Cover Image: This Is Not How It Ends

This Is Not How It Ends

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Member Reviews

Check out my in-depth Q&A Elevator Ride Interview with one of my favorite authors, Rochelle B. Weinstein. Get all the exclusives and behind-the-scenes moments, as well as fun facts about, THIS IS NOT HOW IT ENDS, and this multi-talented and gifted author.

No one writes “love” stories and tackles highly charged topics better than Rochelle! What a great way to kick off the new year. Set aside the time because once you start reading, you will not be able to put it down. 😎

"Poignant, compelling, emotional, and captivating!

A powerful love story—my favorite since Nicholas Sparks' The Notebook! I would love to see a movie based on the book!" 🎬 (please film in Islamorada). When I discovered the setting was in Islamorada and a bonus —my two favorite restaurants— (Morada Bay and Pierre's) —I was over-the-moon. I was a local and lived in the Keys for several years, and this was a slice of heaven—my favorite spot. (more below on this)

I fell in love with Rochelle's stunning lyrical prose beginning with Where We Fall (Top Books of 2016). I could not wait to read her first two novels—The Mourning After and What We Leave Behind (once again, mesmerizing). Then last year, she wowed us with the emotionally charged Somebody's Daughter (Top Books of 2018). I have been an avid fan since!

A highly anticipated modern love story, THIS IS NOT HOW IT ENDS is beautifully written (and a "to die for" fabulous cover)! 💕

You will fall in love with Ben, Philip, and Charley (and Sunny). It isn't easy to put into words or adequately convey the true meaning of this extraordinary book. This is not the usual love triangle. It is so much more.

Oh, and that "letter". . . . AHHHHH moment. After reading there will be NO dry eyes. (more on this included in the interview)

Rich in character and place, Rochelle is a master storyteller, and she knocked this one "out of the park!" A must-read for 2020.

Her BEST yet!
* The novel will change you.
* Will make you think and feel.
* You will cry tears of sorrow and joy.
* Unique and memorable in many ways.
* A glowing 5 STARS
* My Top Books of 2020.

What an evocative setting for an exquisite love story.🥰🌴 Thank you, for writing this beautiful story. Rochelle, you were born to write, and your passion is reflective throughout.

If you enjoy authors: Jodi Picoult, T. Greenwood, Diane Chamberlain, Emily Giffin, Patti Callahan Henry, Nicholas Sparks, Charles Martin, Richard Paul Evans, Colleen Hoover, Sally Hepworth, and Catherine Ryan Hyde— you are assured to fall in love with this spellbinding novel and Rochelle's signature style.

If you have not read her books, I highly recommend. She is not afraid to tackle highly-charged emotional topics and balances them with compassion, heart, with a strong sense of place and well-developed memorable characters.

I hope you enjoy THIS IS NOT HOW IT ENDS, as much as I did!

#JDCMustReadBooks

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If Charlotte had known her life was going to take a sharp turn she would have taken a shortcut with Sunny- her dog. Sunny was a gift from Philip but he mostly didn’t like Philip. Charlotte had went to the store for honey. Sunny let a little boy pet him. After the boy and man went down the aisle Sunny was tugging Charlotte toward Lucille, who was handing out a sample cups with a morning snack in it. She said” C’Mon Sunny” even though the little boy who had pet Sunny reached for his throat. The boy's father was nowhere in sight. The boy fell to the ground, his backpack crumpling beside him. The next sixty seconds were in a blur, his dad turned the corner. The shiny metal bracelet on the boys wrist screamed emergency. Severe allergies. . his father pulled out an EpiPen, his fingers trembled as he ripped the top off. Charlotte was on the floor next to him, but suddenly the man went stiff. Charlotte ripped the EpiPen out of his hand while the man cradled his son’s head. She jabbed the EpiPen against the little boys thigh and heard the snick of the needle. Than the boy came to. The man held him saying Jimmy. Than Charlotte said Jimmy needs to go to the hospital encase he needed another injection. That’s when she noticed her bare finger. The ring Philip had just given her was gone. The man noticed she was looking for something and found her diamond ring. Than the boy was taken on the stretcher but he asked if she and the dog would come with him. She said no as she knew Philip would be arriving from LA on the redeye he had taken and be at her house. But Sunny pulled her and she let him. She thought oh Jimmy innocent and fresh-faced like some of her former students. Soon she was inside the vehicle, her and Sunny riding to the hospital with Jimmy and his father. Philip had often told her how they first met. He calls it a combination of fate and circumstance. Charlotte chuckles because it was really the result of equipment change in one of the country's busiest airports. Charlotte was flying back from Kansas City that afternoon. They had to take a different plane she had a seat in row thirteen, knowing the suspicion. Than Philip came down the aisle arguing with the flight attendant and he was angry
knowing the suspicion. Than Philip came down the aisle arguing with the flight attendant and he was angry. He had a first class ticket that was dissolved into economy and nothing could be done it was a smaller plane. The older woman in the aisle seat offered Philip her seat, maybe he’d have more room but Philip told her, he’d never make a lovely woman give up her seat for him. Than he was buying both Charlotte and Margaret- the older woman- drinks. Than Philip was flirting with Charlotte and admitted it. When he asked Charlotte she said she taught Honor’s english to H S students. Charlotte was thirty and figured Philip was probably forty maybe more. Charlotte also said she avoided romantic commitments Philip said he wasn’t good at modern dating. After they landed Philip walked with her than he handed Charlotte a card if she ever wanted to talk about her student’s thesis again. Charlotte answered a text from Philip while at the hospital saying she’d be home soon. An hour later Philip texted again and she didn’t respond. After last night’s conversation she was sure she owed him a response and tucked her phone back in her bag. Ben - Jimmy’s father- called her name and told Charlotte she had saved Jimmy’s life. She asked how she knew and she pulled out her own EpiPen and said her poison was almonds. She then told him she was cured she carried an EpiPen out of habit. She then gave him a card and said when he opened it, call Dr. Scot Liberty. Charlotte had always had a problem with connection. It had never been easy for Charlotte. Trust was a factor and she already decided already early on that marriage probably wasn’t in the cards. Than she noticed Philip talking to a beautiful blonde woman she’d seen him talking to earlier. She was out with her mother for her birthday celebration. She’d invited Daniel to shut her mother up. As they were going to leave she leaned over to give daniel a kiss even though she knew her and Daniel weren’t going anywhere even though he wanted to and than Philip seen her and walked over and invited them to join his table. Than Charlotte found out the beautiful woman was Philip’s sister. Philip said he knew he was going to see her again. He also told she was an interesting woman. She had thought Philip was someone she could let in and love. She had grown but they hadn’t.
This book just isn't for me. It dragged for me. For me . I didn't like going back and forth between past and present. I just couldn’t get into this book. It didn’t hold my interest. I am sure others will love it

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Yes, I was in tears at the end of this book. I would be surprised if someone was not in tears at the end of this book. I love a happy ending. It was just the book I needed to start the new year.

I did figure out what was happening very early on but that did not distract at all from the story. I think it added a bit of an ominous feeling. You had to hope it was going the way that you wanted it to.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone wanting a good cry.

Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union for a copy of this book.

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Charlotte has a mistrust for men abandoning her thanks to her father so she keeps her distance emotionally. That is, until she meets Phillip on a plane. For some reason, he seems difference. He is just as infatuated with her as she is with him. With promises to make her happy beyond her wildest dreams, she moves with him to Islamorado, near the Florida Keys. Once there, his traveling goes into high gear but when he is home, he is hers.
Circumstances begin to change as Phillip is gone more and more and Ben is there for her. Charlotte has had a lot of heartache in her life but she dealing but nothing can prepare her for the next big blow. The heartbreak, reconciliation with her father, and Ben and Jimmy leaving the island. How much can a girl take? How does it really end? This is my first book that I have read by Ms. Weinstein. She has created a story that you can connect with the characters and feel the good times and the bad times. Thanks to Ms. Weinstein, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

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My first book of 2020, and if it this is what books are like this year, it's going to be a good one.

Charlotte and Philip have a (somewhat stereotypical) meet cute on an airplane while sitting in economy, and start a romantic relationship that will alter both of their lives. And writing it like this makes it sound cliche, but that's not what this is. It's a really good book, which I couldn't put down, about your childhood and trauma and how it really can shape who people love and what people need or want from relationships.

Without giving too much away, make sure you keep the tissue box handy for the last quarter of this book, and be prepared to be unavailable for a day or two so you can focus on immersing yourself in these characters and their stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. It has not influenced my opinion.

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A wonderful novel about what it takes to open yourself up to love, hope, despair and forgiveness. Charlotte is a character that you will cheer for as you watch her grow into a confident person who figures out what she wants and goes for it.

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A truly heart wrenching and heart warming story. Charlotte and Phillip meet and quickly fall in love. Living in an idyllic part of Florida life seems truly wonderful. Phillip then seems to be away more and leaving Charlotte doubting their relationship and starting to fall for single father Ben and his adorable son. I loved this story. All characters were likeable and the description made you feel the sand beneath your feet and the wonderful Florida sun. A gripping read.

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Solid. Then Waterfall. I’ve heard a lot of friends talking about this book for a few months, and even though I had it already there were always more pressing deadlines, so I didn’t actually manage to read it until release day. And damn. For the first 2/3 ish of this book, it is solid but on par with the level expected from Lake Union Publishing – a high ish standard already, as they’ve never once let me down and given me a subpar book. But then you get to the last 1/3 ish of this text and suddenly your eyes are effectively waterfalls for the next 100 pages or so. And I began to see why so many friends were praising this book so highly. Truly excellent work, and very much recommended.

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I received an ARC from NetGalley and I have to say this book was a surprise. Reading about the book, I was expecting the relationship between Charlotte and Philip but the book has so much more depth. It was the depth that captured my attention and made the book different from others. I don't want to tell you the different things that made the depth of the book because I hope you can discover them on your own as I did. The description of the book enticed me to read it, the things going on that made the depth made me enjoy the book even more and then when Charley visited TINHIE it brought the book home for me. It wasn't a rollercoaster ride but a fast-paced, keep you reading a book. I am not saying too much about the book because the nicest part of reading it is all the things woven together. When I got to a part, I said the title is This is not how it ends and the title was perfect. I think you will love it as I did.

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I. Could. Not. Put. Down. This. Book. I neglected family for this book. I read it in one day. No one got dinner and I’m not even sorry.

This Is Not How It Ends was amazing. The magnetism in this book is felt by the reader. The love and frustrations between Charlotte and Philip, the attraction brewing between Charlotte and Ben, every single emotion and thought. They are written as if you are a proverbial fly on the wall.

To be honest, I normally despise reading about even the remote possibility of infidelity by main characters. But in this book, Rochelle B. Weinstein shows you every side of the story. She reveals to you the weaknesses, the longing, the heartbreaking desire someone doesn’t even realize they have.

I loved each and every character in this book for who they were and I miss them as if I knew them. Definitely a must read.

I received an advanced copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

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An emotional story about relationships, serendipity, and how life and time change how we feel about those we love. The characters are beautifully flawed and therefore believable. The story is told in two timelines, showing how Charlotte meets Philip, and how past events shape their present-day love. The second timeline is the present-day and features several serendipitous events, including the drama when Charlotte meets Ben and his son.

The storytelling is engaging and the writing style easy to read but full of hidden meanings. This story is a fusion of literary fiction and romance.

I received a copy of this book from Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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What a beautiful story of love! Though it is filled with grief and ever so many struggles, there is love in all forms and shapes. The emotions are raw and real. I was so invested in the characters, there where times I just wanted to throw the book across the room, because it hurt too much to read about another struggle! This book is so well written and worth the investment of having your heart broken but put back together with such care!

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3.5 stars. Very well written and full of different emotions. The first part of the book goes back and forth between present day and the backstory to how Charlotte and Philip met and developed a relationship. The backstory reveals a lot of Charlotte's past pain and explains more of her current feelings and reactions to situations. She deeply loves Philip, but he's a bit emotionally distant and frequently gone on business travel, and Charlotte begins to wonder if the two of them actually want the same things from life and their relationship. She gave up her beloved teaching job and moved away from the only place she'd ever lived to go to the Florida Keys with him. I don't want to give spoilers, but there is a lot that happens, real and raw and difficult life circumstances, but a nice bit of hope that comes out also. It was an enjoyable book but not lighthearted.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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It's a beautiful story well told by a writer who out does herself with every book that she writes. The story, plot, and voice all flow seamlessly. I couldn't put it down once I started reading it. Absolutely pick up this winner of a book and keep your Kleenex near by because you will definitely need it. Happy reading!

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THIS IS NOT HOW IT ENDS by Rochelle Berger Weinstein

This was a very emotionally charged book. One that will pull at your heart in every way. It’s a very raw story of love and loss. A bit of laughter and friendships you will absolutely love. A very tight friendship despite everything that happens. It’s a beautiful story of so many feelings. One that touched my heart many times over. One that I had a hard time putting down.

Charlotte/Charley meets this man on an airplane, Phillip. They fall madly in love and become engaged. Charley’s mom gets a terrible diagnosis and leaves Charley devastated. Phillip watches her go through the worst pain a daughter has to go through. Charley has issues. Trust and giving her heart over completely are top of the list. Her dad had left when she was small never to return. That is enough to make it hard to trust. Then she loses her mother and she’s alone. Phillip and Charley though have a love that will transcend everything. He loves Charley with all his heart. But he also is gone so much of the time. He leaves Charley alone to wonder if things are what they seem. To wonder if they do truly belong together.

Phillip is a wonderful man. He fell for Charley from the start. He has his own demons but he buries them in his work. He has businesses all over the world and he takes them very serious. He takes failing businesses and makes them whole again. Makes up for the things they lack and gives people what they need. Jobs, a worry free life knowing they won’t lose said job. He loves completely and from his soul. But he has a secret also. One that will devastate Charley and one he truly wants to protect her from.

Ben... Aww Ben. I loved Ben. He is a broken man with a little boy named Jimmy. Jimmy is all he has left after losing his wife. Ben and Phillip are also best friends. Ben knows that Phillip has helped him and taken him under his wing. He truly loves Phillip and considers him family. They are such good friends. The very best of friends. Phillip is also keeping a secret from Ben though.

This is a story that will pull you in. Tear your heart out and stomp on it a few times. It will break your heart and put it back together again only to break it again. There are two letters in this story that made me weep. I do mean literally weep. I don’t see how anyone can read them and not feel like their heart is going to break into several thousand pieces. If they can they obviously don’t feel deep emotion. One is a letter to Ben. The other a letter to Charley. This is a beautifully written story of love, loss, maybe a bit of betrayal and coming together. Of a friendship that can’t be broken no matter what. Of a love that was meant to be. Of so much. It’s just one of those stories that will keep you thinking about life and what you would do. Or what could you do. Could you move on or continue. It’s the best book I’ve read by this author hands down.

Be warned, this book requires lots and lots of tissues and I don’t say that lightly. It’s going to make you cry. There are some laughs but for the most part you will have the big ugly, huge tear cries.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #LakeUnion, #RochelleWeinstein for this eARC. This is my own true review.

I had to give it only 5 stars and the highest recommendation ever. It’s worth so many more stars and an even better review.

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Charlotte meets Phillip on an airplane, and thinks he's rude and annoying. He falls for her. Phillip pursues her and Charlotte falls in love, moves to Florida and in with him, then agrees to marry him. Soon after, Phillip becomes distance and travels all the time for work. Charlotte finds herself alone with her dog, and Phillip's best friend Ben and his son, Jimmy. Charlotte tires of being alone all the time and begins to wonder if Phillip will ever marry her and be home or if Ben could be the person she is meant to be with?

Bring out the tissues for this one! I cried at several points in this book, both happy and sad tears. It was just lovely, well written and emotional and exactly what I need to read at this time in my life. Charlotte is so real and relatable, as are her decisions and challenges. She doesn't make the easy, selfish choices, but the hard, responsible ones and keeps you in her corner for the entire book. I highly recommend this book to all readers!

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Wow! What a saddest story ever! Poor Charley aka Charlotte that she’s going through so much..

I think she will have a relationship with Ben the one she loves the most and had twins babies...so cute!

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy and honest review...

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I could not relate to this book whatsoever. I thought the characters were shallow and I could not relate to the situation that was unfolding. Life is too short to read books that don't resonate, so I quit this book at 22 percent in. Too bad because I had read some really great reviews. This one just wasn't for me.

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This is Not How it Ends is a fabulous story that pulled me in immediately and had me riveted through to the very end. Charlotte's journey was told via alternating chapters of "now" and "then". I loved Charlotte, Phillip and Ben so very much and between the three of them, my heart was broken a couple of times because the happy ever after I wanted and hoped for always seemed just out of reach.

Phillip's secrets, Ben's medical challenges with his son and Charlotte trying to balance the two was handled so well by Rochelle B. Weinstein that I didn't know who to root for and found my loyalties changing repeatedly. The setting of this book is great and Weinstein's descriptions of people and places are beautiful. I haven't been to the area of Florida that this book is set in, but I definitely want to visit now. When this story ended, all I wanted was more. Another book, another 150 pages or something. It was fantastic.

If you're looking for a book to take you away to a beautiful area, pull you in and keep you turning pages so quickly that you don't want to put the book down, this is the story for you.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for approving my request for an ARC. Thoughts in this review are my own.

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There were definite tears with this one. Told in the present and before, we follow Charlotte and Phillip and their relationship now, and before as they fall in love and come to the point. When the book opens, Charlotte is engaged, living in a beautiful house in the Keys, and unhappy. She loves Phillip, but knows something has changed in their relationship since they became engaged. She used to be content with the relationship, including Phillip’s constant travel, but now she wants more. A chance meeting with Ben and Jimmy brings them into her life before she finds out that Ben is Phillip’s best friend.
Phillip’s constant travel has him pushing Charlotte and Ben together, trusting his friend to take care of his fiancée. The friendship, along with Charlotte helping with Jimmy’s allergies, contribute to the deepening of the Ben and Charlotte’s relationship, leaving her confused and torn between two good men. When a storm comes, she makes a decision, and then circumstances dictate another choice. No spoilers.
This story is not what you expect or what it sounds like. This is an emotional novel that tears at your heart. The story and characters are so well-developed that I was invested from the beginning. This is the first time I have read a book by Rochelle B. Weinstein and it won’t be the last.
Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
#ThisIsNotHowItEnds #RochelleBWeinstein #LakeUnionPublishing

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