"You're The One That I Want" by Giovanna Fletcher

Originally from Pinterest as I don't own a physical copy.

In a nutshell

Maddy, dressed in white, stands at the back of the church. At the end of the aisle is Rob - the man she's about to marry. Next to Rob is Ben - best man and the best friend any two people ever had. And that's the problem. Because if it wasn't Rob waiting for her at the altar, there's a strong chance it would be Ben. Loyal and sensitive Ben has always kept his feelings to himself, but if he turned round and told Maddy she was making a mistake, would she listen? And would he be right? 

Best friends since childhood, Maddy, Ben and Rob thought their bond was unbreakable. But love changes everything. Maddy has a choice to make but will she choose wisely? Her heart, and the hearts of the two best men she knows, depend on it...

Thoughts

While I love chick-lit, I was a bit hesitant about giving this one a go. I read Giovanna's debut novel, Billy & Me, a couple of months ago and it really wasn't my cup of tea, so I wasn't sure I would like this one. My love for weddings, though, (and characters named Ben - I can't explain!) led me to give it a try and I'm so glad I did.

Exploring the trouble of a love triangle is no easy task. We have all read books or watched movies/TV shows where they have failed miserably at doing so, making them fight over the girl, who will eventually leave with the bad boy who's deep down a softie, and causing you, as a reader or viewer, to shake your head and even dislike those characters. I'm so pleased to say that's not the case with You're The One That I Want. In my opinion, the situation is handled very realistically, like something you'd imagine happening in real life. (Well, I do wish I had a couple of men as wonderful as Robert and Ben for me in real life. Sad times.)

Apart from being a love triangle, there's the added challenge of the three main characters being best friends. You can't just turn two characters who are practically like brothers into enemies who act careless towards one another - and I'm glad Giovanna didn't do that. These characters are realistic, human. They're not perfect, they have all made mistakes at some point and they're aware that they have to live with them. They know when they're being selfish and when they're being unfair and they also know that they can't help it. Because that's what the matters of the heart are all about. It's not always rainbows and butterflies and you don't always make the most rational choices, but that's what makes you human. And that's what makes these characters human as well. The heart of the novel lies on them and their "realness".

If you're like me and you're having doubts about giving You're The One That I Want a go, stop hesitating and start reading it now. It is a complex topic to write about successfully, but Giovanna handled it in a beautiful way. I promise you won't end up shaking your head or hating any of the characters, as you will definitely sympathize with Robert, Maddy and Ben. I know I did - and I look forward to reading Giovanna's upcoming novels in the future.

Are you a bookworm as well?

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Tania x

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