Once and for All
by Sarah Dessen
Published by Viking Books for Young Readers on June 6, 2017
Genres: Young Adult
Pages: 358
Format: Hardcover
Goodreads
BookBub
Get Your Copy at: Amazon
As bubbly as champagne and delectable as wedding cake, Once and for All, Sarah Dessen's thirteenth novel, is set in the world of wedding planning, where crises are routine.
Louna, daughter of famed wedding planner Natalie Barrett, has seen every sort of wedding: on the beach, at historic mansions, in fancy hotels and clubs. Perhaps that's why she's cynical about happily-ever-after endings, especially since her own first love ended tragically. When Louna meets charming, happy-go-lucky serial dater Ambrose, she holds him at arm's length. But Ambrose isn't about to be discouraged, now that he's met the one girl he really wants.
Sarah Dessen’s many, many fans will adore her latest, a richly satisfying, enormously entertaining story that has everything—humor, romance, and an ending both happy and imperfect, just like life itself.
Once and For All by Sarah Dessen is about having second chances at love.
Will Louna get another chance at a second chance of having an epic love?
Louna Barrett
Louna Barrett is the main character, and we follow her throughout the book. We watch her go from a big cynic on love to embracing it. Louna is graduating high school and getting ready to go to college, away from her mom. She was a bit hard to get to know, and I sometimes didn’t like her because of how Louna acted. Besides that, Louna was a great character, and we learn quite a bit about why Louna is the way she is.
Ethan Carusos
Ethan Carusos is a guy we only get to know through flashbacks, and he is mentioned here or there by another character. He is a guy that Louna met only once at night, but it was a big night for both of them. Ethan and Louna’s relationship is a significant plot point throughout the entire story, and I can’t exactly say much about it for that reason. I only know that I feel bad for Louna; I understand why she is the way she is and hope that she will open up to another.
Ambrose
Ambrose is the main guy for Louna. He was a bit too much to deal with at first, but after a while, I got used to how he was. Ambrose isn’t what most people would think of as a love interest in a young adult romance, but once you get used to him, Ambrose becomes more likable in my mind. He is a good character. I can definitely see him with Louna.
Five Stars
Once and For All by Sarah Dessen is a nice read. I recommend having a box of tissues for certain parts of this story. Ms. Dessen is a fantastic author; I have always loved her books. Granted, not all of her books are for some people, as she does some books that aren’t for the faint of heart. Louna, Ethan, and Ambrose are all great characters in their ways. I am giving Once and For All by Sarah Dessen five stars and recommend it to anyone that loves to read young adult romance books that deal with second chances at love.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Once and For All by Sarah Dessen.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
About Sarah Dessen
Hi. I’m Sarah. Writing a bio is always a little weird, if only because it seems completely self-absorbed. I have a standard one that I send out, which lists where I got my degree, the names of my books, all the same boring basic facts. But for this website, I’m supposed to do something more, give a sense of who I really am. So here goes.
The books I read when I was teenager, the good ones anyway, have stuck more in my mind than anything since. I still love books, but while I couldn’t tell you complete plots of novels I read even six months ago, I do remember even the smallest descriptive details from Lois Lowry’s A Summer to Die or Judy Blume’s Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. I think it was because back then books were still somewhat new to me, and when I found an author who seemed to say just what I was feeling, it really struck me and resonated. I hope that my books do that for the people who read them: I think it’s the best thing to which any writer can aspire. I’ve also been lucky enough to teach writing and see my students find their own voice. Teaching was great for me, because I got to show people how writing can really change the way you see not only yourself but the world. I’ve found in my own life that if my writing isn’t going well, not much else will. It is the one constant, the key to everything else.
Now that I’m writing full time, I have my good days and bad days. But I’d rather be doing this, even on the worst days, than anything else. As far as my other life, my non-writing life, I live in the country with my husband, my daughter, and two very spoiled dogs. I like to work in my garden—although I have not yet perfected the art of keeping everything alive—-and, in my weaker moments, shop. What else can I tell you? I love Starbucks mochas but they make me way hyper. I subscribe to too many magazines. I make a mean bean salad. I could go on, but the truth is, my books are much more exciting than I am, and that’s a good thing. It’s always more fun to make stuff up anyway.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Leave a Reply