When loving two men…

Synopsis

The one that she wants…

Adam Bowers; handsome, funny and with the charm of a rock star, from the moment she laid eyes on him, teenage Erin was smitten. But first loves don’t always last, and after a whirlwind romance, Erin and Adam go their separate ways. Yet, Erin never lets go of the feeling that Adam may have been her soul mate…

The one that she needs…

Greg fell in love with Erin in their first week at university. Solid, trustworthy and hopelessly devoted to Erin, he knows he’s better for her than the feckless Adam, who is forever leaving Erin broken-hearted, before winning her back with his charm. As far as Greg is concerned, it’s easy to promise the world, but it’s harder to love someone for a lifetime.

The one that got away…

Years later Greg and Erin are married, and although life hasn’t always been easy, Greg’s love for Erin has never dimmed. But when Adam comes back, in desperate need of Erin’s help, everything changes.  Erin starts to wonder whether fate is trying to tell her something…

Will Erin risk it all for the man she had thought was ‘The One’?

My review

Erin is married to Greg for several years. While things didn’t always go that easily, Erin knows that Greg is the man she can always count on. Even when they just met, Greg stood by her side and even loving her from a distance while Erin was in a relationship with Adam. But his patience got rewarded as now they are happily together.
But when Adam resurfaces, Greg is not the only one feeling insecure. Because Erin always felt that Adam was The One, even if in the end he broke her heart. While Adam needs Erin’s help, Erin starts to question herself about her own feelings… 

I have to be honest, from the blurb of this story, I didn’t think that I would like Erin a lot. However, I knew that this author writes emotional rollercoaster and that I shouldn’t be fooled by the too short synopsis.
And I was glad I followed my gut feeling, because this book turned out to be so much more than expected and way deeper too. 

It was a great idea of Clare to write two different timelines, so that the reader can better understand the dynamics and the evolutions of not only Erin, but also of Greg and Adam. 

Although it saddened me to read how the love story of Erin and Adam ended in heartbreak for Erin, it was also comforting knowing that Erin would always have Greg by her side, offering her always a shoulder to cry on. And seeing how that strong friendship between them turned into love and marriage felt like the right direction for both characters. 

With Greg being so supportive and reliable, I couldn’t comprehend why Erin would even be tempted by the return of Adam. But obviously the author would make it difficult not only for Erin but also for us to pick a side, as not everything is as black or white as expected. 

While I initially disliked Adam for his past behaviour, his present broke my heart. I can only imagine the hardships he has been going through and is still facing. He obviously made mistakes in the past, but that doesn’t mean he deserves his current situation.
So seeing how compassionate Erin was, and despite everything still ready to help him, warmed my hear. 

Unfortunately Greg went to other direction… It took him a long time to get him and Erin where they are now, his path took him into a downward spiral (no spoilers here, you’ll just have to read the book!). And while I also know he cannot be blamed for the full 100% for the situation he is in, the desperation of trying to hold onto Erin, coming with completely the wrong solutions, made it difficult to keep on liking him. 

The more I was reading this story, the more difficult it was to just pick a side. And I started to understand Erin’s position. Especially when she learns new information about her own mother’s past and learns that her mother understand Erin better than Erin ever thought. 

As a reader, you know that there will be heartbreak anyhow. No matter what Erin decides to do, there is always someone getting hurt. But I have to say, Clare made the right decision here with her ending. It’s the perfect ending letting us see that neither the past or the present can show what the right decision is for us. But that our future is in our hands only and that we have to choose what is best for us and not what is best for others…