ARC Review: You, With a View
Sometimes life is just wild, and getting the opportunity to advance read a romance that I don’t think I’ve ever anticipated this deeply is definitely up there. So you guessed it, I’m here to tell you all the things I loved about You, With a View. And spoiler alert, I loved it so much. Like probably an unhealthy amount? Trying to be cool (and failing) is my brand so, we might as well get right into it.
I’d like to thank Jessica and Berkley for the advance copy, thoughts below are my own, enjoy!
I’ve been sitting staring at my computer experiencing the sort of disassociation that can only come after I read a romance that kinda rocks my entire world. It’s not an unpleasant feeling, just a like subtle tectonic shift that you experience in slow rolling sensations. Where at the end you’re different. Not the same at all when you started.
Reading You, With a View changed me? Is that dramatic? LOL absolutely.
The story, prose, and voice are so deeply familiar that I challenge anyone out there to not immediately fall in love with how Jessica not only writes but the effortless way she weaves together a plethora of emotions and moments both big and small. All while never losing sight of the authenticity she’s able to infuse within her world and characters. I loved it, your honor.
For anyone lucky enough to have had a close relationship with a grandparent (it’s me), this one will wrap its hands around your heart and squeeze (sometimes hard). The plot hooked me right away: ex high school rivals go on a road trip for a honeymoon that was planned but never happened between Noelle’s Gram and Theo’s Granddad. Oh and the Granddad Paul? He’s alive (FUCKING adorable) and very much tagging along.
I loved the relationship both Theo and Noelle have with Paul, and gosh did it make me miss my grandparents. Hug em if you got em ok?
There is so much growth over the course of this book, both in how Noelle views herself, how she works through the unrelenting grief of losing her Gram, and processing this “secrect” ex-beau from years before. There’s growth beyond the bickering her and Theo love to engage in (and honestly its basically their love language / foreplay). And there’s growth in moving beyond the limiting voices that sometimes take up a lot of space in our brains.
I loved the micro-tropes peppered throughout (hurt / comfort, only one bed) that feel like a delicious love letter to the genre. And wow these two have like, insane chemistry? Like truly next level deeply intimate soul-mate (but I’ll roast you a little) chemistry.
I felt so many things while reading this. Grief over my own lack of grandparents, the grief over lost years Noelle (and I) have experienced to those mean AF mentors that really get into your head (and heart) and do damage. Grief over Theo not thinking he could be enough. Grief over lost love.
But also a lot of joy. Deep, conscious, bubbly joy. Watching two ding dongs fall in love. Watching them support the sh*t out of each other. Watching them be imperfect and courageous, and scared but trying anyways. Dreamily sighing when Theo shows up in Tahoe. Laughing my ass off over the Peloton references. Truly this book. It’s everything its hyped up to be, and about 10x more.
It rearranged me. Hugged me. Made me a little heartsick. Made me hopeful. Made me feel seen. And THAT is the stuff magic is made of. You, With a View is headed to retailers July 11th 2023, and I hope you’ll pre-order, request it at your library, and pick it up wherever you get your books because it’s really special.
And uh that’s all we can ask for right? Really special books, written by folks that have pure magic pouring out of their brains. That’s all.
xo Kels