Review: Alone with You by Aly Martinez
Note: An advance reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author.
"I have never, not ever, not for one fucking second of my entire Godforsaken life, stopped loving you."
It's been said that good things come to those who wait, and boy, oh boy, has Aly Martinez rewarded the patience of her readers. Alone with You is a new standalone from Martinez, and it is one of my favorite reads of 2024. Yes, I know it's only August, but I'm putting it out there already, and I've only done that one other time this year; funnily enough, it was just a few days ago that I did. If you forced me to slap a trope label on it, it would be "second-chance romance", but it's so much more than that. This is the story of a couple who found love at a young age, only to go their separate ways just a few years later. Then at forty-two and forty-one, Truett West and Gwendolyn Pierce are in the same location at the same time. You would think this would be a more regular occurrence considering they still live in the same town--Belton, New Jersey--that they lived in when they were together and then after...everything. She went on to get married, have a son, and then get divorced; he, however, has remained trapped over the past eighteen years--stuck in the same house, saddled with unimaginable guilt. Can their love save him again?
I'm going to make an effort to not give anything away because this novel deserves to be experienced by the reader as if you're living through what these characters are. This is a love story--love between two individuals, love of a parent for a child, love for your community. It's also a tale about loss--the grief that stays with you, the pain that seems to have a firm grip on you, and the regrets over what-ifs and what-could-have-beens. But it's also a reminder of the importance of knowing when to let go and what is most vital to hold on to, and that taking strength from others, especially once we've opened ourselves up to them, does not mean you are weak and a coward. Another quote comes to mind: "Not all heroes wear capes." It also needs to be said that even heroes stumble and struggle. We don't know what another person is going through in their lives. With each revelation made by True and Gwen, I found my heart breaking time and time again. There were tears, but I also cried when they overcame the burdens weighing down on them and hurdled the obstacles that were put before them, whether they placed those before themselves or were done by others. Many think the heart is a fragile organ, but it's far stronger than we give it credit for--and we are far braver than we give ourselves credit for as human being as well.
I highly encourage you to read Alone with You. It's a testament to the human spirit and the power of love. Yes, it's fiction, but it's also a reflection of what can happen to us and has happened to others in real life. Whatever you've got on your to-be-read lists needs to be bumped down a notch because this inspiring story deserves to take top spot. And maybe have tissues on hand, too. Five-plus stars for Alone with You.
Release Date: 22 August 2024
Date Read: 21 August 2024
Learn more about Aly Martinez.
Pre-order Alone with You on Amazon.
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