All You Need Is Love - Jessica Redland - ★★★★.½

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AUTHOR: Jessica Redland

GENRE: Romance
SERIES: Whitsborough Bay, #4
RATING: 4.5 stars.

I've never read a Jessica Redland book before, not have I heard of her Whitsborough Bay series. But now that I've read this book, I think she'll be one author whose work I'll keep in mind for whenever I'm in the mood for a light-hearted and yet captivating read. 

All You Need Is Love sounds like a typical cheesy love story. But it is not. The book covers a whole gamut of emotions through its story and though it is almost 400 pages long, the writing is such that you can maintain your pace easily. 

The story is told to us from two perspectives: those of Jemma and Sam. A greater proportion of the book is from Jemma's pov. Having recently discovered that her fiancé Scott was not exactly what he claimed to be, she has lost her trust in love. Adding to the heartbreak is her mom's recent diagnosis of Parkinson's. Jemma's luck lies in the abundance of good friends she has around her. From her work colleagues to her roommates, every character is so nicely depicted that it makes you value the good friends in your life even more. 

Sam's story is similar. He has his life planned out: family, career, fiancée... One fine day, everything goes for a toss and he finds himself struggling to deal with the pain and uncertain future. Sam's character is written in a way that will make you feel for him. Unlike the typical macho man portrayal of women's fiction, Sam isn't afraid to grieve, shows his emotions honestly, and doesn't manipulate his partner emotionally. Add the fact that he is said to look like Chris Hemsworth and that's the icing on the cake. New fictional character crush alert! 

The story is a little confusing initially with the plethora of characters in both Jemma's and Sam's lives but very soon, you get into the groove and figure out all the who's who. Every character is portrayed in a way that you can understand why they behave the way they do. The relationships, both platonic and romantic, are as real as can be. 

Much, much recommended if you are in the mood for an emotional romance that focuses more on cerebral rather than physical connections between people. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the Advanced Review Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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