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All I Stole From You
For fans of Lily King’s Writers & Lovers comes a captivating debut novel about the complexities of love and the unpredictable bonds that change our lives
Maggie Hoyt is a quick-witted, house-sitting LA actress who’s dated one too many DJs for her liking. An incorrigible insomniac, she desperately needs more than four hours of sleep, according to her therapist.
One night, while still grieving the death of her ex-boyfriend, Maggie reluctantly attends her friend’s boat party. There she meets Rob, a charming tattoo artist who makes her feel like her best self for the first time in a while. Their attraction to each other is instantaneous and electrifying. There’s just one glaring problem: he’s wearing a wedding ring.
Despite their best efforts, Maggie and Rob can’t seem to shake their unwavering feelings for each other. When Maggie unexpectedly receives a letter from Rob’s estranged wife, she is forced to confront the love she’s been looking for, the guilt she’s been harbouring, the grief she’s been hiding—and the woman she wants to be.
With humour and heart, All I Stole from You is a fresh portrait of the pivotal relationships in our lives: with our romantic partners, our friends, our family and most importantly, ourselves.
Maggie Hoyt is a quick-witted, house-sitting LA actress who’s dated one too many DJs for her liking. An incorrigible insomniac, she desperately needs more than four hours of sleep, according to her therapist.
One night, while still grieving the death of her ex-boyfriend, Maggie reluctantly attends her friend’s boat party. There she meets Rob, a charming tattoo artist who makes her feel like her best self for the first time in a while. Their attraction to each other is instantaneous and electrifying. There’s just one glaring problem: he’s wearing a wedding ring.
Despite their best efforts, Maggie and Rob can’t seem to shake their unwavering feelings for each other. When Maggie unexpectedly receives a letter from Rob’s estranged wife, she is forced to confront the love she’s been looking for, the guilt she’s been harbouring, the grief she’s been hiding—and the woman she wants to be.
With humour and heart, All I Stole from You is a fresh portrait of the pivotal relationships in our lives: with our romantic partners, our friends, our family and most importantly, ourselves.
304 pages, Paperback
Published May 31, 2022
6 people are currently reading
285 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
January 8, 2022
This is my book so I'm biased, but I think it's really god damn good.
May 24, 2022
A refreshing and healing balm of a book- I inhaled this over the long weekend. The synopsis is by no means light and breezy (check the trigger warnings!) but I never felt weighed down by the dark topics at hand. The story follows Maggie, a 25 year old struggling actress in LA, determined to live beyond her famous director father’s shadow and find her own path through the tumult of Hollywood. When we meet her she is mostly a full-time house sitter and expert auditioner, dating a string of rebound DJs. She is also bathed in the peaks and valleys of grieving her ex Jackson, who lost his battle with addiction a year prior. One night dragged to a party as her best friend’s plus one, Maggie meets Rob - a British tattoo artist and their chemistry is electric. He also happens to be married…
What follows is a riveting exploration of moving through grief, and falling in love - in all its messiness. The story is told in the form of a letter addressed to Rob’s wife Ingrid, and while I wasn’t initially sold on this stylistic device, I was ultimately won over —largely due to the novel’s ending (which I will not spoil here). Thematically and tonally, I found All I Stole From You reminded me a lot of Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World - my favourite movie of 2021. Both made my heart swell and sink in equal measure, as the central women stumble through their arrested development, trying to make sense of love, life and self when they find themselves at difficult crossroads.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an e-arc in exchange for my honest review!
What follows is a riveting exploration of moving through grief, and falling in love - in all its messiness. The story is told in the form of a letter addressed to Rob’s wife Ingrid, and while I wasn’t initially sold on this stylistic device, I was ultimately won over —largely due to the novel’s ending (which I will not spoil here). Thematically and tonally, I found All I Stole From You reminded me a lot of Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World - my favourite movie of 2021. Both made my heart swell and sink in equal measure, as the central women stumble through their arrested development, trying to make sense of love, life and self when they find themselves at difficult crossroads.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an e-arc in exchange for my honest review!
August 10, 2022
3.5
honestly i had high hopes for this i liked the start a lot but then the book started including a lot of music and singers which is not smt i enjoy, the book started slowing down and dragging out and then that ending ??? pissed me off, i hate these kinds of endings
honestly i had high hopes for this i liked the start a lot but then the book started including a lot of music and singers which is not smt i enjoy, the book started slowing down and dragging out and then that ending ??? pissed me off, i hate these kinds of endings
June 7, 2022
An incredible debut novel. The dialogue is sharp and quick and poignant, and the way Bellows details Maggie’s longing will have you aching right along with her.
June 29, 2022
The glorification of cheating
February 2, 2022
i was lucky enough to read an ARC of this book.
All I Stole From You follows Maggie, a grieving young woman in LA, and the unanticipated, uncertain relationship she begins with Rob, a hypnotizing but married tattoo artist. Maggie's life is a bit of a mess, and so is her self-image. through poignant dialogue and carefully realized vignettes, Bellows captures her protagonist's search for meaning and identity in an unsure world. the vivid images and conversational narrative voice brought me close to Maggie, making this book feel like talking to a friend. this book revels in the quiet parts of life and the dual moments of clarity and confusion that mark a young woman's coming-of-age.
this book is perfect for fans of the interpersonal details of Meg Wolitzer and the explorations of selfhood of Sally Rooney. definitely recommend to anyone who wants warm, quick-paced fiction with heart and humour. Bellows taps into the listless Gen Z psyche with sensitivity and deep nuance.
All I Stole From You follows Maggie, a grieving young woman in LA, and the unanticipated, uncertain relationship she begins with Rob, a hypnotizing but married tattoo artist. Maggie's life is a bit of a mess, and so is her self-image. through poignant dialogue and carefully realized vignettes, Bellows captures her protagonist's search for meaning and identity in an unsure world. the vivid images and conversational narrative voice brought me close to Maggie, making this book feel like talking to a friend. this book revels in the quiet parts of life and the dual moments of clarity and confusion that mark a young woman's coming-of-age.
this book is perfect for fans of the interpersonal details of Meg Wolitzer and the explorations of selfhood of Sally Rooney. definitely recommend to anyone who wants warm, quick-paced fiction with heart and humour. Bellows taps into the listless Gen Z psyche with sensitivity and deep nuance.
November 9, 2023
you get a 2 star for the sole purpose that i enjoyed the writing style.
since when are we trying to justify cheating on your wife?
like i do not think i have ever read a less satisfying ending to a book. ever.
since when are we trying to justify cheating on your wife?
like i do not think i have ever read a less satisfying ending to a book. ever.
January 30, 2023
*4.5 Stars
All I Stole From You was everything that I had hoped it would be. It was emotional, raw, riveting, and completely captivating.
Maggie Hoyt is an actress and occasional house-sitter who has been trying to deal with the grief brought on by her ex-boyfriend’s death. After a series of insignificant, fleeting dates with DJs, and after swearing off men, she meets Rob at a friend’s party. While she wasn’t at the party looking to meet anyone, there he was. You really can’t blame Maggie for her attraction to Rob. They shared an easy conversation, some great banter, and a kiss, but it was a little too good to be true, because Rob was wearing a wedding ring. Of course, he was. But they could still be friends, right? That’s where it got tricky.
I loved the style with which this novel was written. It worked perfectly for this story. As Maggie recounts her affair with Rob, we get a better understanding of Maggie and how her relationships with family, friends, and boyfriends have shaped her life. I felt as though Maggie was having an honest conversation with me as she was telling her and Rob’s story. It was candid, eye-opening, difficult, and I could feel her emotions right in the pit of my stomach.
Maggie’s story isn’t neat, tidy, or wrapped up with a bow. It is messy, complicated, and filled with as much heartache as it is hope. Those novels are always among my favorites, and this book certainly did not disappoint.
All I Stole From You was everything that I had hoped it would be. It was emotional, raw, riveting, and completely captivating.
Maggie Hoyt is an actress and occasional house-sitter who has been trying to deal with the grief brought on by her ex-boyfriend’s death. After a series of insignificant, fleeting dates with DJs, and after swearing off men, she meets Rob at a friend’s party. While she wasn’t at the party looking to meet anyone, there he was. You really can’t blame Maggie for her attraction to Rob. They shared an easy conversation, some great banter, and a kiss, but it was a little too good to be true, because Rob was wearing a wedding ring. Of course, he was. But they could still be friends, right? That’s where it got tricky.
I loved the style with which this novel was written. It worked perfectly for this story. As Maggie recounts her affair with Rob, we get a better understanding of Maggie and how her relationships with family, friends, and boyfriends have shaped her life. I felt as though Maggie was having an honest conversation with me as she was telling her and Rob’s story. It was candid, eye-opening, difficult, and I could feel her emotions right in the pit of my stomach.
Maggie’s story isn’t neat, tidy, or wrapped up with a bow. It is messy, complicated, and filled with as much heartache as it is hope. Those novels are always among my favorites, and this book certainly did not disappoint.
May 26, 2022
I loved this book. I devoured it, the characters, the story, the journey… I couldn’t put it down. It is so accessible and so connected to life at that stage, early 20’s - the journey, and discovery of ones self and love, the paths we choose, the mistakes we make.
Ava Bellows’ writing is so beautiful and so visual it floats off the page and into your imagination. The scenes and characters are so clear and wonderfully full and complicated. This feels like a show already - Sally Rooney but set in Los Angeles and deeply grounded.
Ava Bellows has a voice that reminds me of a young Joan Didion. I can not wait to read more from her.
Ava Bellows’ writing is so beautiful and so visual it floats off the page and into your imagination. The scenes and characters are so clear and wonderfully full and complicated. This feels like a show already - Sally Rooney but set in Los Angeles and deeply grounded.
Ava Bellows has a voice that reminds me of a young Joan Didion. I can not wait to read more from her.
November 1, 2024
I hated this story.
I just want to be very clear and upfront about that because I'm not giving it one-star. It gets two because the writing is actually very good, and I think I could have enjoyed a completely different story by this author. It's readable and has great dialogue and distinct characters.
Trigger warning for infidelity (in both the book and this review).
I'm going to do my best from getting all rage-y about this.
Maggie meets Rob on a boat at a birthday party. Maggie finds out very shortly after meeting Rob that Rob is married. Maggie and Rob really don't give a crap that Rob is married. The end. More or less.
This book is absolutely about infidelity. Abso-fucking-lutely. You will spend 90% of the book knee-deep in infidelity. And it's ultimately spun so that it's a bit "justified." Except it isn't. Listen, I really don't want to hear justifications about daddy issues or grieving an ex-boyfriend who died several months after breaking up or that it's complicated because she loves him (she makes sure to mention this about a thousand times in case we don't see it the first 999 times). None of these things justify the shitastic behavior that goes on and on and on and on.
We're supposed to believe Rob is amazing. Just so sensitive and caring and amazing. And his actions are justified because he hasn't been "in love" (OH GOD NOT THIS EXCUSE) with his wife for a long time. HERE'S AN IDEA, BUD. LEAVE YOUR WIFE FIRST AND THEN FOOL AROUND WITH YOUR TWENTY-SOMETHING WANNABE ACTRESS. Oops. I meant LOVE, not fool around. Because they are in LOVE. Please don't forget that. Rob was just absolute ICK. Skin-crawling ICK.
Now I don't have a problem reading books with unlikable characters if they are intentionally unlikable characters. Sometimes they're really fun! For a while, I thought that might be what the author was trying to do. Unfortunately, I think I was supposed to feel...something positive towards Maggie. But I didn't. Not a single positive thing. Not even once.
But maybe I could have cut her some slack about her poor decision-making skills (and whatever the root causes of them were) if there had been a true lightbulb moment. I'm an understanding gal. I've been through a lot in life and have done a lot of less than stellar things, so I try to have a very open mind. Unfortunately, there is no growth where Maggie actually feels like what she did was inappropriate or where she really figures out her own worth. For example, Maggie says this very relatable line that most women have probably found themself thinking at some point in their life (especially in their 20s) -
I think I have this feeling that my sexuality, my desirability, isn't for me. It's for other people, namely men, to track. It's for them to hold, to touch, to look at, to fantasize about. That's a problem, isn't it? That's something for me to think about working on. I'll get to it one of these days.
And then we skip to the almost end, right about the time some growth should have occurred, and -
The question I was asking myself, the question I didn't know how to answer, though, was Am I the person Rob wants to choose every day?
GIRL. YOU'RE STILL PLACING YOUR VALUE IN THE HANDS OF THIS GUY. THIS GUY WHO HAS BEEN CHEATING ON HIS WIFE WITH LITTLE TO NO REMORSE. I guess today was not the day that she was going to get to working on what she needs to work on.
But I want to go back just a bit to really drive home why I think Maggie is one of the most self-centered, insensitive, disrespectful characters I've ever had the displeasure of reading about.
The whole premise of this book is that Maggie is writing a letter to Rob's wife, Ingrid, because Ingrid asked to know about Maggie and Rob's relationship in detail. First of all, this would not fucking happen (nor would that absolutely bizarre ending), but let's just roll with it for shits and giggles and go into lala land.
Maggie says a lot of really insensitive crap, such as -
Funny, the stories we tell. I think I'm the villain of yours; maybe Rob is too. We're both sorry and we're not.
Sometimes she'll even let Ingrid know that she's trying to be sensitive -
You said you wanted the details, I know, but I'm not sure how detailed I should get here. I'm trying to be sensitive.
Two pages later?
We fucked.
That night was the first time.
And the second.
And the third.
Wow. So sensitive.
We follow up with more sensitive lines throughout. Here's just a couple fun ones -
You didn't exist. Jackson didn't either. Our us-ness rendered everything and everyone else invisible.
It's so silly to say this after so many I love yous, hundreds of orgasms, and nights of linked limbs and hushed confessions. . ..
It is absolutely bizarre to call this a romance. I really, really, really wanted this to go another direction. Maybe have the characters learn something. Not have it tied up in a tidy little bow that attempted to make it all a-ok.
The only redeemable character in this is Maggie's mom who calls her out on the crappiness of her crappy behavior rather than being an enabler (but Mom, can't you see she's in loooooovvvvveeeeee???).
2 Stars
I just want to be very clear and upfront about that because I'm not giving it one-star. It gets two because the writing is actually very good, and I think I could have enjoyed a completely different story by this author. It's readable and has great dialogue and distinct characters.
Trigger warning for infidelity (in both the book and this review).
I'm going to do my best from getting all rage-y about this.
Maggie meets Rob on a boat at a birthday party. Maggie finds out very shortly after meeting Rob that Rob is married. Maggie and Rob really don't give a crap that Rob is married. The end. More or less.
This book is absolutely about infidelity. Abso-fucking-lutely. You will spend 90% of the book knee-deep in infidelity. And it's ultimately spun so that it's a bit "justified." Except it isn't. Listen, I really don't want to hear justifications about daddy issues or grieving an ex-boyfriend who died several months after breaking up or that it's complicated because she loves him (she makes sure to mention this about a thousand times in case we don't see it the first 999 times). None of these things justify the shitastic behavior that goes on and on and on and on.
We're supposed to believe Rob is amazing. Just so sensitive and caring and amazing. And his actions are justified because he hasn't been "in love" (OH GOD NOT THIS EXCUSE) with his wife for a long time. HERE'S AN IDEA, BUD. LEAVE YOUR WIFE FIRST AND THEN FOOL AROUND WITH YOUR TWENTY-SOMETHING WANNABE ACTRESS. Oops. I meant LOVE, not fool around. Because they are in LOVE. Please don't forget that. Rob was just absolute ICK. Skin-crawling ICK.
Now I don't have a problem reading books with unlikable characters if they are intentionally unlikable characters. Sometimes they're really fun! For a while, I thought that might be what the author was trying to do. Unfortunately, I think I was supposed to feel...something positive towards Maggie. But I didn't. Not a single positive thing. Not even once.
But maybe I could have cut her some slack about her poor decision-making skills (and whatever the root causes of them were) if there had been a true lightbulb moment. I'm an understanding gal. I've been through a lot in life and have done a lot of less than stellar things, so I try to have a very open mind. Unfortunately, there is no growth where Maggie actually feels like what she did was inappropriate or where she really figures out her own worth. For example, Maggie says this very relatable line that most women have probably found themself thinking at some point in their life (especially in their 20s) -
I think I have this feeling that my sexuality, my desirability, isn't for me. It's for other people, namely men, to track. It's for them to hold, to touch, to look at, to fantasize about. That's a problem, isn't it? That's something for me to think about working on. I'll get to it one of these days.
And then we skip to the almost end, right about the time some growth should have occurred, and -
The question I was asking myself, the question I didn't know how to answer, though, was Am I the person Rob wants to choose every day?
GIRL. YOU'RE STILL PLACING YOUR VALUE IN THE HANDS OF THIS GUY. THIS GUY WHO HAS BEEN CHEATING ON HIS WIFE WITH LITTLE TO NO REMORSE. I guess today was not the day that she was going to get to working on what she needs to work on.
But I want to go back just a bit to really drive home why I think Maggie is one of the most self-centered, insensitive, disrespectful characters I've ever had the displeasure of reading about.
The whole premise of this book is that Maggie is writing a letter to Rob's wife, Ingrid, because Ingrid asked to know about Maggie and Rob's relationship in detail. First of all, this would not fucking happen (nor would that absolutely bizarre ending), but let's just roll with it for shits and giggles and go into lala land.
Maggie says a lot of really insensitive crap, such as -
Funny, the stories we tell. I think I'm the villain of yours; maybe Rob is too. We're both sorry and we're not.
Sometimes she'll even let Ingrid know that she's trying to be sensitive -
You said you wanted the details, I know, but I'm not sure how detailed I should get here. I'm trying to be sensitive.
Two pages later?
We fucked.
That night was the first time.
And the second.
And the third.
Wow. So sensitive.
We follow up with more sensitive lines throughout. Here's just a couple fun ones -
You didn't exist. Jackson didn't either. Our us-ness rendered everything and everyone else invisible.
It's so silly to say this after so many I love yous, hundreds of orgasms, and nights of linked limbs and hushed confessions. . ..
It is absolutely bizarre to call this a romance. I really, really, really wanted this to go another direction. Maybe have the characters learn something. Not have it tied up in a tidy little bow that attempted to make it all a-ok.
The only redeemable character in this is Maggie's mom who calls her out on the crappiness of her crappy behavior rather than being an enabler (but Mom, can't you see she's in loooooovvvvveeeeee???).
2 Stars
August 30, 2022
this book was the best romance i have read yet. this was a new authors first novel and it is excellent. it has dark rough undertones throughout, with references that are interesting and current. just had to give it 5 stars. a great read especially for those my age.
August 21, 2022
i really liked this book for 90% of it and the ending kind of ruined it so i give it like a 4.5
August 11, 2022
WHEW! I couldn’t put this down. A narrative on love, grief, friendship, generational trauma and all of the messiness of being human. It wasn’t tied together in a neat bow and I loved that. Encore plz!!
June 2, 2022
I loved it. So funny, wise and moving!! I got my copy yesterday and couldn't put it down!
August 13, 2022
A fun quick read!
June 8, 2022
Wise, insightful, funny and touching. Perfectly encapsulates the complications of love in your twenties. I hope it's made into a movie.
June 13, 2022
Eu quero um livro narrado pela ingrid AGORA
August 20, 2022
Let’s start by noting that clearly I am not the reader for this book.
It’s all just so pointless… fluff… RomCom crap dressed up as something serious. It’s also all just so forgettable. The characters don’t stay with you, and let's face it… I’m too old for them or for this book. I don’t need therapy for my love life… or lessons in love. I don’t suffer from Gen-X angst, and I don’t have ‘Daddy’ issues - and, by the way, chocking it all up to Daddy issues is just a crock…a cop out.
Let’s also talk about how predictable it all is. The prologue, and the titles of each of the four (4) ‘Parts’ of the book are a pretty clear giveaway… at least as far as the broad brushes of the story go.
And then there is the ending. Yes, thankfully, it is not all tied up in a neat and tidy bow-tie - but… what we learn about the entire premise of the novel is ridiculous. And let’s talk about the premise - that she is writing the story of their relationship as a letter to her lover's ex-wife. In her letter she spends as much of her time with Rob thinking about her dead-ex. I’m pretty sure that the ex-wife neither cares - nor needs to know - these bits. It’s only we - the readers - who ‘need’ to know. This is a fundamental flaw with the narrative structure…. As in how else to convey these bits that should have been flashbacks. The conceit of the letter to the ex-wife is problematic in this and many other ways.
There is a line on page 169 that pretty much sums up my thoughts about this title: ‘I think about that moment a lot. There was nothing deeply profound about it.’ Neither is there anything profound about this book.
It’s all just so pointless… fluff… RomCom crap dressed up as something serious. It’s also all just so forgettable. The characters don’t stay with you, and let's face it… I’m too old for them or for this book. I don’t need therapy for my love life… or lessons in love. I don’t suffer from Gen-X angst, and I don’t have ‘Daddy’ issues - and, by the way, chocking it all up to Daddy issues is just a crock…a cop out.
Let’s also talk about how predictable it all is. The prologue, and the titles of each of the four (4) ‘Parts’ of the book are a pretty clear giveaway… at least as far as the broad brushes of the story go.
And then there is the ending. Yes, thankfully, it is not all tied up in a neat and tidy bow-tie - but… what we learn about the entire premise of the novel is ridiculous. And let’s talk about the premise - that she is writing the story of their relationship as a letter to her lover's ex-wife. In her letter she spends as much of her time with Rob thinking about her dead-ex. I’m pretty sure that the ex-wife neither cares - nor needs to know - these bits. It’s only we - the readers - who ‘need’ to know. This is a fundamental flaw with the narrative structure…. As in how else to convey these bits that should have been flashbacks. The conceit of the letter to the ex-wife is problematic in this and many other ways.
There is a line on page 169 that pretty much sums up my thoughts about this title: ‘I think about that moment a lot. There was nothing deeply profound about it.’ Neither is there anything profound about this book.
May 13, 2023
Ava Bellows ripped my heart out and stomped on it over and over while I read this book.
Five stars every single time. This is one I keep coming back to time and time again, it never gets old.
Five stars every single time. This is one I keep coming back to time and time again, it never gets old.
December 24, 2022
I originally picked this book because of the price to purchase it digitally had been convincing. Then I noticed it just so happened that the protagonist and I share a name so that would have sealed the deal.
The story follows the life of a 25 year old struggling actress in LA named Maggie (typical). After watching her father leave her mother and remarry several times, she developed a disliking for him and vowed to be nothing like him and never be involved with someone like him. For a year, she was tied to a former, then current addict named Jackson who left her and died shortly after which caused her to have traumas she never dealt with properly. Instead, she just dated emotionally unavailable DJs (LA, typical). That all changed when her roommate “dragged” her to a party and well, cue Rob.
Rob was a guy Maggie had instantly felt drawn to. Shortly after, she found out he was married and the two tried to remain friends but were unable to do so due to their infatuation for one another. (Not surprising to say the least).
Eventually, Rob’s wife finds out and leaves him. Rob and Maggie try to make it work in a relationship that is out in the open, but the two struggle to do so. Maggie finds herself believing that the relationship was fizzling out because her excuse for everything related to the negative aspects of her relationship was Rob’s then-wife and now she is no longer a roadblock.
Finally, the book ends with Maggie realizing that her life is just what she has been trying to avoid all along and she is now scared. There is no answer to what she decides with her relationship.
In my opinion, I feel like Ava has written this novel extremely well. Ava’s parts of this book take the reader through what I believe to be exactly how Maggie was feeling each step of this relationship with Rob. While meeting and sneaking around, the chapters were riveting and kept me wanting to come back. Once their relationship started to fizzle out, so did the desires to pick up this book. Due to that, I give this book one star less than perfect.
Ava, I am interested to dive into your next novel, whenever that may be.
The story follows the life of a 25 year old struggling actress in LA named Maggie (typical). After watching her father leave her mother and remarry several times, she developed a disliking for him and vowed to be nothing like him and never be involved with someone like him. For a year, she was tied to a former, then current addict named Jackson who left her and died shortly after which caused her to have traumas she never dealt with properly. Instead, she just dated emotionally unavailable DJs (LA, typical). That all changed when her roommate “dragged” her to a party and well, cue Rob.
Rob was a guy Maggie had instantly felt drawn to. Shortly after, she found out he was married and the two tried to remain friends but were unable to do so due to their infatuation for one another. (Not surprising to say the least).
Eventually, Rob’s wife finds out and leaves him. Rob and Maggie try to make it work in a relationship that is out in the open, but the two struggle to do so. Maggie finds herself believing that the relationship was fizzling out because her excuse for everything related to the negative aspects of her relationship was Rob’s then-wife and now she is no longer a roadblock.
Finally, the book ends with Maggie realizing that her life is just what she has been trying to avoid all along and she is now scared. There is no answer to what she decides with her relationship.
In my opinion, I feel like Ava has written this novel extremely well. Ava’s parts of this book take the reader through what I believe to be exactly how Maggie was feeling each step of this relationship with Rob. While meeting and sneaking around, the chapters were riveting and kept me wanting to come back. Once their relationship started to fizzle out, so did the desires to pick up this book. Due to that, I give this book one star less than perfect.
Ava, I am interested to dive into your next novel, whenever that may be.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2022
I really liked this book. I can sort of see how you might think it was glorifying cheating if you weren’t looking too closely, but honestly I felt it was more of an “older man is married and should know better than to get involved with a younger woman who he knows is emotionally fragile” kind of thing.
He knew she was depressed and knew about Jackson, so he felt a lot more in the wrong to me than Maggie did. I liked Maggie, and I understand doing a bad thing doesn’t make you a bad person necessarily, but Maggie seems to have a hard time with that. I liked seeing her wrestle with the guilt, the jealousy, and hating Rob’s wife, even though she didn’t know her.
I think the letter from Ingrid was important, and Maggie wouldn’t have been able to forgive herself without it, and I think examining the relationship after Rob’s marriage ending was really great, because showing Maggie grappling with whether or not she wanted to stay was interesting as well.
I honestly think Rob is kind of a sneaky villain in all of this, he was married, he should have known better, and I do wonder if he would have left Ingrid at all if she hadn’t pieced everything together on her own.
I thought the book was a really interesting perspective on cheating but not necessarily that it glamorized it as there were definitely ugly bits to the relationship.
Overall I really liked the book
He knew she was depressed and knew about Jackson, so he felt a lot more in the wrong to me than Maggie did. I liked Maggie, and I understand doing a bad thing doesn’t make you a bad person necessarily, but Maggie seems to have a hard time with that. I liked seeing her wrestle with the guilt, the jealousy, and hating Rob’s wife, even though she didn’t know her.
I think the letter from Ingrid was important, and Maggie wouldn’t have been able to forgive herself without it, and I think examining the relationship after Rob’s marriage ending was really great, because showing Maggie grappling with whether or not she wanted to stay was interesting as well.
I honestly think Rob is kind of a sneaky villain in all of this, he was married, he should have known better, and I do wonder if he would have left Ingrid at all if she hadn’t pieced everything together on her own.
I thought the book was a really interesting perspective on cheating but not necessarily that it glamorized it as there were definitely ugly bits to the relationship.
Overall I really liked the book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2024
Interesting how a lot of the low/bad reviews here seem to focus on the apparent immorality of the cheating, rather than the quality of writing, characterisation and whether or not this is a good read.
I don't have a strong opinion either way on this, but I know that life is never straightforward, and irrespective of this, it's not the 'job' of a novelist to act as some kind of moral guardian, but rather to delve into the intricacies of (flawed) human nature and ideally, leave the reader to decide where they net out of this/other matters.
This is what this book does so well; it's an exploration of a relationship and an alternative version of the usual 'well-made' girl meets boy love story, and I think it does that exceptionally well.
All of which reminds me of the prejudices which naturally seep into the reading experience and how this affects our feelings about a book. My preference, however, is to read with an open (as in not restricted to my current world view) mind, and I find it more enriching to be challenged and maybe even change my mind during and after I've finished a book, which is what a good novel can do.
I don't have a strong opinion either way on this, but I know that life is never straightforward, and irrespective of this, it's not the 'job' of a novelist to act as some kind of moral guardian, but rather to delve into the intricacies of (flawed) human nature and ideally, leave the reader to decide where they net out of this/other matters.
This is what this book does so well; it's an exploration of a relationship and an alternative version of the usual 'well-made' girl meets boy love story, and I think it does that exceptionally well.
All of which reminds me of the prejudices which naturally seep into the reading experience and how this affects our feelings about a book. My preference, however, is to read with an open (as in not restricted to my current world view) mind, and I find it more enriching to be challenged and maybe even change my mind during and after I've finished a book, which is what a good novel can do.
June 23, 2022
This book was what I needed to get me out of my reading slump. It was quick and the storyline was intriguing. However, while I am a fan of contemporary stories with characters that are relatable, the main character in this just felt like they were trying too hard. The pop culture "name dropping" I found to be too much. It wasn't just songs, artists, and movies that were mentioned once in a while, it was every page or so and it just felt... again like it was trying too hard. On another good note, I did very much enjoy the ending of this and the realness that it held within it.
October 29, 2022
This is a book from a new author and to say the least I’m so obsessed. This book dives into the physical/emotional affects of cheating and gives you a perspective on the toll it can have on both characters, Maggie and Rob. I could not put this book down, the suspense on what will happen next just kept me reading for hours. This book touches on anxiety and addiction, which allows the reader to see a different side of your typical romance novel. I strongly recommend this read for anyone looking for a suspenseful, romantic book.
January 23, 2023
I had no preconceived notions of this book because my 7-yo plucked it off a shelf as her choice for my birthday gift. It was a quick read with a bit more weight to it and, while I had my share of eye-rolls over the protagonist, I tried to remind myself she’s 25, blamed the annoying moments on that, and overall enjoyed the book. I do think it brought up some interesting themes that I would have like explored more - like Maggie’s navigation of relationships with people who knew Rob and Ingrid, or even her mother, towards the end of the book.
June 17, 2022
I couldn’t put this down I read it during one flight. it’s a page turner while somehow also still being really detailed with fleshed our characters and automatically paints a picture in your mind, it’s basically a movie. it’s emotional, it’s moving, it deals with some deep stuff but in the best way because it’s just so well written.
cannot wait for more from this author (was a little sad to find out that I discovered her right after her debut came out ngl)
cannot wait for more from this author (was a little sad to find out that I discovered her right after her debut came out ngl)
August 7, 2023
Ιδιαίτερο το θέμα του, καθώς αποτελεί ένα γράμμα της πρωταγωνίστριας προς την πρώην γυναίκα του ��ίλου της με τον οποίο η ίδια είχε σχέση ενόσω εκείνος ήταν ακόμα παντρεμένος.
Γενικά είναι λίγο αμφιλεγόμενο το θέμα του, καθώς αφορά την απιστία από την οπτική της "άλλης γυναίκας".
Ήταν ενδιαφέρον, όμως οι πράξεις της πρωταγωνίστριας τείνουν να δικαιολογούνται συνεχώς, ενώ το τέλος ήταν εντελώς ανούσιο.
Γενικά είναι λίγο αμφιλεγόμενο το θέμα του, καθώς αφορά την απιστία από την οπτική της "άλλης γυναίκας".
Ήταν ενδιαφέρον, όμως οι πράξεις της πρωταγωνίστριας τείνουν να δικαιολογούνται συνεχώς, ενώ το τέλος ήταν εντελώς ανούσιο.
July 21, 2022
This book was okay for me. I devoured it quite quickly because it was easy to read and the character were good enough. It also reminded me a lot of a personal situation I endured. I liked that at the end it wasn’t just black and white, as love and lying and cheating never are. It made the book feel quite human.
February 15, 2023
3.5. Good writing, I finished in a weekend which is always a good sign.
Didn't get above 4 stars for me though because I really felt that the pacing of this was off, there was such a long exploration of the start of the relationship, only to gloss over the difficult parts. Still enjoyed the read.
Didn't get above 4 stars for me though because I really felt that the pacing of this was off, there was such a long exploration of the start of the relationship, only to gloss over the difficult parts. Still enjoyed the read.
July 6, 2025
The writing is actually pretty good but the wrap-up leaves a lot to be desired. It’s a controversial read, but I like to suspend my judgement whenever I read something. However, irl I wouldn’t condone any form of cheating regardless of whether one person was already emotionally one foot out the door. Cheating is wrong, period. Hold your pants up until you end things respectfully.
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