The concept of the book is amazing and everything I’ve ever wanted. It hits close to home for me in some aspects and makes me sit in some of my biggest fears (watching someone I love in a state where they can’t communicate with me the way they used to). But I just didn’t love the writing.

Jaclyn Garver paints a beautiful picture with her writing. The descriptive flow of her writing gives a perfect view of the scenes. I almost feel like I was there. Unfortunately, it also results in the book going extremely slow.

Then, Again tells the story of a woman, Asha, whose husband, Charlie, has been in comatose state for over a year. When her ex-boyfriend/first love, Jason, moves back into town she is torn between her devotion to her husband and the feelings that she still has for Jason. Each chapter alternates between past times with Jason and Charlie and present time.

I finished 40% of the book and while I got a full run down of Jason and Asha’s past, I failed to reach the point where they had met in present time. While I grasped the excitement of first loves, I was NOT in love with Jason. After reading so far without forward movement, I was not invested in them reconnecting.

I do think the book is very true to life. It’s not always exciting with big plot twists. The characters simply did not speak to me.

This books had me conflicted. It’s split between a current narrative-which was the part of the story I enjoyed and wanted to continue reading and then flashbacks to the past and the history of the narrator’s relationship from middle school through high school with her then boyfriend Jason which was so toxic and contrived and those chapters made me want to DNF the book. The chapters about Asha losing her husband Charlie to a brain aneurysm and having him languish in a coma for a year and how that felt and how does she move on were compelling and interesting. How she navigates her religious sister in law I loved. Dipping her toe into dating I could have read more about but the story line about a controlling middle school boyfriend didn’t feel at all realistic. I have both a middle schooler and a high schooler and relationships are just not as she characterized. This read like an unhealthy 20 year old relationship.

I LOVED this book so much! Such a fun read and opened up thoughts about how I would be in a smiliar situation.

This book speaks volumes. Asha’s first love story, the difficulties and the beauty of her first love were captured and told in detail, creating ripples of feelings in the reader.

The author has written a book where the details are so thorough that you can imagine the scenes should it turn into a movie. All the characters are people who you would meet in real life - the best friend, the judgemental sister-in-law, the first love you’ll never forget, and most importantly the love of a father that people often miss.

It’s a book that’s different from other romance books. It is a book not to be missed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advanced digital copy of this book.

Asha has endured the worst year of her life since her husband, Charlie suffered an aneurism, putting him in a coma. Though he is alive, there is no part of the loving, outgoing, and generous spirit remaining in the Charlie-shaped shell at the rehab facility. While she has a small but mighty support system, Asha finds herself going through the motions trying to sort the pieces of her shattered life. A message from her first love (childhood friend, first boyfriend, first kiss, first… everything), Jason brings to the forefront some strong and complicated feelings, leaving Asha trying to reconcile her past with her present.

Then, Again was a devastating yet hopeful story of grief and love, of joy and heartbreak, and of holding on and letting go. Told in a dual timeline, the reader is brought on a journey following the two great love stories of Asha’s life- her now, and her before.

While I was truly invested in Asha’s romantic relationships with both Charlie and Jason, what pulled at my heartstrings the most were the bonds she shared with her best friend and her father. The genuine love and support they gave to Asha no matter the circumstances felt genuine and raw, and literally had me aww-ing out loud on more than one occasion.

While I was thoroughly engaged throughout this novel, I can honestly say that I wanted more at the end. I’m not always a fan of an epilogue, but in this case, I think I could be reduced to begging in order to get one. Please? Pretty please? (Insert pouty lip face here.)

This was my first read by this author, but it certainly won’t be my last. Ms. Garver wrote characters who were dynamic and diverse and a story that was emotional and thought-provoking. Kudos!

This was a book I typically wouldn’t pick up, but I am so glad I did. I enjoyed it immensely! A five star read!

Wow!! What a beautiful book! I was so taken back by this one. It was so wonderfully written. It pulled all the heartstrings and was so honest and true. Well done!