Georgie Capron
It Was Always You
Disclaimer: I received this book from NetGalley for free, with the intention of providing a review. All thoughts, notes, opinions are my own.
I will include vague spoilers but nothing that would ruin the story line, just potentially give away a few character and plot points.
Let me first begin by saying that this isn't the type of book I normally go for. Sure, I'm a sucker for the occasional Nick Sparks book and I do like a romantic story line but I tend to like that sandwiched between tonnes of drama and action. But, as I've got older, I've noticed my tastes are becoming more diverse with music especially and with reading. So reading the description to this book peaked an interest.
Almost instantly were introduced to the main character, Libby. We also find out quickly that she's in Italy and is travelling. I like how this Georgie Capron doesn't mess us around with the characters and you get a feel for them as soon as she introduces them so its easy to like/dislike them.
This care free, unable to settle down girl is on her last stint before returning home to her best friends to start her normal, office job to try and create some stability in her life. As you have already got a feel for this girl, you already clock on that this isn't what she wants but thinks is what she needs so you instantly connect to her.
At home is her two best friends, a married couple, who have been her friends since school and clearly have a close bond. Jules is obviously her confidant and the "fun" friend and Angus is clearly the one she a deeper bond with. Her constant worry about his disapproval or disappointing him is endearing. We learn quickly about a brief romantic dalliance between the pair when they were young but its something that they never continued and its something that isn't heavily played on.
During the entire book, Georgie manages to keep a nice balance of descriptive text and actual conversations. Nothing that irks me more than 14 paragraphs on the type of grass shes standing on. She gives you enough to set the scene but doesn't drown you in directions and how many different colour shades she sees.
My only criticism is that I found it kind of predictable. Not constantly. I mean, to be fair, the name of the books a touch of a giveaway but you are thrown off the case during the first half of a book. Every time something of significance happened I could fully predict the next big event in the story. Maybe its just because I've read a lot of books, I don't know.
That being said, It wasn't annoying. Because even though I found myself predicting what happened next, after I put the book down I spent the rest of my time wondering how she would react, cope or deal with said issue.
I will mention that there is a mention of depression. One of the characters close to Libby suffers and I think Georgie Capron dealt with it well. I have a very good understanding of depression having close people to me that suffer so the way she approached it and how the characters supported and offered advice etc was great. I applaud the author for including this part of the story. The main thing I got from it was that it's OK to have depression. It doesn't define you or make you less of a person and it's certainly OK to ask for help. Whether its advice, to talk it out or medication. I definitely like the message she gave.
Another nice little sidenote is that she uses modern social apps. WhatsApp, email, Skype. I thought that was a great touch and would resonate with younger or more tech savvy readers. Its not included too much so that older or less tech savvy people wouldn't understand. My Nan - who refuses to touch an iPad (although I did get her to read a Kathy Reichs mini story on my iPad once in Greece!) and has only just upgraded her button keypad phone to my old touchscreen - would understand the references due to the way its written in.
When I read this book I was on a short break in the forest with my husband and son. I started reading before I left and finished it whilst there. I read from the minute my son went to bed until It was time for me to sleep, keeping my iPad next to me whilst I was cooking dinner or sitting on the balcony/decking. It was incredibly hard to put down! The night I did finish it Id stayed up stupidly late to read the last few chapters and even when I had put it down I spent the next hour thinking about it and going over it in my head. Mostly because I knew I had to review and I was mentally writing it but Its rare that a book gets me like that.
In conclusion, the ending was great. I really got invested with the characters and rooted for Libby all the way through. I was thrilled with the ending and thought it tied up everything perfectly, the result being what I was really wanting, what the character Libby needed and the others involved. Even though there wasn't explosions, or murders, or kidnapping etc she still get you on your toes and it didn't get boring at all. Literally only lost a star due to the predictability.
Would I recommend it? Definitely would. I'd even re-read it. Which I don't do that often as my to-do reading list is massive.
Let me first begin by saying that this isn't the type of book I normally go for. Sure, I'm a sucker for the occasional Nick Sparks book and I do like a romantic story line but I tend to like that sandwiched between tonnes of drama and action. But, as I've got older, I've noticed my tastes are becoming more diverse with music especially and with reading. So reading the description to this book peaked an interest.
Almost instantly were introduced to the main character, Libby. We also find out quickly that she's in Italy and is travelling. I like how this Georgie Capron doesn't mess us around with the characters and you get a feel for them as soon as she introduces them so its easy to like/dislike them.
This care free, unable to settle down girl is on her last stint before returning home to her best friends to start her normal, office job to try and create some stability in her life. As you have already got a feel for this girl, you already clock on that this isn't what she wants but thinks is what she needs so you instantly connect to her.
At home is her two best friends, a married couple, who have been her friends since school and clearly have a close bond. Jules is obviously her confidant and the "fun" friend and Angus is clearly the one she a deeper bond with. Her constant worry about his disapproval or disappointing him is endearing. We learn quickly about a brief romantic dalliance between the pair when they were young but its something that they never continued and its something that isn't heavily played on.
During the entire book, Georgie manages to keep a nice balance of descriptive text and actual conversations. Nothing that irks me more than 14 paragraphs on the type of grass shes standing on. She gives you enough to set the scene but doesn't drown you in directions and how many different colour shades she sees.
My only criticism is that I found it kind of predictable. Not constantly. I mean, to be fair, the name of the books a touch of a giveaway but you are thrown off the case during the first half of a book. Every time something of significance happened I could fully predict the next big event in the story. Maybe its just because I've read a lot of books, I don't know.
That being said, It wasn't annoying. Because even though I found myself predicting what happened next, after I put the book down I spent the rest of my time wondering how she would react, cope or deal with said issue.
I will mention that there is a mention of depression. One of the characters close to Libby suffers and I think Georgie Capron dealt with it well. I have a very good understanding of depression having close people to me that suffer so the way she approached it and how the characters supported and offered advice etc was great. I applaud the author for including this part of the story. The main thing I got from it was that it's OK to have depression. It doesn't define you or make you less of a person and it's certainly OK to ask for help. Whether its advice, to talk it out or medication. I definitely like the message she gave.
Another nice little sidenote is that she uses modern social apps. WhatsApp, email, Skype. I thought that was a great touch and would resonate with younger or more tech savvy readers. Its not included too much so that older or less tech savvy people wouldn't understand. My Nan - who refuses to touch an iPad (although I did get her to read a Kathy Reichs mini story on my iPad once in Greece!) and has only just upgraded her button keypad phone to my old touchscreen - would understand the references due to the way its written in.
When I read this book I was on a short break in the forest with my husband and son. I started reading before I left and finished it whilst there. I read from the minute my son went to bed until It was time for me to sleep, keeping my iPad next to me whilst I was cooking dinner or sitting on the balcony/decking. It was incredibly hard to put down! The night I did finish it Id stayed up stupidly late to read the last few chapters and even when I had put it down I spent the next hour thinking about it and going over it in my head. Mostly because I knew I had to review and I was mentally writing it but Its rare that a book gets me like that.
In conclusion, the ending was great. I really got invested with the characters and rooted for Libby all the way through. I was thrilled with the ending and thought it tied up everything perfectly, the result being what I was really wanting, what the character Libby needed and the others involved. Even though there wasn't explosions, or murders, or kidnapping etc she still get you on your toes and it didn't get boring at all. Literally only lost a star due to the predictability.
Would I recommend it? Definitely would. I'd even re-read it. Which I don't do that often as my to-do reading list is massive.
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