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I mean... if we are all going to read it....

3.5 Stars

I know, I know, but before you all come for my head, hear me out.

I have never been so conflicted by a book before. I simultaneously really loved and kind of hated this book. Let me start out by saying I think Emily Henry is an absolute poet, she is nothing short of a master at her craft and this book is probably some of her best writing so far. The pacing of this book, the alternating timelines, the character development, the relationships were all beautifully and expertly written. So, you are probably scratching your head thinking, "Beck, so what was the problem?" Well........ I just could never buy in to what this whole book is about in the first place, the break-up, let's just call it what it is, this is the miscommunication trope on STEROIDS, "Oh but it was more complicated than that" WAS IT THOUGH? And if I am being totally honest, I felt like the ending was not enough payoff for the all the emotional trauma we were all put through.

Let me start with the things I loved-
The writing- Nobody does it like EH. She is an absolute artist with her words, the way she can summon the perfect measure of every emotion into every page is stunning and so rare. I can't ignore or deny the absolute magic that this author weaves into every page.
"It feels like a moment before a car accident, when the tires have started to hydroplane and you know something terrible is likely coming, but there's still a chance the tread will find purchase and you'll never know what agony you narrowly avoided."

The chemistry- The chemistry between all her characters is so balanced and always feels authentic. The way her found family move around each other and interact with each other is so natural and genuine. And the chemistry between Wynn and Harriett was off the charts white hot! You could feel the sparks between them jumping off the page, it was palpable.
"Maybe I need to know that he remembers that he hasn't totally forgotten what it feels like to love me, while I'm trapped with him buried onto my heart, my, brain, my lungs, my skin."

Harriet- I really loved Harriet. She is entirely relatable; she is riddled with self-doubt and I appreciated her struggle to please those around her and form herself into what she thought the people she loved needed her to be while sacrificing her own wants and desires. I was thrilled for her when she finally started asserting herself and choosing her own path.
"I'm not the brilliant doctor my parents wanted me to be, and I'm not the person who could give Wyn the happiness he deserves, and I'm not the friend Sabrina and Cleo needed." 😭

Ok, what didn't work for me:
WYNN- Uh oh!! Are you all screaming at me yet? It's not what you think, I DO love Wyn, I think he is sweet and charming and vulnerable, and he absolutely loves Harriett, but the man could not muster up the strength to fight for her even ONCE this entire book!! I kept waiting for him to finally grow and fight for Harriet and it just never happens, even at the end it is HARRIET that moves first, it's always Harriett. I understand when he was struggling before but by the end he is supposed to be in a better place and it's still the same with him. How are we supposed to believe that this relationship will ever last long term, bc things will inevitably get rocky again as do all long-term relationships, but I can't believe that he will ever step up, if Harriet doesn't hold them together it will fail again. Exibit A down below!!!
"You can't follow me like I followed you. I won't be enough."

"It'll get easier, he promises hoarsely, his hand brushing my hair behind my ear. "Someday you'll hardly remember this"

See!!! He is literally drowning, and he refuses to kick!!!

The Break-Up- More than half of this book is putting us all through this absolute all-consuming agony and heartache for these two people who so obviously deeply love each other and are both completely shattered and heartbroken. The back and forth between the timelines serves to build on this epic love that spans nine years! And the whole time you are thinking, "What could have possibly happened to tear these two apart?" And then we finally get there.... and it just didn't math for me. Misunderstandings and miscommunication? A four-minute phone call? REALLY? And then just total and complete acceptance? Naaahhhh. I don't buy it. Sorry not sorry, it's just not believable for me. So, if Sabrina never orchestrated that whole wkend? Then what? They would have just been resigned? It just makes all those beautiful promises that Wyn said to her feel so empty and I think he meant them. Why didn't he come find her when he was feeling better and got clarity. Why didn't she demand an explanation that she absolutely deserved? And this is just some advice THERAPY is your friend! All of this pain could have so easily been avoided.
"I have been in love with her since we met, though,"

"No," he says quietly. "In every universe, it's you for me. Even if it's not me for you."

"If it was possible to stop loving you, I would have managed it in that first year of desperately trying to. I'm here. For good."

"Do you want me to promise that I will love you forever Harriett? Because I will."

The ending The woman is a DOCTOR, she could set up a private little practice in Montana and be home for dinner every night. Do you know how much those loans are? Pottery isn't cutting it babe sorry! This wasn't as big of a deal but it did irk me.

Ok so even though I did have my issues with this book, obviously, I still really thought it was beautiful. The writing was stunning, and I obviously cared about the story bc this review is a mile long (sorry about that) Will I ever read it again? Hmm doubt it, bc Beach Read is right there.
So current EH book rankings:
1)Beach Read
2)Book Lovers
3)Happy Place
4)PWMOV