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I Wed the Sea
At sunrise, on an island off the coast of New Jersey, Eve's dog, Ben, runs down the beach to meet Jamie's dog, Daisy, setting in motion a love story that echoes in time. Poignant. Funny. Romantic. I Wed the Sea answers the question, What happens when two people meet - alone, on a beach, at sunrise - and one of them falls in love?
135 pages, Paperback
Published March 15, 2021
1 person is currently reading
3743 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
April 7, 2021
This atmospheric beautiful depiction of the sea and the feelings felt while being close to the sea surrounded with the ones we love. This was a wonderful short about finding love again, the end brought me to tears and filled my heart. Jamie is the perfect book boyfriend! I highly recommend this lovely short read!
Also, dogs that lead their owners to love is a plus plus in my book.
Also, dogs that lead their owners to love is a plus plus in my book.
May 8, 2021
A beautiful story that is stunning in it's simplicity. The descriptions of the beach are gorgeous and so real, you'll wish you could walk along the same beach as Jamie and Eve.
October 2, 2021
3.5 stars. This gorgeous little book was sweet and lovely, with a bittersweet ending that was sad and full of feeling 💕
Eve lived in my dream home! A little white-washed cottage on the beach with a porch out the front to watch the waves crash and a vegetable garden complete with chickens out the back. Bliss! 😍
I found the dialogue a little disjointed because the speech didn’t quite suit the age of the adult characters, but the descriptive writing was so strong and made the book simply stunning! I loved the vivid imagery and overall feeling of the beach environment that the writing style provided. I could imagine the wind and the waves, the little creatures scuttling along the sand and the seagulls sweeping the sky. This was a beautiful beach read with an ending that pulls on your heartstrings💕
Eve lived in my dream home! A little white-washed cottage on the beach with a porch out the front to watch the waves crash and a vegetable garden complete with chickens out the back. Bliss! 😍
I found the dialogue a little disjointed because the speech didn’t quite suit the age of the adult characters, but the descriptive writing was so strong and made the book simply stunning! I loved the vivid imagery and overall feeling of the beach environment that the writing style provided. I could imagine the wind and the waves, the little creatures scuttling along the sand and the seagulls sweeping the sky. This was a beautiful beach read with an ending that pulls on your heartstrings💕
November 10, 2021
3.5/5 Stars
Oh what a little conundrum of a book!
Some of the language/conversation seemed too rapid-fire to represent the believable development of a relationship between two adults. There was also a lot of kitsch/twee imagery/staging. I felt like I was reading an adult novel, that had been written by a teenager with no idea of what real relationships are like.
But that ending - the ending felt genuine, and raw and was a bittersweet conclusion to the story.
An easy read, with a bit of a sting in its tail. Perfect for scratching the reading itch when time’s limited. Or right for you if your happy endings don’t need to be heavy on the happy…
Oh what a little conundrum of a book!
Some of the language/conversation seemed too rapid-fire to represent the believable development of a relationship between two adults. There was also a lot of kitsch/twee imagery/staging. I felt like I was reading an adult novel, that had been written by a teenager with no idea of what real relationships are like.
But that ending - the ending felt genuine, and raw and was a bittersweet conclusion to the story.
An easy read, with a bit of a sting in its tail. Perfect for scratching the reading itch when time’s limited. Or right for you if your happy endings don’t need to be heavy on the happy…
April 5, 2021
I received a free copy of I Wed the Sea by Lauren G. Flanagan through the Goodreads giveaways in exchange for an honest review.
This is a cute and short romance story. The writing is beautiful, minus some of the awkward conversations. Learn about two different people, Eve and Jamie, and what has led them to fall in love with the New Jersey sea (technically ocean) and with each other.
As mentioned above, the writing is done beautifully. I love the paragraphs where you are in the heads of Eve and Jamie. I love hearing their thoughts and seeing the story through their perspective. Some of the conversations are awkward to me. There is a huge contrast between the beautiful prose and the talking where words like "prolly" and "ya" are used. The conversations get better near the end, they feel more natural, and fit the writing better, but I do think they pull away from the writing a tad.
Spoiler:
Warning this book does have a sad ending. It is still beautiful and positive, but this isn't necessarily a happily ever after. It was real.
This is a cute and short romance story. The writing is beautiful, minus some of the awkward conversations. Learn about two different people, Eve and Jamie, and what has led them to fall in love with the New Jersey sea (technically ocean) and with each other.
As mentioned above, the writing is done beautifully. I love the paragraphs where you are in the heads of Eve and Jamie. I love hearing their thoughts and seeing the story through their perspective. Some of the conversations are awkward to me. There is a huge contrast between the beautiful prose and the talking where words like "prolly" and "ya" are used. The conversations get better near the end, they feel more natural, and fit the writing better, but I do think they pull away from the writing a tad.
Spoiler:
Warning this book does have a sad ending. It is still beautiful and positive, but this isn't necessarily a happily ever after. It was real.
May 12, 2022
thank you to the author for sending me a free copy through goodreads giveaways!
when i first received the copy of I Wed the Sea through the mail, i thought to myself what a cute little book with a cute little cover i may have to go read it rn and that's what i did. ended up reading this in one-sitting outside on my balcony, under the sun, and i do not regret it. it's only may and this book gave me big summer vibes.
let's start with the good: the setting was incredible, reading this made me wanna run away and go live in a beach house in vancouver with my dogs and learn to cook crabs. also adored the camus references and quotes.
however, the writing wasn't very consistent. some parts had poetic tone and were beautifully written (especially in the beginning) and some other parts felt like i was reading a high school romance y/n fiction. jamie's thought-process towards his love interest felt a bit awkward and intense considering his age and it made me physically cringe. if i had more time to bond with jamie's character, perhaps i would've overlooked that part
i loved the ending: it's not what i had expected, but it was really well executed and ended on a bittersweet tone.
when i first received the copy of I Wed the Sea through the mail, i thought to myself what a cute little book with a cute little cover i may have to go read it rn and that's what i did. ended up reading this in one-sitting outside on my balcony, under the sun, and i do not regret it. it's only may and this book gave me big summer vibes.
let's start with the good: the setting was incredible, reading this made me wanna run away and go live in a beach house in vancouver with my dogs and learn to cook crabs. also adored the camus references and quotes.
however, the writing wasn't very consistent. some parts had poetic tone and were beautifully written (especially in the beginning) and some other parts felt like i was reading a high school romance y/n fiction. jamie's thought-process towards his love interest felt a bit awkward and intense considering his age and it made me physically cringe. if i had more time to bond with jamie's character, perhaps i would've overlooked that part
i loved the ending: it's not what i had expected, but it was really well executed and ended on a bittersweet tone.
March 30, 2021
I Wed The Sea By Lauren G. Flanagan
"At Sunrise, on an island off the coast of New Jersey, Eve's dog, Ben, runs down the beach to meet Jamie's dog, Daisy, setting in motion a love story that echoes in time."
This is was such a sweet, charming love story that i read in one sitting. I also learned a lot about the seaside life and it sounds amazing. I would love to live in this little town by the sea described in this book with such vivid detail. I could almost smell the salt water while reading it. The love story was so cute and really shows you the meaning of "Just fall in love whenever you can". Also the Dogs were just so adorable. Loved it!
"At Sunrise, on an island off the coast of New Jersey, Eve's dog, Ben, runs down the beach to meet Jamie's dog, Daisy, setting in motion a love story that echoes in time."
This is was such a sweet, charming love story that i read in one sitting. I also learned a lot about the seaside life and it sounds amazing. I would love to live in this little town by the sea described in this book with such vivid detail. I could almost smell the salt water while reading it. The love story was so cute and really shows you the meaning of "Just fall in love whenever you can". Also the Dogs were just so adorable. Loved it!
March 15, 2021
I so enjoyed this book! Romance, charm and love live in I Wed the Sea.
April 27, 2021
I received this book through a goodreads contest and as a thank you I’m leaving an honest review.
Short, simple and sweet. I loved this book, it’s just a beautiful story without all the filler. I would absolutely recommend this book over and over!
Short, simple and sweet. I loved this book, it’s just a beautiful story without all the filler. I would absolutely recommend this book over and over!
April 6, 2021
3.5 stars
This was such a beautiful and poetic story. I loved how the seaside was described and I felt like I was there. It made me wish I was at the beach listening to the waves.
The conversations between Jamie and Eve weren't always smooth and I started overlooking when they would say "ya".
This was a sweet story about love and a fresh reminder that you never know what life will throw at you, so to take each day as a gift and love like there is no tomorrow. I do wish I finished the book at 'The End' and skipped the epilogue, this is only because I always want everyone to get their happy ever after. The epilogue is fresh and honest and simply just how life can go. I am glad Jamie and Eve were happy and in love for the short time they had together.
This was such a beautiful and poetic story. I loved how the seaside was described and I felt like I was there. It made me wish I was at the beach listening to the waves.
The conversations between Jamie and Eve weren't always smooth and I started overlooking when they would say "ya".
This was a sweet story about love and a fresh reminder that you never know what life will throw at you, so to take each day as a gift and love like there is no tomorrow. I do wish I finished the book at 'The End' and skipped the epilogue, this is only because I always want everyone to get their happy ever after. The epilogue is fresh and honest and simply just how life can go. I am glad Jamie and Eve were happy and in love for the short time they had together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2021
I just finished I Wed the Sea a love story by Lauren G. Flanagan. I enjoyed the small book which was beautifully written.
April 7, 2022
. . . ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⋆ ⭒
This lovely little book was gifted to us by the author @laurengflanagan_reads ( @iwedthesea ), and we were so touched and appreciative that she considered us to read and review it.
There is something to be said for those tiny books: they can pack a punch despite their short page count.
This book was the perfect length for what it was: a snapshot of a blossoming end-game romance. I really enjoyed the back and forth between Eve and Jamie, especially those linked train of thoughts that showed how two people interpret, manage, and react to situations, behaviours, and signals.
Intricately and beautifully written at times, it was easy to fall in love with some of the language and analogies used - which is why I also found that when casual or informal language was used, like “prolly”, I found it to be quite disjointed from the otherwise delicately written passages.
The author did an excellent job of creating a picturesque landscape that made me long for sand, salt water, and breezy beach winds.
I’m not sure what to make of the epilogue - it is heavy with insinuation that this isn’t a work of fiction - it’s hard to tell if it is a continuation of the story, or more of a personal dedication. Either way, my heart goes out to whomever this last section is dedicated to, fictional or otherwise.
Thank you so much to @laurengflanagan_reads for sharing her story with us.
~👩🏻🦰
This lovely little book was gifted to us by the author @laurengflanagan_reads ( @iwedthesea ), and we were so touched and appreciative that she considered us to read and review it.
There is something to be said for those tiny books: they can pack a punch despite their short page count.
This book was the perfect length for what it was: a snapshot of a blossoming end-game romance. I really enjoyed the back and forth between Eve and Jamie, especially those linked train of thoughts that showed how two people interpret, manage, and react to situations, behaviours, and signals.
Intricately and beautifully written at times, it was easy to fall in love with some of the language and analogies used - which is why I also found that when casual or informal language was used, like “prolly”, I found it to be quite disjointed from the otherwise delicately written passages.
The author did an excellent job of creating a picturesque landscape that made me long for sand, salt water, and breezy beach winds.
I’m not sure what to make of the epilogue - it is heavy with insinuation that this isn’t a work of fiction - it’s hard to tell if it is a continuation of the story, or more of a personal dedication. Either way, my heart goes out to whomever this last section is dedicated to, fictional or otherwise.
Thank you so much to @laurengflanagan_reads for sharing her story with us.
~👩🏻🦰
April 9, 2021
This story - a couple who meet when their dogs fall in love on the beach - appealed to me right away. I love dogs and I love the beach!
The story was mostly what I expected, and it is definitely a cute and fast read. That being said, I felt like the romance (on Jamie's end) moved way too fast. Maybe if the book was longer, it would have been different, but he was enamored with Eve from the very start. I get it was love at first sight, but he was too intense too soon for me. I also found it a bit hard to distinguish between the character's dialogue and had to backtrack to figure out who was talking. I agree with some other reviewers about the use of "ya" (rather than "yeah"). Sometimes things like that can help differentiate the dialogue from one character to another, but in this case, they both talked that way.
I did enjoy the story and romance between characters. I loved their dogs! And I found Eve to be a realistic character who had a hard time letting her guard down at first. This was achieved well in such a short story.
I overall really enjoyed the story and loved the seaside vibes I got from the entire thing. The setting was so vivid to me and I wished I was there the whole time.
I just wish I hadn't read the epilogue because it was depressing and took away the otherwise happy feelings I had from the rest of it.
The story was mostly what I expected, and it is definitely a cute and fast read. That being said, I felt like the romance (on Jamie's end) moved way too fast. Maybe if the book was longer, it would have been different, but he was enamored with Eve from the very start. I get it was love at first sight, but he was too intense too soon for me. I also found it a bit hard to distinguish between the character's dialogue and had to backtrack to figure out who was talking. I agree with some other reviewers about the use of "ya" (rather than "yeah"). Sometimes things like that can help differentiate the dialogue from one character to another, but in this case, they both talked that way.
I did enjoy the story and romance between characters. I loved their dogs! And I found Eve to be a realistic character who had a hard time letting her guard down at first. This was achieved well in such a short story.
I overall really enjoyed the story and loved the seaside vibes I got from the entire thing. The setting was so vivid to me and I wished I was there the whole time.
I just wish I hadn't read the epilogue because it was depressing and took away the otherwise happy feelings I had from the rest of it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2021
I Wed the Sea is a sweet romance. It's a short story about two people who fall in love by the New Jersey sea. The book is dedicated to Flanagan's late nephew and it seems to be a loving tribute to his life and a way to process grief.
My favourite part of the book was the setting. Life on the coast, in a beach house, finding love, it all seems so wondrously idyllic and peaceful and beautiful. I loved the imagery of "the aurora borealis of the sea, ethereal, like the dawn of a new day."
The actual romance, while sweet, fell a little flat. The dialogue felt awkward and juvenile, it was hard to believe these were adults. I liked the prose describing the atmosphere so much but I didn't feel so moved by Eve and Jamie's interactions. And the intensity of Jamie's love at first sight creeped me out a bit, that kind of love based on nothing makes me uncomfortable. It didn't feel authentic to me.
"Deciding to actually get to know someone is always a risk. Once you care, it's hard to uncare."
My favourite part of the book was the setting. Life on the coast, in a beach house, finding love, it all seems so wondrously idyllic and peaceful and beautiful. I loved the imagery of "the aurora borealis of the sea, ethereal, like the dawn of a new day."
The actual romance, while sweet, fell a little flat. The dialogue felt awkward and juvenile, it was hard to believe these were adults. I liked the prose describing the atmosphere so much but I didn't feel so moved by Eve and Jamie's interactions. And the intensity of Jamie's love at first sight creeped me out a bit, that kind of love based on nothing makes me uncomfortable. It didn't feel authentic to me.
"Deciding to actually get to know someone is always a risk. Once you care, it's hard to uncare."
April 15, 2023
I find short form fiction difficult at times, not because it is complicated to read but because I feel like there is never enough character development. This novella did not suffer from that problem at all. I felt like I was falling in love with both characters and learning about the nooks and crannies of their psyche. When I read the authors bio, I was shocked to discover that this wasn't autobiographical fiction because I could really feel these characters as if they were real. It seemed to me this experience, this Love story, felt so real to me because it was based on fact. I was pleasantly surprised to realize that that wasn't the case. In a current market that is so full of autobiographical fiction, it's the mark of a true Talent who can force a reader to question whether or not a fictional story is real or not. I will definitely be picking up anything else that this author writes. I encourage anyone who is interested in this to pick it up. It will not be a waste of your time.
May 31, 2021
Thanks to Goodreads and Iguana for a copy of this book.
Thank you Lauren G. Flanagan for the love you poured into this story.
This is a short story long on love. A delightful summer read.
Thank you Lauren G. Flanagan for the love you poured into this story.
This is a short story long on love. A delightful summer read.
June 20, 2021
A love story, short and sweet.
July 1, 2021
Star Review by Karen
November 4, 2021
3.5 🌟 a short, sweet love story. Wonderfully descriptive but I sometimes felt the dialogue a little young/teenage perhaps for adult conversations.
April 12, 2022
short, sweet & simple. Lovely & devastating at the same time.
May 22, 2022
Loved this short, easy read. It was lighthearted, and fun. Well written.
July 28, 2021
This story was so beautiful! I feel in love with Eve and Jaime. This was a short story but in that time I felt like I got to know them so well. The descriptions of the beach and the sea were breathtaking and I felt as though I was right there walking along the beach with them 🥰 The last papers gave me shivers and brought tears to my eyes 🥺 If you are looking for a short but beautiful romance look no further ❤
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
January 18, 2022
This sweet book ends with a gut punch, but I loved following Eve and Jamie along on their journey of meeting each other. And their dogs- omg! My favorite part of this story was the look into Eve's beautiful life redo on the Jersey Shore and her mini farm.
May 13, 2022
This book has a pretty sad ending, but it is well worth reading. Read the reason the author wrote the book the way she did. As someone has lost someone meant the world to her I understand her writing it. I think it’s a really good book, and I’m sorry things happened this way. I hope things work out some day for you. I understand your position I’ve endured an exceptionally hard life myself. If you hadn’t explained things at the end the book wouldn’t have made sense to me.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews