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If You Only Knew
A funny, frank and bittersweet look at sisters, marriage and moving on, from the New York Times bestselling author of the Blue Heron series
Letting go of her ex-husband is harder than wedding-dress designer Jenny Tate expected…especially since his new wife wants to be Jenny's new best friend. Needing closure, Jenny trades the Manhattan skyline for her hometown up the Hudson, where she'll start her own business and bask in her sister Rachel's picture-perfect family life…and maybe even find a little romance of her own with Leo, her downstairs neighbor, who's utterly irresistible and annoyingly distant at the same time.
Rachel's idyllic marriage, however, is imploding after she discovers what looks like her husband's infidelity. She always thought she'd walk away in this situation but now she's wavering, much to Jenny's surprise. Rachel points to their parents' perfect marriage as a shining example of patience and forgiveness; but to protect her sister, Jenny may have to tarnish that memory—and their relationship—and reveal a family secret she's been keeping since childhood.
Both Rachel and Jenny will have to come to terms with the past and the present, and find a way to help each other get what they want most of all.
Letting go of her ex-husband is harder than wedding-dress designer Jenny Tate expected…especially since his new wife wants to be Jenny's new best friend. Needing closure, Jenny trades the Manhattan skyline for her hometown up the Hudson, where she'll start her own business and bask in her sister Rachel's picture-perfect family life…and maybe even find a little romance of her own with Leo, her downstairs neighbor, who's utterly irresistible and annoyingly distant at the same time.
Rachel's idyllic marriage, however, is imploding after she discovers what looks like her husband's infidelity. She always thought she'd walk away in this situation but now she's wavering, much to Jenny's surprise. Rachel points to their parents' perfect marriage as a shining example of patience and forgiveness; but to protect her sister, Jenny may have to tarnish that memory—and their relationship—and reveal a family secret she's been keeping since childhood.
Both Rachel and Jenny will have to come to terms with the past and the present, and find a way to help each other get what they want most of all.
412 pages, ebook
First published July 1, 2015
2464 people are currently reading
18914 people want to read
About the author
Kristan Higgins
61 books12.9k followersKristan Higgins is the New York Times, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than twenty novels, which have been translated into more than two dozen languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. If you want to receive a free short story and be notified when Kristan releases a new book, sign up at kristanhiggins.com.
Kristan enjoys gardening, mixology, the National Parks and complimenting strangers on their children. The mother of two entertaining and wonderful humans, and the grandmother of one perfect child, Kristan lives in Connecticut with her heroic firefighter husband, cuddly dog and indifferent cat.
Kristan enjoys gardening, mixology, the National Parks and complimenting strangers on their children. The mother of two entertaining and wonderful humans, and the grandmother of one perfect child, Kristan lives in Connecticut with her heroic firefighter husband, cuddly dog and indifferent cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,552 reviews
August 31, 2018
If You Only Knew what a happy accident this turned out to be. How this little gem might not have ended up in my hands—or I should say, in my ears—if it wasn’t for the persistent little nudges Audible kept sending to remind me that my credits were building up. Combine that with my craving at the time for something sweet and voilà . . . happy accident. Infatuated listener. Giggling gal. New Kristan Higgins fan. I still can’t believe this was my first.
It’s been a while since I’ve read/listened to something so laugh-out-loud funny—you know, that sarcastic, snarky humor that’s almost infectious? The kind that leaves a smile on your face and makes you pause in wonder—did he/she really just say that? A level of biting humor and dialogue that’s utterly addicting and habit forming; I'm determined to read all of her books now.
The crazy thing about it though, the storyline itself isn’t all that funny. It’s the sisters and their all too relatable thoughts and quirks that bring the humor to this story riddled with relationship woes and heartbreak: genuine, down-to-earth, real life issues and feelings. Things most of us think, even obsess over in our own heads, but never have the guts to say or do anything about.
There’s Jenny, the cynical wedding dress designer, who was blindsided when her husband asked for a divorce, but is now looking to start over somewhere new. Snarky, but all-around sweet, she’s managed to hold on to her belief in love and marriage, despite getting things all wrong the first time.
And then there’s Jenny’s sister, Rachel. Struggling with her feelings of discontent, despite living the life she’s always wanted, it took me a little bit longer to warm up to her. A little naive and a tad wide-eyed in the beginning, she eventually found her backbone, which I have to say, I admired.
Oh . . . Leo, Leo, Leo. What to say about you? I didn’t want to fall for you . . . I tried my hardest . . . really . . . but come on. Sure, at first glance, he resembles a narcissistic womanizer, someone who advertises himself strictly for "recreation only", but there's so much more going on there. Just try and despise him . . . I dare you. There’s a natural ease between him and Jenny, a teasing nature to their relationship, something I think most couples strive for, but don't always manage to find.
Strong women, an unbreakable sisterly bond, relatable characters, emotions galore, spot-on dialogue—it’s the perfect fusion of women’s fiction and romance. Add an all around amazing narrator (how is it that I've never listened to an Xe Sands audio before now?) to the mix and it’s a total win in my book.
It’s been a while since I’ve read/listened to something so laugh-out-loud funny—you know, that sarcastic, snarky humor that’s almost infectious? The kind that leaves a smile on your face and makes you pause in wonder—did he/she really just say that? A level of biting humor and dialogue that’s utterly addicting and habit forming; I'm determined to read all of her books now.
The crazy thing about it though, the storyline itself isn’t all that funny. It’s the sisters and their all too relatable thoughts and quirks that bring the humor to this story riddled with relationship woes and heartbreak: genuine, down-to-earth, real life issues and feelings. Things most of us think, even obsess over in our own heads, but never have the guts to say or do anything about.
There’s Jenny, the cynical wedding dress designer, who was blindsided when her husband asked for a divorce, but is now looking to start over somewhere new. Snarky, but all-around sweet, she’s managed to hold on to her belief in love and marriage, despite getting things all wrong the first time.
And then there’s Jenny’s sister, Rachel. Struggling with her feelings of discontent, despite living the life she’s always wanted, it took me a little bit longer to warm up to her. A little naive and a tad wide-eyed in the beginning, she eventually found her backbone, which I have to say, I admired.
Oh . . . Leo, Leo, Leo. What to say about you? I didn’t want to fall for you . . . I tried my hardest . . . really . . . but come on. Sure, at first glance, he resembles a narcissistic womanizer, someone who advertises himself strictly for "recreation only", but there's so much more going on there. Just try and despise him . . . I dare you. There’s a natural ease between him and Jenny, a teasing nature to their relationship, something I think most couples strive for, but don't always manage to find.
Strong women, an unbreakable sisterly bond, relatable characters, emotions galore, spot-on dialogue—it’s the perfect fusion of women’s fiction and romance. Add an all around amazing narrator (how is it that I've never listened to an Xe Sands audio before now?) to the mix and it’s a total win in my book.
November 17, 2016
*Wow, price drop to $0.99 at Amazon US, 11/17/16!*
Excellent, excellent, excellent!
Can you believe that this is my first Kristan Higgins? There is nothing I like more than discovering a new author that has a huge back list for me to devour! Come to mama!
This book was a fabulous blend of women's fiction and romance. There is a good amount of family drama and the sister dynamic was a huge part of the story, but there was also some GREAT romance there. I'm a devoted romance reader and I know a good romance when I read it, and the romance in this book was fab! Intense, angsty, hard-fought... no spoilers from me but I loved the twists and turns and where the author led us in the relationship department.
But what surprised me the most was how funny this book was. SO funny. Just really witty, humorous writing that threw me for a loop. I was expecting this book to take itself very seriously, and though the subject matter was emotional and passionate, the dialogue was extremely clever. Jenny was by far my favorite narrator but Rachel was pretty great too. And Leo... I could read about him all day. I simply adored every snarky bone in his body.
I started this book in the morning and read off and on through the day, and I didn't finish until 2 am.
#noregrets
It was the kind of book that made me laugh and cry and get mad, and I don't think I'll forget about the characters for some time.
**Copy provided in exchange for an honest review**
Excellent, excellent, excellent!
Can you believe that this is my first Kristan Higgins? There is nothing I like more than discovering a new author that has a huge back list for me to devour! Come to mama!
This book was a fabulous blend of women's fiction and romance. There is a good amount of family drama and the sister dynamic was a huge part of the story, but there was also some GREAT romance there. I'm a devoted romance reader and I know a good romance when I read it, and the romance in this book was fab! Intense, angsty, hard-fought... no spoilers from me but I loved the twists and turns and where the author led us in the relationship department.
But what surprised me the most was how funny this book was. SO funny. Just really witty, humorous writing that threw me for a loop. I was expecting this book to take itself very seriously, and though the subject matter was emotional and passionate, the dialogue was extremely clever. Jenny was by far my favorite narrator but Rachel was pretty great too. And Leo... I could read about him all day. I simply adored every snarky bone in his body.
I started this book in the morning and read off and on through the day, and I didn't finish until 2 am.
#noregrets
It was the kind of book that made me laugh and cry and get mad, and I don't think I'll forget about the characters for some time.
**Copy provided in exchange for an honest review**
March 22, 2022
If You Only Knew by Kristin Higgins is a 2015 HQN publication.
Jenny is still good friends with her ex-husband, Owen, and while that might seem like the enlightened path to take- in truth, she is still not over him. Her sister, Rachel, though, has the perfect marriage, and three adorable little girls…
Until she discovers her husband is having an affair…
Rachel’s entire personality shifts as a result, but she is still inclined to try and salvage the life she’s built and maintain the family life and home she once loved. She points to her own parent’s idyllic marriage as a model, but Jenny might have to shatter that image so that Rachel can make a more informed choice. Meanwhile, Jenny’s life also takes a new turn, but it could lead to fresh heartbreak…
This is a re-read for me. The first time I read this book was for a professional review blog, years ago. I could only share a small portion of the review on my own social media or book sites, so when I discovered the blog is no longer viable and my review vanished with it, I decided to refresh my memory of this novel and then write a new, full review for this book- for my own book/reading record, if nothing else.
I don’t think this book tugged on my heartstrings the first time I read it in the same way it did this second time around. I think back in 2015, I was expecting a contemporary romance and this is not that.
This story has some hints of a gentle romance and the promise and hope of future relationship possibilities, but in essence this is a story about life, love, heartbreak, and personal growth, but at the core of the story is the bonds of sisterhood.
For me, if my memory serves, this was one of the first books by Higgins I read which fell more into a ‘contemporary fiction’ category than a purely romantic one- and I wasn’t sure I liked the direction KH was heading, at that time. Since then, I’ve outgrown most of the angsty contemporary romance novels we are presented with today and find this style of writing much more to my liking.
So, while I rarely re-read books, this is one occasion where the book was better the second time around for me. My emotions ran the gauntlet and I choked back a lump in my throat a couple of times, but I loved the way both Jen and Rachel’s characters grew and developed. Still….
I did hold out hope for a firmer HEA- perhaps an epilogue that let us know the ladies did indeed find true love and their dreams did eventually come true- but I can make up my own ending on that front, I suppose.
Overall, this story may be a few years old now, but it not only stands the test of time, but gets better with age. Now I need to tackle all the KH novels on Kindle that I haven’t read yet!!
4 stars
Jenny is still good friends with her ex-husband, Owen, and while that might seem like the enlightened path to take- in truth, she is still not over him. Her sister, Rachel, though, has the perfect marriage, and three adorable little girls…
Until she discovers her husband is having an affair…
Rachel’s entire personality shifts as a result, but she is still inclined to try and salvage the life she’s built and maintain the family life and home she once loved. She points to her own parent’s idyllic marriage as a model, but Jenny might have to shatter that image so that Rachel can make a more informed choice. Meanwhile, Jenny’s life also takes a new turn, but it could lead to fresh heartbreak…
This is a re-read for me. The first time I read this book was for a professional review blog, years ago. I could only share a small portion of the review on my own social media or book sites, so when I discovered the blog is no longer viable and my review vanished with it, I decided to refresh my memory of this novel and then write a new, full review for this book- for my own book/reading record, if nothing else.
I don’t think this book tugged on my heartstrings the first time I read it in the same way it did this second time around. I think back in 2015, I was expecting a contemporary romance and this is not that.
This story has some hints of a gentle romance and the promise and hope of future relationship possibilities, but in essence this is a story about life, love, heartbreak, and personal growth, but at the core of the story is the bonds of sisterhood.
For me, if my memory serves, this was one of the first books by Higgins I read which fell more into a ‘contemporary fiction’ category than a purely romantic one- and I wasn’t sure I liked the direction KH was heading, at that time. Since then, I’ve outgrown most of the angsty contemporary romance novels we are presented with today and find this style of writing much more to my liking.
So, while I rarely re-read books, this is one occasion where the book was better the second time around for me. My emotions ran the gauntlet and I choked back a lump in my throat a couple of times, but I loved the way both Jen and Rachel’s characters grew and developed. Still….
I did hold out hope for a firmer HEA- perhaps an epilogue that let us know the ladies did indeed find true love and their dreams did eventually come true- but I can make up my own ending on that front, I suppose.
Overall, this story may be a few years old now, but it not only stands the test of time, but gets better with age. Now I need to tackle all the KH novels on Kindle that I haven’t read yet!!
4 stars
April 26, 2020
I don't think I have read a KH book that I didn't like. There were one or two that might not have been up to par for me but, honestly, most of her books have been a solid four or five stars for me. You want hot sex scenes? Forget it. But I don't care. Her lyrical prose is enough to transport me to the world of her hero and heroine .... so beautiful.
And there is always "a dog"!
Will she kick his cheating ass to base. We shall see. I think I would. But then again, if there are kids involved, especially three cute triplets, there is a lot at stake.
Ok, they are now a bit older than that in the book, but you get the picture.
Those of us who are married do get into a rut. Yeah, the sex isn't as spontaneous as it was in the early days. You have to work for it. Make a bit of an effort. But, Jaysus, with triplets, I think I would have shut up shop straight away. LOL. FFS. Three, all at once. No bloody way. How would you even have time to consider "sex"?
Loved the dynamics between the sisters, loved to see Rachel come out of her shell and be the woman she is meant to be.
Kristan, ya gotta get the accents not the names in future.... Seán!!
Anyway, bedtime here soon. Great author. Great book. Love her.
And there is always "a dog"!
Wedding-dress designer Jenny Tate understands the happily-ever-after business, yet somehow she's still involved in her ex-husband's life.
Jenny trades the Manhattan skyline for her hometown up the Hudson.
Her timing couldn't be more perfect, since Rachel will need her younger sister. Her idyllic marriage has just fallen to pieces in spectacular fashion after she discovers her husband sexting with one of his colleagues. Second chances aren't in Rachel's nature, but the desire for an intact family has her rethinking her stance on adultery, much to Jenny's surprise.
Will she kick his cheating ass to base. We shall see. I think I would. But then again, if there are kids involved, especially three cute triplets, there is a lot at stake.
Ok, they are now a bit older than that in the book, but you get the picture.
Leo - that's his name. Leo Killian, a nice Irish name.
Those of us who are married do get into a rut. Yeah, the sex isn't as spontaneous as it was in the early days. You have to work for it. Make a bit of an effort. But, Jaysus, with triplets, I think I would have shut up shop straight away. LOL. FFS. Three, all at once. No bloody way. How would you even have time to consider "sex"?
Oh dear. That's a good size glass in his hand and the liquid is clear. I'm betting it's not water. A bottle of Grey Goose on the coffee table confirms my Sherlockian suspicion.
Loved the dynamics between the sisters, loved to see Rachel come out of her shell and be the woman she is meant to be.
Lizst's Hungarian Rhapsody Number Two.
"Sean, I liked Sean."
Kristan, ya gotta get the accents not the names in future.... Seán!!
Anyway, bedtime here soon. Great author. Great book. Love her.
January 12, 2019
If you've ever been cheated on, undervalued, passed over, or been left behind in a different sense, you will LOVE this book. If you haven't then just count yourself as lucky...and still read this book, you're going to love it too. Kristan Higgins knows what it feels like. For real. The internalization, the questioning, the frustration, the trust, the trying, the anger, the hope, the resentment, the confusion, the decisions, the blame, the shut-up-and-smile, the unfairness of it all, THE GRIEF. On and on it goes and Higgins has captured it all with delicate emotion and a surprising hilarity that I didn't expect.
If You Only Knew alternates perspectives between two sisters with two very different personalities who each are coping with their own set of relationship stressors. They remember their shared past in varying ways which impacts how they move forward (or stay standing). It is emotional, very real, and damn funny. How have I never read this author before??? Seems I have a lot of catching up to do. Yay me!! There is so much more to these alternating storylines than what I have noted but I don't want to spoil anything further. Read it, you'll love it. I will definitely be doing a re-read soon! Check it out!
Note: In an online interview located HERE, I found the following piece of information about the author which might explain how she can describe and show emotional responses so well:
My favorite quote:
“The one thing I hate about the wedding industry is that it focuses so much on the one day. People become obsessed with details, enraged with those they love, worn out from planning a few hours of a day that may not mean that much in the grand scheme of things. Even as I’m designing a dress that will cost thousands and thousands of dollars, I’ve always tried to work that message in. Don’t forget that after this day comes thousands of other days. Be careful. Cherish each other. Don’t blow it.”
4/6/17:
OMG, I loved it!!!!!
RTC when I get off cloud freakin' nine ♥️
If You Only Knew alternates perspectives between two sisters with two very different personalities who each are coping with their own set of relationship stressors. They remember their shared past in varying ways which impacts how they move forward (or stay standing). It is emotional, very real, and damn funny. How have I never read this author before??? Seems I have a lot of catching up to do. Yay me!! There is so much more to these alternating storylines than what I have noted but I don't want to spoil anything further. Read it, you'll love it. I will definitely be doing a re-read soon! Check it out!
Note: In an online interview located HERE, I found the following piece of information about the author which might explain how she can describe and show emotional responses so well:
"Kristan often tells stories of loss and does so with verisimilitude. This is in part due, perhaps, to her personal history. Her father was killed by a drunk driver when he was 47 and Kristan was 23. Her mother never remarried and the theme of losing a great love and being afraid to risk such heartbreak again permeates many of Kristan’s books."
My favorite quote:
“The one thing I hate about the wedding industry is that it focuses so much on the one day. People become obsessed with details, enraged with those they love, worn out from planning a few hours of a day that may not mean that much in the grand scheme of things. Even as I’m designing a dress that will cost thousands and thousands of dollars, I’ve always tried to work that message in. Don’t forget that after this day comes thousands of other days. Be careful. Cherish each other. Don’t blow it.”
4/6/17:
OMG, I loved it!!!!!
RTC when I get off cloud freakin' nine ♥️
October 1, 2023
Jenny Tate's marriage ended almost two years ago but she's still hanging on as her ex-husband's friend even after his remarriage. She's taken dramatic steps to move on but can't seem to make that final leap. Her sister, Rachel, mother of 3 1/2 year old triplet daughters, has the ideal life as a stay-at-home mother and is in a loving relationship with her husband, Adam. But circumstances change and has her re-examining the life she's professed to love.
This work of contemporary fiction has to be Higgins' finest to date. I literally could not stop reading because Jenny and Rachel became a part of me as they grappled with real-life issues. My emotions ran the gamut, alternately laughing and crying, then furious and contemplative. I love when a story makes me feel something but yet makes no promises about the outcome. It was so true to the characters I felt confident I'd be okay no matter the ending.
Obviously I loved this story and will be thinking about the characters and their choices and resolutions for some time to come. This was just...excellent.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
This work of contemporary fiction has to be Higgins' finest to date. I literally could not stop reading because Jenny and Rachel became a part of me as they grappled with real-life issues. My emotions ran the gamut, alternately laughing and crying, then furious and contemplative. I love when a story makes me feel something but yet makes no promises about the outcome. It was so true to the characters I felt confident I'd be okay no matter the ending.
Obviously I loved this story and will be thinking about the characters and their choices and resolutions for some time to come. This was just...excellent.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
October 22, 2019
3.5 stars
I usually don't pick this kind of book - sort of chick-lit, though I hate that term, but it was picked for my book club. This book is kind of a family/contemporary clean romance which I found enjoyable despite it's emphasis on marriages gone wrong (cheating, growing apart, and death). I thought it felt realistic and relatable and the characters were really well developed. Maybe not something memorable, but for the genre I like it. I will check out other books by this author, I hear her Blue Heron series is good.
I usually don't pick this kind of book - sort of chick-lit, though I hate that term, but it was picked for my book club. This book is kind of a family/contemporary clean romance which I found enjoyable despite it's emphasis on marriages gone wrong (cheating, growing apart, and death). I thought it felt realistic and relatable and the characters were really well developed. Maybe not something memorable, but for the genre I like it. I will check out other books by this author, I hear her Blue Heron series is good.
May 18, 2016
I can’t remember when I’ve enjoyed a chick lit/women’s fiction novel more. I read it straight through. Fresh, funny, heartwarming.
August 19, 2020
Es el primer libro que leo de Kristan Higgins y me ha dejado gratamente sorprendida. Considero que hay que tener mucho talento para que una historia con un argumento tan “cotidiano”, logre mantenerte tan enganchado a la lectura.
Nos cuenta la historia de dos hermanas que están pasando por diferentes fases de la ruptura de sus respectivos matrimonios. La relación entre ellas es envidiable y el apoyo que se prestan es fundamental para salir a flote y para su crecimiento como mujeres empoderadas de su propio destino. Lo anterior no es menor, considerando que ambas fueron caracterizadas como personajes que desde niñas llevan haciendo del matrimonio y la maternidad su objetivo último en la vida, por lo que la evolución de ambas es de esas que te hacen cerrar el libro con un suspiro de satisfacción. Por lo mismo, a mí no me faltó un Epílogo como he leído en otros comentarios. Lo que vendrá… vendrá. Lo importante es que ellas están preparadas.
Igual aclaro que a pesar de tratar temas muy duros, no es una lectura triste, sino más bien reflexiva y acompañada de diálogos inteligentes y chispeantes. También encontraremos un poco de romance en sus páginas (insisto, un poco, nada de escenas tórridas) que le dan más jugo a la trama sobre todo por las condiciones en que se desarrolla (Leo Killian me robó el corazón).
En resumen, una novela recomendadísima, que ha dejado el listón muy alto para las próximas novelas que lea de la autora.
Reto Rita 3.0 (marzo)
Reto #23 PopSugar 2019: Un libro acerca de la familia
Nos cuenta la historia de dos hermanas que están pasando por diferentes fases de la ruptura de sus respectivos matrimonios. La relación entre ellas es envidiable y el apoyo que se prestan es fundamental para salir a flote y para su crecimiento como mujeres empoderadas de su propio destino. Lo anterior no es menor, considerando que ambas fueron caracterizadas como personajes que desde niñas llevan haciendo del matrimonio y la maternidad su objetivo último en la vida, por lo que la evolución de ambas es de esas que te hacen cerrar el libro con un suspiro de satisfacción. Por lo mismo, a mí no me faltó un Epílogo como he leído en otros comentarios. Lo que vendrá… vendrá. Lo importante es que ellas están preparadas.
Igual aclaro que a pesar de tratar temas muy duros, no es una lectura triste, sino más bien reflexiva y acompañada de diálogos inteligentes y chispeantes. También encontraremos un poco de romance en sus páginas (insisto, un poco, nada de escenas tórridas) que le dan más jugo a la trama sobre todo por las condiciones en que se desarrolla (Leo Killian me robó el corazón).
En resumen, una novela recomendadísima, que ha dejado el listón muy alto para las próximas novelas que lea de la autora.
Reto Rita 3.0 (marzo)
Reto #23 PopSugar 2019: Un libro acerca de la familia
August 30, 2015
There's nothing like reading a KH novel. She's amazing, incredibly talented and manages to make me cry one minute, laugh the next then sigh from the beauty of it all. She's among my top 3 favorite authors, I've read and loved everything she's ever written and this was no exception.
I can't even categorize this. It's part women's fiction, romance and comedy but all enthralling. I loved everything about it: The beautiful and enviable relationship between sisters, Jenny and Rachel, the sweet and soulful romance between Jenny and Leo, the heartbreaking reality of a marriage teetering on the brink of dissolution and the joy of finding yourself all over again.
I loved how this book was written in dual pov's from Jenny and Rachel. Every time I felt like I was on the edge of an emotion the pov would change leaving me suddenly lost and dying to find out what happens next. That's the best kind of pov change isn't it? keeps the reader always wanting more.
The thing is, I could go on and on about how wonderfuk KH writes, how her stories never fail to touch me. But it's more than that. She's perfected the art of blending so much feeling in her characters, so much heart. I'm always left thinking about her books long after I've finished. They're so poignant, real, deep and full of wisdom. I know I'm blabbing!
My faves by her are Just One of The Guys--my heart weeps over this, still!--the Blue heron series, particularly The Best Man and Waiting on You, The next Best Thing, Somebody to Love...I could go on and on! Anyways, loved this and highly recommend KH and all her books. I'll leave you with a couple quotes that left an impression.
"Is there anything more humiliating than begging someone to stay with you? To keep loving you? The answer is no. I begged anyway. For five solid hours, I begged and sobbed and shouted."
" Then he pulls back and smiles at me, and it seems to me all I could ever want and all I ever hoped for is in that smile."
I can't even categorize this. It's part women's fiction, romance and comedy but all enthralling. I loved everything about it: The beautiful and enviable relationship between sisters, Jenny and Rachel, the sweet and soulful romance between Jenny and Leo, the heartbreaking reality of a marriage teetering on the brink of dissolution and the joy of finding yourself all over again.
I loved how this book was written in dual pov's from Jenny and Rachel. Every time I felt like I was on the edge of an emotion the pov would change leaving me suddenly lost and dying to find out what happens next. That's the best kind of pov change isn't it? keeps the reader always wanting more.
The thing is, I could go on and on about how wonderfuk KH writes, how her stories never fail to touch me. But it's more than that. She's perfected the art of blending so much feeling in her characters, so much heart. I'm always left thinking about her books long after I've finished. They're so poignant, real, deep and full of wisdom. I know I'm blabbing!
My faves by her are Just One of The Guys--my heart weeps over this, still!--the Blue heron series, particularly The Best Man and Waiting on You, The next Best Thing, Somebody to Love...I could go on and on! Anyways, loved this and highly recommend KH and all her books. I'll leave you with a couple quotes that left an impression.
"Is there anything more humiliating than begging someone to stay with you? To keep loving you? The answer is no. I begged anyway. For five solid hours, I begged and sobbed and shouted."
" Then he pulls back and smiles at me, and it seems to me all I could ever want and all I ever hoped for is in that smile."
August 24, 2015
‘If You Only Knew’ is the latest novel from Kristan Higgins – but let me just be clear and say I wouldn’t call this a romance. This is much more women’s fiction, closely aligned with the likes of Liane Moriarty or Jojo Moyes.
I’m still quite new to the Kristan Higgins fandom, considering she’s been steadily releasing books since 2006 and I only read my first one in 2013. But I already have my favourites of her backlist (‘Just One of the Guys’) and find myself eagerly anticipating each new yearly romance release. I’ve come to love Higgin’s masterful balance of heartbreak and humour in her romances, the way she can start a protagonist at the lowest point and build them up from within so that when a fella does comes along, he tends to feel more like the cherry-on-top rather than the whole shebang-sundae. Higgins is such a fine romance writer for paying equal attention to her heroine’s deeper purpose and life ambitions. So, truth be told, I wasn’t all that surprised when I started reading ‘If You Only Knew’ and discovered Higgins’ ventured more to the women’s fiction end of things, with the romance taking more of a backseat to marital crises, family secrets and suburban facades. But in losing the romantic element, Higgins seemed to lose a little spark in her writing, and the seemingly crucial humour element that really makes her work leap off the page and into reader’s hearts.
This is the story of two sisters. Younger sister Jenny is a wedding-dress designer and amicably-awkward friends with her perfect ex-husband and his equally perfect new wife, Ana-Sofia. Jenny thought she and Owen were happy and in love, even if she wanted a family and he didn’t, she was willing to wait for him to be ready … then he dropped the bombshell that he’d fallen out of love with her, and shortly after their divorce he remarried the perfect woman and started a family with her. The thing is, Owen still wants to be friends with Jenny and Jenny, being that she’s still in love with him, is happy to martyr herself;
Owen still asks about my work. He loves my sister and nieces and mother. He thinks I’m pretty and funny and smart. He admires my creativity. We have a similar sense of humour. Conversation comes easily, and since the day I met him, and even through out quickie divorce and his marriage, I have yet to go three days without hearing from him. Even when he’s been in a third-world country with Doctors Without Borders. Even now.
So. Being Owen’s ex-wife is still better than any relationship I’ve ever had, except for one – when I was his actual wife.
Older sister Rachel is the happy stay-at-home mom of triplet girls, married to her still handsome husband, Adam. Or so she thinks. A sexting scandal erupts in their happy home-life, and Rachel is forced to confront the prospect of being single at forty versus staying in a marriage that has more than a few cracks starting to show.
Meanwhile, a family secret that only Jenny knows could be the secret to her sister’s perspective on what’s really behind the “perfect” marriage.
Cheating – extramarital, and emotional – is a big theme in this book. Now, I love me a good cheating storyline, which makes me a romance reader anomaly I know! But I love the instant emotional connection and gut-wrench that comes with a cheating storyline, when readers are put into a protagonist’s corner and I eagerly anticipate that Aretha Franklin R-E-S-P-E-C-T moment for the wronged party within a crumbling marriage. And I like reading cheating storylines when they’re doubly complicated by children and the seemingly idyllic white-picket-fence marriage. I like poking at that bruise of suburban rot, because cheating storylines are (and probably only in my opinion) the closest that romance stories often get to noir – with the seedy underbelly of a marriage revealed, a femme fatale and damsel in distress. Corny and reductive (especially to women), I know but it’s my guilty-trope and I can’t help liking it. So believe me when I say I’m surprised at how much I hated the cheating storyline in this book.
I found Jenny’s story and complicated post-divorce friendship with Owen to be interesting, and a new take on cheating. But Rachel’s storyline did nothing for me … it read too simplistic and predictable, there was no new territory trod here. Adam was reduced to a caricature of the cheating husband when what I would have preferred was nuance and grey-areas. A future male love interest is glimpsed for Rachel, but he came so far out of left field as to be a bit ridiculous. And I didn’t like the treatment of the “other woman” – ‘slut’ and ‘whore’ are bandied about because she’s as much a caricature as Adam, and one moment in which Rachel shows a glimmer of sympathy for her felt trite.
‘If You Only Knew’ did remind me a small bit of Liane Moriarty’s ‘The Husband's Secret’ … that book is all about marriages and their myriad twists and turns, surprises even for the parties involved. But where I walked away from Moriarty’s ‘The Husband's Secret’ – which also has a strong through line of extramarital affairs – with a feeling that Moriarty had brought something new to the “wronged woman” and “cheating louse” tropes, I came out of ‘If You Only Knew’ thinking only that Higgins didn’t shine any new lights on the topic, and instead trod a careful and predictable path.
There is a small dose of romance in the book for Jenny – in the form of her super Leo, a mysterious man who claims to only be for “recreational” purposes. This romance is so tonally different from what Higgins normally writes … there’s no lightness or humour really in the whole book, and especially not much around Leo and Jenny. Even Higgin’s trademark – a dog in every book – is depressing, with the dog a literal symbol of sadness and loss.
One thing I really loved was Manhattan as a character. When the book begins, Jenny has moved to back to her hometown an hour out of Manhattan, and the move is a break-up in itself, from the city that never sleeps;
What I didn’t quite expect was that as soon as I left Manhattan behind, the beneficent, regal creature forgot me. It tolerated me when I was a student of eighteen, it gave me my chance, it celebrated me when I made it, and it forgot me the second I drove over the Henry Hudson Bridge. You’re always just a foster child in the city that never sleeps. The second you go, someone else takes your room.
I did like aspects of this book. I think Higgins’ exploring Jenny and Rachel’s sisterly bond was lovely and nuanced – and perhaps that’s the real romance in ‘If You Only Knew’, between two sisters whose friendship starts out strong and just gets stronger by the end. But I think Higgins also missed an opportunity to explore deeper family ramifications of cheating by choosing to keep a few secrets only to Jenny.
I didn’t love ‘If You Only Knew’, certainly not as much as I’ve come to crave Higgins’ romance books. That being said – I think she’s onto something with a foray into women’s fiction and a step back from her usual romance genre. I just wish she’d remember that writing without the intention of a happily-ever-after man on her heroine’s arm doesn’t mean she should lose that sense of humour that readers have come to love.
3/5
I’m still quite new to the Kristan Higgins fandom, considering she’s been steadily releasing books since 2006 and I only read my first one in 2013. But I already have my favourites of her backlist (‘Just One of the Guys’) and find myself eagerly anticipating each new yearly romance release. I’ve come to love Higgin’s masterful balance of heartbreak and humour in her romances, the way she can start a protagonist at the lowest point and build them up from within so that when a fella does comes along, he tends to feel more like the cherry-on-top rather than the whole shebang-sundae. Higgins is such a fine romance writer for paying equal attention to her heroine’s deeper purpose and life ambitions. So, truth be told, I wasn’t all that surprised when I started reading ‘If You Only Knew’ and discovered Higgins’ ventured more to the women’s fiction end of things, with the romance taking more of a backseat to marital crises, family secrets and suburban facades. But in losing the romantic element, Higgins seemed to lose a little spark in her writing, and the seemingly crucial humour element that really makes her work leap off the page and into reader’s hearts.
This is the story of two sisters. Younger sister Jenny is a wedding-dress designer and amicably-awkward friends with her perfect ex-husband and his equally perfect new wife, Ana-Sofia. Jenny thought she and Owen were happy and in love, even if she wanted a family and he didn’t, she was willing to wait for him to be ready … then he dropped the bombshell that he’d fallen out of love with her, and shortly after their divorce he remarried the perfect woman and started a family with her. The thing is, Owen still wants to be friends with Jenny and Jenny, being that she’s still in love with him, is happy to martyr herself;
Owen still asks about my work. He loves my sister and nieces and mother. He thinks I’m pretty and funny and smart. He admires my creativity. We have a similar sense of humour. Conversation comes easily, and since the day I met him, and even through out quickie divorce and his marriage, I have yet to go three days without hearing from him. Even when he’s been in a third-world country with Doctors Without Borders. Even now.
So. Being Owen’s ex-wife is still better than any relationship I’ve ever had, except for one – when I was his actual wife.
Older sister Rachel is the happy stay-at-home mom of triplet girls, married to her still handsome husband, Adam. Or so she thinks. A sexting scandal erupts in their happy home-life, and Rachel is forced to confront the prospect of being single at forty versus staying in a marriage that has more than a few cracks starting to show.
Meanwhile, a family secret that only Jenny knows could be the secret to her sister’s perspective on what’s really behind the “perfect” marriage.
Cheating – extramarital, and emotional – is a big theme in this book. Now, I love me a good cheating storyline, which makes me a romance reader anomaly I know! But I love the instant emotional connection and gut-wrench that comes with a cheating storyline, when readers are put into a protagonist’s corner and I eagerly anticipate that Aretha Franklin R-E-S-P-E-C-T moment for the wronged party within a crumbling marriage. And I like reading cheating storylines when they’re doubly complicated by children and the seemingly idyllic white-picket-fence marriage. I like poking at that bruise of suburban rot, because cheating storylines are (and probably only in my opinion) the closest that romance stories often get to noir – with the seedy underbelly of a marriage revealed, a femme fatale and damsel in distress. Corny and reductive (especially to women), I know but it’s my guilty-trope and I can’t help liking it. So believe me when I say I’m surprised at how much I hated the cheating storyline in this book.
I found Jenny’s story and complicated post-divorce friendship with Owen to be interesting, and a new take on cheating. But Rachel’s storyline did nothing for me … it read too simplistic and predictable, there was no new territory trod here. Adam was reduced to a caricature of the cheating husband when what I would have preferred was nuance and grey-areas. A future male love interest is glimpsed for Rachel, but he came so far out of left field as to be a bit ridiculous. And I didn’t like the treatment of the “other woman” – ‘slut’ and ‘whore’ are bandied about because she’s as much a caricature as Adam, and one moment in which Rachel shows a glimmer of sympathy for her felt trite.
‘If You Only Knew’ did remind me a small bit of Liane Moriarty’s ‘The Husband's Secret’ … that book is all about marriages and their myriad twists and turns, surprises even for the parties involved. But where I walked away from Moriarty’s ‘The Husband's Secret’ – which also has a strong through line of extramarital affairs – with a feeling that Moriarty had brought something new to the “wronged woman” and “cheating louse” tropes, I came out of ‘If You Only Knew’ thinking only that Higgins didn’t shine any new lights on the topic, and instead trod a careful and predictable path.
There is a small dose of romance in the book for Jenny – in the form of her super Leo, a mysterious man who claims to only be for “recreational” purposes. This romance is so tonally different from what Higgins normally writes … there’s no lightness or humour really in the whole book, and especially not much around Leo and Jenny. Even Higgin’s trademark – a dog in every book – is depressing, with the dog a literal symbol of sadness and loss.
One thing I really loved was Manhattan as a character. When the book begins, Jenny has moved to back to her hometown an hour out of Manhattan, and the move is a break-up in itself, from the city that never sleeps;
What I didn’t quite expect was that as soon as I left Manhattan behind, the beneficent, regal creature forgot me. It tolerated me when I was a student of eighteen, it gave me my chance, it celebrated me when I made it, and it forgot me the second I drove over the Henry Hudson Bridge. You’re always just a foster child in the city that never sleeps. The second you go, someone else takes your room.
I did like aspects of this book. I think Higgins’ exploring Jenny and Rachel’s sisterly bond was lovely and nuanced – and perhaps that’s the real romance in ‘If You Only Knew’, between two sisters whose friendship starts out strong and just gets stronger by the end. But I think Higgins also missed an opportunity to explore deeper family ramifications of cheating by choosing to keep a few secrets only to Jenny.
I didn’t love ‘If You Only Knew’, certainly not as much as I’ve come to crave Higgins’ romance books. That being said – I think she’s onto something with a foray into women’s fiction and a step back from her usual romance genre. I just wish she’d remember that writing without the intention of a happily-ever-after man on her heroine’s arm doesn’t mean she should lose that sense of humour that readers have come to love.
3/5
May 28, 2017
I was blown away, though not surprised, by If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins. I’ve been trying to put my finger on why this book read so different for me than others by this author and I came up with two main reasons. 1- this story is actually two stories in one, the story of two sisters, Rachel and Jenny, each told in the first person. 2 - while most Kristan Higgins books tell the story of one heroine trying to come to peace with issues in their lives and finding love along the way, this story starts at a point in Rachel and Jenny’s lives when each have already supposedly “figured it all out” and found their “happily ever after”. As we all know, real life is never this neat and Rachel and Jenny illustrate this in their own unique and heartbreaking ways.
While I love the escapism of romance novels with their neat little bows all tied up at the end, I also enjoy a good “story”, messiness and all. If You Only Knew delivered this in spades.
Jenny, younger sister to Rachel, a successful wedding dress designer, couldn’t seem to help herself while befriending her ex-husband’s wife and remaining close friends with Owen and Ana-Sofia despite her being blind-sighted and devastated over Owen leaving her.
Rachel, a stay at home mom to her adorable triplets, had been married for nearly ten years to Adam. Right around the time Jenny moved back to their hometown to open a dress shop, Rachel starts being suspicious that Adam was cheating.
I felt all kinds of emotions while reading this story - sadness, frustration (it was hard with the two points of view and two stories because I would just start really getting into one sister’s story and then it would switch over to the other’s point of view), disbelief, melancholy and happiness.
It’s so easy to be on the outside and make judgement of others but not so easy to be living in those shoes. I wanted to give Jenny a shake at many of her decisions. I couldn’t understand why she kept Owen and his new wife in her life after the way he treated her. I was constantly angry on her behalf. When she starts an ill-advised “relationship”, I winced, knowing the train wreck she was blindly moving towards.
Rachel broke my heart. She was so painfully shy and unsure of herself and her worth. Her dreams were simple and I hated the way they were thrown in her face and used against her to keep her from standing up for herself. I was surprised, but not truly when I really think about it, by the way she decided to handle her husband’s affair. I felt like, no matter what she did, there would be no way to avoid sadness. It seemed like such a no-win situation.
Lots of great characters in this story and I must say, the resolution (and way the resolution came about) surprised me in both sister’s cases. There were enough people and situations thrown in there to make me unsure what would happen. I loved seeing Jenny and Rachel come into their own and find their way to happiness, despite their life not turning out the way they had envisioned.
I was sad I didn’t get to read about any of Kristan’s trademark ill-fated online dating disasters for either of her heroines, but there were still some great bits of humour to help dull the pain of the serious nature of this story.
Leo, Jenny’s superintendent was, at times, great for a laugh, especially in his ineptness in actually carrying out any of his job duties. He had a very dead-pan way of putting things out there.
Gus, though not a main character, had such a great attitude and made me smile. I really wanted to see more of him.
Above all else, I adored the love and support Jenny and Rachel were able to provide for one another.
Absolutely loved this!
While I love the escapism of romance novels with their neat little bows all tied up at the end, I also enjoy a good “story”, messiness and all. If You Only Knew delivered this in spades.
Jenny, younger sister to Rachel, a successful wedding dress designer, couldn’t seem to help herself while befriending her ex-husband’s wife and remaining close friends with Owen and Ana-Sofia despite her being blind-sighted and devastated over Owen leaving her.
Rachel, a stay at home mom to her adorable triplets, had been married for nearly ten years to Adam. Right around the time Jenny moved back to their hometown to open a dress shop, Rachel starts being suspicious that Adam was cheating.
I felt all kinds of emotions while reading this story - sadness, frustration (it was hard with the two points of view and two stories because I would just start really getting into one sister’s story and then it would switch over to the other’s point of view), disbelief, melancholy and happiness.
It’s so easy to be on the outside and make judgement of others but not so easy to be living in those shoes. I wanted to give Jenny a shake at many of her decisions. I couldn’t understand why she kept Owen and his new wife in her life after the way he treated her. I was constantly angry on her behalf. When she starts an ill-advised “relationship”, I winced, knowing the train wreck she was blindly moving towards.
Rachel broke my heart. She was so painfully shy and unsure of herself and her worth. Her dreams were simple and I hated the way they were thrown in her face and used against her to keep her from standing up for herself. I was surprised, but not truly when I really think about it, by the way she decided to handle her husband’s affair. I felt like, no matter what she did, there would be no way to avoid sadness. It seemed like such a no-win situation.
Lots of great characters in this story and I must say, the resolution (and way the resolution came about) surprised me in both sister’s cases. There were enough people and situations thrown in there to make me unsure what would happen. I loved seeing Jenny and Rachel come into their own and find their way to happiness, despite their life not turning out the way they had envisioned.
I was sad I didn’t get to read about any of Kristan’s trademark ill-fated online dating disasters for either of her heroines, but there were still some great bits of humour to help dull the pain of the serious nature of this story.
Leo, Jenny’s superintendent was, at times, great for a laugh, especially in his ineptness in actually carrying out any of his job duties. He had a very dead-pan way of putting things out there.
“Leo gets up and glances at the ceiling. "Call someone about that light. I just moved here myself and don't know anyone. Oh, and could you have him stop down at my place? My toaster doesn't work unless I plug it in the hallway."
I look at him for a second. "You blew a fuse. That's probably why my light won't go on."
"Ah. Fascinating."
"Where's the fuse box?"
"What's a fuse box?"
"Are you serious? How did you get this job?"
"I already told you. Good looks and charm.”
Gus, though not a main character, had such a great attitude and made me smile. I really wanted to see more of him.
“Can I open the van door?" he asks.
I nod. He slides it open, and the girls all fall silent immediately at the sight of a stranger.
"You must be the Puke Sisters," he says.
"You not funny," Rose says, and her own comment makes her laugh, then puke again.
"You're gross," Gus says.”
Above all else, I adored the love and support Jenny and Rachel were able to provide for one another.
“You deserve a husband who'd cut off his own dick before he'd cheat on you, Rach. You do."
"Maybe we can put that in my Match.com profile," I suggest, hiccuping on a sob.”
Absolutely loved this!
August 25, 2015
5 SISTER BESTIE stars!!
I'm a huge Kristan Higgins fan, and this book tops the list of my favorites by her. It is heartfelt, soul-deep, and true-to-life, with that trademark Higgins sass that has won over so many readers. KH has always sort of straddled the women's fiction/romance genres, and this one leans more to the chick lit side. It's told in dual point of view from both sisters. I tend to get really frustrated with that type of narration but it really worked here. I genuinely loved both Jenny and Rachel. They lead very different lives but both are good peeps with their own set of problems. At each chapter change, I was excited to get back to "the other" sister. Their lives are constantly overlapping, so you don't have much time to miss the other before you're back with her.
Not having a sister myself, I admit to being a little jealous of these women's relationship. It's like having a lifetime best friend and confidante, and I want one! No fair.
As I read one sister's story, I got more and more leery the closer I got to the end, thinking that the story was going to go one way...the wrong way...but I shouldn't have worried. We all know Higgins writes romance, and therefore her endings are generally sigh-worthy.
I will never doubt Kristan Higgins again. Every time I read a new book, I'm always astonished at the raw emotions she mixes with laugh out loud humor, and how it all works perfectly together. Her characters are all wildly different, her stories never stagnate, and out of the hundreds and thousands of authors I've read, she's still a favorite.
Advance copy provided for review
I'm a huge Kristan Higgins fan, and this book tops the list of my favorites by her. It is heartfelt, soul-deep, and true-to-life, with that trademark Higgins sass that has won over so many readers. KH has always sort of straddled the women's fiction/romance genres, and this one leans more to the chick lit side. It's told in dual point of view from both sisters. I tend to get really frustrated with that type of narration but it really worked here. I genuinely loved both Jenny and Rachel. They lead very different lives but both are good peeps with their own set of problems. At each chapter change, I was excited to get back to "the other" sister. Their lives are constantly overlapping, so you don't have much time to miss the other before you're back with her.
Not having a sister myself, I admit to being a little jealous of these women's relationship. It's like having a lifetime best friend and confidante, and I want one! No fair.
As I read one sister's story, I got more and more leery the closer I got to the end, thinking that the story was going to go one way...the wrong way...but I shouldn't have worried. We all know Higgins writes romance, and therefore her endings are generally sigh-worthy.
I will never doubt Kristan Higgins again. Every time I read a new book, I'm always astonished at the raw emotions she mixes with laugh out loud humor, and how it all works perfectly together. Her characters are all wildly different, her stories never stagnate, and out of the hundreds and thousands of authors I've read, she's still a favorite.
Advance copy provided for review
August 30, 2015
If you like a book about a slightly desperate woman (Jenny) whose life goal it is to get married and have babies (and who keeps whining about it) and who throws herself at her neighbor (with whom she soon envisions being married), this is the book for you. If this is how the average female thinks, we indeed are the weaker gender.
April 4, 2016
No time to write a full review but I'm here to tell you that I truly enjoyed this one!
If You Only Knew is my second book by Kristan Higgins and I am quickly finding that there is something soothing about her writing, her characters and her story lines. Her stories feel real to me, so very relatable.
I ❤'d Jenny. She was sweet, kind, funny and a bit sassy. I adored the relationship she had with Leo. It melted my heart.
I ❤'d Rachel. She was my hero. A mom to triplets, a wife to a man who didn't deserve her and a sister who was always genuine.
Chapter to chapter the story is told by each of the sisters. Their worlds are so different yet very similar. One is desperately trying to find that happily ever after and the other desperately trying to keep hers together.
A truly fantastic read! Looking forward to reading more from KH!!
September 5, 2018
I can’t believe how much I loved this as I think of Kristan Higgins as big time Chick Lit, and I am not a huge fan of much of it or of KH's books in the past.
This is Jenny and Rachel’s, two sisters, stories about surviving relationships and men.
Jenny is a wedding dress designer and is still friends with her ex-husband and new wife. It was an easy divorce and they’re all trying to be sophisticated and civil. In fact, she helped deliver their baby unexpectedly. Rachel is married with triplet girls and just saw a text to her husband she is both too naive and in too much denial to identify. It's a crotch shot that she thinks is a picture of a sick tree. The situation is both funny and kind of pitiful.
I loved the details about Jenny’s store and the brides as she actually works unlike so many fictional characters. The sisters relationship is strong without being perfect, and I enjoyed both characters. A sweet bride with a horrible future MIL in tow provides some humor as well as the two sisters’ half-glass full mother. The pretentious lifestyle of superior Manhattanites and Mummies in the 'burbs is satired nicely. Snarky with and banter add spice.
my phone rings.
I sense my hard-won optimism is about to get a smackdown. The Angel of Death, also known as my mother, Lenore Tate, long-suffering widow and professional pessimist.
Best to take the call; otherwise, she’ll call the police to check on me.
“Hi, Mom,” I say, making sure I sound chipper.
“I’m just checking in. Honey, I’m so sad for you. Horrible that you have to move,” she says in her trademark tone—mournful with a dash of smug.
“I don’t have to, Mom. I chose to.”
“You sound so depressed. Well, who can blame you?”
My eye twitches. “I’m not depressed. I’m really happy. I’ll be closer to you, and Rachel, and—”
“Yes, but these aren’t exactly ideal circumstances, are they? It should’ve been you and Owen, not him and Ana-Sofia. Though she is quite beautiful. The baby, too. Did I tell you they had me over last week?”
“Yes. You’ve mentioned it nine times now.”
“Oh, you’re counting. Poor thing. I can only imagine how hard it was, delivering the baby who should’ve been yours...”
“Okay, I’m hanging up now.” She’s not exactly wrong, and she knows it. Such is her evil power.
I’m not doing the book justice, but it has satisfying resolution to some big issues while letting others stay unresolved as sometimes happens. Jenny struggles with moving away from her ex and dealing with a new guy who may or may not be a jerk as her sister struggles with how to resolve an unfaithful husband when he’s a wonderful father and makes protestations of love. As much as I hate the adultery theme in a novel, I thought it was well done and believable.
It's online free.
This is Jenny and Rachel’s, two sisters, stories about surviving relationships and men.
Jenny is a wedding dress designer and is still friends with her ex-husband and new wife. It was an easy divorce and they’re all trying to be sophisticated and civil. In fact, she helped deliver their baby unexpectedly. Rachel is married with triplet girls and just saw a text to her husband she is both too naive and in too much denial to identify. It's a crotch shot that she thinks is a picture of a sick tree. The situation is both funny and kind of pitiful.
I loved the details about Jenny’s store and the brides as she actually works unlike so many fictional characters. The sisters relationship is strong without being perfect, and I enjoyed both characters. A sweet bride with a horrible future MIL in tow provides some humor as well as the two sisters’ half-glass full mother. The pretentious lifestyle of superior Manhattanites and Mummies in the 'burbs is satired nicely. Snarky with and banter add spice.
my phone rings.
I sense my hard-won optimism is about to get a smackdown. The Angel of Death, also known as my mother, Lenore Tate, long-suffering widow and professional pessimist.
Best to take the call; otherwise, she’ll call the police to check on me.
“Hi, Mom,” I say, making sure I sound chipper.
“I’m just checking in. Honey, I’m so sad for you. Horrible that you have to move,” she says in her trademark tone—mournful with a dash of smug.
“I don’t have to, Mom. I chose to.”
“You sound so depressed. Well, who can blame you?”
My eye twitches. “I’m not depressed. I’m really happy. I’ll be closer to you, and Rachel, and—”
“Yes, but these aren’t exactly ideal circumstances, are they? It should’ve been you and Owen, not him and Ana-Sofia. Though she is quite beautiful. The baby, too. Did I tell you they had me over last week?”
“Yes. You’ve mentioned it nine times now.”
“Oh, you’re counting. Poor thing. I can only imagine how hard it was, delivering the baby who should’ve been yours...”
“Okay, I’m hanging up now.” She’s not exactly wrong, and she knows it. Such is her evil power.
I’m not doing the book justice, but it has satisfying resolution to some big issues while letting others stay unresolved as sometimes happens. Jenny struggles with moving away from her ex and dealing with a new guy who may or may not be a jerk as her sister struggles with how to resolve an unfaithful husband when he’s a wonderful father and makes protestations of love. As much as I hate the adultery theme in a novel, I thought it was well done and believable.
It's online free.
March 5, 2019
Tras leer cuatro libros de esta autora -algunos mejores que otros, pero en general bastante ligeros y divertidos-, Si supieras me ha parecido su novela más madura, realista y, quizá por eso mismo, más triste. La historia está centrada en dos hermanas, Jenny y Rachel, y en su relación entre ellas y con quienes les rodean. Se puede considerar romántica porque cumple con las reglas del género, pero para mí el romance es secundario, aquí lo que importa de verdad es el amor filial. También es una historia sobre la fidelidad, la lealtad, el perdón y las segundas oportunidades, sobre aprender a conocerse y quererse a uno mismo para poder conocer y querer bien a los demás. Una historia sobre la vida, con sus sinsabores y sus alegrías, ni más ni menos. No le pongo 5 estrellas porque, aunque no soy una loca de los epílogos, en este caso si lo he echado en falta. Lo recomiendo.
#RitaKristan #RetoRita3
#Popsugar2019. Reto 11. Un libro con una planta en el título o portada
#RitaKristan #RetoRita3
#Popsugar2019. Reto 11. Un libro con una planta en el título o portada
February 11, 2017
Well, she did it again. Two books down, two 5 Star reviews. I am officially in love with this author. It is not all rainbows and butterflies, its real, it's complicated, it's painful as hell but oh so sweet. This book had me in tears several times. And I never cry. And the ending gave me chest pain... the good kind. I loved the characters in this book. I didn't want it to end. And I'm actually a little upset that it didn't have an epilogue. All I can say is I am eagerly looking forward to her next book.
November 7, 2022
After Jenny Tate's marriage falls apart, she decides to leave NYC and move back to Cambry-on-Hudson, her hometown, where her sister Rachel lives with her family. Jenny is a successful wedding dress designer, while Jenny is a stay-at-home mother.
Though Jenny's main priority is making a success out of her new shop, she would love to meet the perfect man and have a family someday. Instead, she meets Leo, a standoffish man who is just looking to have a little fun, you know "recreation only." Of course, Jenny can't help but fall for him.
Then there's Rachel. Married with 3 children she appears to have a perfect life, till she discovers that her husband Adam is cheating on her. Though he swears it was a mistake, she has no idea how she'll ever trust him again.
Thank goodness Jenny and Rachel have each other! A story about sisters, family, friendship, trust, and of course, love. While I enjoyed this story, it wasn't my favorite. I loved the snarky sarcastic banter between Jenny and Leo but didn't like Leo all that much. I preferred Jenny's story over Rachel's but wasn't a fan of Rachel and that may be why I didn't quite love this one. I am however a huge fan of Kristan Higgins and am enjoying her backlist!
Thanks to Hoopla for loaning me the audio.
Though Jenny's main priority is making a success out of her new shop, she would love to meet the perfect man and have a family someday. Instead, she meets Leo, a standoffish man who is just looking to have a little fun, you know "recreation only." Of course, Jenny can't help but fall for him.
Then there's Rachel. Married with 3 children she appears to have a perfect life, till she discovers that her husband Adam is cheating on her. Though he swears it was a mistake, she has no idea how she'll ever trust him again.
Thank goodness Jenny and Rachel have each other! A story about sisters, family, friendship, trust, and of course, love. While I enjoyed this story, it wasn't my favorite. I loved the snarky sarcastic banter between Jenny and Leo but didn't like Leo all that much. I preferred Jenny's story over Rachel's but wasn't a fan of Rachel and that may be why I didn't quite love this one. I am however a huge fan of Kristan Higgins and am enjoying her backlist!
Thanks to Hoopla for loaning me the audio.
October 26, 2022
If You Only Knew is a thoroughly enjoyable romp filled with twists, struggles, sisterly love, triumphs, and some funny moments. The characters touched my heart. I found myself being pulled into the sisters’ stories but the minor ones as well. Also, this book is so well titled. If the characters only knew......
what was really going on, what to do in a certain situation, how to change their future for the better, who to pick, etc. Yes, this one could be classified as Chick Lit but I believe it's deeper. Recommended to all that like a good story. This is my first Higgins book and it won't be my last.
what was really going on, what to do in a certain situation, how to change their future for the better, who to pick, etc. Yes, this one could be classified as Chick Lit but I believe it's deeper. Recommended to all that like a good story. This is my first Higgins book and it won't be my last.
March 29, 2019
4'5 estrellas en realidad para esta historia, más narrativa que romántica, en la que dos hermanas nos hablan de primera mano y junto a las cuales descubrimos que la vida no siempre es como habíamos soñado que sería pero que eso no le resta un ápice de color a la misma, siempre que consigamos ir con la cabeza alta y decidida, intentando ser fieles a nosotras mismas.
En un tono real, a veces cómico, a veces sentimental, consigues disfrutar mientras las escuchas a ellas (los capítulos de van intercalando entre cada hermana) y descubres a la vez que ellas que la fuerza de todo está en su interior y en su forma de enfrentarse a todo.
Terminas y tienes ganas de decir ¡Bravo! (Por las dos)
https://millibrosenmibiblioteca.blogs...
En un tono real, a veces cómico, a veces sentimental, consigues disfrutar mientras las escuchas a ellas (los capítulos de van intercalando entre cada hermana) y descubres a la vez que ellas que la fuerza de todo está en su interior y en su forma de enfrentarse a todo.
Terminas y tienes ganas de decir ¡Bravo! (Por las dos)
https://millibrosenmibiblioteca.blogs...
August 3, 2022
If I only knew that "If You Only Knew" closely replicated "Out of the Clear Blue Skies", I never would have listened to the book.
Both books were domestic dramas that showcased protagonists who were sisters.
In both books, one sister was blindsided by her husband. In both books, the other sister was a wedding gown designer/wedding planner.
In both books, one sister had a cheating husband.
(Did prolific author Kristan Higgins run out of templates when she wrote "Out of the Clear Blue Skies" in 2022?)
"Out of the Clear Blue Skies" was a 5-star read for me. "If You Only Knew" was written in 2015 and lacked the wit and sizzle of "Out of the Clear Blue Skies".
Kristin Higgins' writing has significantly improved in seven years. Although the author's characterizations were strong in "If You Only Knew", the author frequently rambled.
I listened to the full-cast audiobook and both of the books used one of the same narrators.
3.5 stars.
Both books were domestic dramas that showcased protagonists who were sisters.
In both books, one sister was blindsided by her husband. In both books, the other sister was a wedding gown designer/wedding planner.
In both books, one sister had a cheating husband.
(Did prolific author Kristan Higgins run out of templates when she wrote "Out of the Clear Blue Skies" in 2022?)
"Out of the Clear Blue Skies" was a 5-star read for me. "If You Only Knew" was written in 2015 and lacked the wit and sizzle of "Out of the Clear Blue Skies".
Kristin Higgins' writing has significantly improved in seven years. Although the author's characterizations were strong in "If You Only Knew", the author frequently rambled.
I listened to the full-cast audiobook and both of the books used one of the same narrators.
3.5 stars.
February 12, 2025
Reread 2025: Still holds up, 8 years later! 🥰
2017:
I'm stuck in bed, so so sick. I'm quite pathetic, actually. The upside is I get to read and sleep all day!! And what a feel-good book to read. I have a happy heart and a smile that's still smiling on my face long after I closed this book. I adored the characters, the premise, the location, and those irresistible 3 year old triplets. Chick-lit in its best form!
2017:
I'm stuck in bed, so so sick. I'm quite pathetic, actually. The upside is I get to read and sleep all day!! And what a feel-good book to read. I have a happy heart and a smile that's still smiling on my face long after I closed this book. I adored the characters, the premise, the location, and those irresistible 3 year old triplets. Chick-lit in its best form!
August 31, 2015
4.5 stars.
And they lived happily ever after... well actually not always! Kristan Higgins has written a story that explores some of the things that happen that might mean no HEA.
As the book began I wasn't that turned on by it, it seemed a flippant chick-lit type story, which isn't my cup of tea. However reading on I soon realised I was wrong and I became riveted by the lives of two sisters Jenny and Rachel.
Jenny has a friendly relationship going on with her ex - Leo and his wife. He never wanted to have children and now here he is with another wife and a child! What! Who'd keep a friendship going with their ex when he has dumped her? Seemingly Jenny would.
Jenny is a bridal dress designer and she's good at it. She has moved back home and set up her own shop - Bliss. She has rented an apartment in a house above the 'super', who doesn't seem to know much about home maintenance. He teaches piano and has a dog Loki that seems to have a small aversion for Jenny. Leo is a bit of a mystery man, and when he and Jenny develop a friendship he underlines that it's not ever going to be permanent.
Rachel has three delightful triplet daughters, they are a handful and she is quite adept at caring for them in good times and bad. However she is somewhat shy and socially diffident. When she accidentally discovers her husband Adam has been sexting someone, her life is thrown into turmoil. This is either going to call for forgive and forget and 'getting on with life' or for Rachel to see things as they are and make choices accordingly.
The sisters have a very good relationship with each other and while it falters for awhile the strength of what they have comes through. Together they wade through lies and untruths, secrets and the impositions of the self-important, and come to stand in their own truth. Some relationships just need to be shed, some need to be looked at with love and forgiveness and some shouldn't be let go. To find out which relationships survive, which secrets will out, and who is set free - you'll need to read this book. Kristan Higgins has written an emotional story that held me enthralled.
While infidelity, divorce and lies are explored in this book, the delightful way of writing that Kristan Higgins has, along with some of her trademark humor - which is a little muted in this book, all combine to make If You Only Knew a read that I loved.
Great cast of characters, tough issues for them to grapple with, ones whose lives I became invested in.
Only disappointment was - "What, you mean the book has ended. No....!"
And they lived happily ever after... well actually not always! Kristan Higgins has written a story that explores some of the things that happen that might mean no HEA.
As the book began I wasn't that turned on by it, it seemed a flippant chick-lit type story, which isn't my cup of tea. However reading on I soon realised I was wrong and I became riveted by the lives of two sisters Jenny and Rachel.
Jenny has a friendly relationship going on with her ex - Leo and his wife. He never wanted to have children and now here he is with another wife and a child! What! Who'd keep a friendship going with their ex when he has dumped her? Seemingly Jenny would.
Jenny is a bridal dress designer and she's good at it. She has moved back home and set up her own shop - Bliss. She has rented an apartment in a house above the 'super', who doesn't seem to know much about home maintenance. He teaches piano and has a dog Loki that seems to have a small aversion for Jenny. Leo is a bit of a mystery man, and when he and Jenny develop a friendship he underlines that it's not ever going to be permanent.
Rachel has three delightful triplet daughters, they are a handful and she is quite adept at caring for them in good times and bad. However she is somewhat shy and socially diffident. When she accidentally discovers her husband Adam has been sexting someone, her life is thrown into turmoil. This is either going to call for forgive and forget and 'getting on with life' or for Rachel to see things as they are and make choices accordingly.
The sisters have a very good relationship with each other and while it falters for awhile the strength of what they have comes through. Together they wade through lies and untruths, secrets and the impositions of the self-important, and come to stand in their own truth. Some relationships just need to be shed, some need to be looked at with love and forgiveness and some shouldn't be let go. To find out which relationships survive, which secrets will out, and who is set free - you'll need to read this book. Kristan Higgins has written an emotional story that held me enthralled.
While infidelity, divorce and lies are explored in this book, the delightful way of writing that Kristan Higgins has, along with some of her trademark humor - which is a little muted in this book, all combine to make If You Only Knew a read that I loved.
Great cast of characters, tough issues for them to grapple with, ones whose lives I became invested in.
Only disappointment was - "What, you mean the book has ended. No....!"
February 16, 2016
Another awesome book by Kristan Higgins! It's not so much a romance novel but a story about two sisters. I loved how they coped with their ups and downs. I was a little worried that things weren't going to end how I thought they should! It was a good story, I loved everything about it.
October 15, 2023
10/15/2023 on Audible. It's been 5 years.
Still 5 stars. As much as I love her early books, she really turned a corner with this one. Really nothing to add to my original review.
First review, 09/15/2015.
Everything I loved about Kristan Higgins and then some. She brought the tears, she brought the dog, she brought the laughs, she brought secondary characters you can root for and some you can loathe. She brought a complicated relationship with her mother. She brought the romance. She has you cheering, laughing, and weeping. In short, Kristan Higgins. But longer and more complex. The development of Rachel's character was beautifully realized, and didn't come easily. Even her cheating husband Adam, had some complexity and nuance. Jenny's character wasn't so much developed, as awakened. Loved the little addition of Evander's story, the 11 year old child piano prodigy that Jenny's Leo is teaching. Reading this book has made me realize I don't like romance fiction. I love good women's novels that have romance in them. I will end this review with a quote that made me stop and pause.
**rereading 8/2018***
Yep, still a five. The narration by Xe Sands and Amy Rubinate as the two sisters, was excellent. I would have to say this is probably one of my top 3 favorites. I'm glad the quite annoying mother was rehabilitated. Interesting that Jennie . Of course, for the best. Loved the Kimber, Evil mother-in-law, and Jason(?) sub plot. Would have loved to have Jenny is one of my favorite KH characters, and I loved Rachel too. Both such good women, but so different. Every one of her minor characters was so brilliantly drawn, from the sympathetic, to the contemptible. I loved the path Kristan took with the mother. She didn't really change, but Jenny's perception of her did.
Still 5 stars. As much as I love her early books, she really turned a corner with this one. Really nothing to add to my original review.
First review, 09/15/2015.
Everything I loved about Kristan Higgins and then some. She brought the tears, she brought the dog, she brought the laughs, she brought secondary characters you can root for and some you can loathe. She brought a complicated relationship with her mother. She brought the romance. She has you cheering, laughing, and weeping. In short, Kristan Higgins. But longer and more complex. The development of Rachel's character was beautifully realized, and didn't come easily. Even her cheating husband Adam, had some complexity and nuance. Jenny's character wasn't so much developed, as awakened. Loved the little addition of Evander's story, the 11 year old child piano prodigy that Jenny's Leo is teaching. Reading this book has made me realize I don't like romance fiction. I love good women's novels that have romance in them. I will end this review with a quote that made me stop and pause.
"I wish in one sharp, abrupt swell, that I could stay. What a beautiful word that is. Stay with me. Stay home. Stay alive."Stay writing, Kristan Higgins.
**rereading 8/2018***
Yep, still a five. The narration by Xe Sands and Amy Rubinate as the two sisters, was excellent. I would have to say this is probably one of my top 3 favorites. I'm glad the quite annoying mother was rehabilitated. Interesting that Jennie . Of course, for the best. Loved the Kimber, Evil mother-in-law, and Jason(?) sub plot. Would have loved to have Jenny is one of my favorite KH characters, and I loved Rachel too. Both such good women, but so different. Every one of her minor characters was so brilliantly drawn, from the sympathetic, to the contemptible. I loved the path Kristan took with the mother. She didn't really change, but Jenny's perception of her did.
January 20, 2020
In July I drove 8 hours to NYC so that I could go to the RWA signing.
I was so excited!
I couldn't wait to get some signed books and meet some of the authors that attended.
I waited in line so that I could get a Kristan Higgins signed book and meet her and tell her HOW MUCH I LOVED
Just One Of The Guys.
So I meet Queen Higgins and I gush and tell her how much I loved JOOTG. How I cried and laughed and cried and laughed. And she responded with...
"If you loved JOOTG wait till you read If You Only Knew."
I guess Queen Higgins knows what she's talkin about!
I stopped reading HET books 2 years ago. And then KH will come out with a new book and I stop everything and sit for 2-3 hours until it is devoured. Because she truly is the only author who has ever made me laugh through my tears.
If You Only Knew is not really a Romance and its not really Women's Fiction and its not really a Drama. It is not a book I can stuff into a genre.
If You Only Knew is heartwrenching, wicked funny, full of anger and piss and vinegar and tears. It is real life and a great glimpse into sisterhood, marriage, parenting, cheating and divorce.
I won't tell you the script. I can just tell you that as soon as I was done I rec'd it to Silvana and said GO READ THIS BOOK. You WILL DEVOUR IT. And you know what! She did.
So, Ms Higgins. Thank you. It was an honor to meet you, shake your hand and get a book signed. Thanks for being wicked cool and for writing some of the best romances that I could ever hope to devour. Thanks for making your heroines wicked awesome and independent and real in a book world of whiney virgins. Thanks for making me remember why I fell in love with reading M/F books.
And I cant wait for Conner's book. I WANT THAT ONE SO BAD!!!!!!!!
Mare~
I was so excited!
I couldn't wait to get some signed books and meet some of the authors that attended.
I waited in line so that I could get a Kristan Higgins signed book and meet her and tell her HOW MUCH I LOVED
Just One Of The Guys.
So I meet Queen Higgins and I gush and tell her how much I loved JOOTG. How I cried and laughed and cried and laughed. And she responded with...
"If you loved JOOTG wait till you read If You Only Knew."
I guess Queen Higgins knows what she's talkin about!
I stopped reading HET books 2 years ago. And then KH will come out with a new book and I stop everything and sit for 2-3 hours until it is devoured. Because she truly is the only author who has ever made me laugh through my tears.
If You Only Knew is not really a Romance and its not really Women's Fiction and its not really a Drama. It is not a book I can stuff into a genre.
If You Only Knew is heartwrenching, wicked funny, full of anger and piss and vinegar and tears. It is real life and a great glimpse into sisterhood, marriage, parenting, cheating and divorce.
I won't tell you the script. I can just tell you that as soon as I was done I rec'd it to Silvana and said GO READ THIS BOOK. You WILL DEVOUR IT. And you know what! She did.
So, Ms Higgins. Thank you. It was an honor to meet you, shake your hand and get a book signed. Thanks for being wicked cool and for writing some of the best romances that I could ever hope to devour. Thanks for making your heroines wicked awesome and independent and real in a book world of whiney virgins. Thanks for making me remember why I fell in love with reading M/F books.
And I cant wait for Conner's book. I WANT THAT ONE SO BAD!!!!!!!!
Mare~
November 24, 2016
It has been several years since I read a Kristan Higgins romance. At one time I gobbled them up as fast as I could read them. I loved the snarky humor delivered between relatives and friends, the heroine's droll wittiness and the animals. The author always included at least one animal. Oh, and before I forget, another of Mrs. Higgins' trademarks is a heavy dose of family drama.
Each story contained a romance but I remembered I thought that a few relationships felt secondary. Usually, the H and h didn't hit it off immediately. And there is lots of wondering 'what if?'.
I thought of If You Only Knew as chick-lit bordering on women's fiction more than an actual contemporary romance. It contained a bumper crop of emotions and insecurities.
The chapters volleyed back and forth between our main protagonist, the divorced Jenny, and her BFF and married sister, Rachel, a mother of 3-year-old triplets. The women 'talk' to the readers using the first-person tense. I mentioned their relationship status because it had a staggering effect with who they once were and now are.
I rode a mental rollercoaster as I turned the pages. I tripped on slow burn, was bowled over by a storm of umbrage and wheedled with a hope of panacea. Welcome to an angst-fest.
Each story contained a romance but I remembered I thought that a few relationships felt secondary. Usually, the H and h didn't hit it off immediately. And there is lots of wondering 'what if?'.
I thought of If You Only Knew as chick-lit bordering on women's fiction more than an actual contemporary romance. It contained a bumper crop of emotions and insecurities.
The chapters volleyed back and forth between our main protagonist, the divorced Jenny, and her BFF and married sister, Rachel, a mother of 3-year-old triplets. The women 'talk' to the readers using the first-person tense. I mentioned their relationship status because it had a staggering effect with who they once were and now are.
I rode a mental rollercoaster as I turned the pages. I tripped on slow burn, was bowled over by a storm of umbrage and wheedled with a hope of panacea. Welcome to an angst-fest.
Read
March 21, 2017DNF 6%
I did not rate this one as I had barely started it before I'd decided it wasn't for me. Yes, I know I didn't really give this one a fair go but this book was making my head explode.
***the rest is spoilerish, proceed with caution***
In this case, I found it hard to relate to the characters. One sister, Jenny, is divorced and still friends with her ex...and his new wife. She loves him so much that having him as a friend is better than nothing at all. He fell out of love with her, didn't want a family and yet two sec's after he divorces he finds the love of his life and starts a family with her. Yicky Yuck!! I'm not that good or nice a person and I can't relate to that level of forgiveness.
Now, the second sister...her triplets are the love of her life...Huh?!?! It's fantastic that her kids are important in her life, but I'm a firm believer that your husband should be the love your life, not the kids. Yeah sure, she's got her hands full...but his hands should be full too. Well, too full to think of getting a bit on the side, in my opinion. As soon as she suspected, she should have confronted him. When she didn't, that put the axe in the coffin for me.
I probably should not have read If You Only Knew as my introduction to Kristan Higgins. A LOT of my friends love her, but I'm sorry to say that if this is her style of characters, I think I'm not her right audience.
Maybe if I had given it more of a chance I could have fallen in love with the characters, but unfortunately, I'll never know.
I did not rate this one as I had barely started it before I'd decided it wasn't for me. Yes, I know I didn't really give this one a fair go but this book was making my head explode.
***the rest is spoilerish, proceed with caution***
In this case, I found it hard to relate to the characters. One sister, Jenny, is divorced and still friends with her ex...and his new wife. She loves him so much that having him as a friend is better than nothing at all. He fell out of love with her, didn't want a family and yet two sec's after he divorces he finds the love of his life and starts a family with her. Yicky Yuck!! I'm not that good or nice a person and I can't relate to that level of forgiveness.
Now, the second sister...her triplets are the love of her life...Huh?!?! It's fantastic that her kids are important in her life, but I'm a firm believer that your husband should be the love your life, not the kids. Yeah sure, she's got her hands full...but his hands should be full too. Well, too full to think of getting a bit on the side, in my opinion. As soon as she suspected, she should have confronted him. When she didn't, that put the axe in the coffin for me.
I probably should not have read If You Only Knew as my introduction to Kristan Higgins. A LOT of my friends love her, but I'm sorry to say that if this is her style of characters, I think I'm not her right audience.
Maybe if I had given it more of a chance I could have fallen in love with the characters, but unfortunately, I'll never know.
August 14, 2018
Türkçe çevirisi de çıkınca alıp ikinci kez okudum. Dün elime aldım ve uykumdan feragat edip bitirdim. Bir önceki okuyuşumda üç vermişim ama bu sefer daha çok hoşuma gitti. Öyle bir dili var ki bu sıradan yaşamlar sizi kendine hapsediyor. Ben yazar ablamıza bayılıyorum, güçlü kadın kurgularını seven herkese de önermeye devam ediyorum. Arkadya tekrar kitaplarını basmaya başladığı için de inanılmaz mutluyum.
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