The New York Times Bestseller and A Reese’s Book Club Pick “This love story between Lucy & Gabe spans decades and continents as two star-crossed lovers try to return to each other…Will they ever meet again? This book kept me up at night, turning the pages to find out, and the ending did not disappoint.”—Reese Witherspoon “One Day meets Me Before You meets your weekender bag.”—The Skimm … Before You meets your weekender bag.”—The Skimm
“Extraordinary.”—Emily Giffin
He was the first person to inspire her, to move her, to truly understand her. Was he meant to be the last?
Lucy is faced with a life-altering choice. But before she can make her decision, she must start her story—their story—at the very beginning.
Lucy and Gabe meet as seniors at Columbia University on a day that changes both of their lives forever. Together, they decide they want their lives to mean something, to matter. When they meet again a year later, it seems fated—perhaps they’ll find life’s meaning in each other. 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.
This devastatingly romantic debut novel about the enduring power of first love, with a shocking, unforgettable ending, is Love Story for a new generation.
“It’s the epic love story of 2017.”—Redbook
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Extraordinary.
I am not really sure what Lucy sees in Gabe. He is selfish and has a very limited understanding of the rules in a relationship. I felt manipulated by the author.
I have many conflicting thoughts and feelings about this book. I’m not sure exactly how I should feel. So, let me start with the basics…
This is a story of two people who fell madly in love but couldn’t find a way to make their lives and dreams work together. Each wanted different things from life. They were young, so was following their dreams selfish or destiny? In the years that separated them, goals were accomplished and new love found. But can you love two people at the same time? The story is told from one point of view as if it was a letter to the other, so the writing technique was itself a foreshadow of things to come. Was the ending satisfying? Yes and no. (Again, conflicted).
Am I glad I read the book? Yes, I think. At its core it is a beautiful love story with very relatable characters. This is one that will need to sit with me awhile so can absorb its light.
I found The Light We Lost to be a haunting story of unrequited love. From the start, you feel the strong tie that lasts a lifetime between two of the major characters, and how their individual choices led them in different directions in life. It was difficult to put this book down.
I loved the main character Lucy,the story was told in first person! It seemed as if she was telling me what occurred during 10 years of her life! It was an incredible love story in many ways! I loved the book!!!
I loved this book.
8/23/21 – A book that I had trouble putting down trying to figure out how it would turn. Written from the perspective of the main character as a letter style writing to the second character, with a lot of information about a third character. The love story follows a long journey, with many twists and turn I didn’t expect. A very intense, but easy to read love story about the trials of an all-encompassing love.
I’m sure I will be of the unpopular opinion on this one. The only reason this is a 3 instead of lower is because I really enjoyed the author’s writing style.
Epic love story? Ya I think not. Without spoiling (for those who want to read this one) this one started out great for me and I was completely locked in. Until it was made apparent where it was going. If there is one thing that irritates me the most it is the glorification of “love” as portrayed in this book.
This didn’t really feel like love either….more of an obsession on both their parts. Gabriel is completely self-centered and has no concern for Lucy or her feelings. Lucy was unlikable for the most part as well. She didn’t deserve Darren or the love he showered on her. Darren could be a bit close-minded when it came to Lucy but that’s partly her fault because she never really let him in or voiced her concerns when he did something that put her off. Marriage and relationships are a two-way street.
It was predictable early on where this was going with Gabriel and why Lucy was reciting their story. I was hoping for a love story that melted my heart and brought some tears. Instead I was more irritated than touched and the ending left me unsatisfied.
I do understand people make mistakes and that love is not black & white. However, I don’t believe in justifying those mistakes and essentially taking no responsibility for them.
This book was beautifully written but the characters really didn’t appeal to me. I didn’t fall in love with them or their story, and I found their motivations hard to empathise with. That said, it is so well written and the author is clearly a talented writer!
I went into this book, not really knowing what it was about. I listened to it on a long car trip. You can feel the push and pull between Lucy and Gabe in the entire story. You read/listen to this story from Lucy’s point of view, this is her telling her story. You can feel what she feels and want she wants as she tells you everything that happened on this journey. The book was well written and definitely had me feeling many emotions throughout the book. This book made me ugly cry, when a book can get this kind of response from me, it’s worth a four or five star rating.
Good writing and story line! Just bought her new book!
It’s hard to enjoy a story when you really dislike the main characters. Both were spoiled, selfish, and immature.
Loved it.
Wonderful book
This book made me realize that life’s journey doesn’t always come with easy choices.
I loved this book. The emotions of the characters felt real. The story was easy to read.
I just finished reading this book. I had an idea of the ending. But I enjoyed reading it to see all the events that led up to the end. I would recommend this book.
This book was enticing. This book was well written. This book was so sad and tragic. I can’t believe how emotionally invested i was.
Kept meaning to read this “must read” book but put it off. One chapter in and I was kicking myself for having waited. It deserves every accolade it has received. This book is, well, simply put, it’s fantastic. To say it’s about a young couple who fall for each other and come in and out of each others’ lives, against the backdrop of the 21st century, is an understatement. Jill Santopolo captures perfectly the beauty and heartbreak of love when each one wants the other, but not their life. Loved her structure, characters, dialogue, narrative style. I experienced what I can only call ‘exquisite pain’ while reading it – couldn’t stop, yet didn’t want it to end. Has stayed with me as few books ever had.
This was one of the best books I have read in a very long time! I didn’t want it to end!