From the author of The Girl Before comes a tense and incisive work of psychological suspense that examines how easy it is to fall into the wrong relationship…and how impossible it can be to leave.In the wake of a painful breakup and struggling to prove herself at work, Julia feels adrift. When Bryce blows into her life, he seems like the perfect anchor. Handsome, charming, secure, and … charming, secure, and confident, Bryce brings out the best in Julia, sweeping her off her feet with attention and affection while grounding her with his certainty and faith. Together they embark on a path guided by the principles of his family and their church, each step a paving stone leading to happily ever after.
But this is no fairy tale.
Step by step, one small concession leading to another, Julia is slowly isolated from her job, her friends, and her family, until she comes to find that her dream come true is a cage. Then one day everything changes…and Julia is faced with no choice but to find a way out.
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WOW, this books was so hard to put down. I did not see that ending coming and I have to say I loved it. All I will say is sometimes a guy is too good to be true! I just love Rean Olsen, I can not wait for her next book!
A story you’ve heard before or at least can believe, but still a good telling! Quick, satisfying read!
Sadly this is something that happens daily. This is a life lesson, needs to be read.
Another 3.5 suspenseful thriller. I found the book interesting, but it left unanswered questions — which I didn’t care for. Throughout the book, there are brief chapters that give a glimpse of Bryce’s past and hints of what we might expect from the ending. Those chapters were the most interesting and I wish more of the book was dedicated to that portion of the story. The plot is your typical boy meets girl, instantly sweeps her off her feet and they marry — without the happily-ever-after. The author does throw in some different context, which changed things up some.
Julia is an assistant at a marketing firm, trying to impress her boss and get a promotion. Then she meets Bryce and they begin a whirlwind romance. He’s everything she needs after a complicated relationship with her ex-fiancé — handsome, successful, supportive and charming.
After the proposal, she becomes overwhelmingly busy. She struggles to make time for everything without being stressed out and ends up quitting her dream job, that has now become too demanding. There isn’t as much time for friends and family, either. Which is fine because some are skeptical of Bryce and don’t understand their relationship. She’s even convinced they might be jealous.
Bryce has a wonderful “church family” that consumes most of their time and although she’s never been religious, the church is so welcoming that she begins to understand the importance of faith. Her life has finally taken a turn in the right direction!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group-Putnam for this ARC, in exchange for my honest review!
#WithYouAlways #NetGalley
3.5 Stars
Review by Amy
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog
This was my first time reading Rena Olsen and I thoroughly looked forward to what awaited me within the pages of With You Always.
When Julia runs into Bryce, a charming looker who wines and dines her, she knows she has found her prince charming. He introduces her to his church family and their whirlwind romance lands Julia in an unusual relationship. She quickly realizes that Bryce’s faith is the most important thing and Julia is determined to make him happy and prove that she is willing to support him and be a devoted wife.
This book was not at all what I had envisioned by reading the summary. The majority of the book focused on the church life, playing with cult-like behaviors and a controlled lifestyle guided by the church. I found parts of the book to be a quick page turner and others were a bit slow and drawn out. The first half of the book, for me, spent so much time setting the premise, the second half began to pick up and was quite enjoyable and twisty, and then it ended with a bang, all too quickly and left me feeling like it was rushed and incomplete. There was so much time building it up and then the ending for me just fizzled and left me desiring more.
I am a huge psychological thriller fan and have read hundreds. This book reminded me a lot of B.A. Paris’ Behind Closed Doors. If you enjoyed that one, you may also enjoy this book. Just know going in, there was less suspense, and more story building than you usually find in a thriller. There was a lot of focus on the church they belonged to, so if you find cults fascinating, this may be a good read for you.