As a major Jennifer Weiner fan, I was delighted to get a sneak peek at her latest novel, Who Do You Love. The novel tells the story of Rachel and Andy, two Americans who meet in the ER and reunite again and again as they grow up and fall in love. Their bond is strong enough to let them survive a long distance relationship and they remain top-of-mind for each other as circumstances tear them apart. The characters are raw, realistic and believable.
The book starts off with a slow pace, but the plot thickens as soon as Rachel and Andy enter their teenage years. Weiner dedicates the beginning of the book to establishing Rachel and Andy’s immediate circle of family and friends, and then the book becomes more interesting as Rachel and Andy become independent, leaving their parents’ homes behind.
One of my favourite moments in the book is the scene in which Andy gives Rachel the red heart-shaped paperclip pictured on the book’s cover. Andy might get into trouble as a young boy, but he has a big heart.
Their captivating love story starts in 1985 and continues until present day in 2015, which was interesting for me to read because they met before I was born and started dating when I was in elementary school. Through detailed descriptions of their classic yet decade-specific outfits and the music they listened to, readers are transported through time.
The most poignant historic moment in the book takes place on 9/11. Rachel is in New York and Andy coaches her over the phone to help her reach her destination safely. No news story about the event captures the reality of how it felt to live in New York that day. Weiner, however, beautifully captures Rachel’s shock and fear.
Devouring Who Do You Love was a great way to spend a long weekend and I’m confident that Weiner’s other likeminded fans will adore her latest work. Who Do You Love proves that Weiner’s social commentary extends far beyond her live tweeting of The Bachelor, as she has a killer knack for writing about romance.
Disclosure: Simon and Schuster sent me an advance copy of the book to review.