Twice in a Blue Moon
by Christina Lauren
Published by Gallery Books on October 22nd, 2019
Genres: Adult, Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Format: eARC
Source: Kindly provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Summary from Goodreads:
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners and the “delectable, moving” (Entertainment Weekly) My Favorite Half-Night Stand comes a modern love story about what happens when your first love reenters your life when you least expect it…
Sam Brandis was Tate Jones’s first: Her first love. Her first everything. Including her first heartbreak.
During a whirlwind two-week vacation abroad, Sam and Tate fell for each other in only the way that first loves do: sharing all of their hopes, dreams, and deepest secrets along the way. Sam was the first, and only, person that Tate—the long-lost daughter of one of the world’s biggest film stars—ever revealed her identity to. So when it became clear her trust was misplaced, her world shattered for good.
Fourteen years later, Tate, now an up-and-coming actress, only thinks about her first love every once in a blue moon. When she steps onto the set of her first big break, he’s the last person she expects to see. Yet here Sam is, the same charming, confident man she knew, but even more alluring than she remembered. Forced to confront the man who betrayed her, Tate must ask herself if it’s possible to do the wrong thing for the right reason… and whether “once in a lifetime” can come around twice.
With Christina Lauren’s signature “beautifully written and remarkably compelling” (Sarah J. Maas, New York Times bestselling author) prose and perfect for fans of Emily Giffin and Jennifer Weiner, Twice in a Blue Moon is an unforgettable and moving novel of young love and second chances.
Review
Sam and Tate meet while on vacation in London with their grandparents. The chemistry between the two is immediate and, as Tate is a 18-year-old and Sam is a, 21-year-old, college student, they wonder if their feelings for each other are real. But their feelings are too intense to ignore and they begin to enjoy the time they have with one another, as well as fall in love, with plans to see each other in the future. However, all that changes when a betrayal so heartbreaking occurs that makes Tate leave London, and Sam, behind.
Fourteen years later, Tate is an up-and-coming actress and is starting to film a new movie that could propel her stardom even higher. When she steps on set the last person she expected to see was Sam, the screenwriter for the film. As old feelings begin to surface once more, including his betrayal and their painful separation, they are no longer able to continue to ignore each other and must face the event that divided them if they can have any chance of finding closure and moving forward.
Having been a fan of Christina Lauren's previous works, I couldn't wait for the release of Twice in a Blue Moon! However, once I was reading this one, I have to say I was a little let down as it not only took a while to get into this book but also felt lacking. With that being said, I am ultimately glad I finished this book as the ending was by far the best part of the book.
The first part of the book was a sort of light-hearted romance, exploring and innocent. It read similar to that of a young adult novel. It is there that we are first introduced to 18-year-old Tate and her grandmother who are in London for two weeks. While they are dining at a restaurant, they meet 21-year-old Sam and his grandfather. From there, a whirlwind romance takes place leading Tate to confide her biggest secret to Sam, only to have him betray her in the cruelest way possible.
Fourteen years later, and we see what has changed not only between the two main characters' relationship but also their own character development and careers. While I did enjoy Tate and Sam's characters, I did not feel as strong of a connection between the adult versions of Tate and Sam as I would have liked, especially compared to their younger selves. It was only near the 80% mark that I could finally see an endless-love sort of chemistry between the two.
While I personally thought that there were too many supporting characters that did not add value to the book but diminished it as they became a distraction to the overall story, I can admit that I did enjoy the dynamic, and particular focus, between Tate and her father. Through their relationship, one can see that this wasn't simply a book entered upon romance but one that focused on various kinds of relationships between those the characters are close to.
In the end, I was hoping to escape in a delightful world that Christina Lauren typically creates, but was unable to get fully captivated or invested in this story. While I did enjoy Tate and Sam's characters, especially their younger selves, I was hoping for more in the romance department. Nonetheless, this was an enjoyable read.
Rating
★★★
About the Author
Christina Lauren is the combined pen name of long-time writing partners/besties/soulmates/brain-twins Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. The coauthor duo writes both Young Adult and Adult Fiction, and together has produced fourteen New York Times bestselling novels. Their books have been translated into 31+ languages. (Some of these books have kissing. Some of these books have A LOT of kissing.)
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