REVIEW: The Night We Said Yes (The Night We Said Yes #1) by Lauren Gibaldi

The Night We Said Yes (The Night We Said Yes #1) by Lauren Gibaldi

Publication Date: June 16, 2015

Publisher: Harper Teen
Source: Book Purchased by Reviewer

Buy it at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble


My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Before Matt, Ella had a plan. Get over a no-good ex-boyfriend. Graduate from high school without any more distractions. Move away from Orlando, Florida, where she’s lived her entire life.

But Matt—the cute, shy, bespectacled bass player who just moved to town—was never part of that plan.

And neither was attending a party that was crashed by the cops just minutes after they arrived. Or spending an entire night saying “yes” to every crazy, fun thing they could think of.

Then Matt abruptly left town, and he broke not only Ella’s heart but those of their best friends, too. So when he shows up a year later with a plan of his own—to relive the night that brought them together—Ella isn’t sure whether Matt’s worth a second chance. Or if re-creating the past can help them create a different future.

The Night We Said Yes is perfect for anyone looking for a cute and fun read. Filled with romance and heartbreak and lots of questions to keep you intrigued and happy while reading. We go back and forth between the past and present with our main character, Ella, and her ex boyfriend/current love interest Matt. All we know is that Matt up and left Ella a year ago without any explanation or reasoning as to why. Then on this very special night he shows up again and Ella's world is thrown for a whirlwind. We're the lucky few that get to go on that whirlwind journey with her to learn why he left and why he's back and why he's looking at her like he still cares about her. SO MANY QUESTIONS....

I always think there's something special about a book that takes place in one day. So many options and possibilities about what can happen and where the story will go in the short time we're in this world with the characters.  I like stories with positive outcomes and growth and lots of love so this book was right on target for me. The idea of having just one night to say yes to everything with no fear or hesitation. Well, maybe a little hesitation but at some point you just end up having so much fun you dont even second guess anything anymore. It feels carefree and beautiful, just the kind of night I'd LOVE to have with my own friends and boyfriend!

Ella, our MC, was relatable in the sense that we can all feel her pain and sadness (and anger) when it comes to the breakup and Matt just disappearing then reappearing in her life. She wants answers and she';; do anything to get them...no matter how upsetting they may be! So even though she did seem a tad immature to me I still liked her because I related to her in many ways.

Then we have Matt, bad boy that up and left out MC for no apparent reason!! Well he eventually tells Ella why he left, and even though I don't think it's the most valid excuse I also realize that it is to him so who am I to argue with that!?

Overall, I loved the story and the magic of a night filled with yes' and endless possibilities! So if you love fun, cute reads with a little romance and a lot of whimsy then pick this book up and give it a shot! This one was an especially fun read for me!

Favorite Poem Friday (#9)

Good morning Swooners!

Today's poem is one of my absolute favorites! One that i've been obsessed with since I was a little girl because, even at the young age of 13, heartbreak and unrequited love were no strangers to me. 

Poor Girl by Maya Angelou

You've got another love

and I know it

Someone who adores you

just like me

Hanging on your words

like they were gold

Thinking that she understands

your soul

Poor Girl

just like me.

You're breaking another heart

and I know it

And there's nothing

I can do

If I try to tell her

what I know

She'll misunderstand

and make me go

Poor Girl

just like me.

You're going to leave her too

and I know it

She'll never know

what made you go

She'll cry and wonder

what went wrong

Then she'll begin

to sing this song

Poor Girl

just like me.

A Letter to the Girl Who Had Her Heart Broken

I know you. More importantly I know what happened to you. Mostly because it’s exactly what happened to me. I’m sure you’re wondering what it is you’re supposed to do now. I wondered that same thing for a really long time. Want to know something interesting? I’m still figuring it out.

It’s been eight years since my heart was shattered, eight years since I lost part of my soul. Guess what…I’m still searching for it. I wish I could tell you that it comes back. I wish I could tell you that you’ll eventually feel whole again, but the truth is you probably wont. I can’t say this nugget of truth proves accurate for everyone so if you’re one of the lucky few that finds themselves again…you’re just that: Lucky. But if you’re like me, if you were broken beyond repair, then I’m sorry to tell you that it doesn’t get better. What it does get is bearable. At some point you’ll learn to adjust to the new you. You’ll learn to smile, you’ll learn to laugh, and yes, you will eventually learn to love again. But not without difficulty, not without struggle, and not without a lot of lessons learned along the way. 

Want to know the good thing about this though? Do you think you have enough faith in your heart to believe there’s actually a silver lining? I promise you there is. The benefit to having your world crash down around you is the fact that at some point it will make you a better person. There will come a time when you move past the sadness and sorrow and realize that you actually learned something. Want to know what it is that you will learn? That you’re a survivor! That you’re the strongest woman you know! That NOTHING can ever really bring you down!

So take this newfound power and do something GREAT with it! And if you haven’t found it yet don’t worry…I promise you will. All good things come in time and self discovery is not excluded from that. Go out there and be brave! Dig deep down and search this new version of yourself because you know what? For better or worse, babe, this is you!

New Beginnings

Morning Swooners!

So I know i've been missing for a while (read: several months) but i'm trying to get back into the swing of things and figure out where exactly I want to take this blog. I've lost people I love this year and started a new career after graduating school. So I think i'm in a special place in my life where I feel like I have so much more to say. I don't only want to focus on books any more. I want to talk about life and love and whatever else my mind drifts to during the week. I'll still review books, of course, and I'll keep posting quotes (because they speak to me on a personal level) I just also want to incorporate a way to release some of the other thoughts on my mind. 

So please just bare with me and keep all of that in mind as I try to figure out what the new rhythm will be and where I want to take it all. I hope my new content resonates with you just as much as my old content did and we can all learn and grow together.

Thanks for all your support on this new journey!

Favorite Poem Friday (#8)

Good morning swooners!

Today i'm posting a poem that I recently discovered in a book that was given to me over the holidays. It's new to me but it's so beautiful that I know i'll always go back to it when I just need to hear (or read) the words. The book is called Love Her Wild by Atticus and each page is a different poem with no name. So today's poem has no name to it but you can tell me what you think it should be called. I have my theories, tell me yours!

What of the firefly,

the one I love to chase?

The old man smiled

Love her

he said

but leave her wild,

and the old oak tree I love to climb?

Love her, he said, but leave her wild

the bird that sings that song I love?

Love her, he said, but leave her wild

and the wolf that cries to the old joke moon?

Love her, he said, but leave her wild

and the horse that loves to run with storms?

Love her, he said, but leave her wild.

And what of her,

the one I love most?

And the old man smiled.

Yes, he said,

you must love her too

but love her wild

and she'll love you.