Sam and Tate fall hard and fast. For two glorious weeks, the couple share their hopes, dreams, and secrets. Sam admits he suspects his grandfather is dying and that this could be the last trip they take together, and Tate reveals that she is the hidden daughter of one of the biggest film stars in the world—a secret she’s never told anyone before.
But when Tate is exposed by a crush of cameras and reporters, she knows she’s been betrayed by the one person she thought she could trust. She is forced to decide whether she will return to her quiet life or embrace being in the public eye. So when Sam reappears in her world more than a decade later, can Tate forgive the past and rekindle the passion they shared on their magical trip abroad? And does she even want to?
Review:
Before I get into my personal opinion on this one I want to start by saying that this didn’t feel like a typical CL rom com. I’ve seen quite a few not so great reviews of this and I can’t help but think that it’s partly because peoples expectations for this one weren’t met based on the authors previous books. I haven’t read every single one of CL’s books but I’ve read most of them and usually they crack me up, make me swoon and I always find my next book boyfriend. This one is different, but it was different in a good way for me. It’s not really funny, it’s deeper and it felt more mature to me than their previous books, think more angst and emotion and less hijinks and laughs. I always appreciate when an author changes things up a bit, but just a heads up that this isn’t as light as their typical rom com.
I was talking with my friend Jamie @beauty_andthebook_ and I think she nailed what made this one a standout for me. This begins when Tate is just eighteen and Sam is a couple of years older and instead of a brief prologue that barely scratches the surface you get multiple chapters from this time period so you really get to know and understand what happened in their past before you flash forward fourteen years later. It provides a significant backstory and really allows the reader to experience all of the first love feelings right alongside Tate and really strengthened my connection with her. To me, great depth of character is just as important to me as an engaging storyline and CL nailed the characterization here.
A second chance romance, a Hollywood movie set and a supporting cast of characters that added flavor and spice to a sometimes dramatic story made up the most perfect combination for me! Again, this one felt more soulful and mature than the usual CL book, but if you want a heartfelt romance with a strong plot grab this one.
Overall rating: 5/5
Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
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