I don’t know how coherent this is going to be because I’m still crying as I’ve literally just finished the book. I had no idea what this book was about prior to reading it. Then as I started, I was immediately turned off by the possibility it was going to be a teen pregnancy story, and then again when I thought it was just going to focus on a typical rebellious teen and her mother’s relationship. But oh boy this book was so much more than that and had so much drama. This book is about trauma, grief, loss, betrayal, second-chances, love, and forgiveness, and it’s what those things look like for an adult and a teenager who appeared to have a comfortable, happy life before tragedy strikes.

As the reader I was angry that neither Jenny nor Chris were alive to answer for what they’d done to their family and to Jonah. I think the response Clara has to her thinking her mom was having an affair with Jonah was realistic and painful.

Hoover does a great job making the reader feel that pain, anger, and regret.

I absolutely loved that Jonah and Morgan got the chance to be together and are taking it slow, but I hate that it took Chris and Jenny dying. And at first it seemed like Hoover was trying to justify their deaths because of their affair, but I now see it more as a clear and easy way for a reader to relate to the emotions Jonah, Morgan, and Clara go through.

As humans, we’ll all experience death of loved ones, it’s part of life, but no one talks about what it’s liked to grieve over someone you loved deeply but were mad at them or hated the person they ended up being. Or coming to terms that they were flawed people after they’ve died and you can no longer confront them.

I felt Morgan’s anger of their betrayal but also being angry they died and she didn’t get to be angry at them. 
I also cried at the end over Miller’s video to Clara (FYI: their project video was super weird), and I realized I’ll never have that kind of love or cheesy love story like that.

But overall, a good book by Colleen Hoover. This is the third book I’ve read by her and I haven’t been disappointed yet!