Book Review: The Truth About You and Me by Emma Cooper

 

Book: The Truth About You and Me

Author: Emma Cooper

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Source: Netgalley

The Blurb:

Maggie always wanted to be an astronaut but ended up being a cleaner. She loves her job. 

Every Friday, she attends the last showing at her local indie cinema after finishing her job. 

One night, Jack, the owner of a popular bookshop (and a voracious reader who has lost the ability to read after an accident), goes to the same screening. These two strangers are about to fall in love – there’s just one complication: Jack knows nothing about Maggie. 

Maggie knows everything about Jack. How? Because Maggie has a unique gift of knowing exactly what the person is thinking the moment she touches them. 

Over a series of Fridays, Maggie and Jack get to know each other, but the closer they grow, the bigger the secrets that could tear them in two. 

One slight touch, and she knows that she isn’t the total stranger he thinks she is.

Will she risk everything to tell him the truth – or is true love something that only happens in the movies?

My Thoughts:

This is my second book by Emma Cooper, and I’ve loved them both.

They're both love stories with some surreal elements. The last book (that I read), ‘The One Before the One’ was

a time travel romance,

and this one has a touch of magic realism, which makes for a really fun combination.

Emma’s writing is very engaging, the execution of the story smart. This story is told from the dual point of view, with the switch in perspective happening exactly when it needs to. 

The truth about Jack and Maggie: we know the truths from the very beginning, and yet the writing and storytelling kept me hooked. Even the informative descriptions about Alexia (the inability to read because of a head injury) and the secret behind hearing people’s thoughts didn’t feel like fillers. Also, the author has managed to build suspense that keeps you intrigued.

The characters: I really liked Maggie and Jack and their wonderful chemistry. It was so pleasant and endearing when they were together. Nell and Riz were two very interesting characters that added an extra layer of depth to the story.

My only quibble is that a few portions felt a bit drawn out —for instance, the time Maggie spends at Jack’s home. Although it was a significant part of the plot, I felt it could have been trimmed down a little. Also Maggie’s moments with Derek didn’t really contribute to the story. But apart from that, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

This post is part of Blogchatter Half Marathon.