Review Wednesday: Two by Two by Nicholas Sparks

Title: Two by Two

Author: Nicholas Sparks
1st Date of Publication: October 4, 2016

ISBN: 9781455520695
# of Pages: 485

Genre: Adult Romance/Contemporary

Age Rating: 15+

Buy on Amazon 

Book Description:

At 32, Russell Green has it all: a stunning wife, a lovable six year-old daughter, a successful career as an advertising executive and an expansive home in Charlotte. He is living the dream, and his marriage to the bewitching Vivian is the center of that. But underneath the shiny surface of this perfect existence, fault lines are beginning to appear...and no one is more surprised than Russ when he finds every aspect of the life he took for granted turned upside down. In a matter of months, Russ finds himself without a job or wife, caring for his young daughter while struggling to adapt to a new and baffling reality. Throwing himself into the wilderness of single parenting, Russ embarks on a journey at once terrifying and rewarding—one that will test his abilities and his emotional resources beyond anything he ever imagined.


Setting: Charlotte, NC, in 2015
Point of View: 1st person- Russel Green

Goodreads Rating: 3.90

My Rating: 4.25

 

Part of the Book that Caught My Attention: Both

View on the Cover: I'm going to assume that the girl and the man are father and daughter since the girl seems to like the man enough to dance with her. I absolutely think that it is adorable.
View on Title: Does it mean taking steps in life?

Pros:

•  The characters are extremely relatable and truly make their roles shine.
• Russ is a great representation of a man who is grateful for what he has but struggles to follow his dreams while providing for his family. He is extremely perseverant and strong when his world comes crashing down.
• Vivian is extremely vicious even manipulative. It's easy to tell that she's spoiled and she won't listen to reason unless it gets her what she wants. She really only seemed to be more interested in money than anything else other than seeing London on weekends. I have never been so disgusted by a character until I read this novel.
• London is a prime example of pure innocence. All she cares about is being loved while loving in return. She's adventurous and independent. It was difficult waiting for the moment when she would find out about her parents.
• Emily was obvious the new love interest and she is the complete opposite of Vivian. She understands Russ's situation and becomes the friend he relies on for support. Plus, her son, Bodhi, is really cute and loves his time with London.
• This novel deals with a lot of issues that occur in today's world.
• Cheating, separation, and divorce are the main social problem shown throughout this novel. All three of these are extremely heartbreaking to witness especially after being with someone for a decade and had children. These are things that continue to occur in society more and more. The writer himself recently divorced his wife of 26 years and had 5 children with her.
• The balance between work, family, and following your dreams is another key social issue. It is a big part of the reason why Russ loses his wife while learning how to be a single father. It's something that is becoming even more prevalent in the world today.
• LBGT is seen in this novel, too. Russ's older sister is married and in love with a woman named Liz. Russ's entire family is very loving and accepting of her.
• And, of course, death is an important one. Nicholas Sparks loves to have at least one character in each book who either die or on the verge of death. Cancer is also under this category. It is seen through Russ's mother who has a constant fear that Russ's father is getting the "cancer" even though the "cancer" runs through her genes.
• This novel was really hard to put down. The pacing was perfect and keeps the reader on their toes. Part of this has to do with foreshadowing at the end of each chapter that is vague but makes you want to read until you get to the end.

Cons:

• The separation between Russ and Vivian along with the fight for London seemed to be enough for the storyline. I felt that the other "bomb" that had been dropped in the middle to end of the book was unnecessary. It just seems that Nicholas Sparks takes pleasure in making his readers feel even worse while reading this novel.

Nicholas Sparks's Website:

http://www.nicholassparks.com/

Other Recommendations:

The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks
Beautiful Oblivion by Jamie McGuire
My Skylar by Penelope Ward