Ann was a smiling straight-A student and track star. But after she meets Connor, it all changes. She surrenders everything to be with him, and by g...
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reviews
May 09, 2011
Brent
rated it: 
I’ve always seen positive reviews for Mandy Hubbard, and I’ve always wondered what about her writing made readers so keysmashing enthusiastic. I joined the Mandy Hubbard fan club once I finished reading her paranormal romance, RIPPLE. I loved the way she paced the story, the way she slowly built up the tension and romance and then let it explode the last 100 pages. That book got me excited for this book. And I must say: BUT I LOVE HIM is probably the better of the two.
You know how th More...
You know how th More...
7 comments
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(14 people liked it)
Dec 05, 2011
Isamlq
rated it: 
I'm trying not to judge them her. I'm trying my best not to be disappointed in her choices. And with BUT I LOVE HIM beginning as it did~ at their end, I did have to hold onto my judgments thoughts, and see what led them to where they were.
But having witnessed this reverse mix of start, end, and in between, I'm still not a hundred percent sure about what to think BUT I do know what I feel: pissed off, unsure about my disappointed then finally, relieved.
Pissed off at whom More...
But having witnessed this reverse mix of start, end, and in between, I'm still not a hundred percent sure about what to think BUT I do know what I feel: pissed off, unsure about my disappointed then finally, relieved.
Pissed off at whom More...
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(5 people liked it)
Jul 15, 2011
Nomes
rated it:
I love the concept of this book. It is the story of one girl and the boy she loves who abuses her ~ told in reverse chronological order.
As the book begins, Ann is at the height of the abuse, has completely sold out of her previous life to be with Connor, and the relationship has consumed her. As the book continues, it slides back through time, showing the relationship in reverse. (with the exception of the climax/resolution, which is sprinkled through the reverse narrative and saved More...
As the book begins, Ann is at the height of the abuse, has completely sold out of her previous life to be with Connor, and the relationship has consumed her. As the book continues, it slides back through time, showing the relationship in reverse. (with the exception of the climax/resolution, which is sprinkled through the reverse narrative and saved More...
19 comments
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(15 people liked it)
Sep 03, 2011
Haleema
rated it: 
Ew.
What the hell.
First of all, I am so sick and tired of these kinds of books. Or subjects. You know? Where the girl is getting abused by her long-time boyfriend, but she keeps loving him and is too weak to step out of the relationship. He clearly does not love her if he is using her as his punching bag. It's so stupid.
I mean, I know I'm being a bit rough and insensitive, but come on! Get a life and move on. Be strong! Don't ruin your life. Please.
More...
What the hell.
First of all, I am so sick and tired of these kinds of books. Or subjects. You know? Where the girl is getting abused by her long-time boyfriend, but she keeps loving him and is too weak to step out of the relationship. He clearly does not love her if he is using her as his punching bag. It's so stupid.
I mean, I know I'm being a bit rough and insensitive, but come on! Get a life and move on. Be strong! Don't ruin your life. Please.
More...
40 comments
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(16 people liked it)
Aug 18, 2011
Lisa
rated it:
"But even when I stop crying, even when we fall asleep and I'm nestled in his arms, this will leave another scar. No one will see it. No one will know. But it will be there. And eventually all of the scars will have scars, and that's all I'll be--one big scar of a love gone wrong."
— Amanda Grace (But I Love Him)
After reading "Bitter End" last weekend, I recieved this in the mail and decided to go for it. It was much better than "Bitter End".
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— Amanda Grace (But I Love Him)
After reading "Bitter End" last weekend, I recieved this in the mail and decided to go for it. It was much better than "Bitter End".
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4 comments
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(4 people liked it)
May 30, 2011
BookWhisperer
rated it: 
Amanda Grace created a tragic and terrifying story about a young girl that finds herself in her worst nightmare. Many young girls believe it inconceivable that a situation such as this could happen to them. This realistic and honest truth about how it is easy for a girls to find their selves in such a situation it grab many readers and drag them into this young woman s nightmare. Interestingly, Grace created this story starting with the end and working her way to the beginning. I believe that t
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(1 person liked it)
Feb 19, 2012
Sandeelovesbooks
rated it:
“What would you do if the one person you want comfort from is the one who cause you pain? How can you want to desperately for him to wrap me up in his arms but also want so much for him to leave me alone?”
- Ann, But I love Him
Ann loves Connor.
Connor loves Ann.
Only problem is when Connor’s temper rises, Ann gets hurt.
How does he hurt her?
Verbally.
Emotionally.
Psychologically.
Physically.
But More...
- Ann, But I love Him
Ann loves Connor.
Connor loves Ann.
Only problem is when Connor’s temper rises, Ann gets hurt.
How does he hurt her?
Verbally.
Emotionally.
Psychologically.
Physically.
But More...
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(1 person liked it)
Jul 08, 2011
Mrs. Heather Maddox
rated it:
Whew! What a whirlwind of heartbreak this story was! I had my eye on this book for a while now and finally decided to purchase it. It actually arrived yesterday and I was determined to finish it before slumbering last night. This was an easy task since the book held my attention until the very end.
Gosh, as I sit here to write this review, I still cannot wrap my head around it. I have so many emotions and thoughts running through my head, so please just bear with me.
The bo More...
Gosh, as I sit here to write this review, I still cannot wrap my head around it. I have so many emotions and thoughts running through my head, so please just bear with me.
The bo More...
3 comments
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(5 people liked it)
Sep 20, 2011
Readergirl
rated it:
Wow. I usually try to write my review within 24 hours of reading a book. With this one, I had to wait. It was just impossible for me to do it immediately after reading the book because I was just speechless. I wouldn't have been able to articulate my thoughts on this one at all, as it got to me on so many levels.
First, I'm sure you can see from the opening sentence of the Goodreads summary that this story is about abuse in a relationship. I actually didn't realize that when I pick More...
First, I'm sure you can see from the opening sentence of the Goodreads summary that this story is about abuse in a relationship. I actually didn't realize that when I pick More...
May 16, 2011
P.J.
rated it:
Book 19 for 2011. This is a hugely intense book I was unable to put down. The author chooses to tell the story backwards, and at first this threw me. Yet, when I reached the end, I was sold on the fact that to convey the message, this was exactly the right way to tell the story. Highly recommended for girls seventh grade and up, fans of realistic fiction or not.
4 comments
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(3 people liked it)
Jul 18, 2011
Amanda
rated it: 
I felt the book read more like a diary than an actual novel. She was telling her story.. and thats pretty much it. The story in general is one we hear all too often both personally and in the media, and I will admit I could relate to a few situations myself. But I couldn't get passed the excuses she kept making for her boyfriends actions. It was a little too annoying for me, and I just plain didn't enjoy reading it. This book gets two stars from me, quick somewhat emotional read, but really lack
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(3 people liked it)
Feb 17, 2012
Kayla
rated it:
I really wanted to like this book but I couldn't. The timeline the author used confused me at times. I did like the first couple of chapters but after the repetitive I love him, he didn't use to be like this, maybe I'll fix him up, I'm the only one who has faith in him thing it upset me.
Ann lacked strength and brains for that matter. It seemed as if she couldn't exist without Connor (and she did say that at one point.) She confused love with need. Thinking she loved him because of wh More...
Ann lacked strength and brains for that matter. It seemed as if she couldn't exist without Connor (and she did say that at one point.) She confused love with need. Thinking she loved him because of wh More...
Dec 30, 2011
Triss
rated it:
I was drawn to the cover at first. It was a heart with shards of glass and u honestly thought it was going to be like the books CRUNK. I thought the shards of glass were representing a drug related topic. I turned it around and read the background and I was hooked on knowing the full story. This book shows the course of a year how an abusive relationship can ruin ones life without even noticing the effects. Anne is a good grades, average happy go lucky high school señor. The book starts out in t
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Nov 05, 2011
Karen
rated it:
This was a good book with a dark subject matter; physical and psychological abuse.
One thing you need to know is that this story is told in reverse. It starts with the climax and goes to the point of when everything happened. The whole story is literally backwards.
Because the story is backwards is the reason (for me, at least) why it isn't as intense. The author stated though that it is written this way because she didn't ppl to get mad at the main character for getting out so More...
One thing you need to know is that this story is told in reverse. It starts with the climax and goes to the point of when everything happened. The whole story is literally backwards.
Because the story is backwards is the reason (for me, at least) why it isn't as intense. The author stated though that it is written this way because she didn't ppl to get mad at the main character for getting out so More...
Oct 21, 2011
Jenna
rated it:
This story took me by surprise. It's powerfully moving in all the right ways.
The thing that stands out to me, that screams brilliant, is that Amanda Grace wrote the story backwards; from Ann's worst beating all the way to the first day she meets Connor. I couldn't help wondering if she originally wrote the story forward and then rearranged the pieces, but because of the author interview in the back, I know she didn't. She wrote it with purpose, and that purpose gave it a punch. I won' More...
The thing that stands out to me, that screams brilliant, is that Amanda Grace wrote the story backwards; from Ann's worst beating all the way to the first day she meets Connor. I couldn't help wondering if she originally wrote the story forward and then rearranged the pieces, but because of the author interview in the back, I know she didn't. She wrote it with purpose, and that purpose gave it a punch. I won' More...
Oct 18, 2011
Laney
rated it:
This book was really great. It dealed with a girl who was abused by her boyfriend. She kept going back to him because she loved him. This book is told backwards. Counting down from one year until the time they first started dating. The author told the story this way because she didn't want the reader to know the events that lead up to when she was abused and you coulndn't tell if there was a bad guy or not. This was overall a really great book and worth reading. I really liked it. A quote from t
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Aug 29, 2011
Lisa
rated it:
If you've read any other reviews or book hauls, than you should already know that But I Love Him actually goes backwards. Chapter One starts with the present, with Ann laying on the floor pretty beat up. Than Chapter Two talks about what happened two days ago, than Chapter Three talks about what happens four days ago. Than the next chapter goes back to the present. Its a little confusing, but I really liked the format.
Conner has lived in a abusive environment his entire life; his da More...
Conner has lived in a abusive environment his entire life; his da More...
Aug 17, 2011
Joni
rated it:
I have read a lot of stories about domestic violence. If I come across a book about it I have to read it. And yet, I have never read one quite like But I Love Him before. At first the style was confusing to me. Not that it made it difficult to follow, just that I felt it was needless. I mean, why write it in reverse? I was afraid that it would start with the first entry which was exactly one year into the relationship with Ann incredibly hurt and upset and then just flash back into the relations
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Aug 13, 2011
The Bookologist
rated it:
With But I Love Him written backwards, Grace perfectly captures the intensity, emotions, and heartbreak that the characters in her story go through. Readers are opened to a different level of compelling issues that Grace has dived into; both physical and emotional abusive relationships, family issues, and losing yourself.
I found Grace's writing extremely powerful, raw, and evoking. Her writing really brought out the emotions within and her prose was brimming with emotional depth. Grace More...
I found Grace's writing extremely powerful, raw, and evoking. Her writing really brought out the emotions within and her prose was brimming with emotional depth. Grace More...
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Jul 18, 2011
Lily
rated it:
But I love him by Amanda Grace
Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews.
Tonight was so much worse than anything before it. Tonight he didn't stop after the first slap. At the beginning of senior year, Ann was a smiling, straight-A student and track star with friends and a future. Then she met a haunted young man named Connor. Only she can heal his emotional scars; only he could make her feel so loved — and needed. Ann can't recall the pivotal moment it all changed, when she surrender More...
Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews.
Tonight was so much worse than anything before it. Tonight he didn't stop after the first slap. At the beginning of senior year, Ann was a smiling, straight-A student and track star with friends and a future. Then she met a haunted young man named Connor. Only she can heal his emotional scars; only he could make her feel so loved — and needed. Ann can't recall the pivotal moment it all changed, when she surrender More...
May 27, 2011
Amy
rated it:
As most of you already know, this book is by author Mandy Hubbard under the pen name of Amanda Grace. If you have ever read anything by Mandy Hubbard, you know her writing is phenomenal. Even with the pen name, you can still feel the emotional writing that this author can write so well.
I liked how the story starts with the ending. Confused? Don't be. Basically the author is taking that final moment in the abusive relationship and going backwards in time. The character of Ann is More...
I liked how the story starts with the ending. Confused? Don't be. Basically the author is taking that final moment in the abusive relationship and going backwards in time. The character of Ann is More...
May 25, 2011
kari
rated it:
A powerful story about domestic or dating abuse and how or why it happens.
The format of this book really works for the story being told. It begins with the ending and then rolls back through the relationship all the way to the beginning. I know the author has said she did it this way to stop readers from disconnecting to the story and I think it really works. If it was told simply chronologically there would be a point where you'd think Ann is stupid for staying or you'd think this is the More...
The format of this book really works for the story being told. It begins with the ending and then rolls back through the relationship all the way to the beginning. I know the author has said she did it this way to stop readers from disconnecting to the story and I think it really works. If it was told simply chronologically there would be a point where you'd think Ann is stupid for staying or you'd think this is the More...
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May 08, 2011
Liath
rated it:
Inhalt:
Die siebzehnjährige Ann kommt aus gesicherten Verhältnissen, ist eine gute Schülerin und bereitet sich aufs College vor. Trotz der Tatsache, dass nach dem Tod ihres Vaters das Verhältnis zu ihrer Mutter nicht mehr das harmonischste ist, ist sie ein fröhlicher Teenager und verbringt jede Freie Minute mit ihrer besten Freundin.
Eines Tages lernt sie Connor kennen und verabredet sich mit ihm. Aus einem Date werden bald mehrere, und die beiden beginnen eine Beziehung. Conner More...
Die siebzehnjährige Ann kommt aus gesicherten Verhältnissen, ist eine gute Schülerin und bereitet sich aufs College vor. Trotz der Tatsache, dass nach dem Tod ihres Vaters das Verhältnis zu ihrer Mutter nicht mehr das harmonischste ist, ist sie ein fröhlicher Teenager und verbringt jede Freie Minute mit ihrer besten Freundin.
Eines Tages lernt sie Connor kennen und verabredet sich mit ihm. Aus einem Date werden bald mehrere, und die beiden beginnen eine Beziehung. Conner More...
Jan 17, 2012
Khornberger
rated it:
This disturbing, yet important, novel begins with Ann lying amidst broken debris after her boyfriend has beaten her. As the reader turns the pages, they find they go back in time to read of Ann and Connor's relationship in reverse. We see Ann, go from terrified victim to a girl who has given up friends, family, and college dreams and only wants desperately to prove to her boyfriend that she loves him, can be trusted, and hopes to fix him. Ultimately we see Ann as a girl who does have college
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Nov 13, 2011
Carina
rated it:
"...one big scar of a love gone wrong."
For me, this wasn't a book about liking a guy who hits a girl. It wasn't about her staying with him no matter what. It wasn't even about how great I found the cleverness of the author by writing the book backwards.
It was simply about the brilliance of the author at being able to write such a realistic story. I could even say, my story.
This book was like looking through a mirror a couple years back, on a relation More...
For me, this wasn't a book about liking a guy who hits a girl. It wasn't about her staying with him no matter what. It wasn't even about how great I found the cleverness of the author by writing the book backwards.
It was simply about the brilliance of the author at being able to write such a realistic story. I could even say, my story.
This book was like looking through a mirror a couple years back, on a relation More...
Nov 04, 2011
Anna
rated it:
This story is told in reverse order, starting on the one-year anniversary where we meet Ann broken on the floor after the worst beating yet.. and ending on the day they met when everything was perfect. The author says she chose to write it this way so we don't judge the decisions she makes. However, when we start at the point-of-no-return, there is no gradual build up of tension, and that edge of your seat suspense, until everything comes crashing down. The only thing that kept me flipping the p
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Sep 15, 2011
On one hand, I really enjoyed and sped through But I Love Him, but on the other, I still have reservations.
I think that the positive part is definitely the winner though because this is an issue that is near to my heart, and it is really hard to tackle it in a way that will suit everyone. But a book like this has a very powerful message that women all around need to hear and remember. It's easy to say, that's where I would walk away... but it's not that simple. And the way that Ms. More...
I think that the positive part is definitely the winner though because this is an issue that is near to my heart, and it is really hard to tackle it in a way that will suit everyone. But a book like this has a very powerful message that women all around need to hear and remember. It's easy to say, that's where I would walk away... but it's not that simple. And the way that Ms. More...
Jun 28, 2011
Megan
rated it:
But I Love Him was an extremely breath taking, heart breaking story. Normally you don`t find stories about domestic abuse in young adult novels, but I think it is a topic that needs to be told and one that teens could really learn from. This book is told in reverse order, from Ann and Connors one year anniversary to the very first day they met. By telling But I Love Him in reverse order, readers experience the most pain that Ann has been through by being in an abusive relationship with Connor an
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Oct 28, 2011
Mari
rated it:
But I Love Him is a story about an abusive relationship, told in reverse. I was excited about this book because of all the 4, 5-star ratings but it ended up being just an okay read.
Simply put, relationship abuse stories frustrate the hell out of me. I don't understand AT ALL how people equate physical (or any other type of) abuse with love. That for me is a deal-breaker. But I also know that it's easy to refute something unless you're the one caught up in the situation. I'd like to More...
Simply put, relationship abuse stories frustrate the hell out of me. I don't understand AT ALL how people equate physical (or any other type of) abuse with love. That for me is a deal-breaker. But I also know that it's easy to refute something unless you're the one caught up in the situation. I'd like to More...
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Jan 23, 2012
Shashi
rated it:
Ohhhhhhhhh, where do i start.
Right, i knew this abuse was occurring in relationships- boyfriend and girlfriend. but what i have learnt from reading this is how difficult it is to get out of those sort of situations that Ann was in. The only reason she wanted to stay with him is the fact that she tough she would change to stop beating her, and i thought in the end that he would but it only got worse! I goes to show what people would put themselves through, for the one they love that was th More...
Right, i knew this abuse was occurring in relationships- boyfriend and girlfriend. but what i have learnt from reading this is how difficult it is to get out of those sort of situations that Ann was in. The only reason she wanted to stay with him is the fact that she tough she would change to stop beating her, and i thought in the end that he would but it only got worse! I goes to show what people would put themselves through, for the one they love that was th More...
