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

Review Wednesday: Good Boy by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy

*This is a book meant for adults due to some inappropriate content for people younger than 18.*

Title: Good Boy

Author: Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy
1st Date of Publication: December 28, 2016

ISBN: 9781942444312
# of Pages: 282

Genre: New Adult

Age Rating: 17+ (Sexual Content and Language)

Buy on Amazon 

Book Description:
Hosting her brother’s wedding for an MVP guest list is the challenge of Jess Canning’s life. Already the family screw-up, she can’t afford to fail. And nobody - absolutely nobody! - can learn of the colossal mistake she made with the best man during a weak moment last spring. It was wrong, and there will not be a repeat. Absolutely not. Even if he is the sexiest thing on two legs.

Blake Riley sees the wedding as fate’s gift to him. Jess is the maid of honor, and he’s the best man? Let the games begin. So what if he’s facing a little (fine, a lot) of resistance? He just needs to convince the stubborn blonde that he’s really a good boy with a bad rap. Luckily, every professional hockey player knows that you’ve got to make an effort if you want to score.

But Jess has more pressing issues to deal with than sexy-times with a giant man-child. Such as: Will the ceremony start on time, even though someone got grandma drunk? Does glitter ever belong at a wedding? And is it wrong to murder the best man?


Setting: Starts in California, but mostly in Toronto, Ontario (Canada)
Point of View: 1st person- Jessica Canning and Blake Riley

Goodreads Rating: 4.12

My Rating: 3.75

 

Part of the Book that Caught My Attention: Cover

View on the Cover: Can I please have 5 of those dogs and that man, please?
View on Title: It seems a little demeaning if this is for a person, but if it's for a dog then it sounds like a cute tale.

Pros:

• The main female lead, Jess Canning, should be a comfort to a lot of people. She hasn't really done anything in her life and she hasn't really found her knack for something. She feels like a failure when it comes to seeing her other five brothers and sisters with their successes. She just wants to be able to say that she didn't depend on her parents for her success.
• She is very strong as she doesn't run away or give up while she is in nursing school and continues to fight even through uncertainty.
• This book really concentrates on hockey, and the way the characters act in this is exactly how I have seen hockey games. People act a little crazy at these games and try to encourage the players to play a little too rough.
• The novel states the LGBT issues by showing Jess's little brother, Jamie, get married to one of the hockey players, Wesley, at the beginning of the book. Their relationship is seen throughout the novel.

Cons:

• I wasn't a fan of Blake Riley's character at all. He's very immature and the way he acts reminds me of a high school student.
• In general, I did not like the writing style because it felt like there was there were two different writing styles happening at the same time. This is probably because there are two different authors who wrote this book.

Sarina Bowen's Website:
http://www.sarinabowen.com/

Elle Kennedy's Website:
http://ellekennedy.com/

Other Recommendations:

Slave to Love by Julie A. Richman
Fighting to Breathe by Aurora Rose Reynolds
Ladies Man by Katy Evans