Every Breath by Nicholas Sparks
Every Breath by Nicholas Sparks
I hate to say this, but I'm starting to lose my love for Nicholas Sparks. The Wedding is one of my favorite romances, and book in general, and I've always thoroughly enjoyed reading a Sparks novel. You knew they would have a certain level of predictability and that you'd cry, but you would still enjoy the overall story and writing. However, the last two books I read: Every Breath and See Me seemed to be half-assed. Sure, Sparks has a following, but that's not a reason to get lazy in your writing.
This novel seemed promising when I first began. An ill-fated love story with the possibility of a happy ending later in life? A love that can last over decades? Sign me up. Even if the love story didn't end up happy for the couple, the idea of love surviving for so long no matter what the circumstances would still have made me happy. Instead, I became quickly frustrated when I realized I wouldn't get what I wanted from this novel. I kept reading because I'm an optimist like that, or a sucker that doesn't know when to quit a book that isn't getting better.
The first issue I had was the insta-love that occurred. I am not against insta-love, I believe in soulmates and agree that there can be undeniable emotions and connections that happen quickly. However, this story has true love occur and confessed within a few hours.
“We met on a Wednesday morning, and I'd fallen in love with him by Thursday evening."
Not only was it an insanely quick time frame, but there was barely any depth to the brief conversations the two characters had in these few hours. This made the connection seem shallow and it was truly difficult to accept that this could be a possibility in real life. As the story continues, there was no further development of their romance, but we are supposed to accept the same love that existed at the beginning is still just as strong 25 years later.
We then read long examinations of each of their lives; family, success, failure, the overall question of what if? This is where I got angrier. You made your decision so what is the good of spending 25 years questioning if you made the wrong decision? I'm sure this does happen in reality, but for this book that is trying to spout destiny and true love it seems a contradiction to have the characters constantly second guessing their emotions at every turn.
I was also really frustrated by Hope's selfishness and ignorance of her decision. She may have achieved her ultimate goal, but at what cost? And it was a big cost! If they were supposed to be soulmates I don't agree with the way the end up being separated. With Hope's actions and no further development, I couldn't fathom how Tru was still as interested after 25 years. It made me a bit sad that he had to wait that long for true happiness and it doesn't even seem that it'll give him that much happiness. On a random note, can I also say the names chosen for the main characters also seemed forced? "Hope" as in hope for destiny to always bring you back to the one you love? “Tru" as in true love?
I did enjoy the descriptions of Tru's home and life in Zimbabwe as well as adding the mailbox in North Carolina called “Kindred Spirit". Anyone can add a letter, postcard, article to the mailbox or just go to the mailbox and read what others left. I thought this was a wonderful touch and it is a charming idea.
However, one of my biggest issues with this novel also came about due to Kindred Spirit. In the beginning, you are led to believe that Every Breath is based on a true story after a letter is found in Kindred Spirit about a couple's remarkable love story. This is one of the driving forces that kept me reading until the last page. Then, bam! Sparks hits you with an epilogue that states he made. It. UP!
All this being said, I believe I might hold off on Sparks' next releases. Maybe eventually he will get back to where he used to be.
Synopsis: Hope Anderson is at a crossroads. At thirty-six, she's been dating her boyfriend for six years. With no wedding plans in sight, and her father recently diagnosed with ALS, she decides to use a week at her family's cottage in Sunset Beach, North Carolina, to ready the house for sale and mull over some difficult decisions about her future.
Tru Walls has never visited North Carolina but is summoned to Sunset Beach by a letter from a man claiming to be his father. A safari guide, born and raised in Zimbabwe, Tru hopes to unravel some of the mysteries surrounding his mother's early life and recapture memories lost with her death. When the two strangers cross paths, their connection is as electric as it is unfathomable . . . but in the immersive days that follow, their feelings for each other will give way to choices that pit family duty against personal happiness in devastating ways. How long can a dream survive?