"April and Oliver"

by Tess Callahan, 2009, 326p, rating=4

I struggled in the beginning because I read this choppily but once I was able to devote proper time to it, I found it quite unique. The story line grabbed me and the characters were intriguing. The writing was very good as well. An excellent first novel by the author. Oh, the ending caught me off guard but this time it worked for me. --So many interesting insights about relationships ... between husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend, and friend to friend.

April and Oliver have been childhood friends and was reunited as adults due to the death of April's beloved brother. At this point, Oliver is engaged and in law school while April seem to lead a destructive life... hooking up with bad boyfriends. With April in his midst again, Oliver's carefully planned life becomes jumbled up. Family secrets are discovered and life trials enrich their lives. In the end, well, life moves on but to where?

**My quotables:
"...Remorse fosters devotion. It's the foundation of most religions." pg 199