After the huge success of Billy And Me last year, I have been waiting rather impatiently for Giovanna’s second novel to hit the shelves. Billy And Me was by far one of my favourite books of last year and I had really high hopes that this second novel would be just as good, if not better.
I wasn’t disappointed.
You’re The One That I Want tells the story of Maddy, Robert and Ben: three friends who have known each other since childhood. Growing up together, Maddy, Robert and Ben were affectionately known as ‘The Tripod’ they were three people that made up one whole; without each other they were nothing. We follow them in this novel as they go through childhood, adolescence and their early to mid-twenties.
Maddy has never fancied either of the boys, they’ve always just been her friends; she’s seen them at their best and at their worst and has never wanted to be anything more. However, as the three grow up, a whole host of complicated emotions stem from each of them and soon the three of them are trapped in a love triangle; one that is full of emotion and potential heartbreak.
What do you do when you have to choose between the two people you love most in the world?
Wow, this book was FULL of emotion. I found that I connected instantly with Maddy; when I was growing up I had a lot more male friends than female friends and have had two best male friends, so I could completely relate to the dynamic between the three main characters. I think this is a really strong point of the novel, so many people will be able to relate to the situation Maddy finds herself in.
The story is told from three viewpoints which made for some really lovely insights into the way each character was feeling. I loved getting into Ben’s head and seeing how he felt (he was probably my favourite of the two guys) and it was really interesting seeing how each character perceived the others behaviour in totally different ways. Maddy is the perfect female lead; she is funny, caring, confusing, loveable, just everything a teenage/young female character should be!
The novel takes place in various locations: in Peaswood where the three grow up, at university, in Paris, in London…the list is endless! I loved how smooth the transition from each location was and how accurately and concisely Gi managed to describe them. I really felt like I was in all the different locations with the characters. The pacing was also superb and I couldn’t put the book down! Each chapter ending just made me want to keep reading and I am almost disappointed I read it so quickly! I’d love to go back and re-read a little slower to really appreciate the beauty of Gi’s writing.
Gi has the perfect narrative voice for this genre and writes in such an experienced way that you fall head first into her fictional world. The characters are beautifully formed and develop spectacularly well over the course of the book. As previously mentioned, the descriptions are tangible and suck you right into the action.
I honestly cannot fault this book! I adored it from the first page to the last and I am so very excited about what else we can expect from Gi’s pen in the future. I think she has a VERY exciting career ahead of her.
A beautifully told story exploring the notion of friendship and first love through three gorgeous characters who will capture your heart.