Harbison's BEST novel to date. Harbison captures the truth about true love found early and deftly masters the past-present narrative that culminates in a blow-out finish that will leave readers deeply satisfied.

Surprisingly the best read I've had this summer! ( )

I really really loved this book. I thought the characters were realistic and well developed. I liked the storyline and hated for it to end. I was drawn in from page 1. Erin, the main character, reminded me of myself in many ways. And I'm sure other readers would see aspects of themselves in her and her relationship with Nate. I give this book a thumbs up.

pleasant,it was ok. ( )

Very disappointed in this one, and I had really enjoyed her Shoe Addicts series. It started out well, with the back-and-forth stories about teenaged Erin and grown up Erin dealing with their day-to-day lives. Grown up Erin's absolutely-perfect-in-every-way boyfriend (gorgeous, successful, widowed father to a daughter who is best friends with Erin's fifteen-year-old daughter, etc., etc.) asks her to marry him. Erin, completely blindsided (why is not exactly clear--where did she honestly imagine this relationship was going?) finds she can't give him an answer--indeed, she is suddenly in a complete and total panic--because all she can think about is her boyfriend of two years whom she broke up with twenty-three years ago. Yep, twenty-three years ago. She hasn't thought of him in ages (by her own admission), but suddenly there he is, a giant roadblock in the way of her giving perfect Rick his answer. Okay, Nate was her first in every sense of the world...but seriously?

Then the agony begins. We hear all about Erin and Nate's relationship--they had a three year age difference, met when she was fifteen, and pretty much instantly started an intense relationship which wouldn't have been appropriate even for two people in their late teens/ early twenties. Erin lived and breathed her relationship with this guy. They declared their love. They talked of forever and marriage. They spent not only every day, but many nights together. That wasn't enough for Erin, though, because she wanted to spend more time with just Nate on "real" dates and less time out with him and his friends. She wanted to have a "normal" teenage experience, which for her meant crushing on and even going out with other guys (which she did, with his okay) but at the same time having Nate do grand gestures for her a la John Cusak's famous Say Anything boombox scene. She was amazingly selfish and immature, not surprising for a fifteen/sixteen-year-old, but that self-absorption continued into her older self as well. She admits as an adult that she had not treated Nate well back then, but turns around and doesn't act any better in the present time either. It's always what Nate did to her and how she suffered, with no real remorse for what she has done to him and is doing to Rick. Oh, she says she's sorry, but her actions and completely self-indulgent, obsessive, and inappropriate inner monologue tell another story. It was very frustrating to read, and ultimately, just not believable. Her best friend's advice throughout (as an adult she's a psychologist) just doesn't seem like that of a trained professional. Erin's relationship with her daughter Cam doesn't read like that of a real mother and daughter. For much of the novel, Erin doesn't "read" as someone capable of seeing to her own emotional and developmental needs, let alone be responsible for someone else's...just which one of them is in charge in that household? Setting a good example? Holding a realistic view of love and relationships? It is unclear. All in all, it was a frustrating read. It got two stars because it did have its moments and I did enjoy hearing the interview with the author at the end, but I really don't know that I'll be in a hurry to read anything new from this author in the future.

( )

So, I started listening to this because I wanted something in the background when I sorted through a lot of boxes in the attic. Teenage love, teenage angst on breaking up, teenage love as an adult. And then ironically, my high school sweetheart happened to contact me on Facebook. He was a sweet boy and a sweet memory, but it's totally clear to me that I married the man of my heart and my dreams. I know some people have been together since grade school or high school, or that others separated but then found each other in their twilight years, but for me, that would be a disaster. No way would I give up what I have, but good for those that have that or find it again.

Pure chick lit, complete with teenage angst and sex. Lots of old songs referred to which became earworms, but frankly, I missed out on the mournful, over-dramatic, lost first loves, so am probably not the most sympathetic of readers. One thing that always bugs me in this kind of book is the totally decent, nice guy that gets shunted aside while our heroine gets her panties out of a twist. ( )