My reading hasn’t been going so well thus far. I struggle to pick up a book and afte some fantasy, I decided to turn things around a bit. I was seeking a book that had me on the edge of my seat, hooked from start to finish. Was Pictures of You by Emma Grey the book I was looking for?
About the book
Published by Zibby Books on November 12, 2024
Pages: 409
ISBN: 9781958506479
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, General fiction, Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you knew then what you know now, would you make the same choices? Imagine having a second chance with the one you never forgot.
From the author of the global breakout bestseller The Last Love Note comes the story of a young woman struggling to piece her life back together in the wake of a tragic accident, and the man who gives up everything to help her.
When Evie Hudson wakes in an unfamiliar hospital room, she thinks she’s fresh out of a teenage party with her best friend, Bree. Except, Bree isn’t around anymore and high school was years ago. Evie had just survived the crash that killed her husband, Oliver—whom she can’t remember either. After suffering a traumatic loss of memory, she’s left to connect the dots. But how?
Drew, a promising photographer whose chance encounter with Evie unravels the elusive details of her marriage and her husband’s death. As Drew watches Evie stitch the story of her life together, secrets emerge that might shatter both of their worlds.
This tangled second-chance romance leads Evie to question every decision she ever made. This time around, she’s seeing all the things she missed–and the life she gets to choose…again.
My review
Before reading
I really can’t remember how this book came on my radar, but I must have seen it somewhere, otherwise I wouldn’t have known of its existence. I think it was somewhere in the Dutch book community though. The title and blurb piqued my interest, but I have to admit that I immediately forgot about it as soon as I scrolled further. Apparently I didn’t forget about it completely, because when I was on the hunt for a new book to read, it suddenly came back to mind. I wasn’t having many expectations from this novel as I didn’t check the blurb in order to memorize it.
Characters
The characters are depicted well. When Evie wakes up in the hospital after the car accident, she’s understandably confused. When she discovers she’s lost half her life’s worth of memories, the shock only intensifies. The desperation and sense of loss she experiences leap from the pages. She’s determined to discover everything she’s forgotten, and she receives help from an unexpected source. When the author introduces Drew, the story alternates between the two characters. The frequency of these switches in points of view only increases as the story progresses. At first glance, Drew isn’t a sympathetic man. He doesn’t quite know what to do with Evie. Part of him wants to get rid of her, but he eventually finds that rather blunt. And then there’s that connection he remembers all too well, but which Evie doesn’t remember. Gradually, he realizes that Evie truly needs his help and changes his mind. The third important character in this book is Oliver, whom we get to know primarily through flashbacks. It’s immediately clear that something is amiss, but you can’t quite put your finger on it. While these characters have potential, they’re not memorable and don’t stick.
Writing
The writing style is just fine. It’s not too memorable either, but made me able to read this book rather quickly. Grey switches a lot between past and present, which is necessary to paint the entire picture. These flashbacks are indicated clearly which makes it easy to follow along with the story. I really enjoy this type of writing and storytelling, because it’s okay when getting distracted. I didn’t need to give this book my hyper focused attention in order to not get lost. The author uses the first persons narrative which is also a bonus for me as this gives a proper insight in the characters’ minds and allows me to get to know them as best as possible.
Plot
Unfortunately, the plot didn’t fully impress me either. I mean, it has potential as the concept and approach are interesting, but after finishing this book, it just didn’t leave a lasting impression. The necessary flashbacks interwoven with the present day timeline provide an intriguing way of storytelling, because you want to know what happened all those years ago that leads to the point of Evie not being able to mourn her husband. Her relationship with Oliver is the main theme of the story and this is actually presented as a trigger warning. This book elaborates on a toxic relationship and its influence on the people affected. Everything becomes so much clearer once the novel progresses. In the aknowledgements Grey states she used her experiences with a loved one dealing with dementia, although I think you are hardly able to compare these situations. This book is labeled as a second chance romance, but I find the romance part lacking. It feels rushed and therefore quite unbelievable. There is not much of a build-up and the chemistry is not palpable at all.
Final thoughts
Pictures of You by Emma Grey is not the second chance romance I was yearning for. It’s true that it provided a palate cleanser from fantasy and romantasy for me, but I wasn’t really captivated by neither characters, nor plot. They just don’t manage to leave a lasting impression on me, which is pretty unfortunate, as the approach and concept of this novel piqued my interest in the first place. Both characters and their emotions are well-depicted, but they just don’t stick and that is all. I was able to finish the book pretty quickly though, which was good. I would recommend it as well, especially if you just need a break from the heavier books. But please consider carefully if a toxic relationship is too much of a trigger before diving in.