Synopsis
Sparrow Fisher is transforming. No longer dressed up in antiquated clothes and ideals, she is finally trying on her freedom.
Before she moves to New York City, she meets Ian Sterling, a musician Sparrow has dreamed about since she first saw him. The attraction is instant, but their relationship isn’t so simple.
Over a five year span, Sparrow and Ian run into each other in unusual places. Each time, Sparrow has to decide if she can trust him, if he feels the same for her, and finally, if love is really enough.
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My Review
True Love Story begins with Sparrow bumping into her ex-boyfriend Ian at the airport. You instantly find out that she is still reeling from their break-up and she also tells you how long it’s been since they met, been in and out of each other’s lives and how long since they broke up.
But now she has to spend time on a plane, sitting right next to the only person she has and will ever love. The only person who has broken her heart so badly she can’t get over him. And the only person she wants to be with, but can’t.
We then go back to the time they met for the first time and that is when the story truly begins. We get to find out what Ian did to hurt Sparrow so badly. Throughout the years, we see them both flutter in and out of each other’s lives, but every time they do, they both leave a bit of one another with the other person. They start off as friends, with an instant physical and sexual attraction to one another and over the years it flairs into something more. Something that never of them really expected, but welcomed no less as it meant they got to be together one way or another.
I loved the journey that both Sparrow and Ian had throughout the five years they had known each other. They both had a lot of growing up to do (Even if Ian was 28 when they first met and Sparrow 18). They grew up in the sense of love. They grew up in themselves and what they wanted. Their friendship / relationship was raw. It had passion and you could really see the love they had for one another. Age meant and means nothing and it was really nice to see them just being together. Their playfulness together, their smoking hot sex, their need for one another. It was intoxicating.
Their journey was a long one. Five years is a big time span to go through everything these two did. Everything they did was playful, it was raw, it was overwhelming and you could see that Sparrow and Ian really did belong together. They changed one another for the best; that is until Ian made the biggest mistake of his life and lost Sparrow. He then dedicates his months to trying to get her back with notes. Love letters; pouring his heart out to Sparrow, who in turn, doesn’t reply, but they do really get to her. She’s more than upset about the incident but although she loves him, she can’t forgive him or trust him anymore. It kills them both.
I do have to say, and to be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever said this, but I really didn’t like Ian throughout the book. Controversial I know but there was just something about the way he acted with and without Sparrow that just didn’t sit right with me. I know he wanted Sparrow is enjoy her youth and enjoy college and NYC but it just annoyed me how he’d go months without taking to her, whereas she was going crazy because he was all she could think about. And when they did see each other, he would just go back to how they were months ago, pretending that they hadn’t just gone months without speaking or seeing each other. Hell no buddy. That would not sit pretty with me. Yes, I know he had to tour (He’s a musician), but it doesn’t take 2 seconds just to ring and ask how someone is. (I know at the start they weren’t officially together and maybe I can see why he wouldn’t call, but the things he said to her, you’d expect him to make an effort.)
But when they do get together, sure he makes an effort but I couldn’t see past everything and especially what he does to Sparrow. I was say thinking “Good on you for ignoring him all these months.” I just got angry at him for everything he did. And although he proves just how much he needs Sparrow, how much he does love her and how much he would do anything to have her back, I just thought it was too late. He’d done the deed, now he can pay the time for breaking her heart.
True Love Story is a story about true love. That much is true. It’s about a journey finding love throughout the obstacles thrown your way, about trusting the person you love, staying in love for years to come even when you’re not with that person. It’s about loving that person forever even when they have hurt you. And it’s about doing whatever you can to hold on to that love, to get it back and to prove that love can conquer all throughout everything.
I would definitely recommend True Love Story, but if you’re like me and get easily annoyed by the ‘hero’s’ stupid actions throughout a book and then holds a grudge even when they redeem themselves, then maybe don’t read it? Or better yet, do read it and tell me about it. We can have a right old chatter over Ian and his ways.
The story is a nice one; it takes you on a journey with Ian and Sparrow, but also the parents and the friends. You see the characters grow up over the five year span, but also love and go through heartbreak and agony. You see that age gaps are not an issue when you love that person with everything.
I hope this review doesn’t put you off, because really, I did like this book to some extent but it wasn’t the greatest book I’ve read. I did have high hopes for it given that so many people have rated it 5 stars. But to me it was more 2.5/3 stars.
Z. Elizabeth 