ARC, 357 pages
Release Date: June 6, 2017Published by: Viking Books for Young Readers
Read from: May 29- May 31, 2017Companion to other Sarah Dessen novelsSource: TxLAFor fans of: Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age, YA
As bubbly as champagne and delectable as wedding cake, Once and for All, Sarah Dessen’s thirteenth novel, is set in the world of wedding planning, where crises are routine.
Louna, daughter of famed wedding planner Natalie Barrett, has seen every sort of wedding: on the beach, at historic mansions, in fancy hotels and clubs. Perhaps that’s why she’s cynical about happily-ever-after endings, especially since her own first love ended tragically. When Louna meets charming, happy-go-lucky serial dater Ambrose, she holds him at arm’s length. But Ambrose isn’t about to be discouraged, now that he’s met the one girl he really wants.
Sarah Dessen’s many, many fans will adore her latest, a richly satisfying, enormously entertaining story that has everything—humor, romance, and an ending both happy and imperfect, just like life itself.
*MY THOUGHTS*
“Life is ahead of us… What a privilege, right? Don’t squander it.“pg. 19
Louna is the daughter of a wedding planner, which means she’s seen love at it’s best and its worst. Because of this, she has some doubts about love and doesn’t believe in wasting her time with anything in between. And then she meets Ambrose who can’t even begin to spell commitment. But as things fall into place, they both find more than what they were expecting.
“Everyone will be a stranger as long as you nisist on nevre meeting people.“pg. 156
What stands out the most in this book was the plot. I LOVED the storyline! It was so easy to get swept away into the world of wedding planning, especially just after my own wedding in April. It was also great to see the rest of the Dessen world like Lakeview and Colby again. Seeing some of the familiar places was nice and made me feel like I was right at home.
“Everything was alot to deal with, though, when you had gottn used to nothing. I needed increments: a few somehings, maybe an anything first.“pg. 176
And of course, I liked the writing style. But really, who wouldn’t, I mean it’s Sarah Dessen. But even still, I have to remind myself that her books are more of coming of age novels instead of focusing on the romance. This one was no different. And I really loved the surprises in the storyline. I wasn’t expecting Louna’s past to be that hard, but it really gave a good look into why her character came out that way.
“It was like my life had been silent in a way before, and now there was a soundtrack, the very best music playing alng in the background at every moment. You didn’t miss is whn it wasn’t there. You didn’t know to. But once it was, nothing ever soothed the same again.“pg. 218
Even though I did like it, I think I would have enjoyed this more had I not read This Lullaby right before this. In This Lullaby, there were multiple weddings, an annoying dude, and in classic Dessen fashion, there was only a slight bit of romance, just like this one. While I was reading it I found myself comparing the two and trying to find ways they were similiar. It kinda took away from the story for me.
“It’s about the courage to go for what you want, not just what you think you need. Sometimes, we don’t even know what that is.“pg. 321
This isn’t my favorite Dessen novel, but I still did really like it. I can’t wait to spend the rest of the summer reading the rest of her books through #ReadaDessen.
