Which version is the real you?

Synopsis

When Willow walks out on her own wedding, there’s only one place she can go…

Growing up in the island village of Seaview, Willow always dreamed of a bigger life. Then her childhood sweetheart Luc betrayed her and she ran, resolving never to look back. Now, twelve years on, her glamorous London life is a mess and the island is her only option.

But she’s not the only one back for the summer. Luc is now a world-famous heartthrob musician, and he’s finally come home to headline the Isle of Wight’s annual music festival.

As Willow untangles her messy past, she stumbles on a secret that could destroy her family, the island’s fragile community – and her second chance at love…

My review

Moments before entering the church for getting married, Willow has a gut feeling that marrying Charlie isn’t the right thing to do. So instead of getting in, she runs away.
She goes back to the place she grew up, the island village of Seaview. When she was younger, she couldn’t wait to leave the island, especially after her first love Luc broke her heart.
But now that her life in London is a total mess, she needs the peace of Seaview again. However she is not the only one returning to the island… Luc, being a famous musician now, also returns for the summer, and is headlining the Isle of Wight’s annual music festival, organized by Willow parents.

Being back on the island doesn’t only mean the time to sort out their lives, but Willow also discovers a secret that would destroy everything she once believed in, her own family included…

When I started reading this story, I didn’t have an idea it would working with dual timelines. We get to know Willow and her doubts about not only her wedding but about who she really is and which place is her home.
But we also get to know about her mother Cathy’s past and what secrets she is carrying around.

The story already starts with a bang, when Willow decides not marrying Charlie. I had mixed feelings with this event, because when you’re not sure of the choice you are making, it’s courageous of making the decision of not going forward with it. But I didn’t understand Willow’s reasoning. Because she was in a relationship with Charlie for a rather long time, and she apparently had it all.
As often, there is more to her story than just having a small doubt, and slowly we get to see more glimpses of how her relationship with Charlie was.

But running away from her marriage was not the main subject of this book. Willow starts to realize since she got back at Seaview, that there are still things that happened in the past that she hasn’t processed. Not only the fact that Luc broke her heart many years ago and just left, but also the general feeling that she felt abandoned.

We also get to know Luc better. While reading Willow side of the story, I didn’t initially like Luc very much. But seeing his side of the story was an eye – opener. Learning what happened to him and seeing the struggles he is still having, warmed me towards him.

The attraction between Willow and Luc is just palpable from every page. It’s obvious that those first feelings of love are still there, but both characters know that it just isn’t the right place or time. Willow, just running away from getting married, knows she needs some Willow – time to decide what she wants for her future. And Luc’s life is in Nashville, and he just can’t leave everything behind. Also because there is something he hasn’t told Willow yet…

Cathy’s past was very enlightening, but at some moments I had difficulties understanding her motivations. Of course, being young, the call for fame and fortune and spending time with your idol is very alluring. But the more time passed, the more I just wanted Cathy to make the right decisions. And because of course she didn’t listen to me, it had consequences on Willow. And when Willow uncovers those secrets, everything she thought she knew, fell apart. But luckily she has Luc by her side, helping whenever and however he could

I loved reading how these two characters, with both demons to face, are slowly getting back in the comfort they had before and find it easy to talk with each other about almost everything. It was sweet to see how feelings of the past can get reignited again.

Music is a big player in this book. I have to admit, the genre isn’t really something I know a lot about, but discovering that the often reoccurring song is real, made me curious and I had to at least hear it once!
And maybe it won’t be the genre I will become a fan of, but it surely has its own charm and I understand it better now!

This book was something I needed to read on a moody, rainy, sad day. Before I know, I was totally into the story. I was reading page after page, chapter after chapter. It had surprising twists I didn’t see coming. Every time I thought I figured something out, it became clear I was on the wrong track.

It was beautiful to see how realization dawned that finding the real you means going back to your roots, giving yourself peace and rest and do what you loved doing. And it’s never too late to make amends when you were in the wrong and that love will always find a way…