The first time Toby Hunter got arrested for defending Lilac Clarke’s honour, he was only fifteen years old, but he’d loved her from behind his black-rimmed glasses for as long as he could remember.With a desperate need to protect her from a distance, one arrest turned to two, two soon turning into three, and before Toby knew what was happening, the sleepy village of Southwold was turning against … turning against him for daring to stand up for a girl like Lilac.
Beautiful Lilac with her flowers in her hair, her camera in her hands, and her sweet, pink, sugary-lipped kisses.
They could hate him for loving her all they wanted. Toby was a boy who did what was right, not what was easy, and he was always going to grow to be the man willing to give her what she deserved.
Even if that meant losing Lilac forever.
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A girl like Lilac.. is a heartbreaking.. emotional story that will ripped your heart out.. Toby who is a shy neighbor boy who love to play his guitar and curiously watching Lilac the redhair girl from next door..
A coming age to childhood love.. this book was written beautifully… each words either it will swoon your heart or breaking your emotion into pieces.. Despite its a romance.. the layers of sorrow..secret…challenges..this book was a struggle to read. I admired Toby and Lilac love for each others..
A Girl Like Lilac is such a beautiful and amazing story! I love Victoria L. James and her writing <3 It’s a story about life, fighting for what you want, love and so much more. Victoria will pull you into Lilac’s and Toby’s (I love them both so much) world and won’t let you go till the end. It’s raw, real and you will laugh, cry and want to punch something....or someone ^^ It’s so beautifully written, and it will stay with you a long time <3
“I’m not worth that kind of trouble....”
“You’re worth a war Lilac”
You don’t want to miss this story!!
5 Stars....and i would give it more if i could!!
“She was like a ball of light in a dull grey world”
4.5
This book was a recommendation from a friend and I really don’t know how to review this story.
First if all, it’s a beautiful story. It’s about Lilac and Toby and their pure and deep love for each other. It’s about a girl and a boy falling in love and rescue each other. Because there’s a lot going on in their lives. They are both weak but also so strong. I love the connection they have, nothing is able to tear them apart. Their feelings for each other are stronger than all the shit that happens. Toby is Lilacs protector, but Lilac also protects the love of her life. They are equals and that’s the real beauty of their relationship and their love.
Warning, spoiler!:
What I didn’t like, or better don’t understand, is, that Lilac turned to Chris. That was the one moment where I was not sure of her feelings for Toby. She shouldn’t have given up on him (because that’s what she did in this moment). She should have demanded answers to make the right decisions. I was a little bit disappointed in her. And I was so sad for Toby, who also handled this situation wrong. But his intentions where to keep her save. Her’s I don’t understand.
In the end I’m glad they could work things out, I’m really glad that their love for each other is so deep, that they had the power to stand through all the shit that happened and that they were able to get through the separation they had to endure.
This story is beautifully written with a lot of wisdom and small doses of poetry. The author was able to capture me with her beautiful words, the twists in the story and the surprising ending.
A Girl Like Lilac’s love story is one for the ages! This book is not your typical girl falls in love with the boy next door or first love gone bad. It takes you on a journey with life altering events, devastating circumstances, selfless choices, family obligation and profound love. Both together and separately Lilac and Toby go through heavy situations that are written with respect and are incredibly evocative. Victoria L James writes dynamic characters with strong plots that pull you in and grab your heart and soul. I hugged my Kindle when I was finished with this book and can’t wait to read it again and again.
5 stars!!
My heart hurts. Damn, what an emotional journey. Victoria L. James delivered a story that put me through the ringer, but in a good way.
A Girl Like Lilac begins with Lilac and Toby who live next to each other. She’s the girl with the magical smile along with a love for life that Toby is drawn to. Toby doesn’t have it easy, but the moments he shares with Lilac fill his life with color and sunshine.
What starts off as friendship soon turns to young love—the all consuming kind where your feels as though it will burst and your love becomes the life you breathe.
I couldn’t put it down. I cried, I felt their pain and heartache.
The writing is pure brilliance, and you will FEEL every emotion. It’s worth every tear, every ounce of pain twisting in your stomach as you travel along with Toby and Lilac as they navigate their way through life.
Victoria L. James is an incredible storyteller. Her writing is top notch—beautiful and poetic. A must-read author for me and A Girl Like Lilac captured my heart and it’s a story that I won’t forget.
I don’t know where to start with this, to say I loved this book seems like a massive understatement and doesn’t really come close to her perfect this story is. It completely consumed me heart and soul. I cried, I laughed, I raged and I even swooned a little (Toby really is something else!). From the very first page this book is absolutely stunning and I didn’t want it to end, Victoria is the ultimate storyteller. This heartbreakingly beautiful coming of age love story is honestly one of the best I’ve ever read, its absolutely amazing. I’m gutted I can only give five stars, it just doesn’t seem enough.
My love of books goes beyond being able to live a thousand lives with each story. It’s being able to live and experience and fall in love with the characters. It’s having that connection to them right until the very end. It’s being in the moment and being hooked on all the feelings the story is pulling from you.
There are some authors that can make you feel like you’re living the story along with the characters, they breathe life into their words, and Victoria L. James is one of those authors.
I’ve just finished A Girl Like Lilac and can’t put into words how moved and captivated I was by each and every syllable.
The writing was exceptional, so much so that I felt the emotion the author must’ve been feeling while writing. That’s a special gift for an author to have, to leave the reader feeling like they’re a part of the very story they’re reading.
Everybody needs to experience Toby and Lilac for themselves. It’s a tale of young love, of bravery, of the things that really matter in life. How one person can change your entire world for the better.
It was a true love story.
Congratulations on an amazing book!
*4,5 stars*
“I’m not worth that kind of trouble” “You’re worth a war Lilac”
The book has been recommended so many times and I can totally understand why. It was my first read from this author and I really enjoyed reading it. It was a bit angsty but it was also a story of hope and love. Definitely a journey that you won’t forget and characters like Lilac and Toby are very unique and very raw, you couldn’t help but feel not only their heartbreak but also the love they shared…
Lilac and Toby have known each other since they were kids and have been living next door each other for years. Even when they were little, they knew that there’s something more between them that will only grow in time. When they’re teenagers, their friendship seems to grow into a love that has no bounds but it seems to take forever for them to take the next step and when something happens, it doesn’t get much better. But when there’s an undeniable pull between two people, it’s not something you can deny and somehow they’ll find a way to each other.
But when something tragic happens, it’ll maybe cost them more than they’ve ever could’ve seen coming. Will their love withstand it all?…
Blog Sol and Us
PT-BR/EN
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A Girl Like Lilac
Victoria L. James
A Girl Like Lilac é diferente de todos os outros livros que eu já li. Ele me lembrou um pouco Amor, Sublime Amor (o filme, que a propósito eu adoro). Não que sejam a mesma coisa, pois não são. Eu não sei, talvez seja o drama.
“We were beautiful and tragic all at once, and I couldn’t get enough.”
O livro se aproxima intensamente da realidade devido ao modo como os personagens lidam com as situações e ao que eles sentem uns pelos outros. E eu não estou falando só do Toby e da Lilac, estou falando da maioria dos personagens. Victoria L. James criou e explorou muito bem os personagens.
Como a própria autora disse na nota para o leitor, A Girl Like Lilac contém referências a questões sensíveis e é melhor entrar na história às cegas. Estejam avisados; e eu concordo. Na verdade, eu sempre prefiro começar um livro sabendo o menos possível, é mais emocionante. Então não vou me estender.
Só quero comentar sobre a trilha sonora, que é muito boa. Victoria L. James conseguiu captar a essência do livro nas músicas, algumas têm até um jeito “young”.
Deixo vocês com uma citação:
“every bad boy thought, every good boy intention”
Sigam Sol and Us por aí: https://linktr.ee/solandus2
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A Girl Like Lilac
Victoria L. James
A Girl Like Lilac is unlike any other book I have read. It reminded me of West Side Story (the film, which I adore by the way). Not that they are the same thing, because they are not. I don’t know, maybe it’s the drama.
“We were beautiful and tragic all at once, and I couldn’t get enough.”
The book gets intensely close from reality because of the way the characters handle the situations and of what they feel for each other. And I’m not only talking about Toby and Lilac, I’m talking about the majority of characters. Victoria L. James created and explored the characters really well.
As the author herself said on a note to reader, A Girl Like Lilac contains references to sensitive issues and it’s better to go into the story blind. Be warned; and I agree. Actually, I always prefer to go into a book knowing the least possible, it’s more exciting. So I won’t prolong.
Just want to comment about the soundtrack, which is really good. Victoria L. James seized the essence of the book in the songs, some even have a “young” style.
I’ll leave you with a quote:
“every bad boy thought, every good boy intention”
Follow Sol and Us around: https://linktr.ee/solandus2
Victoria L James stormed her way onto my favourite authors list last year and I kicked myself for having left it so long to read her words!! This time I wasn’t being left out… this book had already had rave reviews left, right and centre, so as soon as it was available to order on it went to my TBR list and I was (almost) ready to read it as soon as it landed on my kindle !!
Well, what can i say…. Beautiful cover, beautiful formatting…. but ohhh inside and between, the utmost beautiful words. This author has captured me with every book of hers that I have read just like Lilac captures images with her camera, unashamedly in the most natural way! No pretence just real and raw!!
These two characters, Lilac and Toby, have such old heads on shoulders so young.. and their story is told with depth and compassion. What may appear to be wrongdoing isn’t always wrong, Toby would do anything to protect his Lilac even if it would take him away from her, and Ms. James tells a story that actually cheers him along to do so !!
This story is one of true love – “the selfless kind” and Toby is selfless, but then so were many of the other characters – including Coral (who I adored btw) and Toby’s Dad Wayne who my heart ached for !
I loved Cheryl – we all need a friend like Cheryl – her own person, steadfast and loyal to the core !
Their lives were built around so many secrets, and there were twists that you don’t see coming and some maybe you get a tiny inclination of just before, and the author manages to entwine you into their lives so intricately that you want to jump in and hug the characters to help them through the revelations yourself!
The deeper issues of bipolar are dealt with in a sensitive manner and with understanding.
There were tears and they actually got me when I least expected them (the goodbye to Mr Leighton). This isn’t a story that will necessarily rip your heart out, because I always felt hope, but it is emotional and had my heart galloping several times as I willed the storyline to go a certain way.
My heart completely melted during the epilogue with colours added to the rainbow !!.. and that’s where a good book ends.. a feeling of peace and contentment left etched in my heart
I am going to put myself out there and say this could most probably be Victoria’s best book yet!
A Girl Like Lilac has every bit of emotion and twist and turns you would want and more. It covers friendship, young love, mental illness, family and the type of commitment every little girl dreams of experiencing when they grow up.
Victoria wrote this in a way that when you read the book, you feel like you are part of their circle of friends. You can feel what they are going through. Your heart breaks along with theirs, you cheer them on a long the way (yes my pom poms came out for them) and when they are fighting for what they know is right you pray that they get what they need and deserve.
I am going to say this again…THIS IS YOUR YEAR MY FRIEND!
F 50×66
Lisa Lyle’s review Jun 28, 2018
it was amazing
Omg this book had me hooked from the very first page I was that lost in the story I didn’t realise the time and ended up staying up all night. I laughed and cried it was like a rollercoaster of emotions all in one I loved lilac and Toby this book just draws you in and makes you forget everything else that’s going on around you. I love Victoria books anyway and she as not let us down another cracking book loved it love it loved it
Sigghhhh… Oh how I do love the way VLJ writes. I love how she always makes me see the place in which her stories are set so vividly, that I feel I’m looking at the same sky, stars & sunbeams as those described within its pages I love the way she so beautifully brings life to her characters, making them real, flawed & perfectly imperfect, the kind of people I would want in my life in shape or form. And the angst, oh my word the angst, I adore how she keeps me gripped in the clutches of the story she is telling, never letting me go, making sure my heart & soul are owned until the very last page.
A Girl Like Lilac was all of the above, layered with complex characters (main & secondary), plot twists that tore at my heart & outcomes that stole my breath. The pain I felt at certain points was suffocating. The love I felt for this pair was limitless. This was a story bathed in heartache & struggle all while sparkling with hope & faith. It was a story of protection, of fighting for those you love the most.
I fell in love with the pureness of Toby & Lilac’s young painful love. Let me tell you, this boy has an utterly gorgeous heart & god did he steal mine. He is so selfless & giving. It’s simply beautiful, that a girl like Lilac is blessed to have the unconditional love of a boy like Toby.
5 Sing Like I’m Listening Stunning Stars
It took me forever to write this review because I cannot adequately express the amazingness of this story!
The author is such a wizard with words. She was able to make me feel opposite emotions at the same time. At one point, I was cheering on the characters while at the same time feeling dread and utter despair.
I loved how the main characters, Toby and Lilac, were brought to life for the reader. We met them when they were young and watched them grow. But not only did we see this with this couple, but with their families and friends as well. It was great to be with the characters throughout all the changes in their lives.
These characters and this story will stay with you well past the end of the book. Be ready to experience many different emotions throughout this story. It is such a great read – do not miss it!!
Victoria L. James has a gift when it comes to words. It doesn’t take many of them to coax you in, but once you start, you’re hooked.
A Girl Like Lilac is no exception to this. From the first word to the last I was besotted. As much as this is a story of young love, it’s also a story about life, the hard hits, the quiet moments, the stolen moments, and the struggles that we take for granted.
Written beautifully, Lilac and Toby are just one of the highlights of Victoria’s writing. They’re human, and they’re flawed, and they make mistakes that have you yelling at the page and threatening bodily harm. They’re not the only ones either. Victoria’s innate talent for immersing you in her world means that even the smallest of characters pull you in, hold you hostage and drag emotional reactions from you.
What does this mean? Well, it means A Girl Like Lilac packs an emotional punch – several of them – as you traverse the landscape of sleepy sea town of Southwold. There were moments when I gasped, wept, laughed aloud, and cursed the words – and characters – as I read them. Lilac has so much heart and soul, that blood pounds through the story’s veins and becomes a driving force and I just couldn’t put it down for long. When I did, I was constantly recalled by the drive to discover the what path we were going to travel next.
Victoria L. James can weave a plot so intricately, just when you think you have everything figured out, she smacks you upside the head with something you didn’t consider, let alone see coming. She’s never brutal with it though, her words push their way into your heart and consume you, instinctively narrating a love story with every ounce of happiness, every stab of pain, and still manage to keep us turning the page.
Keep an eye out for this novel. You’re not going to want to miss A Girl Like Lilac. I’m damn glad I didn’t.
An awing and inspiring coming of age romance that is beautifully tragic and perfectly endearing…
I’m so freaking blown away right now. I’m not going to lie and say that I went into A Girl Like Lilac with no expectations. That would probably one of the biggest lies I’ve ever told in my life, because there is no way that I could do it after having read Victoria’s previous books. So yeah, I had expectations, probably far too many and too big, because she’s like a freaking unicorn…If unicorns existed, you would have never-ending expectations. Right?
Anyway, the plot for this book was pretty banging—and for once that isn’t an innuendo on my part. From the moment I went in I was completely mesmerised. Mesmerising, that’s exactly what this book is amongst many other brilliant things. The young love trope coupled with the coming of age feel had me reminiscing of my own teenage years. And sure, mine were not as complicated, but there is something about this story that will just make it resonate with your teenage self. If that makes sense. Regardless of whether or not you experienced any of the hardships that Lilac and Toby did. Oh Toby…I can’t stop sighing for him. So, there are some aspects of this story that could be perceived as triggers and that some may find difficult to stomach, but actually those are the situations that made me fall irrevocably in love with this story.
I’ve read a lot of tragic love stories, but this one just captivated me. It resonated with me and it touched every single inch of my heart. There were some pretty ugly tears going on at certain points. So, you’ll probably want a whole Kleenex factory for this one. This is such a poetic story, and not just because it contains poetry, but because of the flow and the lyrical way in which the words wrap themselves around you. This is one of those stories that is as unique as it is charming and monumental. This is the kind of story that sticks with you forever and you won’t be able to help but think of it when you least expect it.
One of the things that I really loved was the bond between Lilac and toby. It is something so special, and again unique. You see them grow from childhood friends to adolescents who are developing mature feelings and learning how to deal with them and what they mean for their friendship. There are some aspects that make you feel like they live in the moment, but actually, it’s so much more. It’s a mixture of life and fate wrestling with one another and testing their strength. I don’t think that Toby and Lilac ever live in the moment because they are just meant to be. They’re soulmates and even though life does everything to tear them apart, fate keeps bringing them back together, and their love keeps evolving and growing. It never falters or limits itself. It’s unconditional, insurmountable and giving.
As far as characters go, Toby and Lilac are incredibly lovable. They’re everything you want from adolescent protagonists that are journeying into adulthood. That is perfectly reflected in in their interactions and even in the story development. I found it impossible not to put myself in Lilac’s shoes, and because of it, I was affected by everything around her. The cocktail of heartache and heartbreak coupled with her insecurities, hardships and doubts made it impossible to keep my heart intact. It was breaking, cracking and shattering all over the place and just when I thought that it was on the mend it took another hit, another blow. At one point it was just pure devastation.
Honestly, A Girl Like Lilac was just fantastic. I couldn’t read it fast enough, and even when I had to take a break because my heart just couldn’t cope anymore, I was desperate to carry on. And then, when I did get back to it? Everything around me dimmed and muted, it turned to nothing. This story didn’t leave an inch of space, a gap or even a crack for any background noise. It really is just incredible. This is one that you do not want to miss.
ALL THE FEELS…… that is what I have experienced whilst reading this book. From the very first chapter I was hooked. This review is going to be hard to write because I do not want to give anything away about this book but I want to gush and tell you all about it. Lilac, I love her because she is unique and I wish growing up that I was more like her in character. Toby, I love him too – every woman should have a Toby in their lives, and when you read the book you will understand what I mean by this. Those feels that I mentioned- there were moments of heartache, angst, happiness and love. I swooned, smiled, laughed, cried, held my breath and wanted to shout out to stop things that were happening. This story is perfect and it is very thought-provoking and it left me reflecting and wanting to learn from the many different lessons that this beautiful story was teaching us. This is a book that I would totally recommend you read.
I have written many reviews, and at times I have struggled with them. As a reader I always want my reviews to reflect on what I’ve read and how it made me feel. I want my reviews to do justice as authors put their very soul into the work they produce. I want my review to make a statement and to share with others what I took away after finishing a novel.
But I am simply coming up empty here.
I am so afraid that I won’t do A Girl Like Lilac justice, because this novel right here was sheer perfection.
How can I articulate it into words that A Girl Like Lilac was sheer brilliance?
I honestly don’t think I can, but I promise to try….
A Girl Like Lilac is a novel that definitely needs to be read without spoilers. It needs to be read free of expectation, free of any indicators. And why?
Because this novel is so pure and intoxicating that it took my breath away.
Such a powerful and thought provoking read I literally read this novel within hours because putting it down just wasn’t an option. It completely consumed my heart and soul.
A very real read because in short it tackled life.
This is Lilac and Toby’s story.
A story about their struggles, their fears, their demons, their secrets, their betrayals.
It’s a story of unrelenting heartache and heartbreak.
It’s a story about promises made and broken.
It’s a story about fighting demons that can’t be seen.
It’s about secrets unfolding and destroying the very souls of people.
It’s a story about not giving up when everything around you seems hopeless.
It’s a story about facing a war.
It’s a story about strength, hope, trust and love.
You simply cannot get any more real than this.
A tragically beautiful novel that will stay with me always.
Lilac and Toby will always remain in my heart.
5 stars.
How many stars are in the universe? Only asking because I have no idea but I’m betting billions and that’s how many stars I want to give this story!
I’m not one for reading about angsty teenagers as a run because I live with two and trust me that gives me enough angst and drama BUT I adore Victoria’s way of telling a story so when I knew this book was coming out I was excited and I wasn’t disappointed at all.
Lilac and Toby’s story is breathtakingly beautiful, it’s a story that had me on the edge of my seat in places and swooning like a loon in others. Watching how Lilac and Toby grow and deal with everything life throws their way was an absolute delight, even when life was throwing them darkness it was fabulous to read and I’m now sitting here with a massive smile on my face and a heart filled with so much love.
I beg you all, whether you read YA/NA or not, to read this book as it is truly stunning. He’ll go read all of Victoria’s books as I promise you will not be disappointed!
Well well well L James is back with a heartbreaking but absolutely stunning Book!!!
I swooned
I laughed
I cried
I cried again
I raged
I hurt
I felt sad
I felt love,
And of course Vic like us to feel ALL.THE.ANGST.
Young or old,
Good or bad,
Sometimes new beginnings are only shown from looking at the past and taking on what we know will bring us down in the end.
But knowing in your heart and soul that even the wrongs are right then you have to face it head on.
This was another stunning read one that defies odds against so many different stages in life’s, that could easily be yours or mine.
5 beautiful Lilac Stars