.
Characters Development: Despite everything, I liked Evie. After we found out why she left it was easy to empathize with her. She was a sweet heroine. Adam was really nice as well, despite some asshole attitudes it was easy to see how broken he was and how much in love he still was with Evie. Both of them as a couple were freaking explosive. I’m really there’s a book about Mark somewhere in the future.
Steam: Hot.
Sensible Subjects:
Love Triangle:
Cheating:
HEA:
Adam and Evie fell in love. The got married and they thought it was forever… until it wasn’t anymore. One morning Evie left without one explanation.
Adam never recovered… and never forgave her as well.
Ten years later Evie is back and determined to finally tell the truth, but can be a love too broken for a second chance?
I love second chance romances, and to be honest, this one was right up my alley. Mix a sexy couple, a past secret, some emotion and a love that never died? Win for me.
Add the amazing gift for storytelling that Samantha as and this book is definitely a winner.
The “secret” was obvious from a mile away, which at moments made all the angst just look annoying, because it was one of those secrets that a honest talk could have solved everything and cut the unnecessary drama by half.
In the end, it is a sexy, emotional and sweet book and if you like second chance romances you should definitely give it a try.
Rating: 4 Stars.
Characters Development: Despite everything, I liked Evie. After we found out why she left it was easy to empathize with her. She was a sweet heroine. Adam was really nice as well, despite some asshole attitudes it was easy to see how broken he was and how much in love he still was with Evie. Both of them as a couple were freaking explosive. I’m really there’s a book about Mark somewhere in the future.
Steam: Hot.
Sensible Subjects:
Love Triangle:
Cheating:
HEA:
February 27, 2016
The book was Predictable and that kinda made it pathetic.
The plot of the story is so USED, even a sex addict wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole.
Predictable to the E, because you would have read this story a 100 times, just in a different setting.
I was so looking forward to this book, hoping for an amazing strong story, what I got was God knows what.
It was a nice read, no doubt, because the author writes well...
The starting of the book was so promising, I loved it.. but later as the story went.. there was no strong base floating it...
AND when the book peaked I was like WHAT THE FUCK? Its so washed up, the plot; its not even interesting anymore. Because you feel like you have read it before.
I didn't feel shit for any characters, it was all like.. yeah ok cool, whatever, move on, next page, when is this ending because I feel like I know what the fuck her pathetic excuse and secret is.
I loveeeeeeed Max. His character was amazing, his one liners amazing, and Adam and Max's banter was precious.
The plot of the story is so USED, even a sex addict wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole.
Predictable to the E, because you would have read this story a 100 times, just in a different setting.
I was so looking forward to this book, hoping for an amazing strong story, what I got was God knows what.
It was a nice read, no doubt, because the author writes well...
The starting of the book was so promising, I loved it.. but later as the story went.. there was no strong base floating it...
AND when the book peaked I was like WHAT THE FUCK? Its so washed up, the plot; its not even interesting anymore. Because you feel like you have read it before.
I didn't feel shit for any characters, it was all like.. yeah ok cool, whatever, move on, next page, when is this ending because I feel like I know what the fuck her pathetic excuse and secret is.
I loveeeeeeed Max. His character was amazing, his one liners amazing, and Adam and Max's banter was precious.
November 18, 2015
2.5 Disappointing Stars
When I saw this book on my Kindle I totally fangirled and wanted to start it right away. I prepared myself for hours upon hours of reading with my supply of M&M's and my fluffy blanket, then dove right in. But then I got to the second chapter and realized that the book would be back and forth from the present to the past and my excitement dropped.
When Evie was seventeen she met Adam and her whole world changed. They fell in love and for a year were blissfully happy. Adam thought nothing could break them apart, so he asked Evie to marry him and they went to Vegas and got married that very day. But a week later he came home to a note from Evie telling him goodbye and everything he thought he knew was now a lie to him.
Ten years later Adam sees Evie again and confronts her about why she left. He wasn't prepared for so many secrets to come out, though, including a big one of his own. Evie sees this as her second chance and tries to get through to Adam so they can hopefully move on. But some secrets are better left buried...
My big issue with this book was the fact that every other chapter went back to the past to give us the story of how they first met. I wouldn't have minded if it was just a small part of the book or maybe the prologue but it was every other. frggin. chapter! I didn't care about all of that and it wasn't interesting to me at all, other than the part of what made Evie leave.
The characters were only okay for me but neither Adam or Evie were anything special. I kind of hated how we were told that Adam apparently had a drug problem at some point in the ten years since Evie left but then we were never told anymore than that. I just didn't understand the point of putting that in there if it wasn't going to be explained more. As for Evie, she was just there and I neither enjoyed her nor did I hate her.
Anyways, this book just didn't work for me and it was mostly for the fact that we got so much of the past story that didn't seem important to me. I wanted a little more about them getting back together and without it I was a little frustrated when it ended and not much had happened that brought them together. The storyline was still really interesting so I hope the book will work for everyone else.
Note: I apologize for all the edits on this. I wrote it fast and now realize I made many mistakes.
When I saw this book on my Kindle I totally fangirled and wanted to start it right away. I prepared myself for hours upon hours of reading with my supply of M&M's and my fluffy blanket, then dove right in. But then I got to the second chapter and realized that the book would be back and forth from the present to the past and my excitement dropped.
When Evie was seventeen she met Adam and her whole world changed. They fell in love and for a year were blissfully happy. Adam thought nothing could break them apart, so he asked Evie to marry him and they went to Vegas and got married that very day. But a week later he came home to a note from Evie telling him goodbye and everything he thought he knew was now a lie to him.
Ten years later Adam sees Evie again and confronts her about why she left. He wasn't prepared for so many secrets to come out, though, including a big one of his own. Evie sees this as her second chance and tries to get through to Adam so they can hopefully move on. But some secrets are better left buried...
My big issue with this book was the fact that every other chapter went back to the past to give us the story of how they first met. I wouldn't have minded if it was just a small part of the book or maybe the prologue but it was every other. frggin. chapter! I didn't care about all of that and it wasn't interesting to me at all, other than the part of what made Evie leave.
The characters were only okay for me but neither Adam or Evie were anything special. I kind of hated how we were told that Adam apparently had a drug problem at some point in the ten years since Evie left but then we were never told anymore than that. I just didn't understand the point of putting that in there if it wasn't going to be explained more. As for Evie, she was just there and I neither enjoyed her nor did I hate her.
Anyways, this book just didn't work for me and it was mostly for the fact that we got so much of the past story that didn't seem important to me. I wanted a little more about them getting back together and without it I was a little frustrated when it ended and not much had happened that brought them together. The storyline was still really interesting so I hope the book will work for everyone else.
Note: I apologize for all the edits on this. I wrote it fast and now realize I made many mistakes.
November 26, 2015
This is a very sad love story about a young couple who met and fell in love, got married and then had everything taken away. It's told in both main character's POVs and alternates between the past, eleven years ago, and the present.
Adam and Evie are the quintessential young lovers. Their story is sweet, full of romance and first time sex. They really have a good thing going and I really enjoyed their story. I hated knowing that things fell apart.
But fall apart they do and your heart really goes out to Adam. He is devastated and we find out exactly how much in the following years. And he's a different person...not only losing the love of his life but allowing himself to fulfill his rightful place in the family business which he has absolutely no interest. He's a walking time bomb.
And while Evie struggled, we really didn't get as many dirty details as we did with Adam. What we do get ~eventually~ is why she did what she did and it isn't pretty.
Adam and Evie can't stay away from each other but Adam is hurt and doesn't trust Evie and she's going to have to work really hard to win that back...or tell him the truth.
I really liked Adam and Evie especially their younger selfs. I was happy to get both sides of the story so at least we get a feel of what in the heck is going on with these two.
There's a lot of drama and some pretty intense family situations. My heart went out for Evie's family...it was just way too much! And I can't even imagine what life was like for Adam growing up but I was shocked at how he talked to his mom...deserving or not!
And can we just talk about Max? He was hilarious and the perfect best friend! The perfect best friend that needs his own book!
There's a great ending even if it's a bit cliché but I liked getting epilogues from both of them.
I would definitely recommend this if you enjoy Samantha Towle's writing and especially if you love second chance romances.
Favorite quote:
♥ "AND FOR THAT WONDROUS BRIEF
MOMENT IN TIME, SHE WAS MINE, AND
I WAS HERS."
♦ BR w/Melissa!
Adam and Evie are the quintessential young lovers. Their story is sweet, full of romance and first time sex. They really have a good thing going and I really enjoyed their story. I hated knowing that things fell apart.
But fall apart they do and your heart really goes out to Adam. He is devastated and we find out exactly how much in the following years. And he's a different person...not only losing the love of his life but allowing himself to fulfill his rightful place in the family business which he has absolutely no interest. He's a walking time bomb.
And while Evie struggled, we really didn't get as many dirty details as we did with Adam. What we do get ~eventually~ is why she did what she did and it isn't pretty.
Adam and Evie can't stay away from each other but Adam is hurt and doesn't trust Evie and she's going to have to work really hard to win that back...or tell him the truth.
I really liked Adam and Evie especially their younger selfs. I was happy to get both sides of the story so at least we get a feel of what in the heck is going on with these two.
There's a lot of drama and some pretty intense family situations. My heart went out for Evie's family...it was just way too much! And I can't even imagine what life was like for Adam growing up but I was shocked at how he talked to his mom...deserving or not!
And can we just talk about Max? He was hilarious and the perfect best friend! The perfect best friend that needs his own book!
There's a great ending even if it's a bit cliché but I liked getting epilogues from both of them.
I would definitely recommend this if you enjoy Samantha Towle's writing and especially if you love second chance romances.
Favorite quote:
♥ "AND FOR THAT WONDROUS BRIEF
MOMENT IN TIME, SHE WAS MINE, AND
I WAS HERS."
♦ BR w/Melissa!
November 15, 2015
I should’ve known from the moment I met her that, eventually, she’d be my downfall. I mean, I am Adam, and she’s my fucking Eve. It had been written in the cards.
Adam and Evie met when you they were barely legal adults, him eighteen and her seventeen. Regardless of age they developed a connection and for almost a year their love was a fairytale. However, some fairytales don’t end in happily ever after. One week after their marriage Evie up and leaves Adam with no explanation. He spends countless hours and his financial resources to search for her, but never finds her. Ten years later she accidentally shows back up in Adam’s life and he is demanding an explanation.
The story is told in dual POV’s, which I love, especially in a story like this. I think in second chance stories you almost need both opinions so you can truly understand and see both sides. I also need to know where their head, heart and intentions lie after allowing so many years to pass without reconnecting. The story also incorporates the past and present throughout, so you see key moments and parts of their past when it is relevant to their future.
And for that wondrous brief moment in time, she was mine, and I was hers.
Adam is taking a year off before attending Harvard. He and his best friend decide to rent a beach house to fully enjoy their year of freedom. Adam is your typical manwhore and has a one night rule, but when he becomes captivated by the blonde girl drawing on the rocks. Adam is a fantastic hero. I love how he masculine, but not over the top. He was sexy as hell, but not unbelievable. Being a believer in fairytales I absolutely loved his devotion to Evie, not saying he was a saint, but he never truly gave up.
Evie came from an underprivileged family. Her, her father and sister had lost their mother and now her younger sister was sick. When we meet Evie she is just doing her best to get by and help her family. Her financial situation is opposite of Adam, but she never complained. She didn’t mind working hard and doing what she could. I loved her selflessness, even if it was at times frustrating.
I absolutely adore Samantha Towle’s writing, she is one of my absolute favorites. This story was tough for me, because my heart truly broke for the characters and their time lost. My only real issue and this is really just preference was the amount of time they spent apart. I hated knowing how different their lives could have been, but it also shows how powerful each other’s presence was in their lives. So of course in the end I truly loved this one and highly recommend it!
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
hell-fucking-no
November 11, 2015Don't care what the situation was. He refuses to sign divorce papers yet he'll still fuck other women while legally married. He's a cheater.
Another piece of trash passed off as "romance"
Another piece of trash passed off as "romance"
Read
September 30, 2025DNF @54%
I was so bored that the second they started gearing up for sex, I yeeted my Kindle shut like ✋📖 “Not on my watch, Satan.” I had already cracked the Da Vinci Code of why she dumped him by chapter two (give me my detective badge, thanks), and when I checked the spoilers—boom, I was right. So why keep suffering through awkward smut and and a plot that has all the depth of a paper straw after three sips? I claimed my closure, avoided the horny cringe, and walked away like the legend I am.
I was so bored that the second they started gearing up for sex, I yeeted my Kindle shut like ✋📖 “Not on my watch, Satan.” I had already cracked the Da Vinci Code of why she dumped him by chapter two (give me my detective badge, thanks), and when I checked the spoilers—boom, I was right. So why keep suffering through awkward smut and and a plot that has all the depth of a paper straw after three sips? I claimed my closure, avoided the horny cringe, and walked away like the legend I am.
November 26, 2015
3.5 stars
So this is one of those books where I really did enjoy it, but the 3.5 star rating is because I've read this story before.
Sorry Samantha Towle, I love your books and the angsty goodness you dole out but honestly there was nothing in this book I haven't already read from a second chance romance. Nothing about it really stood out except for the reason why Evie left.
I will say that this was written really well and if I wasn't such a connoisseur of second chance romance, I would have loved this. But it was an enjoyable and fun read so don't let the 3.5 stars fool ya, go ahead and read it!
One huge issue though (please only read if you don't mind spoilers):
So this is one of those books where I really did enjoy it, but the 3.5 star rating is because I've read this story before.
Sorry Samantha Towle, I love your books and the angsty goodness you dole out but honestly there was nothing in this book I haven't already read from a second chance romance. Nothing about it really stood out except for the reason why Evie left.
I will say that this was written really well and if I wasn't such a connoisseur of second chance romance, I would have loved this. But it was an enjoyable and fun read so don't let the 3.5 stars fool ya, go ahead and read it!
One huge issue though (please only read if you don't mind spoilers):
November 11, 2015
Honestly, it had been so long since I read a Samantha Towle book. Too long. Reading When I was Yours reminded me just how much I love Sam's writing style—the way she crafts her characters, the angst she sprinkles liberally in her pages and the amount of heart she give us in every word. Reading this felt like coming home. The last book of hers I read was Trouble and I realized, after reading this novel, how much I missed this author's stories. It gave me an immediate urgency to go and read everything I've missed out on.
I truly loved Adam and Evie. Both characters are still, 10 years later, suffering from a broken heart. This is your quintessential second chance romance. We get to see where it began—a young, sweet, naive and innocent love—and where it went wrong. With the switch between past and present, as well as alternate POVS, we get to crawl inside both Adam and Evie's head and get a very well rounded, intense and heart wrenching view of their love story gone awry.
After 10 years apart, Adam runs into his ex wife inside a coffee shop. He's taken aback. Evie left him a week after they were married without a word, without a single reason why. It demolished so much of who he is. The moment he sees her, he's filled with anger, hate, and hurt so monumental it makes him crazy, but also a hefty amount of longing that can't be denied. He loved this woman. Loved her with an undying passion and she didn't merely break his heart, she dismantled every part of his soul. It hasn't been a small feat getting over her. Adam has barely survived the pain Evie left behind.
When Evie see's the love of her life—Adam—for the first time in 10 years, she's assaulted with a bone deep ache and yearning for him, but also a good amount of panic. Panic because she's holding a secret she can never divulge. A secret she plans to take to her grave.
The book, the twist and turns of their path to healing, is turbulent and raw. It's gut wrenching and exquisite at the same time. Every word pulls on every single heart string. Once I started reading I could not stop. I was crazed with the incessant need to see these two "whole." I wanted things to be good for these characters because I fell in love with them as they fell in love with each other. The past flashbacks were pivotal in setting up our attachment to these characters and cementing the readers love for not only them but the story itself.
Overall, I thought this was a 5 Star, memorable, angsty, gorgeous, fabulous read. If you are looking for an emotional, fast paced, substance filled story, then this is it. It's an explosion of pure feels that are hard to forget. A book that is sure to give you a hangover and one that will stick with you for several days after. Evie and Adam's story is not pretty, but I felt it was real. It was intense. And at the end I was left feeling emotionally exhausted but soulfully filled with hope and happiness. In my opinion, the author hit it out of the park! I LOVED it.
I truly loved Adam and Evie. Both characters are still, 10 years later, suffering from a broken heart. This is your quintessential second chance romance. We get to see where it began—a young, sweet, naive and innocent love—and where it went wrong. With the switch between past and present, as well as alternate POVS, we get to crawl inside both Adam and Evie's head and get a very well rounded, intense and heart wrenching view of their love story gone awry.
After 10 years apart, Adam runs into his ex wife inside a coffee shop. He's taken aback. Evie left him a week after they were married without a word, without a single reason why. It demolished so much of who he is. The moment he sees her, he's filled with anger, hate, and hurt so monumental it makes him crazy, but also a hefty amount of longing that can't be denied. He loved this woman. Loved her with an undying passion and she didn't merely break his heart, she dismantled every part of his soul. It hasn't been a small feat getting over her. Adam has barely survived the pain Evie left behind.
When Evie see's the love of her life—Adam—for the first time in 10 years, she's assaulted with a bone deep ache and yearning for him, but also a good amount of panic. Panic because she's holding a secret she can never divulge. A secret she plans to take to her grave.
The book, the twist and turns of their path to healing, is turbulent and raw. It's gut wrenching and exquisite at the same time. Every word pulls on every single heart string. Once I started reading I could not stop. I was crazed with the incessant need to see these two "whole." I wanted things to be good for these characters because I fell in love with them as they fell in love with each other. The past flashbacks were pivotal in setting up our attachment to these characters and cementing the readers love for not only them but the story itself.
Overall, I thought this was a 5 Star, memorable, angsty, gorgeous, fabulous read. If you are looking for an emotional, fast paced, substance filled story, then this is it. It's an explosion of pure feels that are hard to forget. A book that is sure to give you a hangover and one that will stick with you for several days after. Evie and Adam's story is not pretty, but I felt it was real. It was intense. And at the end I was left feeling emotionally exhausted but soulfully filled with hope and happiness. In my opinion, the author hit it out of the park! I LOVED it.
September 7, 2016
3,5 STARS
The beginning was good but then it wasn't exactly what I was expected.But the main reason I give it 3,5 STARS is because I didn't like all the chapters from the past.I can understand that the author wants to show us how they met and become a couple but I wanted to see more about how they are now.
The beginning was good but then it wasn't exactly what I was expected.But the main reason I give it 3,5 STARS is because I didn't like all the chapters from the past.I can understand that the author wants to show us how they met and become a couple but I wanted to see more about how they are now.
November 26, 2015
Me after reading When I was yours
This books was a journey of love, of lust, of hurt, of forgiveness, of acceptance. Everything is not perfect but I couldn't give it less than 5 because it blew me away! It took me by the gut. I laughed, I cried, I was anxious, nervous. I wanted to end this torture and know what was their HEA.
Samantha Towle knows how to keep your interested. The story is told from both pov' and is told both in the past and present time.
Every chapter I ended up either smiling because they were so adorable or either nervous because of how their relation is now.
When Adam meets Evie after 10 years , it's like a punch in the gut. There, in front of his eyes is the woman who left him without a goodbye after one week of marriage. They loved each other, they were meant to be together but without explanation, without a word Evie left their happiness behind.
Throughout the book, Adam's pain was unbearable. I feel his pain in each page I read. It was oppressive, it was depressing and I wanted it to end. Seeing Evie again was both a relief and a torture. His feelings were a total mess. Not knowing what to feel, being completely taken of guard is hard for him.
" I knew I wasn’t over her—I’d have to be stupid to ever think I was—but I didn’t realize how badly I’d want her again. The urge to touch her and taste her was overwhelming. Just breathing the same air as her was fucking killing me."
Evie couldn't imagine being face to face with the guy she still loves. Even though she was the one to quit, things were never easy. Now that they have stuff to talk about, there's one thing she can't admit. She won't reveal why she left. She is too scared that reasons will the point of no return for them.
To be honest I would suggest readers to not focus on the reason why she left. I know it's a huge part of the book, it's pretty much the big secret but as I was reading I decided no matter what I read I won't be disappointed because to me their love is so powerful that was the main focus for me. To be a witness of what they shared and wishing they find their way back to each other was my priority.
« I’m crying because I’m sad. And I’m sad because all we do when we see each other is fight and hurt one another. Mostly, I’m sad because I miss you. I’ve missed you for ten years, and I’m tired of missing you, tired of this hollow space in my chest where you used to be. »
I was anticipating When I was yours ever since I saw teasers on Samanta Towle social medias and I had the book I wanted. I had a beautiful second chance romance. They don't give in easily. They hurt a lot. The past chapters ease a little the angst and give you a much needed serenity.
April 29, 2016
This was my eighth Samantha Towle book and as it is a stand alone I kept it until I was stuck for something good to read. I enjoyed When I Was Yours this for me it felt like two separate stories.
We meet Adam and Evie in Malibu in 2004 we share in all their firsts, first meeting, first date, first kiss and everything else from there. Then we jump to 2015 Beverly Hills and to Adam and Evie in the present where they are both just existing living day to day both with broken hearts.
What happened???
Why did Evie leave Adam???
Can Adam ever forgive Evie???
I enjoyed the story I liked Adam and Evie, even though Adam could be stubborn and Evie could be a crier. I liked the bromance between Adam and Max at least Adam always had someone in his life that loved him no matter what. The love that Evie has for her sister and dad is enormous.
I loved all the Bon Jovi references as they are my favourite band.
Ava Adam's mother WHAT A BITCH, HATE HER.
I found this to be a heartbreaking story of true love lost and what they both go through and the sacrifices made. This is told in dual POV's. I am not going into the story as I do not want to give anything away. It was predictable I guessed correctly what had happened early on in the story.
What I did not like about this story is that we jumped from 2015 to 2004 every other chapter, myself I would have preferred to have 2004 chapters combined and then the present day chapters combined half and half not going back and fourth. This did take some of my enjoyment away from the story, I struggled with the rating I went with 4* in the end because of the cool wedding song.
We meet Adam and Evie in Malibu in 2004 we share in all their firsts, first meeting, first date, first kiss and everything else from there. Then we jump to 2015 Beverly Hills and to Adam and Evie in the present where they are both just existing living day to day both with broken hearts.
What happened???
Why did Evie leave Adam???
Can Adam ever forgive Evie???
I enjoyed the story I liked Adam and Evie, even though Adam could be stubborn and Evie could be a crier. I liked the bromance between Adam and Max at least Adam always had someone in his life that loved him no matter what. The love that Evie has for her sister and dad is enormous.
I loved all the Bon Jovi references as they are my favourite band.
Ava Adam's mother WHAT A BITCH, HATE HER.
I found this to be a heartbreaking story of true love lost and what they both go through and the sacrifices made. This is told in dual POV's. I am not going into the story as I do not want to give anything away. It was predictable I guessed correctly what had happened early on in the story.
What I did not like about this story is that we jumped from 2015 to 2004 every other chapter, myself I would have preferred to have 2004 chapters combined and then the present day chapters combined half and half not going back and fourth. This did take some of my enjoyment away from the story, I struggled with the rating I went with 4* in the end because of the cool wedding song.
February 3, 2018
WARNING: It's angsty as hell! lol ;)
Do you ever read a synopsis and just think yes, I need this, I want this, and I don't care that I have 34 other books waiting on my Kindle, I'm buying and reading this bitch NOW? That was this book for me, I discovered it's existence roughly 30 hours ago and I'm already done with it...and I LOVED it.
I could definitely see how this wouldn't be a book for everybody though. I know a lot of other reviews commented on (and had a problem with) the predictability and while yes, I saw it coming too (it's kind of hard not to) it didn't take anything away from it for me and I was still able to enjoy the book. And I think this was because of the characters and how well written their emotions were. Guessing her secret didn't ruin anything for me because ultimately (for me) second chance romances are about the couple finding their way back to one another and while the reason is important, I like the second chance theme because of the angst and the journey of forgiving and loving one another again, so knowing that one thing that broke them kind of pales in comparison for me.
And holy crap was it angsty...if angst is your thing then you should just stop reading now and go buy it because yeah, this is just filled with it! I don't dislike angst but I definitely need to be in the right frame of mind to read it, and I think that the setup of the novel (alternating between the past and present) helped to break up the drama. And honestly I'm so glad the author did that! I am usually wary of second chance romances because I like all the beginning stuff (first meeting, first kiss, first 'I love you', etc...) and if the author doesn't take us back in time to when this happened I typically feel disconnected. It was also just a great way to pace the story.
Also, you will need tissues. (Lots of them!) I was bawling like a bitch for most of the ending.
And while I pretty much loved all the characters, I especially (and randomly) loved Evie's father... I really liked his outlook on everything and how he was able to care for Adam as much as Evie, he didn't deny his daughter's mistakes just because she's his daughter.
Also, really random, but I love when covers actually match what's in the book! So yeah, this cover = awesome.
I am so tired and my head hurts from all the crying this book has caused so this review probably sucks. Honestly it's probably just a bunch of random thoughts with absolutely no transitions but hopefully you get the gist. I really believe if angst and second chance romances are your thing (and you don't loathe a little predictability) this is definitely worth taking a look at!
Do you ever read a synopsis and just think yes, I need this, I want this, and I don't care that I have 34 other books waiting on my Kindle, I'm buying and reading this bitch NOW? That was this book for me, I discovered it's existence roughly 30 hours ago and I'm already done with it...and I LOVED it.
I could definitely see how this wouldn't be a book for everybody though. I know a lot of other reviews commented on (and had a problem with) the predictability and while yes, I saw it coming too (it's kind of hard not to) it didn't take anything away from it for me and I was still able to enjoy the book. And I think this was because of the characters and how well written their emotions were. Guessing her secret didn't ruin anything for me because ultimately (for me) second chance romances are about the couple finding their way back to one another and while the reason is important, I like the second chance theme because of the angst and the journey of forgiving and loving one another again, so knowing that one thing that broke them kind of pales in comparison for me.
And holy crap was it angsty...if angst is your thing then you should just stop reading now and go buy it because yeah, this is just filled with it! I don't dislike angst but I definitely need to be in the right frame of mind to read it, and I think that the setup of the novel (alternating between the past and present) helped to break up the drama. And honestly I'm so glad the author did that! I am usually wary of second chance romances because I like all the beginning stuff (first meeting, first kiss, first 'I love you', etc...) and if the author doesn't take us back in time to when this happened I typically feel disconnected. It was also just a great way to pace the story.
Also, you will need tissues. (Lots of them!) I was bawling like a bitch for most of the ending.
And while I pretty much loved all the characters, I especially (and randomly) loved Evie's father... I really liked his outlook on everything and how he was able to care for Adam as much as Evie, he didn't deny his daughter's mistakes just because she's his daughter.
Also, really random, but I love when covers actually match what's in the book! So yeah, this cover = awesome.
I am so tired and my head hurts from all the crying this book has caused so this review probably sucks. Honestly it's probably just a bunch of random thoughts with absolutely no transitions but hopefully you get the gist. I really believe if angst and second chance romances are your thing (and you don't loathe a little predictability) this is definitely worth taking a look at!
November 9, 2015
Angst!!! Quick, fun-to-read, fast-paced second chance romance. Review to come!
November 20, 2015
REVIEW TO COME
4 Stars!
(BR with Sharon)
4 Stars!
(BR with Sharon)
November 15, 2015
Such a beautiful story!!!
I was so looking forward to this release - and I wasn't disappointed at all. Yes - it's a tiny bit one of those predictable romances - nothing really new - BUT - we all love those books, don't we? I know I do. I loved Adam sooo much. He was so adorable and sad and I just wanted to hug him all through the book. And yes - I kinda knew why she left from the beginning - and I hoped that it wouldn't be too predictable, that it would be something bigger, more exciting and different - but pfff, I don't really care.
I loved the story, the people in it, the location, et cetera.
Normally I'm not a huge fan of going back in time in my books, but it didn't bother me here. (We switch from 2015 to 2004/2005 a lot.)
I laughed and cried.
Lots of feels! Perfect!!!
I kinda hope that Max will get his own book!!! He was really funny and adorable too!
November 17, 2015
4.5 - 5 Heart-Stopping Stars
This book is why I read contemporary romance. The swoony hero, the beautiful, sweet heroine who is hiding a tragic secret, the explosive passion, but most of all, the deep and emotional connection I felt for Adam and Evie all added up to a perfect page-turner that kept me up all night.
Adam!! My heart broke for him and for the love he lost with Evie. Adam and Evie (LOVE the names!) fell in love when they were just teenagers. Adam did not trust many people so when Evie suddenly disappeared, he became even more bitter than he was before. He spends years searching for her and when he finally finds her, his feelings are a mix of rage and heartbreak over their lost years. Evie refuses to tell him why she disappeared suddenly all those years before, so their reunion is bittersweet, filled with longing and regret, but also undeniable and explosive passion.
WHEN I WAS YOURS is told through a series of flashbacks which put me through every single emotion possible. The story, set against the backdrop off Hollywood and the mega-rich, is more than just a classic rich boy meets poor girl love story. It's sexy, heartfelt, and heartbreaking all at once. The unexpected twist had my heart in my throat and had me silently cheering for our MC's to get their happily ever after.
“You cut your hair.”
“It has been ten years.”
“I know. I just...I remember a time when you said you’d never cut your hair.” A small smile touches my lips at the memory.
“Yeah, and I remember when you promised to love me till death do us part. Shit changes.”
My smile drops from my face. My cheeks sting like he’s just slapped me.
I deserved that. Doesn’t stop it from hurting like a bitch though.
Samantha Towle is one of my favorite writers and she absolutely delivered the goods with this story. The characters and their sweet, sexy and passionate love story won't soon be forgotten. Ever since I saw this stunning cover, I knew I just had to read this book! I absolutely adored Adam and Evie's story! Don't miss it.
(ARC provided by the author in return for an honest review.)
This book is why I read contemporary romance. The swoony hero, the beautiful, sweet heroine who is hiding a tragic secret, the explosive passion, but most of all, the deep and emotional connection I felt for Adam and Evie all added up to a perfect page-turner that kept me up all night.
Adam!! My heart broke for him and for the love he lost with Evie. Adam and Evie (LOVE the names!) fell in love when they were just teenagers. Adam did not trust many people so when Evie suddenly disappeared, he became even more bitter than he was before. He spends years searching for her and when he finally finds her, his feelings are a mix of rage and heartbreak over their lost years. Evie refuses to tell him why she disappeared suddenly all those years before, so their reunion is bittersweet, filled with longing and regret, but also undeniable and explosive passion.
WHEN I WAS YOURS is told through a series of flashbacks which put me through every single emotion possible. The story, set against the backdrop off Hollywood and the mega-rich, is more than just a classic rich boy meets poor girl love story. It's sexy, heartfelt, and heartbreaking all at once. The unexpected twist had my heart in my throat and had me silently cheering for our MC's to get their happily ever after.
“You cut your hair.”
“It has been ten years.”
“I know. I just...I remember a time when you said you’d never cut your hair.” A small smile touches my lips at the memory.
“Yeah, and I remember when you promised to love me till death do us part. Shit changes.”
My smile drops from my face. My cheeks sting like he’s just slapped me.
I deserved that. Doesn’t stop it from hurting like a bitch though.
Samantha Towle is one of my favorite writers and she absolutely delivered the goods with this story. The characters and their sweet, sexy and passionate love story won't soon be forgotten. Ever since I saw this stunning cover, I knew I just had to read this book! I absolutely adored Adam and Evie's story! Don't miss it.
(ARC provided by the author in return for an honest review.)
January 4, 2016
"All I got-after a year together and one week of marriage-was Evie disappearing without a word.
When the pain was unbearable, which was pretty regularly, I would take some coke and go out to a bar alone. I'd stay out until I found someone who looked enough like Evie to get me through the night. I was addicted to having sex with women who looked like my ex-wife.
I hate her for living her life without me. And I hate that I haven't been able to live without her. Because, really, all I have done for the last decade is exist inside the haze of my memories of her.
From the moment I'd seen Evie sitting up on that rock eleven years ago, I'd been obsessed. I lusted her, then loved her, and then hated her.
I stopped feeling when Evie left. Nothing will ever feel worse than that."
And that is how the story starts. With Adam waking up with an Evie look alike hookup. And his best friend telling him he tried to stop him. (BTW, Max the best friend is awesome and I hope he gets his own story!) He's broken and he knows it.
Of course you're reading it wondering WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED? And I have to say that most of the story is all about that question. Why did she leave him after a week of marriage? It's not a Samantha Towle book if her character doesn't frustrate you some so I kept reading for the purpose of finding out.
The story alternates between present day and their past. It was a decade ago when they met and fell in love. I really enjoyed the story of their past when they were young and falling madly in love. They each had their own future that they wanted to alter or had to deal with and it really felt that together they could get through anything.
Adam's transformation from just another playboy to someone who cared and loved deeply was sweet and endearing. Their love was so palpable.
It had all the makings of an intense but beautiful young love...sheer happiness, optimism, the feeling of being invincible, that you can do and be whatever you want. Until reality hits like a freight train.
A story about a consuming first love, a love that broke them for a long time and couldn't be denied despite of all the obstacles and hurt and pain.
In present time, they are both hurting and struggling with what happened. I just felt so sorry for Adam. She really did break him. But when he runs into Evie (after not seeing her for 10 years) and she's sorry and heartbroken and hurt too...then I'm spinning theories around my head - and I guessed right.
With so much hurt and heartache between them but where they obviously still love each other...can the truth really heal that long and hearbreaking pain?
There's an epilogue that's sweet and as always I would have liked more. It was such a long journey to get to where they should have been had circumstances been different that I could have taken a few more pages of the epilogue.
Another Samantha Towle winner for me.
November 17, 2015
***2.5 Stars***
I was expecting a heartbreaking story.
It didn't get even near my heart though.
Something was missing, emotionally missing.
Besides, it was so very predictable.
Disappointing :(
I was expecting a heartbreaking story.
It didn't get even near my heart though.
Something was missing, emotionally missing.
Besides, it was so very predictable.
Disappointing :(
November 10, 2015
3.5 stars
In this second chance romance, we have get past and present dual POV's from the characters Adam and Evie. Their relationship starts at the age of seventeen(Evie) and nineteen(Adam) when they meet on the beach of Malibu. Adam comes from Hollywood blood while Evie is just your average girl. The attraction is there not by only how they look but how they get each other. Adam comes from a loveless broken home while Evie comes from a home full of love though it's been broken by a tragedy. As their relationship blossoms, they know that they're it for each other. After an impromptu engagement and marriage, you would think that everything would go their way and live happily ever after but no. A person comes into play when another unfortunate occurrence happens and Evie takes the bait.
So this is where the past and future come into play. We see how things lead up and unfortunately dissolve. Adam never got over his first love. Commence his manwhoring ways to forget but he couldn't move on. Seeing Evie for the first time in ten years, Adam is wanting answers that Evie will not give until the fight leaves her and the secret comes out. Evie never got over Adam. She did what she thought was right. Through all this they rekindle their love or shall I say their sex. There's angry and sweet sex. It's emotional and intense. You root for them to open up so they can be where they were always meant to be, together. It's an adorable and emotional on first love and how it never goes away.
*ARC provided by author*
In this second chance romance, we have get past and present dual POV's from the characters Adam and Evie. Their relationship starts at the age of seventeen(Evie) and nineteen(Adam) when they meet on the beach of Malibu. Adam comes from Hollywood blood while Evie is just your average girl. The attraction is there not by only how they look but how they get each other. Adam comes from a loveless broken home while Evie comes from a home full of love though it's been broken by a tragedy. As their relationship blossoms, they know that they're it for each other. After an impromptu engagement and marriage, you would think that everything would go their way and live happily ever after but no. A person comes into play when another unfortunate occurrence happens and Evie takes the bait.
So this is where the past and future come into play. We see how things lead up and unfortunately dissolve. Adam never got over his first love. Commence his manwhoring ways to forget but he couldn't move on. Seeing Evie for the first time in ten years, Adam is wanting answers that Evie will not give until the fight leaves her and the secret comes out. Evie never got over Adam. She did what she thought was right. Through all this they rekindle their love or shall I say their sex. There's angry and sweet sex. It's emotional and intense. You root for them to open up so they can be where they were always meant to be, together. It's an adorable and emotional on first love and how it never goes away.
*ARC provided by author*
February 18, 2016
It was a cute fun read. Predictable but I still enjoyed it. 4 stars.
October 15, 2017
Brilliant i really enjoyed this 💞💞💞
August 31, 2016
Pov: male & female
Main characters: Adam & Evie
Minor characters: Max (his best friend), Casey (her sister)
My thoughts:
This one was a little predictable, but it was handled better than the other books by this author. You could really see the development in the writing style. Even though the ending wasn't hard to figure out it was still a suspenseful story.
I liked Evie and Adam. I liked them as individuals and as a couple. They seemed well rounded and mature, even though they're teenagers for half the book. I liked that they didn't have petty problems. I liked his friend Max. I liked that Max seemed like a playboy teenager but at the end of the book he's an adult. He never lost his playfulness.
If I had to find a fault I would say Adams mother. She seemed very predictable and like a caricature. I get she was the main turning point in the story, but she could have used a little more polishing.
Overall it was a great story that was enhanced by the flashback storytelling.
The story is told in alternating pov and timelines. It starts in the present then jumps to the past until the moment when Evie walks out on him. Then it's just straightforward to the end.
Synopsis:
Adam grew up wealthy. His mom was an actress and his family owned a movie studio. His dad was secretly gay and married his mom to have a son to inherit the company. His mother wanted to be famous and agreed to marry his dad if she got to be the lead in his movies.
Evie grew up financially stable with her parents and sister. One day her parents got into a car accident. Her mother died instantly and her father was so hurt he couldn't watch them and they were put into foster care. He suffered a brain injury and was disabled.
He got the girls back and 2 years later they discovered Casey had a brain tumor. She had surgery and radiation and recovered. They sold their house and used the money to pay bills. Evie got a job at a surf shop to help.
Adam is best friends with Max. They both sleep around and have similar home lives. After high school they rent a beach house for a year before going to college. Adam wants to be a surfer but he knows he has to take over the family business.
One day at the beach house he sees Evie sitting alone drawing. She keeps coming back every day at the same time but he's too nervous to approach her.
Max notices and tells him he already talked to her and to man up and ask her out. Adam does and pretends to casually take a run by her.
They make eye contact and he's stunned by how beautiful she is. He gets nervous and asks about her drawings. They talk and she gets up to leave. She asks if he's going to ask her out and he's shocked.
He realizes Max told her all about him and that he's been watching her all week. He realizes she's not bothered by it because she flirted with him. He asks her out and she says maybe. She gives him the sketch she was working on and he sees its his house. She had been watching him all week too.
The next day he goes to her work to ask her out again. She says yes and they have their first date. He takes her on a pizza picnic overlooking the ocean and she sketches him the view. When he walks her to her door he kisses her. He asks her out again.
A few weeks later they're at his house when his mom shows up. He's dismissive to Evie because he doesn't want his mom to know who she is or how important she is to him. Evie doesn't understand and is hurt. Max takes her home and tries to explain.
His mom figures out Evie's special to him and asks him to date some actress to get her to be in a movie for the family studio. He says no and his mom leaves angry.
He goes to Evie's house and finds her crying in her room. He feels awful and she asks him what they're doing together. He tells her he loves her and that he just didn't want her near his mom because she's awful. Evie tells him she loves him too.
On Christmas Eve they go shopping for Christmas dinner. She gets a call from her dad saying Casey collapsed and they're taking her to the hospital.
The doctor thinks the tumor has returned but they don't know if it's cancerous.
The following March Evie turns 18 and they finally have sex.
They have their one year anniversary and she knows he's leaving for college soon in Boston. She worried he'll start a new life without her.
They notice a couple getting married on the beach and suddenly Adam asks her to marry him. She's shocked. He explains he doesn't know what his future is but he knows he wants her with him. She asks what about college and he tells her he isn't going. That his parents were making him and he felt like he had no choice, but being with her made him see he has options. She says yes.
He suggests they go to Vegas and get married the next day and she says ok. They get rings and a dress and get married in a rock and roll chapel.
At the end of the weekend they drive to her house to tell her dad. When they get home her dad tells her Casey had a doctors appointment and they found out her tumor is growing. The doctors have decided to end all treatment since it's not working and that Casey only has a few months left. Evie is devastated.
Her dad notices the wedding rings and they tell him. He's a little upset but gets over it quickly when she explains they're in love. Adam tells his mom over the phone and she cancels all his credit cards and takes his car.
5 days later Adam goes out with Max for a late bachelor party. Evie stays at the house to do laundry. Adam doesn't want to leave but she makes him.
When he's gone his mother shows up. She tells Evie she knows Casey is dying and she can get her into a clinical trial. She tells Evie she'll do it if Evie leaves Adam, so Adam will go to college and take over the studio. Evie decides to save her sister. His mom gives her annulment papers and makes her leave her ring behind.
Evie and her family move to San Francisco and Casey starts treatment the next day. The treatment works and after a couple years she gets the all clear. Evie is scared to go back to Adam and thinks he's moved on by now.
Casey gets into school at UCLA so the family moves back and Evie gets a job at a coffee shop.
He hired a PI to find her but they never did. He fell into a depression and started doing drugs. The drugs stopped working so he started sleeping with random women who looked like Evie.
5 years after she left him his father overdosed. Adam checked into rehab and got clean. He stopped sleeping with Evie lookalikes.
3 years later he thought he saw her in San Francisco. He couldn't find her and relapsed with an extra from his moms movie.
He got a new therapist and was doing better. The morning after what would have been their 10th anniversary he wakes up hungover with another lookalike.
He gets her to leave and goes to the coffee shop near his hotel and sees Evie. He's shocked and is too angry to talk to her. He leaves then gets even angrier and goes back. He demands to know why she left him.
She tries to calm him down and tells him she just started the job and doesn't want to be fired. He doesn't care. Her boss comes to check on her and she tells him she's off at 5 if he wants to talk. He warns her to be there or else he'll hunt her down.
At 5 he's waiting for her. They go to his room and he asks what happened. She lies and says she wasn't happy. He doesn't believe her. He asks if it was someone else and she lies and says yes. He doesn't believe her.
He asks where she went and she tells him San Francisco. He tells her he thought he saw her there and had his PI look but found nothing. He asks if she changed her name and she says no. He doesn't understand how his PI didn't find her.
She tells him there wasn't someone else. That the marriage was too much too fast and she got scared. He accepts that and she leaves.
A week later he goes to her work and tells her they're still married. She left annulment papers but he didn't file them because he hoped he'd get her back. By time he realized she was gone forever it was too late to file them. Since she was missing he couldn't get her signature. He leaves her his card and asks her to call him to discuss their options.
A week later she calls. They meet and she explains she already got a divorce lawyer. He feels like she's leaving him all over again and doesn't know what to do.
A few days later she gets a call from her lawyer saying Adam has agreed to the divorce and is giving her all his money. She tells the lawyer no and goes to see Adam at work.
She gets to his office and she's furious. She asks why he's trying to give her money when he knows she never wanted that from him. He asks her what did she want from him. She tells him she just wanted him. He asks why she left him then.
She tries to leave and he asks if it's easier for her to leave now She starts to cry and tells him it wasn't easy then. That she missed him and feels empty. He can't stand to see her cry and goes to her and kisses her.
They get carried away and have sex.
When they're done it's awkward. She says they probably shouldn't have done that. He tells her they shouldn't have gotten married in the first place, but they've never been good at making decisions. She starts to cry and he feels awful. She leaves and he says he's sorry.
He shows up at the coffee shop the next night. He says they need to talk. She follows him home and as soon as they're in his house he kisses her. They end up sleeping together again. When they finish he takes a shower and she quickly leaves. They keep doing that for a few weeks.
One night he asks her to go to Malibu with him. She's shocked and happy, but he tells her her old boss wants to see her. He tells her there isn't a her and him, that it isn't a romantic weekend. She understands and agrees to go. She's sad because she knows he doesn't care about her, even though she still cares about him.
They go to Malibu and the drive is awkward and tense. He takes her to the beach house and explains he bought it after college.
They go to dinner with her old boss and when it's over she goes to her rock to draw. He goes surfing because he can't watch her. When he's done he takes a shower and notices their old bedroom door unlocked. He panics and finds her inside holding her wedding dress. He slams the door and rushes out.
She finds him and asks why he kept everything. He tells her he doesn't want to talk about it and kisses her. Things get heated and he carries her to his bed. They have sex and halfway through she realizes this time is different. That his emotions are involved.
When they're done she asks about the stuff. He gets mad and she tells him they can't keep avoiding stuff. She asks again and he tells her it's because he never got over her. That he wasted 10 years pining over her while she was off with someone else.
She gets mad and tells him he's the one who's been sleeping with tons of women. He gets mad and tells her she's the one who left and that every woman he slept with was better than her.
She cries and he asks if it feels like her heart is ripped out, because that's how she made him feel. But at least she knew where he was and who he was with. She tells him she hasn't slept with anyone but him. He asks why and she tells him she never got over him. That she didn't want to let him go. He asks why she left him then but she can't answer.
She apologizes for getting mad about the other women. He feels bad and tells her he just said they were better to hurt her. That he only slept with them to fill the empty space she left behind.
He tells her he doesn't know what to do anymore. She tells him she doesn't want to lose him. He tells her she doesn't really have him. That he's not over her but he can't trust her unless she gives him a reason for leaving.
She tells him she won't leave him again but he can't risk it. She tells him she still loves him. He can't take it and begs her to tell him why she left. That maybe they can move past it. She hesitates and he leaves.
In the morning he's gone but leaves a note explaining he had a work thing but arranged a ride for her. She goes home and talks with her dad. He tells her to tell Adam the truth. That he deserves to know. She decides he's right.
She goes to the studio but security won't let her in. She decides to wait outside until Adam comes out.
2 hours later he comes to her. She tells him everything. He's still angry. He asks why she didn't come back when Casey was better. She tells him she was scared he'd have moved on.
He tells her he can forgive the choice she made. But he can't forgive her for letting his mom continue to control his life. He tells her he never wants to see her again.
He goes to see his mother and tells her he knows the truth. His mother denies it. He tells her he already signed the company over to his uncle, who hates his mom, and her contract has been destroyed. She's furious.
He calls in sick to work for the next few days and Max finds him drinking at a bar. He tells Adam he saw Evie and knows what happened. He tells him to get over it already and get Evie back or let her go for good and move on. He tells Adam Evie was young and faced with an impossible choice so he shouldn't be mad at her. Adam knows he's right and asks for a ride to see her.
He gets to her house and her dad tells him she went to the beach. Max takes him and he finds her on her rock. She sees him and apologizes for being there. He tells her it's ok and that he's sorry for how he treated her. He tells her he's sorry for not protecting her from his mom.
He tells her he understands why she did things the way she did and he forgives all of it. He tells her he's been in love with her since the day they met and he just wants to be with her. She tells him ok.
They start dating again and she pushes for the divorce. She tells him she wants to start fresh so he agrees. 2 months later they move into the beach house together.
He starts a surf school with her old boss and she starts selling her art. His uncle redoes the studio contract so Adam still gets 50% of the earnings. His mother moves to New York and gets on a tv show with Emmy buzz. They wear their wedding rings on a necklace.
A year later she finds out she's pregnant on what would have been their 11th anniversary. She's worried it's too soon and that he'll be upset.
As an anniversary gift he buys the building next to the surf school so she can sell her art. He surprises her with it and she tells him she's pregnant. He's thrilled and tells her he wants to marry her. She says yes.
Main characters: Adam & Evie
Minor characters: Max (his best friend), Casey (her sister)
My thoughts:
This one was a little predictable, but it was handled better than the other books by this author. You could really see the development in the writing style. Even though the ending wasn't hard to figure out it was still a suspenseful story.
I liked Evie and Adam. I liked them as individuals and as a couple. They seemed well rounded and mature, even though they're teenagers for half the book. I liked that they didn't have petty problems. I liked his friend Max. I liked that Max seemed like a playboy teenager but at the end of the book he's an adult. He never lost his playfulness.
If I had to find a fault I would say Adams mother. She seemed very predictable and like a caricature. I get she was the main turning point in the story, but she could have used a little more polishing.
Overall it was a great story that was enhanced by the flashback storytelling.
The story is told in alternating pov and timelines. It starts in the present then jumps to the past until the moment when Evie walks out on him. Then it's just straightforward to the end.
Synopsis:
Adam grew up wealthy. His mom was an actress and his family owned a movie studio. His dad was secretly gay and married his mom to have a son to inherit the company. His mother wanted to be famous and agreed to marry his dad if she got to be the lead in his movies.
Evie grew up financially stable with her parents and sister. One day her parents got into a car accident. Her mother died instantly and her father was so hurt he couldn't watch them and they were put into foster care. He suffered a brain injury and was disabled.
He got the girls back and 2 years later they discovered Casey had a brain tumor. She had surgery and radiation and recovered. They sold their house and used the money to pay bills. Evie got a job at a surf shop to help.
Adam is best friends with Max. They both sleep around and have similar home lives. After high school they rent a beach house for a year before going to college. Adam wants to be a surfer but he knows he has to take over the family business.
One day at the beach house he sees Evie sitting alone drawing. She keeps coming back every day at the same time but he's too nervous to approach her.
Max notices and tells him he already talked to her and to man up and ask her out. Adam does and pretends to casually take a run by her.
They make eye contact and he's stunned by how beautiful she is. He gets nervous and asks about her drawings. They talk and she gets up to leave. She asks if he's going to ask her out and he's shocked.
He realizes Max told her all about him and that he's been watching her all week. He realizes she's not bothered by it because she flirted with him. He asks her out and she says maybe. She gives him the sketch she was working on and he sees its his house. She had been watching him all week too.
The next day he goes to her work to ask her out again. She says yes and they have their first date. He takes her on a pizza picnic overlooking the ocean and she sketches him the view. When he walks her to her door he kisses her. He asks her out again.
A few weeks later they're at his house when his mom shows up. He's dismissive to Evie because he doesn't want his mom to know who she is or how important she is to him. Evie doesn't understand and is hurt. Max takes her home and tries to explain.
His mom figures out Evie's special to him and asks him to date some actress to get her to be in a movie for the family studio. He says no and his mom leaves angry.
He goes to Evie's house and finds her crying in her room. He feels awful and she asks him what they're doing together. He tells her he loves her and that he just didn't want her near his mom because she's awful. Evie tells him she loves him too.
On Christmas Eve they go shopping for Christmas dinner. She gets a call from her dad saying Casey collapsed and they're taking her to the hospital.
The doctor thinks the tumor has returned but they don't know if it's cancerous.
The following March Evie turns 18 and they finally have sex.
They have their one year anniversary and she knows he's leaving for college soon in Boston. She worried he'll start a new life without her.
They notice a couple getting married on the beach and suddenly Adam asks her to marry him. She's shocked. He explains he doesn't know what his future is but he knows he wants her with him. She asks what about college and he tells her he isn't going. That his parents were making him and he felt like he had no choice, but being with her made him see he has options. She says yes.
He suggests they go to Vegas and get married the next day and she says ok. They get rings and a dress and get married in a rock and roll chapel.
At the end of the weekend they drive to her house to tell her dad. When they get home her dad tells her Casey had a doctors appointment and they found out her tumor is growing. The doctors have decided to end all treatment since it's not working and that Casey only has a few months left. Evie is devastated.
Her dad notices the wedding rings and they tell him. He's a little upset but gets over it quickly when she explains they're in love. Adam tells his mom over the phone and she cancels all his credit cards and takes his car.
5 days later Adam goes out with Max for a late bachelor party. Evie stays at the house to do laundry. Adam doesn't want to leave but she makes him.
When he's gone his mother shows up. She tells Evie she knows Casey is dying and she can get her into a clinical trial. She tells Evie she'll do it if Evie leaves Adam, so Adam will go to college and take over the studio. Evie decides to save her sister. His mom gives her annulment papers and makes her leave her ring behind.
Evie and her family move to San Francisco and Casey starts treatment the next day. The treatment works and after a couple years she gets the all clear. Evie is scared to go back to Adam and thinks he's moved on by now.
Casey gets into school at UCLA so the family moves back and Evie gets a job at a coffee shop.
He hired a PI to find her but they never did. He fell into a depression and started doing drugs. The drugs stopped working so he started sleeping with random women who looked like Evie.
5 years after she left him his father overdosed. Adam checked into rehab and got clean. He stopped sleeping with Evie lookalikes.
3 years later he thought he saw her in San Francisco. He couldn't find her and relapsed with an extra from his moms movie.
He got a new therapist and was doing better. The morning after what would have been their 10th anniversary he wakes up hungover with another lookalike.
He gets her to leave and goes to the coffee shop near his hotel and sees Evie. He's shocked and is too angry to talk to her. He leaves then gets even angrier and goes back. He demands to know why she left him.
She tries to calm him down and tells him she just started the job and doesn't want to be fired. He doesn't care. Her boss comes to check on her and she tells him she's off at 5 if he wants to talk. He warns her to be there or else he'll hunt her down.
At 5 he's waiting for her. They go to his room and he asks what happened. She lies and says she wasn't happy. He doesn't believe her. He asks if it was someone else and she lies and says yes. He doesn't believe her.
He asks where she went and she tells him San Francisco. He tells her he thought he saw her there and had his PI look but found nothing. He asks if she changed her name and she says no. He doesn't understand how his PI didn't find her.
She tells him there wasn't someone else. That the marriage was too much too fast and she got scared. He accepts that and she leaves.
A week later he goes to her work and tells her they're still married. She left annulment papers but he didn't file them because he hoped he'd get her back. By time he realized she was gone forever it was too late to file them. Since she was missing he couldn't get her signature. He leaves her his card and asks her to call him to discuss their options.
A week later she calls. They meet and she explains she already got a divorce lawyer. He feels like she's leaving him all over again and doesn't know what to do.
A few days later she gets a call from her lawyer saying Adam has agreed to the divorce and is giving her all his money. She tells the lawyer no and goes to see Adam at work.
She gets to his office and she's furious. She asks why he's trying to give her money when he knows she never wanted that from him. He asks her what did she want from him. She tells him she just wanted him. He asks why she left him then.
She tries to leave and he asks if it's easier for her to leave now She starts to cry and tells him it wasn't easy then. That she missed him and feels empty. He can't stand to see her cry and goes to her and kisses her.
They get carried away and have sex.
When they're done it's awkward. She says they probably shouldn't have done that. He tells her they shouldn't have gotten married in the first place, but they've never been good at making decisions. She starts to cry and he feels awful. She leaves and he says he's sorry.
He shows up at the coffee shop the next night. He says they need to talk. She follows him home and as soon as they're in his house he kisses her. They end up sleeping together again. When they finish he takes a shower and she quickly leaves. They keep doing that for a few weeks.
One night he asks her to go to Malibu with him. She's shocked and happy, but he tells her her old boss wants to see her. He tells her there isn't a her and him, that it isn't a romantic weekend. She understands and agrees to go. She's sad because she knows he doesn't care about her, even though she still cares about him.
They go to Malibu and the drive is awkward and tense. He takes her to the beach house and explains he bought it after college.
They go to dinner with her old boss and when it's over she goes to her rock to draw. He goes surfing because he can't watch her. When he's done he takes a shower and notices their old bedroom door unlocked. He panics and finds her inside holding her wedding dress. He slams the door and rushes out.
She finds him and asks why he kept everything. He tells her he doesn't want to talk about it and kisses her. Things get heated and he carries her to his bed. They have sex and halfway through she realizes this time is different. That his emotions are involved.
When they're done she asks about the stuff. He gets mad and she tells him they can't keep avoiding stuff. She asks again and he tells her it's because he never got over her. That he wasted 10 years pining over her while she was off with someone else.
She gets mad and tells him he's the one who's been sleeping with tons of women. He gets mad and tells her she's the one who left and that every woman he slept with was better than her.
She cries and he asks if it feels like her heart is ripped out, because that's how she made him feel. But at least she knew where he was and who he was with. She tells him she hasn't slept with anyone but him. He asks why and she tells him she never got over him. That she didn't want to let him go. He asks why she left him then but she can't answer.
She apologizes for getting mad about the other women. He feels bad and tells her he just said they were better to hurt her. That he only slept with them to fill the empty space she left behind.
He tells her he doesn't know what to do anymore. She tells him she doesn't want to lose him. He tells her she doesn't really have him. That he's not over her but he can't trust her unless she gives him a reason for leaving.
She tells him she won't leave him again but he can't risk it. She tells him she still loves him. He can't take it and begs her to tell him why she left. That maybe they can move past it. She hesitates and he leaves.
In the morning he's gone but leaves a note explaining he had a work thing but arranged a ride for her. She goes home and talks with her dad. He tells her to tell Adam the truth. That he deserves to know. She decides he's right.
She goes to the studio but security won't let her in. She decides to wait outside until Adam comes out.
2 hours later he comes to her. She tells him everything. He's still angry. He asks why she didn't come back when Casey was better. She tells him she was scared he'd have moved on.
He tells her he can forgive the choice she made. But he can't forgive her for letting his mom continue to control his life. He tells her he never wants to see her again.
He goes to see his mother and tells her he knows the truth. His mother denies it. He tells her he already signed the company over to his uncle, who hates his mom, and her contract has been destroyed. She's furious.
He calls in sick to work for the next few days and Max finds him drinking at a bar. He tells Adam he saw Evie and knows what happened. He tells him to get over it already and get Evie back or let her go for good and move on. He tells Adam Evie was young and faced with an impossible choice so he shouldn't be mad at her. Adam knows he's right and asks for a ride to see her.
He gets to her house and her dad tells him she went to the beach. Max takes him and he finds her on her rock. She sees him and apologizes for being there. He tells her it's ok and that he's sorry for how he treated her. He tells her he's sorry for not protecting her from his mom.
He tells her he understands why she did things the way she did and he forgives all of it. He tells her he's been in love with her since the day they met and he just wants to be with her. She tells him ok.
They start dating again and she pushes for the divorce. She tells him she wants to start fresh so he agrees. 2 months later they move into the beach house together.
He starts a surf school with her old boss and she starts selling her art. His uncle redoes the studio contract so Adam still gets 50% of the earnings. His mother moves to New York and gets on a tv show with Emmy buzz. They wear their wedding rings on a necklace.
A year later she finds out she's pregnant on what would have been their 11th anniversary. She's worried it's too soon and that he'll be upset.
As an anniversary gift he buys the building next to the surf school so she can sell her art. He surprises her with it and she tells him she's pregnant. He's thrilled and tells her he wants to marry her. She says yes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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September 14, 2022
⤅ The only thing to like about this book, pretty much, is its adorably besotted hero.
Adam and Evie (thankfully, not much is made of this naming kitsch) first meet on the beach when he's 18 and she's 17. They spend a whirlwind year together, at the end of which he proposes. They get married - and then, a week later, Evie's gone. And she stays gone for 10 years.
Now 28, Adam has returned to the bloodsucking corporate world he thought he'd abandoned when he met Evie. He's passing through a café one day when he sees his wayward wife. They're shocked to see each other, but he's determined to get to the bottom of why she left, even though he insists he no longer loves her. (Something that's patently untrue, considering for ten years he's spent most of his time having sex only with Evie lookalikes, to the point where he has a therapist to help him deal with the trauma. We love to see it).
So Adam is a great character. He's understandably angry at Evie, and obviously has never got over meeting her.
Evie, on the other hand, is a PRIZE MORON. I disliked almost everything about her. She's weak, whiny, stupid, and cowardly. Even if I get why she left him at first, how is it that in TEN YEARS - even when the reason for her departure doesn't apply anymore - she never got back in contact with the man she supposedly loves? This made zero sense to me. If a hero had done that to a heroine, I'd expect to see him grovelling on bended knee, and the fact that Evie doesn't do that is a real minus.
I don't say this often, but Adam deserved better.
Adam and Evie (thankfully, not much is made of this naming kitsch) first meet on the beach when he's 18 and she's 17. They spend a whirlwind year together, at the end of which he proposes. They get married - and then, a week later, Evie's gone. And she stays gone for 10 years.
Now 28, Adam has returned to the bloodsucking corporate world he thought he'd abandoned when he met Evie. He's passing through a café one day when he sees his wayward wife. They're shocked to see each other, but he's determined to get to the bottom of why she left, even though he insists he no longer loves her. (Something that's patently untrue, considering for ten years he's spent most of his time having sex only with Evie lookalikes, to the point where he has a therapist to help him deal with the trauma. We love to see it).
So Adam is a great character. He's understandably angry at Evie, and obviously has never got over meeting her.
Evie, on the other hand, is a PRIZE MORON. I disliked almost everything about her. She's weak, whiny, stupid, and cowardly. Even if I get why she left him at first, how is it that in TEN YEARS - even when the reason for her departure doesn't apply anymore - she never got back in contact with the man she supposedly loves? This made zero sense to me. If a hero had done that to a heroine, I'd expect to see him grovelling on bended knee, and the fact that Evie doesn't do that is a real minus.
I don't say this often, but Adam deserved better.
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