Renée Carlino
• 9 August 2016
• 320 pages
★★★★★
5 Stars
From USA TODAY bestselling author Renée Carlino (Before We
Were Strangers), a warm and witty novel about a struggling writer who must
come to grips with her past, present, and future after she discovers that she’s
the inspiration for a pseudonymously published bestselling novel.
When a bestselling debut novel from mysterious author J. Colby becomes the literary event of the year, Emiline reads it reluctantly. As an adjunct writing instructor at UC San Diego with her own stalled literary career and a bumpy long-term relationship, Emiline isn’t thrilled to celebrate the accomplishments of a young and gifted writer.
Yet from the very first page, Emiline is entranced by the story of Emerson and Jackson, two childhood best friends who fall in love and dream of a better life beyond the long dirt road that winds through their impoverished town in rural Ohio.
That’s because the novel is patterned on Emiline’s own dark and desperate childhood, which means that “J. Colby” must be Jase: the best friend and first love she hasn’t seen in over a decade. Far from being flattered that he wrote the novel from her perspective, Emiline is furious that he co-opted her painful past and took some dramatic creative liberties with the ending.
The only way she can put her mind at ease is to find and confront “J. Colby,” but is she prepared to learn the truth behind the fiction?
When a bestselling debut novel from mysterious author J. Colby becomes the literary event of the year, Emiline reads it reluctantly. As an adjunct writing instructor at UC San Diego with her own stalled literary career and a bumpy long-term relationship, Emiline isn’t thrilled to celebrate the accomplishments of a young and gifted writer.
Yet from the very first page, Emiline is entranced by the story of Emerson and Jackson, two childhood best friends who fall in love and dream of a better life beyond the long dirt road that winds through their impoverished town in rural Ohio.
That’s because the novel is patterned on Emiline’s own dark and desperate childhood, which means that “J. Colby” must be Jase: the best friend and first love she hasn’t seen in over a decade. Far from being flattered that he wrote the novel from her perspective, Emiline is furious that he co-opted her painful past and took some dramatic creative liberties with the ending.
The only way she can put her mind at ease is to find and confront “J. Colby,” but is she prepared to learn the truth behind the fiction?
But that past suddenly appears in her life in the most unexpected way.
Her room-mate gives her an amazing book, to inspire her, or to make her think about something else for a while - the debut novel of this new, but already mega famous, young author:
J. Colby - All the Roads Between
Emiline only has to read the first few lines before she knows that it's Jason who wrote this book. Jase, her childhood best friend. The first boy she ever loved. The boy who went through all the painful things in her past with her - and the boy who she helped get through his painful moments too.
And now he has the nerve to write about their history for all the world to see????
And from her perspective too!!!!
After 12 years not caring about her? He never even tried to find her after they were torn apart.
And now he expects her to... what?? ☺☺☺
What will happen with Emiline & Jason???
Will there be a HEA??
Will everybody survive the book?
Such a beautiful book!
How can you not love a book that already makes you cry during the first 10%? And the crying didn't stop there. I think I cried here and there all through the book. It was just so heartbreakingly sad and beautiful!
We are in the present with Emiline and her life - but as soon as she starts reading Jason's book, we're right there with them in their story.
And I loved that. We read a chapter about Emiline's present life, and then go back to a 'fictional' time in Jason's book.
It was such a moving and sad and hopeless but still hopeful story that Jason wrote about them. But of course it's not really a story - it's been their lives! They lived all the things he wrote about.
The happy childhood and first-love moments and the sad and heartbreaking losses no child should ever have to go through. Not everything really happened the way Jason wrote about it. He writes from her POV, so he doesn't know everything. And he knows nothing about what happened in her life once she left Ohio.
And all through the book - both Emiline's present and Jason's fiction, you just want them to meet again and to get to the end of their story, to see if there's still a chance for them. After all those years... Ugh, just beautiful!
SWEAR ON THIS LIFE was such a heartbreakingly beautiful second-chance love story! About two kids who show us, that no matter where and what you come from, you can still make life beautiful, you can still have hope and love and dreams! And sometimes those dreams really do come true. I loved Emiline & Jason's story! Run to your nearest amazon asap ... you need to read this book!!!!
If I had to find something I didn't like?
Hm, the 12 years they've been apart. I think I would've been happier with seven years. 12 years is just too long in my opinion.
And the sexiness is missing a bit for me. I like my romances sexier, but of course they're not together most of the book to be sexy together☺ Maybe they could've met earlier or hm I don't know, I just wanted a bit more of them together. Even the end was a bit rushed... BUT I still loved this amazing book!!!!
ARC received from Simon and Schuster Australia for an honest review.
Where do I start with this book?
Right from the start I was a emotional wreck. Ms Carlino reached into my chest, took grip around my heart and didn't let go until the very end.
Emiline and Jase's story is told in past and present tense, with the past being told as a book within the book, with the story flicking between past and present each chapter (it sounds a lot, but it flows so well you don't even realise it!)
The story is heartbreaking to the max. I don't know how many times I shed tears, especially whilst reading the "book" bits. Each time I picked my shattered heart back up off the floor, it was again ripped from my chest, only to go again.
All I wanted was Emiline and Jase to have what Emerson and Jax had, feeling it right through to my bones that they could have it again.
They had to find their happiness again, they just had to!
Swear On This Life is a beautifully written book, the story leapt of the page and into my heart. It is a tragic yet beautiful story of first love, lasting love. Through it all (and they went through a hell of a lot) Emiline and Jase never gave up hope that one day, some day they would find each other again.
That dreams can really come true.
Thank you Ms Carlino for this amazing book. I can't wait to see what you bring us next.