This was a hugely personal gift of a story from Helen Hoang, I devoured every word.
The book is about Anna and Quan, who meet on a dating app. Anna's boyfriend has told her he wants an open relationship to 'make sure she is the right one for him' (sound the klaxon!!) and Quan wants to get back into dating after undergoing surgery. They are both looking for a one-night hook-up, but their personalities, and their feelings about each other, mean it is destined to be more than that. that doesn't mean this is a smooth-sailing story about people finding their one though - it's way more than that and had me laughing, crying and holding my breath with anticipation throughout.
Whilst Quan has some things he is trying to work through, the story focuses on Anna and her journey of self-acceptance. Her character is so well-drawn and multi-faceted, her family relationships are laid bare to us with no pretences or tropes. She is a woman under massive internal and external pressure and I was right there beside her as she navigated it all.
It's a story, and two people, that I will remember for a long time.
The book is about Anna and Quan, who meet on a dating app. Anna's boyfriend has told her he wants an open relationship to 'make sure she is the right one for him' (sound the klaxon!!) and Quan wants to get back into dating after undergoing surgery. They are both looking for a one-night hook-up, but their personalities, and their feelings about each other, mean it is destined to be more than that. that doesn't mean this is a smooth-sailing story about people finding their one though - it's way more than that and had me laughing, crying and holding my breath with anticipation throughout.
Whilst Quan has some things he is trying to work through, the story focuses on Anna and her journey of self-acceptance. Her character is so well-drawn and multi-faceted, her family relationships are laid bare to us with no pretences or tropes. She is a woman under massive internal and external pressure and I was right there beside her as she navigated it all.
It's a story, and two people, that I will remember for a long time.