Happy Saturday, bookworms! I hope you have a lovely weekend of reading ahead of you. I know I’m certainly trying to do just that.. and catch up on some sleep as well. The week’s events just take it out of you sometimes, and that’s just how I’ve been feeling as of late.
Anyway, I reviewed a book on this website not that long ago that I absolutely adored called How Not To Fall. I knew there was a sequel to that book coming, but I have to admit, amongst my lengthy TBR, it did fall off my radar a bit. Until now. Somehow, it popped up in one of my social media feeds that How Not To Let Go had been released, so I actually put down all of my current reads in order to see what Charles and Annie have been up to since I was last with them. You can read my review of How Not To Fall here and then go meet this awesome couple if you’re looking for a broken yet beautiful love story!
When I last saw Charles and Annie, they weren’t in a great place, and I was left in the dark on a complete cliffhanger. I knew as soon as I had their next chapters in my possession, that I had to find out where they would go. Needless to say, they have a mountain to climb in order to reach the rewards of paradise.
As a few others have mentioned, this is a brainy and angsty story. I have to agree wholeheartedly. This couple had a gorgeous and blissful month together, but neither of them were in the right place in their hearts or minds to be happy together forever. Problem is, Charles and Annie know that their respective partner is a forever kind of love, so they need to figure out what to do, and fast, before they lose their soul forever.
Annie finds medical school in Boston and tackles all of its challenges in the best way she knows how. Charles has demons to fight across the Atlantic back in England. He had a rough childhood with an abysmal father and he has to learn how to close the door on that part of his life before he can properly move on and have a contented future.
What I admired in all the back-and-forth of this tale is how mature both parties were from page to page. After a brief patch of utter heartache, Charles and Annie learn how to move on as friends. They still go rock climbing, work together in their regular Boston cafe every week, and even attend a medical convention together in London. Of course they let lines blur and slip up from their platonic relationship from time-to-time, but it’s never met with bitterness or a broken heart the following morning.
The pair have their times apart to focus on themselves, and also get the time together to see if and how they’re progressing. I thoroughly enjoyed their journey and how they approached their relationship. I respect and appreciated the fact that they didn’t stay together romantically when they were both as damaged as they were. I knew, and Charles and Annie knew if that’s the route they would have taken, they would’ve destroyed each other in the end. Instead, patience was their virtue. They took the long way around to find one another again, and it made the ending even sweeter.
I enjoyed every minute I spent with these two, plus, I learned a lot about life and relationships as well. Do yourselves a favor, and meet Charles and Annie as soon as possible. You won’t regret it, I promise!
Until next time, bibliophiles!
My Final Rating: five out of five stars
