I enjoyed my time with this book. It was a different read than I expected but I still had a good time!

I didn't realize this was based off of a play and found myself feeling a little confused the whole time I was reading. The separate stories were cute; I was just expecting something totally different with this book.

As a Mainer, I've seen this show several times. For me, almost all of the charm has been sucked out of it by rendering it as a novel. I was not impressed.

I really wanted to enjoy this version but it kind of fell flat for me. I LOVED reading and seeing the play by John Cariani and was excited to see it in a novel format. I just didn't love the writing style but I very much recognize that I have emotional ties to the play version. The story itself is super cute and charming but I couldn't get past the writing in this novel specifically. I would still give this a shot if you are in the mood for something romantic and a little bit cheesy in the style of "Let it Snow" from John Green, Lauren Myracle & Maureen Johnson.

Almost, Maine was an interesting dynamic of separate stories, characters, and types of love intertwined into one town, one story.

Each chapter brought a new couple of characters' story, and a new type of love. There was new love, found love, fading love, startling love, stranger love, platonic love, and many more types as these ten stories came together in this small town of Almost, Maine.

Though not the most fast paced or exciting read, I was pleased to find out that even though new characters were the leads in every chapter, I didn't feel confused, wondering who they were. They were immediately introduced, and well, too, so I never found myself confused.

I would recommend this book for people who enjoy short stories, diverse types of love, but aren't looking for a particularly adventurous read.

Almost, Maine is a sweet set of love stories that all take place in the small town of Almost. It's based on a play of the same name that is very popular with high school drama clubs. I was not too familiar with the play, but had heard a lot of good things about it. Overall, this is a very sweet and touching Valentine's Day style read. It has a lot of different love stories that I think will appeal to a lot of teens, especially those who have performed the play. It is also very atmospheric, to the point where the town almost feels like a character too. My biggest complaint is that I didn't connect with the writing style. There was a lot of telling and a lot of "And" and "But" starting sentences. While not my style, I will recommend to readers looking for a sweet romantic read.

I really liked the concept of this but found the prose to be distanced and hard to commit to. I didn’t hate this while reading it, but also viewed reading it as more of a challenge than a source of enjoyment. I am certain this book has a group of readers that will love it, I am just not part of that group.

In "Almost, Maine" John Cariani crafts an inclusive love story through a series of interconnected events in a town dappled by the beauty of the Northern Lights. On a single, magical night marriages come together or fall apart, friendships prove to be something more, first love arises in all of its complications, and old masks are set aside for new adventures. If you need something to take your mind off of your troubles, this is a great escape!

I thoroughly enjoyed the young adult novelization of Almost Maine. It is refreshingly simple in its storylines and messages about love. In a world where plot can be overcomplicated by love triangles and dystopian conflicts, it is nice to know that there are still stories about relationships as simple as a man and his ex meeting at a bar at her bachelorette party. The script, while wonderful for actual performances, is not nearly as accessible as this novel is to the general public. I would give it four out of five stars, only withholding the last star for repeat plot points. I definitely recommend getting a copy, either through your local library or bookstore, when March 31st rolls around.

Almost, Maine is one of those books you start to read and you get hooked from the very start. With great characters and a magical story, it's definitely a hit from the first chapter.

My son was in this play a few years back. He played Lendall. I loved the play and was so excited to see the play adapted into a book. I was afraid it would be written like a script, but to my delight, it was written as a regular novel. The story is quirky, funny, magical, and sweet, just like I remember from the play. I highly recommend reading this heartwarming book and also, if given the chance, see the play.

** I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Something wonderful happens in Almost. Maine that leads to couples either realizing love or falling out of it. The wonderful thing that may or may not have happened in Almost. I admit that I read this book because of being in a production of the play version of the story. It was one of the happiest memories of college theatre that I have. This brought all that back and then some. I enjoyed reading what John Cariani's views of the characters were and how it transformed itself into a book. I would recommend this to those who want some vignettes of love that can happen to us. I would not recommend this to anyone about to be in a production of Almost, Maine. It limits in a way that theatre does not quite survive.

However, for those who feel better to read stories in books, I will recommend it. I loved the pieces of Ginnette and Pete that come along with every chapter and little telling of the other's stories. The pieces, or vignettes, always feel like pieces and not part of a larger story, like books usually do. It's definitely for those who are fans of small parts of stories that take place in one location.