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First Love

James Patterson (Goodreads Author),

Emily Raymond

3.78 · Rating details · 15,949 ratings · 2,014 reviews

Axi Moore is a "good girl": She studies hard, stays out of the spotlight, and doesn't tell anyone that what she really wants is to run away from it all. The only person she can tell is her best friend, Robinson--who she also happens to be madly in love with.

When Axi impulsively invites Robinson to come with her on an unplanned cross-country road trip, she breaks the rules ...more

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Hardcover, 278 pages

Published January 13th 2014 by jimmy patterson

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Average rating 3.78 ·

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· 15,949 ratings · 2,014 reviews

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Sep 20, 2013 Heather rated it did not like it

When I read this the first time, it was called the Fault in Our Stars--and it was better.

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Oct 13, 2013 Sarah (Head Stuck In A Book) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: owned-and-read, romance, young-adult, review-copy, arc, contemporary, 2014-jan, littlebrownandcompany, finished-copy

*SOB* OMG OMG *SOB* OMG!
So I think both Little, Brown and Kleenex need to get together to promote this book, tissues trust me you'll need them!
How can I put into words how brilliant, heart-breaking. emotionally devastating and amazingly fantastic this book is, I can't unless you experience this book for yourselves you just wont understand, it's so much more than those words, the thought that it's based on a real -life story from James Patterson's life makes it even more meaningful and heartfelt. ...more

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Feb 15, 2014 Jennifer Bloom rated it did not like it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. ***SPOILERS***

Sigh. Seriously, James?? OK, I can almost forgive the complete and total ripoff of Fault in our Stars, as I am sure we will be seeing a lot of those in the upcoming months, but, that aside, the utter implausibility of this book made me slightly insane.

To begin...this entire whirlwind adventure took place in three weeks. The drove from Oregon to California, California to Vegas, Vegas to wherever the hell they were when they stopped in a hospital for a couple of days, hospital to ***SPOILERS***

Sigh. Seriously, James?? OK, I can almost forgive the complete and total ripoff of Fault in our Stars, as I am sure we will be seeing a lot of those in the upcoming months, but, that aside, the utter implausibility of this book made me slightly insane.

To begin...this entire whirlwind adventure took place in three weeks. The drove from Oregon to California, California to Vegas, Vegas to wherever the hell they were when they stopped in a hospital for a couple of days, hospital to New York, New York to Philly and, finally, Philly to some undisclosed location in the Carolinas. Right. Three weeks. With plenty of time to stop and camp in the Redwoods, explore Hollywood, hook up with a stripper in Vegas, land in the hospital...you know what, I can't even finish. But, let us not forget that at the end of three weeks...one of them is dead!!!

Another rather glaring plot point...holding up a state trooper at gun point?? Roughly two weeks before you are so weak you are dead?? You managed to turn his gun on him and lock him up in his trunk?? I can't.

The hospital trip. We are really expected to believe two minors can stroll on into a hospital, one of them clearly dying of cancer and they just take the in, no questions asked. Nobody is worried about insurance, parents, payment. And, clearly, this is the most ridiculous hospital in the worl...since you can just sneak out of ICU without anyone knowing. Fantastic.

Then, the 1,440 mile journey in a broken down truck seemed to happen overnight...no need for stops or anything. We just knocked that out in a night.

$1500 also managed to cover the cost for this entire trip. Apparently, gas is free in stolen vehicles. Again, fantastic.

Then the very dramatic death. It read like a lot of time was passing. Nope, turned out to just be a couple of days. We went from holding up a cop at gun point to death in like 10 days. I get that cancer moves fast, but...seriously??

Then, the brat, I'm sorry...heroine?? Finally returns home and rather nobly turns herself into the police. And then has to go into remedial Physics because skipping three weeks of classes when you are at an AP level apparently just renders you completely stupid.

I truly thought this book was just awful. It was hard to root for whatever their names were because they were kind of just spoiled brats. I expect we are meant to feel bad for them since they both had cancer. I'm sorry, but I don't think that excuses a crime spree as they be-bop their way across America. Honestly, I hope she ends up stuck in that town forever. UGH.

...more

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Oct 11, 2016 Adita ✨The Slumbering Insomniac✨ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-mania, 2016-reads, october-reads, c-word

[6/10]

It is a love story.
It has a crazy road trip.
It has first crush turning into formidable love.
It has cancer.
It has heart break.
It has all the drama to make your eyes misty and heart racing.

The only misfit in the whole affair is James Patterson. JAMES PATTERSON!!!!!

description

...more

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Jan 18, 2014 Katz Nancy from NJ rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-in-2014

Poor attempt at describing a first love. I was really surprised to see the authors glorifying two runaways and stealing a car. Gee, we all had first loves but didn't do things like that. I think Patterson hardly even wrote this book and if he did, I may stop reading him altogether. And to think he co authored this book in memory of his first love who died young. What a shame this was the forum he used to express their time together.

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Oct 11, 2014 Sharon rated it really liked it

Shelves: borrowed-from-library

Sixteen year old Axi Moore decided it was time to stop being the good girl and time to live life and go on an adventure. Her best friend Robinson couldn't believe that, Axi was capable of being anything other than a good girl (GG) which he nicknamed her, but he would soon be proven wrong. Together the two of them set off on a road trip where they would discover a world they never knew existed and do things they only dreamed of.

Living life to the fullest and exploring wonderful places along the ...more

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Apr 25, 2017 Alice-Elizabeth (marriedtobooks) added it · review of another edition

Shelves: did-not-finish, read-in-2017

DNF on Page 55.

I borrowed this from the library a while back after seeing Penguin Platform's YouTube channel discuss the book. As someone who loves reading road trip novels, this sounded like my cup of tea. But after starting the book, I was finding the pacing incredibly fast which made the trip a little unrealistic in my view. I put the book down for a while (talking few months) and returned to it recently to see if I could get any further through but again, I struggled and simply concluded ...more

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Mar 26, 2015 Arlene rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, romance, ya-contemporary, read-2015, overdrive-audio

Short yet sweet story about two young people who fall in love despite the challenges they hope to outrun.

I came across First Love and for a couple of reasons it caught my attention. First, I’ve seen it compared to the The Fault in Our Stars many times and second, there was a road trip in the story. Putting these two elements together, I was sure First Love would capture my interest.

In this novel, Axi Moore and her best friend Robinson decide to throw caution to the wind and take an epic road ...more

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Feb 11, 2014 Brenda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: own-read, net-galley, arc, read-on-kindle, young-adult, romance, 2014-release

Axi Moore had a big surprise for her best friend. Robinson was one she never seemed to be able to shock, but this time she hoped she could. Cutting classes for the afternoon, she had arranged to meet him at Bernie’s, their favourite hang-out, at 1.30 – when he walked in the door his big smile said it all. But she finally did it – when she told him her plans, and that he was part of it, she waited for his answer; “hell yes” was all the answer she needed.

Axi was GG to Robinson – Good Girl, he Axi Moore had a big surprise for her best friend. Robinson was one she never seemed to be able to shock, but this time she hoped she could. Cutting classes for the afternoon, she had arranged to meet him at Bernie’s, their favourite hang-out, at 1.30 – when he walked in the door his big smile said it all. But she finally did it – when she told him her plans, and that he was part of it, she waited for his answer; “hell yes” was all the answer she needed.

Axi was GG to Robinson – Good Girl, he called her. But she wanted to put a dent in that title. With her little sister, Carole Ann, dying young, her mother deserting her and father taking to the drink to drown his grief, she wanted to flee – the road trip across the country to see things she’d only read about in her precious books was going to be her way of grieving. Robinson would make it so much better - her nickname for him was Scalawag; he lived up to it daily with a mischievous smile to add to the tag.

And so their journey began – before dawn one morning she snuck out of her apartment, leaving her dad asleep on the couch, and met Robinson near the bus depot. But they didn’t take the bus – the journey of a lifetime didn’t begin on a Greyhound bus said Robinson. As they roared off into the distance the exhilaration and excitement took Axi’s breathe away. It had begun…

And so the two of them journeyed across the US, stopping here, camping there, sledding on sand dunes, using fake ID (they failed each time), eating Slim Jims (Robinson) and limp salad (Axi) to their heart’s content. They visited the Big Apple, LA, Detroit and everywhere in between. And all the time, Axi was trying to find the right time to declare her love for Robinson… And the future they didn’t want was edging closer…

What a wonderful, sad, emotional and amazing story! It is a hugely difficult review to write as it would be sooo easy to give away spoilers. But the characters of sixteen year old Axi and seventeen year old Robinson are absolutely real. They form the basis of this story, they ARE the story, with many “along the way” characters who interweave throughout. The writing is beautiful – extremely poignant and moving. I have no hesitation in recommending this novel very highly.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.
...more

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Jul 29, 2014 ~Bellegirl91~ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

"You have to remember the good stuff, Axi."
~Robinson~

This book the second time round after 5 years....just pure wow! and the story and the encouragement given to one of the characters to just live life, love it, and enjoy the time you have here on earth.

When you learn by the halfway point once one of them (won't say who) coughs up blood, then you learn how the two met etc, that's when Patterson goes on this journey that I guess was a real eye opener for me in such a way.

There's a quote that ...more

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Feb 13, 2014 Leonel rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Doesn't James Patterson write mysteries, or he is just known for them? Anyway, he wrote "First Love" with Emily Raymond. (But look at the typeface of both their names, and you can see who is marketed more) Maybe that's why this book is kind of a mess: it's muddled, unfocused and kind of dumb. Yes, I know it is about teenagers, and they may be the target market, but I thought the book felt dumbed-down. And I wish the characters were more likeable. Halfway through the book, I stopped caring about ...more

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Apr 03, 2014 Libby Ames rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, american-fiction, contemporary

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 15, 2014 katyjanereads rated it did not like it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 1. I hated this book. Hated. I didn't cry. I didn't feel any emotion when Robinson died. Everything was annoying to me.
2. Annoying things: the characters trying to sound smart but then explaining the vocabulary words or book references which made the reader feel annoyed because it assumes that the reader doesn't know anything. The use of the words gobsmacked and scalawag too many times. The lack of emotion I felt for anything in this book. That Robinson left his family for Axi and never did ...more

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Jan 05, 2016 Kelly Roberson rated it liked it · review of another edition

If you enjoyed the fault in our stars by John green I would definitely recommend this book! It's a lot of fun in being a road trip book, but has a lot of sadness as well. It isn't the best book out there, but I enjoyed it while I was reading it.

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Mar 11, 2014 Grace Cieleen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

My first James Patterson! This reminded me a lot of The Fault in our stars crossed with Nick and Norah's infinite playlist.

James Patterson, you can tell - is a master storyteller. The way that this was written, you couldn't tell that a man wrote it and I loved that.

I wanted to cry - I am sadist to myself that way. I wasn't able to. Guess I went ahead of myself. Maybe I just wanted to feel this story and channel it through my emotions. Well, I can say that this was enough to awaken and invoke ...more

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Nov 22, 2013 trning_leaves.n.pgs rated it really liked it

Sigh. I'm not sure how to review this book, so here is my ramble. This book started out adorable and young adult-ish. The familiar good girl with a crush on her best friend that could charm an angry wasp with a crooked smile. Then somewhere around page 100 it became something else, sort of outlandish and Bonnie & Clyde. Then suddenly it was 'The Fault in Our Stars'. And even though you knew how it would end, it still gets you to sob at the end. Not what I initially expected. I think because ...more

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Jan 19, 2014 Jen Kralle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: james-patterson

This was a very sad book about teens who go on a journey together after meeting in a hospital. I won't tell you how they met but I will say that it was love at first sight and they go across the country to escape their life. In the end they find that they can't escape life but they can be together and learn life lessons together. This was such a heart warming story about true love and how you find the one you're meant to be with in strange ways and it is always worth it. This was not a normal ...more

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Jan 18, 2014 Amy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Quick and easy read. Reminder of how fragile life is and the wonderful feeling of being in love

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Jan 20, 2014 Nicaaa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A real page-turner, easy read and well written. You will laugh and you will cry. You will remember your first love.
I cried my eyes out, I cried my eyes out, I cried my eyes out, I cried my eyes out, I cried my eyes out...
This is not your typical James Patterson novel, but a very romantic and heartbreaking story.

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Apr 02, 2017 Jess rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this quick read!! I love road trip books and romance so this was a good one! I read it in about 2 sittings!

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May 06, 2019 Jennifer rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: i-can-t-adult-today, challenge, april-reads, may-reads

Two best friends decide to run away on a cross-country trip that turns into a Bonnie & Clyde type adventure. Along the way, Axi and Robinson finally admit they have feelings for each other and curse themselves for waiting so long to admit it, especially when (view spoiler)

At first, I was wondering what the heck I was reading when their somewhat innocent trip to see the country turns quickly to one of crime. I thought ...more

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Dec 22, 2019 Laurene rated it it was ok · review of another edition

James Patterson, author of First Love, meet John Green, author of The Fault Of Our Stars. There was something lacking in the character and story line development in First Love. The story circled the same ideas over and over again, steal cars then go on adventures, until the very end. The story could have developed into so much more.

"Like everyone, everywhere, was thinking about life, and how it is the happiest and saddest thing, the most wonderful and the most terrible and the most precious."

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Jan 13, 2014 Sojourner rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reviews

In a story that is remarkably inspiring, poignant, memorable and full of adventure, James Patterson, the bestselling author of the Alex Cross thrillers and The Women's Murder Club series, has taken a leap into a world of romance with his new novel, First Love, in partnership with Emily Raymond. For those who have identified him with his brand of heart-pounding, out-of-this-world thrillers, the switch is like having a bad dream. But once you get into the story, you'll understand why James In a story that is remarkably inspiring, poignant, memorable and full of adventure, James Patterson, the bestselling author of the Alex Cross thrillers and The Women's Murder Club series, has taken a leap into a world of romance with his new novel, First Love, in partnership with Emily Raymond. For those who have identified him with his brand of heart-pounding, out-of-this-world thrillers, the switch is like having a bad dream. But once you get into the story, you'll understand why James Patterson has to tell this tale.

Axi Moore is a 'good girl' who comes from a family ravaged by tragedy. Her normal world was turned upside-down with the death of her sister from an incurable cancer. She was also diagnosed with cancer. Unable to cope with the situation, her mother ran away, never to be seen again. Her heart-broken father takes to drinking, to escape reality. It's a family devastated by tragedy in every conceivable way.

But a flicker of hope inside her keeps burning. A chance encounter with another cancer patient, Oscar James Robinson, changes her life for the second time. She's plain crazy about him. Axi decides to go on an impulsive cross-country road-trip, and asks Robinson to accompany her. It's a dream come true for both of them. Axi and Robinson cherish the time they are sharing together, with Axi taking snapshots of their adventure which are spread all over the book. But their happiness is short-lived as the carefree adventure soon spins out of control. Will Axi and Robinson survive the ordeal? What has life in store for them?

First Love by James Patterson is a beautiful and heart-rending journey of laughter and tears as Axi and Robinson face the greatest test of life - life itself. Sometimes life will take a turn that you would never anticipate. A truly great contemporary romance, it's difficult to sum up in words the emotions you feel about it. The knowledge that it's partly based on the author's life makes it even more evocative and heartfelt. For fans of James Patterson's brand of thrillers, it's time to take a break and explore the romantic side of the author. ...more

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Feb 09, 2015 Katie (Kitkatscanread) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Actual rating : 4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this book, but by God was it short!
It felt a bit rushed because of that.
It has a road trip element to it which I liked, but I just wish there was more.

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Feb 28, 2014 Donna Lewis rated it it was ok · review of another edition

A sweet little love story for young readers. Not really all that believable, but nothing too risqué. Lucky for me it was a quick read.

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Apr 01, 2019 Maddie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own-have-read, books-i-own

This is my first James Patterson romance I've read, and it was quite good. I love how it contained his staple short chapters, made this a quick read for me. It was a sad story, but they really both learnt to just live and love.
I couldn't relate much to this story, as I've done nothing in this book, and no one I know's had cancer, but I still felt for both characters. I'm glad they got the perfect ending, as perfect as it could get in their circumstance. They did some pretty insane things, while ...more

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Aug 02, 2017 Haley rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, 08-2017, 30th-two-month-reading-challenge

I absolutely love James Patterson's writing and this book didn't disappoint. I read some of the reviews and people compared this to fault in our stars & pretty much said this was a copycat. I personally didn't think so and felt this one had more of an adventure to it and was an entirely new plot line and it got to the point. It was a sweet love story and got me back into reading more. I'm glad it was more of a short story and the ending was predictable but sad.
The Good
It was fast paced and ...more

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Mar 09, 2017 Agustina rated it did not like it · review of another edition

This book was, in my opinion, ridiculous. It was completely unrealistic and a The Fault in our stars copy. Don't recommend it at all

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Feb 10, 2014 Anjz Baccay rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

First love is an adventure. It is about two people in search of the spices and thrills of life. Axi may not know it but what she is really looking for is hope and Robinson, life. Axi has a complicated family and that would make one think that that is her reason of her escaping town. This may lead readers to think (view spoiler)

[It was actually fun reading it especially on the first parts. (view spoiler) First love is an adventure. It is about two people in search of the spices and thrills of life. Axi may not know it but what she is really looking for is hope and Robinson, life. Axi has a complicated family and that would make one think that that is her reason of her escaping town. This may lead readers to think (view spoiler)

[It was actually fun reading it especially on the first parts. (view spoiler) She's also funny when she admits (to herself only) what she's honestly thinking at the moment, especially matters about Robinson.]

It was an epic battle with life and love. I think these two people were brought together by destiny. They are meant for each other. I almost cried in the end but the last and most important scene wasn't really agonizingly presented and not really sadistic. And it was just right. It felt like the unfair and right ending for me, however contrasting that sounds.

The narration was good. You could tell that James Patterson wrote it from the heart. I quote this from the book's overview, "... A remarkably moving tale with its origins in James Patterson's own past, this novel is a testament to the power of fist love-and how it can change the rest of your life." This is completely true and that is what I really felt. This (kind of experience of James Patterson) is the kind that he could pass down to his grandchildren and their children's children. I felt very honored to be able to read and be shared to this powerful story even without being a part of their family.

I like Axi's character very much because we share some traits such as being a "good girl" and being a bookworm I like her personality along the trip and...I like her as a whole person. Robinson is a dependable person and is very easy to love. He was always there for Axi and Axi for him. Not only the love was great but also their friendship.

I'm glad that Axi's relationship with dad got okay already in the end (I assume).

This novel actually got me very interested about the real story of James Patterson and his first love.

This is one of the best romantic novel I've ever read yet. ...more

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Aug 15, 2014 Jean Claudia (Bookish Poetess) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-books, reread-books

“We couldn’t know the future or how long it would last. We could only choose to be happy and alive right now.”

Re-reading the book was like reading it for the first time because maybe of the time difference from the first time I read it was two years, and two years was somehow a lot of time for me. I can't recall vividly all the details but I can remember bits and pieces as I read page after page.

The story is about a sixteen-year old good girl, Axi Moore and her not-so-good-guy-best-friend, ...more

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About James Patterson

James Patterson

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James Patterson is the world’s bestselling author and most trusted storyteller. He has created more enduring fictional characters than any other novelist writing today, with his Alex Cross, Michael Bennett, Women’s Murder Club, Private, NYPD Red, Daniel X, Maximum Ride, and Middle School series. He has sold over 380 million books ...more