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An online marketing consultant, an avid reader of 400 + books a year. Professional reader, reviewer, and blogger. Enjoy ARCs and new releases.
Who Do You Love
Narrators: Sarah Steele, JD Jackson
ASIN: B00XWUS6RY
Publisher: Atria/Simon & Schuster Audio
Publication Date: 8/11/2015
Format: Other
My Rating: 4 Stars
Jennifer Weiner returns with WHO DO YOU LOVE, her 12th book, and first love story, a grown up emotional book about life, love, dreams, fate, and complications— mixed with wit, humor, and brutal honesty.
A love story is sparked by the chance encounter at a hospital between Rachel Blum, a privileged Jewish Floridian, and Andy Landis, a poor, bi-racial boy from Philadelphia, who later in life becomes an Olympic athlete. Two young children are looking for the perfect grown-up life.
Rachel Blum has lived a sheltered life, born with a congenital heart defect, she has not had a normal life. Her parents over overprotective and she has spent plenty of time in and out of hospitals. She comes from a well-to-do family and financial security. She never feels like she belongs. As a child, she met a boy named Andy Landis in the hospital ER. She tells him a story. They never see each other until years later.
Andy Landis, on the other hand, comes from a poor humble beginning. Raised by a single mother, in Philadelphia they never have money and his dad died years before, so he never knew him. His mom encouraged him to channel his rage into running. He finds he is good at running, and becoming a devoted athlete. He becomes obsessed with being the best runner in the world. From scholarships to gold medals. However, when he becomes famous, the reporters dig up his dad and his past. When is achieving enough? When is it time to stop?
Years later, two misfits, with different backgrounds, meet again and begin dating while in high school and college. They are close, share the most intimate moments; connected in many ways; however, as most kids in college, they do not always see eye to eye. They break up and go their separate ways; however, they both are always on each other’s mind. They compare other people in their lives, to their first love. Destiny?
From the geographical distance which separates them, plus different colleges, and diverse backgrounds, from childhood love to teenage, college, to adulthood. Will fate bring them back together? Poor choices, a drive to succeed, the need for a perfect life—will their differences and desires drive them further away, or back to one another. Can you go back? Soul mates?
Rachel is flawed, realistic, imperfect, and always trying to do better. Andy is continuously striving for more, to be good enough to fit in. When they both lose everything, will they turn to one another once again for rediscovery? Are the goals in our lives more important than the people? Do we lose part of ourselves on the climb? Sometimes the journey is more important.
Now decades later after college, to adulthood--will they find their way back to one another? From high school, college, gold medals, marriage, pregnancy, social work, Sports Illustrated, and other partners—with unexpected turns. How do you act when you have lost it all?
A little different twist, than Weiner’s past books-- she delves into the heart of two young kids, their passions, and dreams, and the tragedies and triumphs of life, love, and relationships. A coming-of-age, a journey, as two characters, find their way in this complex world we call life. In the midst of the love story, there is prison, racial, issues, body image, abandoned parent, alcoholism, cheating, infidelity, snobbery, drugs, bullying, parenting, and injustice, plus more social issues. You will laugh and cry!
Having read all Jennifer’s books; they are always entertaining. I would have most likely given a higher rating if I had read the book, versus listening to the audio. (you are unable to sample the narrator; the downside of pre-ordering audio). I found Sarah Steele (Rachel’s voice), totally annoying. On the other hand, Andy’s voice, narrator,JD Jackson delivered a good performance.
Would not recommend the audio; however, highly recommend the book, as a beautiful love story about young love, life’s problems, and adult love. Two characters you will remember, long after the book ends. Chick-lit and Weiner fans will love it.
I enjoyed reading the inspiration behind the story from Weiner.
A love story is sparked by the chance encounter at a hospital between Rachel Blum, a privileged Jewish Floridian, and Andy Landis, a poor, bi-racial boy from Philadelphia, who later in life becomes an Olympic athlete. Two young children are looking for the perfect grown-up life.
Rachel Blum has lived a sheltered life, born with a congenital heart defect, she has not had a normal life. Her parents over overprotective and she has spent plenty of time in and out of hospitals. She comes from a well-to-do family and financial security. She never feels like she belongs. As a child, she met a boy named Andy Landis in the hospital ER. She tells him a story. They never see each other until years later.
Andy Landis, on the other hand, comes from a poor humble beginning. Raised by a single mother, in Philadelphia they never have money and his dad died years before, so he never knew him. His mom encouraged him to channel his rage into running. He finds he is good at running, and becoming a devoted athlete. He becomes obsessed with being the best runner in the world. From scholarships to gold medals. However, when he becomes famous, the reporters dig up his dad and his past. When is achieving enough? When is it time to stop?
Years later, two misfits, with different backgrounds, meet again and begin dating while in high school and college. They are close, share the most intimate moments; connected in many ways; however, as most kids in college, they do not always see eye to eye. They break up and go their separate ways; however, they both are always on each other’s mind. They compare other people in their lives, to their first love. Destiny?
From the geographical distance which separates them, plus different colleges, and diverse backgrounds, from childhood love to teenage, college, to adulthood. Will fate bring them back together? Poor choices, a drive to succeed, the need for a perfect life—will their differences and desires drive them further away, or back to one another. Can you go back? Soul mates?
Rachel is flawed, realistic, imperfect, and always trying to do better. Andy is continuously striving for more, to be good enough to fit in. When they both lose everything, will they turn to one another once again for rediscovery? Are the goals in our lives more important than the people? Do we lose part of ourselves on the climb? Sometimes the journey is more important.
Now decades later after college, to adulthood--will they find their way back to one another? From high school, college, gold medals, marriage, pregnancy, social work, Sports Illustrated, and other partners—with unexpected turns. How do you act when you have lost it all?
A little different twist, than Weiner’s past books-- she delves into the heart of two young kids, their passions, and dreams, and the tragedies and triumphs of life, love, and relationships. A coming-of-age, a journey, as two characters, find their way in this complex world we call life. In the midst of the love story, there is prison, racial, issues, body image, abandoned parent, alcoholism, cheating, infidelity, snobbery, drugs, bullying, parenting, and injustice, plus more social issues. You will laugh and cry!
Having read all Jennifer’s books; they are always entertaining. I would have most likely given a higher rating if I had read the book, versus listening to the audio. (you are unable to sample the narrator; the downside of pre-ordering audio). I found Sarah Steele (Rachel’s voice), totally annoying. On the other hand, Andy’s voice, narrator,JD Jackson delivered a good performance.
Would not recommend the audio; however, highly recommend the book, as a beautiful love story about young love, life’s problems, and adult love. Two characters you will remember, long after the book ends. Chick-lit and Weiner fans will love it.
I enjoyed reading the inspiration behind the story from Weiner.
“Some of it was my own story, too. When my marriage ended I reconnected with an old beau who was still single — someone I'd dated in my twenties, and might have married if things had worked out differently and if we’d been on the same page then in terms of what we wanted. It got me thinking about time, and the nature of love, and how it changes as people change.”
