Skip to main content

Before I Saw You by Emily Houghton

 


SYNOPSIS

Alice and Alfie are strangers. But they sleep next to each other every night.

Alfie Mack has been in hospital for months recovering from an accident. A new face on the ward is about as exciting as life gets for him right now, so when someone moves into the bed next to him he's eager to make friends. But it quickly becomes clear that seeing his neighbour's face won't happen any time soon.

Alice Gunnersley has been badly burned and can't even look at herself yet, let alone allow anyone else to see her. Keeping the curtain around her bed firmly closed, it doesn't stop Alfie trying to get to know her. And gradually, as he slowly brings Alice out of her shell, might there even be potential for more?

REVIEW

Since turning the first page, I must have smiled over ten times reading the conversations between Alfie and Alice. The authenticity between these two characters who clearly had struggles were fascinating and overwhelming to read. I don't think that I've ever read a romance quite like this and to be honest, I don't think I ever truly will again.

Even as the majority of the plot is weaved into a hospital environment and the ins and outs of every day life there, somehow it is not morbid. The characters that live and work in these four walls are all riveting yet amusing. Whether that is the relationship between Alfie and Mr P, Ruby and the whole ward, Sarah and Alice, Mother Angel and Alfie or even Alfie and Alice. It is fascinating to see each dynamic played out on the page.

Compared to other romance books in the market, this book is fairly more dumbed down in terms of romantic moments, instead opting for heart-felt deep conversations and reminding everyone that it is ok to talk when you feel like you can't cope by yourself. This is a refreshing change from the usual formulaic tropes that we somehow have all come to accept in the romance genre.

However, would I consider this book to be a full-blown romance? Not really, but when is anything really full-blown romance. It is realistic and doesn't try and put itself in that category of romances that we all know are too high in terms of expectations. That is probably why one of the main aspects that I did like about this book is how there isn't any pressure for the main characters to be Instagram worthy people. I think we could all learn something from this book when it identifies that sometimes our scars make us the people that we are today, because of the stories that we have lived so far.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this story which I will be happily be talking about in the near future to all my fellow bookworms.

RATING: **** (FOUR STARS)

BUY LINKS



Disclosure: If you buy books linked to this site, we may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Frostfire by Amanda Hocking

It is back to Amanda Hocking this week, with her new book that I have recently been talking about, when reviewing her other series, the Trylle Trilogy. Although, this book is now in a new series, but set in the same universe. It is called the Kanin Chronicles... I must admit, when actually owning the book, the cover is very enchanting and beautiful. How for instance, the main character and protagonist, Bryn Aven, is at the centre of attention, with her coat covered in red. Whereas in the background, it is very muted colours, with the whites and blacks, but also having a sort of wonderland type of presence. Red to me also makes me feel quite uncomfortable and moreover is a colour for danger. So, onto the criticisms then! First of all, I don't know why but I felt a little bit out of place with this new world. Maybe it is because I read the other series in the same universe, I may have gotten used to them far too much. So when there are old characters appearing and being ment
2 comments
Read more

The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson

Publisher: David Fickling Books Date of Publish: January 1st 2015 Suitable for which gender: Unisex The book consists of two protagonists who are both suffering from two big secrets. There is David Piper; who wants to be a girl and Leo Denton; someone who just wants to be invisible. Somehow both of these two individuals come together and become very good friends in the process. It is really interesting as there is not much regarding the subject of the transgender community in modern YA fiction, in a way Ms Williamson has got some guts to base story around this topic. Not because it is wrong, but rather misunderstood. It has heartache and pain, as well as joy and happiness, which not only they experience, but you as well. I think that the time that it has come out is perfect, as it is an ever changing world, which has shown to become more aware of people around us and accepting everyone for who they are. We must always think about these issues like, imagine if you felt
Post a Comment
Read more

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

This has been a long time in the making, but here it is. A court of Mist and Fury. I think that there is now the time to definitely say something about this, especially when the next book has already come out in the series. I genuinely do love this book. I think that it is much better than the first one in the series. This is mainly because of that in which the new characters are far more likeable, and those who we had been introduced to previously have been developed. For example, with Rhysand, I have found to be far more complicated than what had already been shown in the first book. In fact, I don't think that the first book did any justice for him. In any sort of perspective. However, it has also identified that Tamlin is not all that he seems, very annoying more than anything. I think however, that it is more due to the fact of that in which it feels like it was a waste to have a whole book with him in, now that the story has developed. In this next instalment, it carr
Post a Comment
Read more