But then Gabe becomes a photojournalist assigned to the Middle East and Lucy pursues a career in New York. What follows is a thirteen-year journey of dreams, desires, jealousies, betrayals, and, ultimately, of love. Was it fate that brought them together? Is it choice that has kept them away? Their journey takes Lucy and Gabe continents apart, but never out of each other’s hearts. Synopsis from Goodreads PERSONAL REVIEW After our last few books, my book club was ready for a lighter read (re: romance) and I was excited that we ended up choosing The Light We Lost. I love a good romance and I was really excited to see where Lucy and Gabe's passionate love story ended up. Sadly, this was not the story I was expecting... Relatable Concept Ok, so this not actually relatable to me, but I can appreciate that most people have been in a whirlwind romance that completely crushed them when it ended. At one point, love is described as being a bonfire or a hearth, and while I don't completely agree that it has to be one or the other, I did completely feel Lucy's heartbreak when her and Gabe break up. The level of love and passion doesn't just disappear and Santopolo does a great job bringing their relationship alive on the page. Frustrated with Lucy This is girl drove me crazy SO OFTEN when reading, especially when she's older. I can truly sympathize with her decisions (and depression) after Gabe left, but the choices she makes as a wife and mother drove me nuts. She so often makes bad choices, explains them away, and then is surprised when something happens because of it (a fight, unwanted feelings, etc.). I'm sorry, but she needs to fully grow up. If you know that you can't be friends with Gabe because you'll always have feelings for him, don't be friends with him! It's honestly not complicated. While her husband could be a bit of a douche sometimes, I completely sided with him having a problem with her relationship with Gabe. Sorry Lucy, you lost my sympathy about halfway through the story. Problematic Ending I had A BIG problem with how this story ended. We were left with a big secret, no idea where the story would end up, and then a letter written from future Lucy to her youngest son. Ummm...are you kidding me? One: that's not the way you tell someone a secret, you coward. Two: IF you need to tell someone that secret, you better make sure your partner always knows about it and supports you in it (which is something that is never confirmed for us). And three: get your life together and stop looking for reasons to be with Gabe! The guy broke your heart for his own dreams and then comes back to blow up your life over and over...CUT HIM OUT! Overall, this just wasn't the book for me. Although my book club had a great discussion around it, it wasn't a book I would reread; there were just too many frustrating characters or moments for me to want to invest time into this again. That said, I'd still recommend this book to anyone who enjoys untraditional contemporary romance or is looking for a good book to recommend to your own book club (it does lead to some great debates!). FINAL RATING: 2.5/5 
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About MeHi, I'm Alexandra! I love reading (largely YA fiction, but sometimes I'll read "adult" books), playing board games, Nutella, and binge-watching TV shows on Netflix with my husband. Follow Me on Instagram@AllCharactersWanted
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