"Again & Again"| Who do you LOVE!

This book by Jennifer really caught my attention. I haven't delved into many of her works, but this one truly captivated me. What piqued my interest the most was the tagline at the top of the book that says;

"What happens if you meet the love of your life before your life has really started?"

Can you believe I finished the book? Don't you want to read it too? Aren't you curious now?

Author: Jenifer Wiener

Published: August 2015

Characters: Rachel Blum and Andy Landis

Jennifer Weiner, a Philadelphia-based writer, television producer, and journalist, resides with her husband and three children. She was born on March 28, 1970.

The story started with Rachel Blum and Andy Landis who were just eight years old when they met. Rachel was born with a congenital heart defect and a veteran of hospitals.

The story starts in 1985 with 8-year-old Rachel in the hospital recovering from heart surgery, just one of many hospital stays. Rachel was quite familiar with Miami hospital and, being a curious eight-year-old, she always wanted more things to do in her room or on her ward. One evening, feeling restless because her friend's room was closed, she sneaked off the ward in search of adventure and a story to share with Alice. Her little adventure took her to the ER late in the evening where she met Andy, who was waiting to see the doctor on his own. They shared a blanket, a box of mini donuts, and conversation until Rachel told him the story of Hansel and Gretel, the Grimm version. Then, she left him with a teddy bear when he went in for examination, and a nurse escorted her back to her ward.

Andy and Rachel said their goodbyes, thinking it was just a chance meeting, as Andy was from Philadelphia and was only in Miami for a couple of days.

Andy never quite fit in because he felt caught between being black and white and struggled with being poor at school. Running helped him escape into a zone where it was just him and his body.

Rachel also never felt like she belonged, spending so much time in and out of the hospital. Moving to a new school gave her a chance to start over, no longer defined by her heart condition. She tried so hard to fit in with the popular kids that she may have lost herself along the way.

Despite their frequent encounters, their connection was strong, but they faced many obstacles due to their lack of communication and unwillingness to let go.

The story spans thirty years, capturing a lot of growth, development, and mistakes. It delves into life's major events and the instinctive inclination towards someone in times of need, along with the accompanying regrets and what-ifs.

The prologue leaves us uncertain about whether there will be a happily ever after. Even if the couple does end up together and make it work, will it really last, or will Andy end up as the abandoning husband?

Heartbreaking, heartwarming, relevant, and captivating. I wish I could say this is a heartwarming tale of true love triumphing over everything, but throughout the story, the couple comes together and drifts apart repeatedly, so it's uncertain whether true love will conquer all. It certainly shows that the path of true love is never smooth.

Is destiny a real thing? Can you truly meet your soulmate at the age of eight?

A meeting at the age of eight significantly influenced the course of Rachel’s life, but it took her a couple of false starts before she realized it.

The book Who Do You Love tells its story from two different perspectives. Rachel shares her experiences in the first person, while Andy's experiences are presented in the third person. The narrative moves back and forth between different years, including Rachel's life in 1985, Andy's in 1987, and then both of them in 1990. Sometimes the story shows both characters in the same time period, while other times it jumps to different points in time. I just hope you don't get confused when you read this book.

I hope you find time to read this book and share your thoughts.

I warmly invite my friends @ruthjoe @mariami @nancy0 to take part in this contest by clicking on the link below

https://steemit.com/hive-145157/@sergeyk/contest-11-again-again-a