Book Review - First, I Love You

First, I Love You by Genevieve Dewey

Released 27th September 2012

Paperback 300 pages

Publisher Smashbox

Rating 5/5

Source Sent a copy by Genevieve.

Summary…

'First, I Love You' is the first novel in the Downey Trilogy exploring the powerful bonds of family, friendship, and love. After having spent most of his life avoiding his father, Omaha Detective Tommy Gates takes an opportunity to work his first big Federal case in Chicago, the same city where his father, retired mobster Mickey Downey now lives. While battling the increasing meddling of his sister Kiki Downey and his co-workers, Tommy struggles with taking the risk of letting his father into his heart when his world-view is everything Tommy stands against. Just as he is beginning to navigate these issues of family, loyalty and trust, his personal and professional lives collide in a way that could threaten them all.

My thoughts…

The title suggests a love story to me, First, I Love You reminded me so much of Cecelia Ahern’s PS I Love You. However, reading about Genevieve’s passion for organised crime, I figured I was in for a very different kind of story in the first instalment of the Downey trilogy.

The book doesn't quite follow the rules of any specific genre – while the main theme is organised crime intertwined is a story of hatred, love and regret, which pleased me greatly. Some may say that you cannot have a story about warring Mafia families, crime and murder with stories of love thrown in, but I think in this instance it really worked.

The story is told from the viewpoint of six main characters: Tommy, Mickey, Mark, Kiki, James and Ginny. Each chapter is told from the view of a different character with each one following on from where the previous have left off. Each character is introduced at a steady pace allowing you to get to know one before another is added into the mix, instead of just throwing them all in at the beginning. For me all of this worked perfectly, as each character plays a highly important role within the story and by constantly changing the narrative, the story is allowed to move at a much faster pace.

The story is completely believable. You have Mickey, a famous gangster who has an affair which results in the birth of his first son, Tommy. Mary loves Mickey dearly but wants the complete family so she does what she believes is the only way to do this and turns to the FBI. Mickey wants nothing more than to be a part of Tommy’s life, but he must do everything possible to keep his two loves safe and that is to let them go. 20 years later and a “retired” Mickey also have Kiki and Joey to keep safe now while Tommy is a Detective working to bring down one of his father’s associates. With so much history, it is no surprise that things don’t go quite to plan.

I am a huge fan of chick lits and crime thrillers and this book brought my two loves together. On one hand you have two new loves beginning, you have an old one rekindled and you have the love between a father and a son – you then have the nitty gritty child sex ring, gangland murder and Mafia feuds.

One thing that Mary says really stuck with my throughout the whole book, “why did no one never know the answer to these things until after the milk had been spilt?” The book poses so many questions, with some being answered and the others leaving you on the biggest cliff-hanger dying to find out how it will all end.

If you are a fan of Harlan Coben that I would definitely recommend First, I Love You. Such a fantastic debut novel from Genevieve Dewey, I cannot wait to see what else she has in store for us.

You can buy the book from Amazon now. 

Book Review - The Best of Me

The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks
Released 16th February 2012 
eBook 436 pages 
Rating5/5
Source Purchased

Amazon
They were teenage sweethearts from opposite sides of the tracks - with a passion that would change their lives for ever. But life would force them apart.

Years later, the lines between past and present are about to slip . . . Called back to their hometown for the funeral of the mentor who gave them shelter when they needed it most, they are faced with each other once again. Can true love ever rewrite the past?

My thoughts...
The Best of Me is the first, and currently only, Nicholas Sparks book that I have read. Having seen The Notebook and Dear John I had high expectations, and a box of tissues at the ready. I am so pleased to say that this book didn't disappoint me in the slightest.

So many reviews of this book will talk about how this is typical Nicholas Sparks, a genre that he does so well and so on, but as I have nothing to compare this to I cannot say this. Yes I have seen the films,but films very rarely stick to the story of the book and no doubt The Notebook is far more tragic, heart-wrenching and tearful to read than see.

For me The Best of Me is a love story of epic proportions. My expectations were high and not only did it meet them, it exceeded them. The book was everything that a love story should be, plus so much more that I didn't know I wanted.

From start to finish I was drawn into the love story and willed with everything that I had for Dawson and Amanda to not only find each other but end up together and live happily ever after. The story took so many turns, where I'd think that they would end up together, one would change their mind, then change it again. Stumbling blocks were put in there way at every turn, and I was always left wondering what could be thrown at them next.

I loved the changes in narrative, constantly changing characters to get the story from some else's point of view. For me this added more depth to the story and with so many different characters I think it was important that we got to know each of them as they all played such important roles in the overall story.

Without giving too much away, for me the ending wasn't what I wanted it to be. With that being said, I was happier than I thought I would be as Dawson made one final sacrifice to help others, paying the ultimate price.

One small comment that I would make is that I wish we had got the chance to find out what happened to Alan and how is felt about Dawson being the one to save him, if he even know who Dawson was, or even how Marilyn felt about it.

Overall I adored this book from beginning to end, I almost didn't want it to end. As predicted the tissues were needed as the ending to a truly inspiring love story got the better of me.

If you are looking for a good love story then I would highly recommend this.

Until next time, keep reading! x