From the beginning of the year until now, I’ve read 21 books and so far, not a single one of them had reached 5 star level for me. Don’t get me wrong — there were plenty of excellent books in that mix and quite a few that, regardless of whether I rated them 4 or 4.5 stars, I still enjoyed greatly and even loved, but instinctually, somehow, they just didn’t feel like 5 star reads. Well, with I’d Give Anything, the newest novel by renowned author Marisa de los Santos, it looks like I have finally found my first 5 star read of the year!

In this beautifully written, heartfelt story, the close friendship between 4 high school seniors — Ginny, Kirsten, Gray, and CJ — is forever changed one night when a fire breaks out during a football game at their school. Gray’s father, a fire fighter, perishes in the fire and immediately, Gray’s 3 best friends are there for him, ready to support him through the tragedy. But then Ginny makes a devastating discovery about the fire, which she decides to keep from her 3 friends — this secret not only shatters Ginny’s world, it also ends up destroying their friendship. Over the next twenty years, Ginny gradually puts the past behind her, and after moving back to her hometown upon graduating from college, she builds a quiet life with her husband Harris and their teenage daughter Avery. When her husband becomes embroiled in a scandal at work, Ginny experiences turbulence in her carefully constructed life once again and as she tries to deal with the fallout from that scandal, she ends up coming face-to-face with the 20-year-old secret that she thought had been buried long ago.

For me, the best character-driven stories are the ones where nearly all of the characters (whether main or supporting) are realistically drawn in ways that make them relatable and easy to connect with — pretty much to the point that the characters feel like old friends whom I don’t want to part with even when the story is over. Ginny and Avery were characters I adored from the getgo and rooted for throughout the story — both were written in a way that felt so raw and real. It’s refreshing to read about characters whose experiences hew so closely to what many of us may encounter at different points in our lives — as I watched Ginny work through the various challenges she faced, not only with her family, but also with her friends, I recognized some of her struggles and was able to resonate on an emotional level. All the other characters, regardless of whether they only appeared for a few pages or were a constant throughout the entire story, were also well-developed and memorable. I also loved the way the various relationships were depicted in this story. We all know that, in real life, the complexities when it comes to relationships are endless – whether it’s family relationships, friendships, work relationships, or mere acquaintances -- there are so many nuances that are difficult to capture accurately in a fictional story. Yet this book does it -- and does it well!

This was a profound read that left me with much food-for-thought, not just as it pertains to relationships, but also life and its intricacies. It covers a lot of ground in its exploration of themes such as family, love, friendship, truth, regret, forgiveness, and so much more. One of the insights that stood out the most to me pertained to love and forgiveness, that both are not mutually exclusive of each other insofar as the inability to forgive someone for their actions does not preclude the ability to still love them and care deeply about them. The ending brought me close to tears, as did several other parts of the story.

I like the way Marisa de los Santos writes as well as the way she is able to tell such an emotionally nuanced story so effortlessly. I read this book in 2 sittings over the weekend, putting it down only once to tend to the necessities of life and then when I picked it up again, I didn’t want it to end. If there is anything to complain about with this book, it’s that I wish it had been longer (the ARC was less than 300 pages) so that I could spend more time with these characters. I’ve actually had several of this author’s works on my TBR for quite some time, but didn’t have a chance to get to any of them previously — well, now I will definitely be exploring her backlist while I wait patiently for her next book, whenever that may be.

Received ARC from William Morrow (HarperCollins) via Edelweiss.

De los Santos can do no wrong in my world, and her latest is no exception. This story was so rich and beautifully told, it made a perfect escapist read during these crazy times, I can't wait to share it.

I'd Give Anything by Marisa de los Santos is beautifully written, some sections are almost poetic. She gives an honest view of adult lives impacted by teenage turmoil.

This is the first of the author's novels that I didn't LOVE. This one wasn't as solid as her others. The story flashing from past to present was nice and gave a beautiful backstory, but it felt disjointed at times. All of the side stories didn't blend together seamlessly as her novels usually do. I felt there were unnecessary threads and side characters that didn't add to the story and left me confused. Particularly in regard to Ginny's husband's story. However as always, this author left me feeling satisfied and hopeful. She's so great at wrapping things up with hope, yet not making it unrealistic. The characters here are well developed and utterly human - another thing she excels at. Ultimately this is a novel about trust, secrets, forgiveness, and love of all kinds - family, romantic, and friendships - and how those relationships are affected by the decisions we make.

And while I didn't enjoy this as well as her other novels, I still liked it a great deal and highly recommend it for her fans, as well as readers of literary fiction and family dramas.

Marisa de los Santos writes in a way that brings me to tears. This book had me sobbing. I am not going to give away any spoilers and I almost wish that everyone could read this book like I did: just starting without any preconceived information other than knowing you are in good hands with this author! So good

I was so excited to be able to spend more time in Marisa de los Santos' world. Her characters are great and I love the detailed way she describes the world.

Part of the fun of Marisa de los Santos's novels is how she spends time describing the setting of her books, so if you're familiar with the area you feel like you're right there. We get to know her characters' quirks in similar detail and both are true for this novel.. Readers who enjoy YA and contemporary fiction will like this story. Seeing things from Avery's perspective and Ginny's perspective gives the story depth. There were elements that reminded me of Katherine Center and Amy Mason Doan novels I have read, so fans of those authors will enjoy this book.

What if a tragedy occurred during your high school years? And secrets only you knew, tore your 4-some of besties apart? And 20 years later, you are forced to face all those secrets? Are you ready to reopen those wounds? Especially when your 15-year old daughter wants the truth, too?

I’d Give Anything is the first book I’ve read by Marisa de Los Santos, even though many of her books are on my to-be-read list. Her storytelling captured my attention and kept me pulled in. It moved along well, the characters were believable, and I really wanted to meet these guys on the street, in person. My heart broke for Gray and Ginny, both going through their own tragedies, one unbeknownst to the other. This story hits on the importance of truth - to your friends, to your family, and yourself. It’s about being brave enough to search for truth and knowing when you know a person well enough to understand unspoken truths. And it’s about the harmful effects of secrets. I’d Give Anything is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year.

My only complaint about this book was that it was too short. I really wanted to spend more time with all of the characters. Now it's another long wait for the next book by Marisa de los Santos.

*Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Definitely one of my favorite de los Santos novels! A great cast of well-developed characters, incredible prose, and a plot that keeps on thickening. Though it is an adult novel, older HS students will also enjoy this.

I have always been a huge fan of de los Santos, but there was something disappointing about this novel. I think it was hard for me to relate to the part of the story that deals with the protagonist’s teen years and resulting angst.

I felt that it might be relatable for a YA audience. It lacked the heartwarming plot that I found in earlier novels.

Thank you Netgalley.