Rachel’s Reviews > It Starts with Us > Status Update
Rachel
is 85% done
Still working on the book but I think it's a little unhealthy he's been obsessed with a 16 year old for well over a decade. They keep saying they know each other but they KNEW each other, the teenaged versions of each other, who hung out for a few months. Then they run into each other after all her mess and they go "slow"... and decide to marry each other in just a few weeks. 😳 So healthy.
— Mar 23, 2023 07:33PM
Like flag
Comments Showing 1-2 of 2 (2 new)
date
newest »
newest »
I thought "Ends" was better than "Starts." I think it goes a long way to portraying "why doesn't she just leave him??" The second book did a good job showing how fear and anxiety can still be constants for months and even years after "exiting" a relationship, especially if kids are involved. But honestly, just like I wrote above, I don't think this obsession with each other was healthy. And another thing: if he was really in love with her and thinking of her this whole time, what was he doing getting into relationships with other women? Was that fair to them? He dated one woman for a year then moved in with her, all the while keeping Lily in first place??
Also, what were his flaws? He doesn't do a single thing wrong the entire book. Honestly. His character is so shallow it's laughable; he's basically a foil for Ryle. He loves Lily, he has a restaurant, he was abused as a kid.
The whole "Josh" storyline feels like it was added to make the book long enough. If Josh didn't appear, it wouldn't affect the main story arc AT ALL.
Back to Atlas. How did he save enough money to buy a restaurant on a military salary? Not to mention that his whole intervening years of life, what would have formed him as much as his upbringing, is just glossed over as "he was in the marines."
It was interesting, to be sure. Not the wonder-tale I was led to believe though.
I’m interested to know your review when you’ve finished it!