The Light We Lost

"Ordinary days sometimes turn into extraordinary days when you least expect them to." All the stars to Jill Santopolo for this gorgeous book!! “I tried to forget that day, but it was impossible. I couldn’t forget what happened to New York, to America, to the people in the towers. And I couldn’t forget what happened between us. Even now, whenever anyone asks, “Were you in New York when the towers fell?” or “Where were you that day?” or “What was it like here?” the first thing I think of is you.” This book touched me in ways I can’t even begin to explain! The passion, the love, the choices and the heartbreak left me utterly exhausted. Lucy and Gabe came alive for me at the skilled hands of the brilliant author. Please add this magnificent and soulful book to your TBR list ASAP! The story of two people and their intertwined lives, 'The Light We Lost' captivated me from beginning to end. This is the kind of book you can read over and over again because the characters are simply so real. This story spans years and examines how the choices we make can change the course of our lives forever. Lucy and Gabe - first love and true love, even though time and circumstances keep them apart. "The moment your body enveloped mine, that’s how I felt—safe, enfolded in the strength and warmth of your arms. Your muscles fluttered against my hands and I buried my fingers in your hair. You wrapped my braid around your palm, tugging it and tipping my head back. And I forgot the world. In that moment, there was only you." Lucy and Gabe seem meant for each other, kindred spirits who seem as though they will be together forever. But Gabe is an ambitious photographer who wants to change the world. He feels compelled to follow his dreams beyond New York City, where he and Lucy share a home. And Lucy has her own life and career and refuses to give them up to chase Gabe across the world. "Was I infatuated with you? Were we infatuated with each other? Can infatuation last this long? Or has it always been love between us? I’d like to think it has. This story has many twists and turns and once I started, I could not put it down! Even after Lucy and Gabe part ways, and even though she is left utterly heartbroken, she still is there for him through the years, whenever he needs her. "I saw the sorrow in your eyes, the loneliness. And I wanted to make it better, to be your salve, your bandage, your antidote. I’ve always wanted to fix things for you. I still do. It’s my Achilles’ heel. Or perhaps my pomegranate seed. Like Persephone, it’s what keeps drawing me back." Lucy tries to be a friend to Gabe even though he broke her heart. It seems as though she is willing to risk everything for him - her career, her personal life and her friends - all for Gabe. But they truly have a once-in-a-lifetime love that seems to have no boundaries. I want to keep this review purposefully vague so that no spoilers are revealed. Yes this book is a heart-breaker but it is so rich and moving that I cannot recommend it highly enough. Regret, first love, choices, career, family - this book touches all the bases. Simply a breathtaking story that is one of my favorites. A must-read! "Love does that. It makes you feel infinite and invincible, like the whole world is open to you, anything is achievable, and each day will be filled with wonder."

An interesting book. It is a book written for women. Emotional, romantic, realistic in parts, down to earth, very believable. Enjoyed reading it, it was difficult to put down. Very gripping and engrossing.

When I hover over 5 stars on Goodreads to write a review 5 stars equates to "it's amazing". I looked a that little "it's amazing" bubble and thought - is this book amazing to me? The answer, I decided, is yes. But not in the usual way I think books are amazing. Examples of what I mean by that: I did not love the protagonist, I did not agree with hardly any of her or the hero's actions, and my heart broke a little by the end. This book is sad. Devastating really. Infinitely overwhelming in how it builds you up and breaks you down simultaneously. I found no hope, no "light" if you will in what I read and for me that's usually a major sign for loving something. So I'm pretty certain, although my thoughts are fairly jumbled about it, that I did not love this book. But I do think it's amazing. And yes, I realize my logic is probably not the same as yours and I'm ok with that. I think this book allows for that. I think Jill Santopolo wants you to feel conflicted about this book. She most certainly can't deny she knows there's going to be a lot big thoughts and opinions once readers reach the end. So why did I find The Light We Lost amazing? The writing falls at the top of the list. The way this book is so carefully constructed and reverently told had me hooked from the very first page. This woman is reliving her history and as readers we don't why. I had a good guess but I truly didn't know until Santopolo wanted me to know. Her construction of the plot and the memories she builds through her protagonist inspire longing, fortitude, and so much questioning of what it means to be happy and how we achieve that happiness as individuals. The scope of the book really focuses on that idea of being content with oneself no matter how that comes across to the rest of the world. How can we find joy in everything that we do? Is too happy the same as too content? And how do we know? Where is the place we find the most fulfillment of our soul? The protagonist is always questioning and it made me question as well. So I'm mad at this book, I think. It broke a piece of my heart. I'll never read it again. But I appreciate it regardless. The parts of romance are so whimsical and fitting. Betrayal strikes the right chords. Lust, obsession, all-encompassing love, and contentment all fight their way for the top. The gift of this specific, beautifully tragic, and brilliant story telling from Santopolo was just that - a gift. And for the excellent writing, how engaged I was, and the multitude of thoughts and emotions garnered from reading The Light We Lost make it worth all the stars from me.

Amazing book,you just can't stop, when you start you have to get to the end!! I have liked the way it is written and the characters. As I am an hopeless romantic, I would have loved a different ending.....but that's it!

解説に「me before you」「one day」が言及してあったので、結末はある程度予測していたが、キャリアも順調、良き夫、ふたりの子供にも恵まれながら、Rucy の行動、選ぶ決断が私の理解を越え、困惑、失望。 しかし、英語はシンプルで読みやすく、Rucy の独白形式で語られていて、特に最後の章は、私自身はRucy の気持ちに添えないものの文章は美しく胸が熱くなる。今後、Rucy が自分の下した決断を後悔することなく生きていける事を願わずにはいられない。

Muy bien esrito, muy bonito el libro

Die Geschichte hat mich auf einer sehr emotionalen Ebene berührt. Ich kann gar nicht sagen, was mir so nahe gegangen ist. Vielleicht, dass die Autorin tatsächlich tief aus dem Herzen geschrieben hat? Erzählt wird hier nicht eine Handlung, zu der man natürlich Gefühle hat, sondern umgekehrt: Die Gefühle sind der Leitfaden durch das Buch, die Handlungen dienen nur der Verdeutlichung. Mir gefällt auch, dass die Autorin nicht wertet. Sie fühlt, und ihre Gefühle sind einfach und unweigerlich da und richtig. Beeindruckend.

Loved the book. It was very descriptive in parts, for this 'boomer ', I felt it was very 'millennial' focused. At the end of the book, all I could think of was that for every reaction, there is a consequence and reaction. I enjoyed the writing, descriptions and the location.