2.5 stars

This is the first book that I have read from this author. The first few chapters were throwing me off to where I almost didn’t want to finish the story because I was unable to connect with the characters but I’m glad that I did. As a whole Sarah did a good job of telling the story of marriage, relationships and family.

Anne thinks that she has found the love of her life when she is in high school ( don’t we all ). When her an her boyfriend go off to collage, that’s when everything happens to take a turn. She then meets a guy named Holden and is the love of her life? There were some plot twists that were shocking and I don’t understand why the author did it. I don’t think it really fit into the story.

I’m not sure what else to say, the cover looks amazing and I thought that it story was going to be the same but… the plot twists that happen I couldn’t get behind.

"Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review."

Loved this book very much. It had just enough sweet, sexy romance and the storyline was great! I highly recommend!

I was provided an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Because You're the Love of My Life is the story of Annie, who thinks she has found the love of her life in high school, when she is in a relationship with Seth. When they separate for college, their relationship changes and they part ways. Life goes on and Annie find the love of her life in Holden, but is he really?

I wanted to love this novel and I don't know if it was something with the translation but the personalities of the characters did not come across and I felt they were flat. The end of the book was shocking and not remotely happy, it left me angry and sad.

I almost stopped reading this book because it was so hard to get into the writing at the beginning. It sounded immature & like I wouldn’t be able to relate. However, I’m so glad I continued. The narrator’s voice matured along with the story. There were a few odd pieces (unpredictable time jumps, unlikeable choices, some characters who didn’t seem well-developed), but generally I liked the story and the writing was engaging. Sometimes the author tended to ramble unnecessarily, but I could overlook it for the story. It definitely addressed a wide range of true life experiences; I’m sure everyone could find something that speaks to them in it.

At first I struggled getting into this title, but as always with every book, I'm a stick it out kind of gal and with this title I am SO glad I did. The second half was incredible, fast paced and kept surprising me. Would definitely recommend this title and so glad I was able to thanks to Netgalley!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The cover is what got me, but the book not so much. Honestly, its not a bad book. There is nothing wrong with it at all. Really, its a good story and its well written. But, BUT I feel like its a little like "Been there, done that". There wasn't any new idea or new material. I finished it because it wasn't awful. It was just a book I have read before

This book was hard to read because the characters were hard to connect with. I didn't really care about Annie the way I wanted to. I feel like the translation could have been better, and that would have had a huge impact.

At the end of this book, I was really left unsure about how to feel. Through the whole read I kept waiting for something to happen, a plot twist, a shocking situation... anything! But by the end of the read I just wondered to myself what the point of the story was. The trigger situations were skirted over and felt somewhat irrelevant.

The read follows Annie through her journey from first love to college romance to marriage and starting a family.

I loved her romance with Holden but quickly lost interest when the book would skip large chunks of time between chapters. Time jumped happened constantly in the book, and for seemingly no reason at all the than to further the story along quicker.

I rated this read 3/5 because it did have its tender moments, spark between characters and some heavy topics but just fell so flat for me.

Corine and Annie were Juniors and their boyfriends Seth and Taylor were Seniors in HS. The girls had been in the same class since Jr High but had become close friends because of their boyfriends who had been friends since kindergarten. For the first time Seth would see Annis in a dress, heavy makeup, and four inch heels. They had been together for six months and Seth knew her in jeans and a tee shirt. Anie never wore more than eyeliner, lip gloss and earrings with her jeans and tee shirt. Seth and Annie were world champion kissers and kissed as often as they could wherever they could. It suckede Seth would be leaving for college once the summer was over. But it was only a two and a half hour drive and once Annie graduated HS she would be an hour closer to Seth as she wanted to go to the University Of Washington in Seattle/UW, Annie wanted to study biology. Annie and Seth hadn’t slept together as Annie wanted to wait for the perfect moment. The situation with Annie’s family was difficult. Annie connected better with her dad even though he wasn’t home much. Annie was excited when Seth came home that weekend from college and had decided this was the time for them yet when it came down to it she was in a defensive position and Seth left and went back to college that night without another word to Annie. When Annie talked to Seth he said he was staying at college for a while and not coming home until he thought things through but he wasn’t breaking up with her. Annie’s mother told her she was an energy thief stealing her energy since she was born and ruby-Annie’s mother- was done with that. Annie took off to corines but Colin -Corines brother answered the door and held her in his arms then kissed her. The next day Annie tried to avoid Colin but he stopped her and apologized for the kiss and said they were still friends. Annie called Seth early in the morning and told him Colin had kissed her then he said he had got drunk and made out with another girl then they broke up. Annie didn’t do well at her interview for UW but aced the one and got into Harvard with a full scholarship. Then Annie’s sophomore year of college she met Grace at a dorm party who became her best friend and roommate - they got an apartment spring semester of their sophomore year. Annie was no longer a virgin she had lost her virginity freshman year when she thought she was in love but she wasn’t. Then Annie went to a baseball game with grace and saw holden who was the shortstop but he broke his leg. Then he seen Annie at the pharmacy when she was constipated and after Holden sent her a friend request on FB and then they chatted for a while and Holden asked her out to dinner. Grace drove as Holden couldn’t with his broke leg. Soon Annie and Holden became a couple.
I really liked this book in the beginning but about one fourth of the way through I wanted more. It started dragging for me and I had mixed feelings by the time I was done. I didn’t care for the ending at all. I like a happy ending for the most part especially in a romance. I thought by the title there would be a love of someone’s life and I was actually hoping Seth and Annie got back together and had their HEA. But wasn’t to be. I did really enjoy Corines and Annie’s relationship as well as Grace and Annie’s relationship. I didn’t like how Holden let his mother treat Annie that was his wife. Also he didn’t even try to compromise with Annie in her desire to travel. I was just disappointed but that’s on me. I also hated what happened with Holden. Anyway as you can tell i had mixed feelings but I at least finished reading this.

Because You're The Love of My Life is a very raw and intoxicating story about a young woman's path to find love. The story is told through the eyes and ears of Annie, as she graduates high school, goes to college, finds love and gets married. We are able to see her development as a young girl to a suffering woman. The book starts with her and her boyfriend Seth, her high school sweetheart the guy she believe she would spend the rest of her days with. That is until he graduates, he moves and they end up breaking up.

Through her pain, Annie ends up in Boston attending Harvard when she meets Holden. They start a whirlwind of a romance, get married, loose a child, and are about to get a divorce. The story narrates their life together, as they meet and as they become toxic for each other. As the troubles of marriage get too much for both of them and Annie decides to take a job in Seattle thinking that time apart will do them good. However, during that time apart Annie meets with Seth, her high school lover and they end up having sex. As Annie tells the truth to Holden she begs her to come home, which she does having realized the love of her life is Holden not Seth. However, the author throws out a (in my opinion) unnecessary plot twist and kills Holden through a terrorist attack in Boston. Cliche I know. It doesn't end there though because soon she finds out she is pregnant with Holden's daughter.

The story is sweet and in some parts makes you swoon. However, I feel as it is a plot we have hear and read before. The plot twists are relatively common and in my genuine opinion not necessary. There was too much angst and anger, many problems that go unresolved and the main issue of her always feeling unloved goes unresolved and instead the story focuses on the toxic love story that forms and dissipates after she cheats on him.

The ending is also unnecessary because the author builds us up giving us so much hate from the main characters and when everything finally is supposed to be resolved she just kills him. Making us feel that the whole climatic experience honestly wasn't worth it.

The writing is good, although at times it may be a little too much of Annie's thought process and as I wasn't really connecting with her and her feelings towards people it wasn't really enjoyable at time. I also feel the story goes by too quick, it doesn't breathe as things get thrown at us.

Overall I believe the author does write good, and she had a right idea for where to send the story. If this was my first read in this genre I would have liked it more, but it isn't and hence I don't appreciate it as much.

-- 2 stars --

Annie has longed to feel those butterflies in in tummy and be with the love of her life. She thought she found him senior year of high school. Things just didn't work out that way until she met Holden. Holden is a college baseball player who gets injured during the game Annie watched. Holden and Annie start to build a life together. First, she finally admits to loving him and moves in with him. It takes Holden awhile for Annie to trust him. He's patient. Over time, things change. They take each other for granted--move apart emotionally. But they still love each other. 

Annie is offered a job back home in Seattle. She thinks this is what they need to get back on track. Space especially after they both just suffered a tragedy together. Instead of this tragedy bringing them closer together--it pulls them further apart. Annie runs into her high school sweetheart, Seth. 

Holden asks her to return home. Yet another tragedy strikes. She realizes how deeply she cares for Holden. 

I cried so much reading this. Forewarning: at least one --maybe two boxes of tissues. This novel does NOT have a HEA.

Damn you Sarah Kleck you broke me and made me cry a hot mess with this book. It was a wonderful good book that kept me on my toes and had me begging you to let me out of my misery, but in all honesty I wanted you to keep me going with it because the talent you put into this book was phenomenal. One of the best books I have read of 2018!

The story sounded so good and full of romance. But sadly it just did not deliver. I did find it hard to get into this book. Admittedly it was the cover that also attracted me to it.
I just couldn't find this story plausible.
Thank you to EsKay Publishing and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest unbiased review.

This is the first book I read from the author, Sarah Klek, I really like the cover and that was the reason I started reading the book. It is the story of Annie’s love life and all the struggles she goes through in her life, that is not far from reality and it is a story of so many women. I struggled a bit with her character though and found this book not very different from all the others out there. At the same time there are two sentences that I highlighted and even copied in my notebook that I would like to share:
“It’s only too late when you’ve given up on yourself”
“We become who we are through the choices we make”
No matter what, there is always something you can learn reading a book. Thank you Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book and allowing me to read it.

1.5
“It’s beautiful that you exist”. Gag. Do people actually say things like that? No one I know does, thank God. That aside, it was an ok story. Annie is an ok character. I did finish it so it wasn’t that bad. What happens to Holden is not something I want to read about in my fiction, especially being from Boston. As for the next surprise - could see that from a mile away...

The writing was fine. I think that I’m too old for this story so please try it for yourself.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and EsKay Publishing for a copy in exchange for a review.

This book was laugh out funny. But at the same time showed me a growth to each character. Going from negative to positive. Or making a negative into a positive. It's an recount of a woman's struggles through various stages of her life. The pace and shift varies throughout the book. If you don’t mind that then this will be your ideal read.
Thank you Netgalley for the eBook for an honest review.

This plot was heavy in romance without being mushy or unrealistic. The couples face real life relationship “issues” and highs and lows that make up every relationship; Romaric or otherwise. There were passages of time that were covered with details so you didn’t feel you missed anything but didn’t drown you in unnecessary details for pages. This was a good, easy read.

A story of one woman's struggle, not natter how hard life gets, I just found it difficult to connect with Annie (the main character) at times. Overall, I enjoyed it so if you like stories about loss, love and discovering who you are then this is worth a read.

"How do you recognize the love of your life? Do you have butterflies in your stomach? Do you see showers of sparks and fireworks as soon as he steps into the room ? Or, is your big love composed of something quieter?"

This is a love story that's told by Annie about her love life starting in high school. The story starts off about Annie and her boyfriend Seth, who is a year older than her. A little while later in the college years, Annie meets Holden.

I recommend picking this book up and reading about Annie and Holden. You won't be disappointed!

This was a great story about love, loss, and figuring out who you are. I really enjoyed Sarah Kleck's writing style and the characters she created, especially Holden!

#BytLoMl #NetGalley

I got this book off of Netgalley for the cover alone. I was sold (it doesn’t take much for me LOL). And while it wasn’t too awful of a read, it’s just another book like all of the others out there. Medicore angst, a conflicted heroine, and a plot that was just the same as at least ten other books I have read in the past.

This was translated from German to English and while I thought that would be a struggle for me to read, it wasn’t. The writing wasn’t awful and the translating was even better.

*spoiler-ish*

This is also a book that contains cheating in the most un-justifiable way. Any one who knows me, knows I loathe when a book does this. I felt so sick when I read what Annie did and why she did it. It made zero sense to me and it was the most random aspect of this entire story-line. When an author does this for shock factor, I lose all interest.

I just had a really hard time with Annie. I struggled to like her and I struggled to support her in any way. I struggled with her personality and I struggled to not roll my eyes at her every single time I turned the page. Not to mention that the end of this story is the most famous of all cop-outs and I hate when an author randomly throws this thing in. Like, really?……..

And when it happened, I wasn’t even sad, not in the least bit. I think that is because I wasn’t invested in either of these people. They weren’t very three dimensional and I never seen their growth as characters. They basically stay very dull the entire way through.

Chalking this one up as a “pretty cover/poor plot and female lead” read. Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read it.