ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: The Moment of Letting Go
Author: J.A. Redmerski
Published: August 11th 2015 by Piatkus
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Sienna Murphy never does anything without a plan. And so far her plans have been working. Right after college, she got a prestigious job and gained the stability she'd always craved - until work takes her to the sun-drenched shores of Oahu and places her in the path of sexy surfer Luke Everett. For the first time, she lets her heart take control. Drawn to his carefree charm, she makes a spontaneous and very un-Sienna-like decision to drop everything and stay in Hawaii for two more weeks.
Luke lives fast and wild. When he meets Sienna, he's convinced that some no-strings-attached fun is just what she needs. As their nights quickly turn from playful to passionate, Luke can't deny the deep connection he feels. But there's a reason Luke doesn't do long-term. He can't promise Sienna forever, when the enormity of his past has shown him just how fragile the future can be . . .
I hated it. I loved it.
At a glance The Moment of Letting Go is a love story but I think like the synopsis and the cover it is deceiving. Yes, it was a romance but at the heart of it The Moment of Letting Go was so much more.
What appears to be a breezy and fluffy read surprised me with its ability to make me reflect on my priorities in life. Beneath the surface it was an introspective read on understanding life's priorities and an attempt at demystifying the meaning of happiness. Unlike most New Adult novels, The Moment of Letting Go focuses on the not-so-sexy part of what it actually means to become an adult. Redmerski perfectly captures the struggles that we millennials face today - Pursuing our passion versus striving for financial independence. In our pursuit of success we lose so many things and trying to balance who we are while trying to keep our head above the water.
As a person who craves stability and would always to make the more pragmatic choice, I could relate to Sienna on a certain level. Her fear of losing control struck a cord in me. Luke on the other hand, was a complete opposite. A free spirit - the kind of person most of us wish we could be but also the kind of person we often dismiss as impractical. I loved the extreme sports angle despite having never tried it myself (Google 'BASE Jumping' - It's insane, people). I adored how Redmerski describes the rush that comes with doing these kind of sports - It truly made me consider taking up some of those activities just to feel exactly what Luke felt during his jumps. Luke's backstory while heartbreaking seemed a little to dragged out and overly angsty.
Narrated from dual point of views, this thought provoking novel explores the age old debate of living to work versus working to live. One of my qualms was that I sometimes wished that romance could have taken a backseat so that these areas could be explored better. I kept getting the feeling that Redmerski couldn't decide whether to make this a light-hearted romance or a (much needed) thought-provoking NA read.
The Moment of Letting Go appealed to the hopeless romantic yet seemed quite implausible to the control freak in me. It looked at what it means for two people with extremely different mindsets and lifestyles to fall in love which I found interesting. The secondary characters although well thought out fell short to me. Perhaps because of the comparatively powerful message that the book aims to convey? The gorgeous Hawaii setting was enticing and is sure to trigger your wanderlust! As expected from a Redmerski novel there is a healthy dose of beautiful prose and emotional turmoil to tide you over until your next read.
THE RATING
3 and half Stars
QUOTE-WORTHY
“We’re all stronger than our weaknesses. Sometimes we just need someone else to help us find that strength.”FINAL VERDICT:
“I drank the sky and brought an angel down with me.”
“Most people never let their feet leave the ground. Whether they’re afraid of heights, or afraid of hospitals, or they stay in the same place all their life because they’re afraid of change—so many people go through life on the ground and die without ever knowing that they can fly.”
The Moment of Letting Go makes a perfect holiday read that is deceivingly light but powerful in its on right.
Have you read any of J.A. Redmerski's work? Are there any New Adult novels that have stood out in particular to you?
I've only read one book by JA Redmerski, The Edge of Never, and I loved it SO much that I don't think anything can top it. This one definitely sounds interesting though, and I love the quotes you shared so I might just check it out if I'm able to. :)
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed The Edge of Never too but I think The Moment of Letting Go just struck a cord in me. You should definitely give this one a go, Hazel especially since you loved her previous books. :)
DeleteI'm not much a romance reader, but even so Nuzaifa, you've managed to get me really curious about this one. Definitely going to have to check it out - it sounds like such an amazing and well-written new adult story. Thanks for sharing and, as always, fabulous review! ♥
ReplyDelete~ Zoe @ Stories on Stage