Hollie’s Reviews > Drive > Status Update

“I hate being the bigger man because that means I… lose you. But you have to know I never wanted to see those tears. I’m done hurting you. […] I love you always, no matter what. You need to know that.”

This book crept up on me and broke my heart without me noticing. I only noticed the pain first, and wondered why it was coming from the centre of my chest.

“There’s something about Reid you’ll never let go of. And it’s not for nothing, Stella. He’s changed his whole life to make a place for you in it.”
“He had no right to come back like that.”
“He had every right. He worked his ass off to deserve you. And you deserve to know he loved you as much.”

I’m not the same person I was 10 minutes ago when I wrote the last update. Just listened to Drive by Deftones.
4 stars.
4 stars.
4 stars. At least.
That was.. transcendent. Transformative. I hope I never fucking forget what I just felt. Connecting at once with the book, with the characters, with that specific scene, with the music, with the lyrics. Separately and all at once. Together and not. Fuck. Fuuuuuck.

“The funny thing is, I never felt you leave me. I never felt you leave me, Stella.”

Tell me how I don’t feel like this is 4 stars and yet I do feel this quote as a sharp ache in my chest.

“I think about you every time I play. Every single day I take you with me wherever I go.” 🥺

Elite microtrope: When he rests each of her shoes on his thigh so he can take them off for her.

“Anticipation, Stella. I’m game. I’ve already been waiting for months, what’s a few more? But we’re not stopping this. Because I’ll be damned if I let you forget that I’m waiting. I want you to get used to these hands, these arms. This lap. We’ll be around a while. If it happens, it will happen naturally.”

Me to me: Nate is not the guy Nate is not the guy Nate is not the guy— 🫠🫠

Nate definitely isn’t the guy BUT he did notice which Converse trainers were her favourite because that pair were the least worn. The tenderness of knowing.

“So it’s a sex thing?”
“No, it’s a Stella thing. I want to split a paper with you over breakfast. I want to find out what your favourite movie is. I want to know everything about you. And despite my best efforts, you’ve given me less than shit. I want you in a million different ways. But when you look at me like that, all I can think of is one.”

“You remember that seven minutes you saved me? I just wanted to spend them with you, Stella.”