This was a phenomenal 5 star read. I one clicked it directly from an ad on Amazon that kept coming up in my Facebook feed. I 100% bought this book because of the cover, I honestly couldn’t stop looking at how beautiful it was. The description that is given is extremely cryptic so I had to go with my gut and I bought it. I definitely wasn’t disappointed, I read it all in one sitting. From the very first line I was drawn in:
Even without seeing her face, I know that the woman standing at the waters edge is desperately sad.
The first third of the book is the love story of Emerson and Mereki, a first time emotional and gripping love story. I love these types of stories so much, if the author can do a good job of capturing what it’s like to fall in love the first time these books can rank up there at the very top of my favorites list.
Emerson comes from a broken home, with an evil mother and a horrible mother. When Mereki becomes a first hand witness to this he decides that Emerson needs a friend more than the bullies do and they quickly settle into a routine together. Ki fishes and Emerson works on her art. The back and fourth between the two characters is beautiful and subtle but you can see the love blossoming in every exchange they have: They never had a chance, it’s heartbreaking and wonderful.
They hold off the love feelings for each other until their senior year in high school, seventeen years old, when they just can’t fight it anymore. A first kiss down by the river in their special spot together and she is lost to him forever.
Emerson wants to be an artist and Ki an architect, they want to get out of this one horse town, away from all the people that do nothing but drag them down. Emerson is already so talented, for her birthday Ki gets her a table at the art festival so she can try and sell some of her drawings, and she does! But later that night a terrible event happens changing the course of everything and everyone’s lives forever. I know it sound’s corny but I’m telling you.
Skip forward about four and a half years or so, things aren’t so great for Emerson and Ki. High tensions at home are leaving her drained and feeling incredibly distant from her partner, and now there is a super nice super hottie that wants to take her to coffee.
It took awhile for me to warm up to Josh, the character that falls in love with Emerson later in the novel. By the end though your not really sure who you are rooting for, you love all of them so much. For those wondering I’m going to call this a quasi love triangle and leave it at that. Give it a try even if you hate them, this story is so lovely and compelling.
At times I was reading with a lump in my throat, by the end I was reading through tears. The characters were so well written and they definitely made you feel all the feels. There were a few sexy parts but they were steamy and not overdone. I was not expecting the ending, when we came to the reveal I had to read it twice to make sure I hadn’t missed anything.
One thing that drives me crazy in books is when authors over do it one describing the characters, what they look like and what they are wearing. These things in no way connect me with them at all. This book was excellent in leaving those things out of the narration, and I loved it! The only way that I knew there were racial tensions going on with the couple in the beginning was because of the scenes with the bullies. This is just something that really stood out to me while reading.
Also, their Aussies. So, Yeah. Hotties, Mate.