BOOK REVIEW: WHEN I WAS YOURS BY SAMANTHA TOWLE

Title: When I Was Yours

Author: Samantha Towle

Genre: Romance, New Adult

Published on: November 10, 2015, self-published

“Marry me.”
“What?” I stared back at him, unblinking.
He moved closer, taking my face in his hands. “I love you, Evie. I look into the future, and the only thing I see clearly is you. Marry me.”

What’s an eighteen-year-old girl who was madly in love with her nineteen-year-old boyfriend say?

Of course, I said yes.

Twenty-four hours later, I married Adam Gunner at a Vegas chapel to the sounds of “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi. Not the best omen. I get that now.

Then, exactly one week later, I left him. I walked out, leaving behind my wedding ring, annulment papers, and my heart, and he never knew why.

I haven’t seen him since. Not in ten long years.

Now, he’s here, standing before me. Looking at me with nothing but hurt and hatred in his eyes, he wants answers.

Answers I can’t give.

 

I’d been looking forward to reading a Samantha Towle book for a while. She seems to write the kind of romance novels that appeal to me. When I read the synopsis for When I Was Yours, it made me piqued. The main characters are Adam Gunner and Evie Taylor (I know). They met one fateful summer, shortly before they were due to attend college. Adam is a rich guy, and the only son of two Hollywood moguls. In contrast, Evie’s family is barely able to make ends meet. She also has a younger sister, Casey.

Adam first notices Evie when she’s out on the beach not far from his house. She’s sitting on a rock, drawing on a sketchpad. Adam’s quite a ladies’ man, but there’s something about Evie that he can’t resist. Unfortunately, Adam takes a long time to pluck up the courage to talk to Evie. When they finally are face to face, it’s a coup de foudre. Adam thinks Evie is the most beautiful girl he has ever seen. Evie also really likes Adam, even knowing he spent weeks simply watching her.

It’s only a few more weeks before Adam and Evie get married. They are so in love that they didn’t see the point in waiting. Their friends and family had noticed how inseparable Adam and Evie became in such a short time. As the synopsis reveals, though, this doesn’t last long. Fast forward ten years, and Adam and Evie have gone their own way. The latter ran away just one week into the marriage, with no explanation. What could possibly have gone wrong?

Adam’s been heartbroken ever since. Evie’s flight caused him to take a life path he swore he wouldn’t. Adam is now running his family’s film production studio. He’s not on good terms with his parents, and he barely cared about the studio. With no other choice, Adam had to accept his family’s wishes for him. As for Evie, she and her family are still as cash-strapped as ever. Something drained their finances significantly, and Evie is now working at a coffee shop. As fate would have it, that shop is inside the very hotel where Adam’s staying at.

When I Was Yours is split up into two timelines. Each chapter takes place in one of them. The first timeline is the beginning, when Adam and Evie met. As the book progresses, it shows their growing bond and the events that led to getting married. The second timeline is the present, ten years later. I found that the timelines were well-synchronized. None of the chapters reveal anything important from either of the timelines too early. You also get to know the characters well. Adam’s a good, righteous guy despite having been raised by such awful parents. Evie is so cheerful and optimistic despite the hardships her family keeps facing. This book was better than I’d expected. I strongly recommend it.

 

My rating: ★★★★ 1/2

4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!