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Jake #3
Jake Understood
From the New York Times bestselling author of Jake Undone, comes a full-length standalone companion novel and epic conclusion to the Jake Series.
A different side to the story: Jake's side.
"We're getting a new roommate," they said.
I thought nothing of it...until she walked in the door. Her hand trembled in mine as she looked at me with fearful eyes. My entire world spun on its axis.
Nina...
It was a mismatch made in heaven: innocent girl from the boonies moves in with a tattooed, pierced, badboy.
I came up with a bet, a plan to tutor her in math and coach her through her phobias. What I wasn't betting on was becoming addicted to her.
But I was living a double life on weekends, and once she found out about it, she'd be gone.
I had to protect myself and that meant one thing: I couldn't fall in love.
In Jake Understood, pivotal scenes from Jake Undone are retold from Jake's point of view combined with ALL-NEW material from both the past and present time after Jake Undone left off. While it could stand alone, if both books are read, it should follow Jake Undone (Jake #1). In this book, readers of My Skylar (Jake #2) will also get to catch up with the beloved characters, Mitch and Skylar, for a glimpse of their life beyond My Skylar.
Standalone Books in the Jake Series:
Jake Undone (Jake #1)
My Skylar (Jake #2)
Jake Understood (Jake #3)
A different side to the story: Jake's side.
"We're getting a new roommate," they said.
I thought nothing of it...until she walked in the door. Her hand trembled in mine as she looked at me with fearful eyes. My entire world spun on its axis.
Nina...
It was a mismatch made in heaven: innocent girl from the boonies moves in with a tattooed, pierced, badboy.
I came up with a bet, a plan to tutor her in math and coach her through her phobias. What I wasn't betting on was becoming addicted to her.
But I was living a double life on weekends, and once she found out about it, she'd be gone.
I had to protect myself and that meant one thing: I couldn't fall in love.
In Jake Understood, pivotal scenes from Jake Undone are retold from Jake's point of view combined with ALL-NEW material from both the past and present time after Jake Undone left off. While it could stand alone, if both books are read, it should follow Jake Undone (Jake #1). In this book, readers of My Skylar (Jake #2) will also get to catch up with the beloved characters, Mitch and Skylar, for a glimpse of their life beyond My Skylar.
Standalone Books in the Jake Series:
Jake Undone (Jake #1)
My Skylar (Jake #2)
Jake Understood (Jake #3)
281 pages, Unknown Binding
First published March 1, 2015
287 people are currently reading
7104 people want to read
About the author
Penelope Ward
108 books25.7k followersPenelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.
She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.
With millions of books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over forty novels.
In 2014, Penelope’s fourth book, Stepbrother Dearest, became the #1 bestselling independently published Kindle ebook of the year on Amazon.com and was credited with igniting an entirely new subgenre of romance. Her 2016 smash hit RoomHate debuted at #2 on The New York Times Bestseller list. Penelope is an Audie Award Winner and three-time Goodreads Choice Romance of the Year Nominee. Her books have been featured in Entertainment Weekly and Publisher’s Weekly (Starred Review).
Penelope’s novels have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.
She can often be found chatting live with her readers in her private Facebook group, Penelope’s Peeps.
She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.
With millions of books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over forty novels.
In 2014, Penelope’s fourth book, Stepbrother Dearest, became the #1 bestselling independently published Kindle ebook of the year on Amazon.com and was credited with igniting an entirely new subgenre of romance. Her 2016 smash hit RoomHate debuted at #2 on The New York Times Bestseller list. Penelope is an Audie Award Winner and three-time Goodreads Choice Romance of the Year Nominee. Her books have been featured in Entertainment Weekly and Publisher’s Weekly (Starred Review).
Penelope’s novels have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.
She can often be found chatting live with her readers in her private Facebook group, Penelope’s Peeps.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 496 reviews
April 18, 2015
Oh how sweet it is to be inside the mind of the beautiful and tortured soul that is Jake Green!! I devour everything that Penelope Ward writes like it’s my last meal, and Jake Undone just made me melt for this man that gives too much for his own good. So when I heard that we’d be getting more of these incredible characters, AND we’d be inside his head for the journey…well, let’s just say getting an ARC of this book made my month!!
I knew we would get so much more than just a rehash of the same story from Jake’s point of view, but I was really excited to see that we also were getting a glimpse at what our favorite couple was up to many years down the road. When Jake invites their friends to come over as a surprise for Nina (more Skylar and Mitch, yay!!), they find out that he screwed up big time the night before, and Nina’s walked out to get some much-needed space. Ever the awesome friends, they take Jake’s mind off of his worries by asking to hear the story of his time with Nina during those months when they first fell in love. His look back on their sweet, tension-filled love story was just as unforgettable as Nina’s, with lots of added perks!
It’s one thing to fall for the hottie roommate when we’re viewing him from the other side, but to actually get to understand everything that makes him irresistible was even better. All of those little things that I thought were such cute “Jakeisms”, like the origami bats and his goofy obsession with bananas, were even more adorable through his eyes. To know the thought that went into his messages on his little winged notes just made me swoon, he was so adorably sweet and sexy all at once that I couldn’t stand it! Then there was his dirty mind, which was of course just a delicious treat without question. The man lusted big time for Nina, and he leaves no doubt about it! And that epic moment when they were finally ready to take what they wanted…damn, that was HOT!!
It was both painful and heartwarming to see the torment that Jake went through as he tried to be a good man and not leave Ivy all alone. While I hated that he felt so tied and guilty, I also loved seeing how this man was just not willing to turn his back on a friend in need. Yes, it made his life and his relationship with Nina so very complicated, but it just made him that much better of a man in my eyes. It would have been great if they didn’t have to deal with his ties to Ivy anymore in the future, but I think where he and Nina were at with the situation was a healthier place after this part of their story. It was awesome seeing them with a family and still so very much in love (and yeah, hot for each other!!), and I feel the need to say an enthusiastic and very grateful THANK YOU to Penelope Ward for giving us more of their story! Perfection!
Quotes:
I sat there staring at the paper bat in my hand and couldn’t help but laugh at myself. It was official: I had lost my damn mind over a girl. ~Loc 316
She screamed out in frustration and punched the back wall.
“Fuck me! I can’t believe this,” she said.
Believe me, I’d give anything to know what it felt like to fuck you, Nina.
I joked, “Well, that’s one way we could pass the time, but I don’t make a habit of doing that with women in the midst of a hyperventilation episode. It’s too confusing…hard to tell what’s actually causing the heavy breathing.” ~Loc 493
Her sweet voice startled me. “Jake?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m really sorry for invading your privacy.”
“It’s okay, Nina.”
“Thank you.”
“Nina?”
“Yeah?”
“Your underwear drawer might get rearranged this week. That’s all I’m sayin’.”~Loc772
My dick was completely hard now, and there was nowhere to run and nothing I could do. Either I was looking at her beautiful, wanting eyes, hard nipples, or thinking about her getting herself off. It was the blue balls trifecta. ~Loc 1314
Find this and more of my reviews at:
http://www.autumnreview.com/search/la...
I knew we would get so much more than just a rehash of the same story from Jake’s point of view, but I was really excited to see that we also were getting a glimpse at what our favorite couple was up to many years down the road. When Jake invites their friends to come over as a surprise for Nina (more Skylar and Mitch, yay!!), they find out that he screwed up big time the night before, and Nina’s walked out to get some much-needed space. Ever the awesome friends, they take Jake’s mind off of his worries by asking to hear the story of his time with Nina during those months when they first fell in love. His look back on their sweet, tension-filled love story was just as unforgettable as Nina’s, with lots of added perks!
It’s one thing to fall for the hottie roommate when we’re viewing him from the other side, but to actually get to understand everything that makes him irresistible was even better. All of those little things that I thought were such cute “Jakeisms”, like the origami bats and his goofy obsession with bananas, were even more adorable through his eyes. To know the thought that went into his messages on his little winged notes just made me swoon, he was so adorably sweet and sexy all at once that I couldn’t stand it! Then there was his dirty mind, which was of course just a delicious treat without question. The man lusted big time for Nina, and he leaves no doubt about it! And that epic moment when they were finally ready to take what they wanted…damn, that was HOT!!
It was both painful and heartwarming to see the torment that Jake went through as he tried to be a good man and not leave Ivy all alone. While I hated that he felt so tied and guilty, I also loved seeing how this man was just not willing to turn his back on a friend in need. Yes, it made his life and his relationship with Nina so very complicated, but it just made him that much better of a man in my eyes. It would have been great if they didn’t have to deal with his ties to Ivy anymore in the future, but I think where he and Nina were at with the situation was a healthier place after this part of their story. It was awesome seeing them with a family and still so very much in love (and yeah, hot for each other!!), and I feel the need to say an enthusiastic and very grateful THANK YOU to Penelope Ward for giving us more of their story! Perfection!
Quotes:
I sat there staring at the paper bat in my hand and couldn’t help but laugh at myself. It was official: I had lost my damn mind over a girl. ~Loc 316
She screamed out in frustration and punched the back wall.
“Fuck me! I can’t believe this,” she said.
Believe me, I’d give anything to know what it felt like to fuck you, Nina.
I joked, “Well, that’s one way we could pass the time, but I don’t make a habit of doing that with women in the midst of a hyperventilation episode. It’s too confusing…hard to tell what’s actually causing the heavy breathing.” ~Loc 493
Her sweet voice startled me. “Jake?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m really sorry for invading your privacy.”
“It’s okay, Nina.”
“Thank you.”
“Nina?”
“Yeah?”
“Your underwear drawer might get rearranged this week. That’s all I’m sayin’.”~Loc772
My dick was completely hard now, and there was nowhere to run and nothing I could do. Either I was looking at her beautiful, wanting eyes, hard nipples, or thinking about her getting herself off. It was the blue balls trifecta. ~Loc 1314
Find this and more of my reviews at:
http://www.autumnreview.com/search/la...
April 11, 2015
3 stars!
***Contains Spoilers from Jake Undone!!***
A bit disappointed that 70% of the book was just a rehash of Undone except this time, we read it from Jake's POV. There are a few new scenes interspersed with the old ones which didn't really add anything new at all. I didn't think rehashing those scenes were necessary because Jake Undone was great even though most of it was in Nina's POV. I didn't need to read again from Jake's POV.
What I really wanted to read about was how they handled the mentally ill ex-wife issue. I wanted more of that. It seemed like something that was really a sticking point for Nina. I know she accepted it but I wish there's more about how they dealt with it. Unfortunately, the book ended without it really being addressed. It was still enjoyable though.
***Contains Spoilers from Jake Undone!!***
A bit disappointed that 70% of the book was just a rehash of Undone except this time, we read it from Jake's POV. There are a few new scenes interspersed with the old ones which didn't really add anything new at all. I didn't think rehashing those scenes were necessary because Jake Undone was great even though most of it was in Nina's POV. I didn't need to read again from Jake's POV.
What I really wanted to read about was how they handled the mentally ill ex-wife issue. I wanted more of that. It seemed like something that was really a sticking point for Nina. I know she accepted it but I wish there's more about how they dealt with it. Unfortunately, the book ended without it really being addressed. It was still enjoyable though.
April 13, 2015
OMG - Amazeballs. I loved EVERYTHING about this book and it was heavenly being back with Jake again. Penelope Ward amazes me each and every time I read one of her books.
Jake Understood picks up AFTER the events of Jake Undone as Jake struggles because Nina has walked out on him. There are repetitious chapters, but Penelope delivered them in such a way that they were fresh, and of course, from Jake's POV as well as giving is a hefty dose of new content.
My little heart skipped a beat of delight when we re-entered Nina's POV in the present day - I love that girl.
The dynamic of their relationship sizzles and pops from the pages and I felt every damn heartbreaking moment. Throughtout the book I prayed that the two sorted out whatever problems they were facing, because - y'know, I love them!
I thoroughly enjoyed every meaty morsel of Jake Understood. Absolutely FANTASTIC.
PREVIOUS REVIEW PREPUBLICATION
I'm not a fan of 2.5's, I'm not a fan of Male only POV's but I'm also not a fan of seeing poor reviews for a book yet to be released. I tell you what I am a fan of though - Jake. I'll take more any way I can get it. I will lick the pages of any book written by Penelope Ward - (and I've read THEM ALL). Personally, I can't wait. And PLEASE Penelope, if you read this, I need more of your freaking amazing books. I hope your cooking more as I type because once I've devoured Jake Understood, I'm going to need more. FEED ME MORE!!!
Jake Understood picks up AFTER the events of Jake Undone as Jake struggles because Nina has walked out on him. There are repetitious chapters, but Penelope delivered them in such a way that they were fresh, and of course, from Jake's POV as well as giving is a hefty dose of new content.
My little heart skipped a beat of delight when we re-entered Nina's POV in the present day - I love that girl.
The dynamic of their relationship sizzles and pops from the pages and I felt every damn heartbreaking moment. Throughtout the book I prayed that the two sorted out whatever problems they were facing, because - y'know, I love them!
I thoroughly enjoyed every meaty morsel of Jake Understood. Absolutely FANTASTIC.
PREVIOUS REVIEW PREPUBLICATION
I'm not a fan of 2.5's, I'm not a fan of Male only POV's but I'm also not a fan of seeing poor reviews for a book yet to be released. I tell you what I am a fan of though - Jake. I'll take more any way I can get it. I will lick the pages of any book written by Penelope Ward - (and I've read THEM ALL). Personally, I can't wait. And PLEASE Penelope, if you read this, I need more of your freaking amazing books. I hope your cooking more as I type because once I've devoured Jake Understood, I'm going to need more. FEED ME MORE!!!
November 18, 2014
If the book isn't even published, why feel the need to rate it a 1, 2, 3 stars, let alone at all? For the simple fact I LOVED Jake Undone, and don't like that it has any less than 5 stars, I've added a 5-star review. To the haters, please, your grown adults. There's absolutely no need to review a book you have NOT read because you either don't want to wait til it's published, didn't like a completely different book, or are just simply acting like a child. Grow up and act your age! Thanks and have a fabulous day! :D
March 22, 2015
“I hadn’t held anyone like that in years. But never had it felt like this-like home-to me.”
I was very privileged and feel very grateful to have received an ARC of Jake Understood and in return I am writing my honest review of this amazing book that was one of my most anticipated books of 2015.
Jake Understood is the alternate point of view/sequel to Jake Undone. I was captivated by Jake Green since I met him in Gemini, I could not wait to read his book Jake Undone (Jake #1) and when I found out that Penelope Ward was writing another book about him I could not be happier. I have to say that I have not been a fan in the past with alternate point of views of previously published books. This book is a total different story. The author wrote this book in such an eloquent way, there are so many new scenes. Scenes that complete what was seen in the first book, scenes that provide so much character development, scenes that allow us to see characters we love such as Mitch & Skylar and Cedric & Allison and rejoice for their life and where they are at the moment. And scenes that give us the pleasure to understand the beautiful soul that is Jake Green. The way this man loves his Nina and what a big heart he has, willing to do everything for those he loves. We see great character development in Nina. I was very happy to see that and I liked her so much more in this book. She was very admirable.
I never thought possible that I could love Jake anymore than I already had but Penelope Ward never ceases to amaze me and she wrote this book that included all the elements that keep me hooked to a book until the very last page. It was emotional, sad, super funny, cute, adorable, sexy, hot, and totally captivating, that when I read The End I had tears of happiness and of sadness because it was the end of his story.
This is without a doubt my favorite book from Penelope Ward. I’m smiling so big right now!! I highly recommend this book as well as all the books this author has written. Thank you for giving us Jake, Penelope! I will never forget him!
“This moment…that’s all there ever is.”
I was very privileged and feel very grateful to have received an ARC of Jake Understood and in return I am writing my honest review of this amazing book that was one of my most anticipated books of 2015.
Jake Understood is the alternate point of view/sequel to Jake Undone. I was captivated by Jake Green since I met him in Gemini, I could not wait to read his book Jake Undone (Jake #1) and when I found out that Penelope Ward was writing another book about him I could not be happier. I have to say that I have not been a fan in the past with alternate point of views of previously published books. This book is a total different story. The author wrote this book in such an eloquent way, there are so many new scenes. Scenes that complete what was seen in the first book, scenes that provide so much character development, scenes that allow us to see characters we love such as Mitch & Skylar and Cedric & Allison and rejoice for their life and where they are at the moment. And scenes that give us the pleasure to understand the beautiful soul that is Jake Green. The way this man loves his Nina and what a big heart he has, willing to do everything for those he loves. We see great character development in Nina. I was very happy to see that and I liked her so much more in this book. She was very admirable.
I never thought possible that I could love Jake anymore than I already had but Penelope Ward never ceases to amaze me and she wrote this book that included all the elements that keep me hooked to a book until the very last page. It was emotional, sad, super funny, cute, adorable, sexy, hot, and totally captivating, that when I read The End I had tears of happiness and of sadness because it was the end of his story.
This is without a doubt my favorite book from Penelope Ward. I’m smiling so big right now!! I highly recommend this book as well as all the books this author has written. Thank you for giving us Jake, Penelope! I will never forget him!
“This moment…that’s all there ever is.”
September 20, 2019
3.5-4 ⭐'s
You know that saying "Be careful what you wish for"? Well, I experienced that in spades in this book. We totally get Jakes POV and unfortunately, it's almost...almost a retelling. I was happy that we at least got a few new scenes.
It was intriguing to read what Jake has gone through and what happened in his past...which was A LOT.
Luckily, we do get some new parts to the story towards the end. Eight years have passed and it was great hearing about how Jake and Nina have worked things out.
I loved the little "twist" that happened in the elevator...things certainly have come full circle.
I was excited to find out that two other books, Gemini and My Skylar involve some of the secondary characters. I'm looking forward to reading their stories.
You know that saying "Be careful what you wish for"? Well, I experienced that in spades in this book. We totally get Jakes POV and unfortunately, it's almost...almost a retelling. I was happy that we at least got a few new scenes.
It was intriguing to read what Jake has gone through and what happened in his past...which was A LOT.
Luckily, we do get some new parts to the story towards the end. Eight years have passed and it was great hearing about how Jake and Nina have worked things out.
I loved the little "twist" that happened in the elevator...things certainly have come full circle.
I was excited to find out that two other books, Gemini and My Skylar involve some of the secondary characters. I'm looking forward to reading their stories.
March 30, 2015
IT's LIVE! Special release price of $2.99 for release day only! (This is the only sale of 2015.)
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1GFdves
B&N: http://bit.ly/1FwJC0z (releasing at midnight)
iTunes: http://apple.co/1DQQwgC (releasing at midnight)
kobo: http://bit.ly/1LQ7Fvk (releasing at midnight)
Jake Understood is a standalone that can be read alone or in conjunction with Jake Undone. If both books are read, it should follow Jake Undone, which is also on sale for .99.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1GFdves
B&N: http://bit.ly/1FwJC0z (releasing at midnight)
iTunes: http://apple.co/1DQQwgC (releasing at midnight)
kobo: http://bit.ly/1LQ7Fvk (releasing at midnight)
Jake Understood is a standalone that can be read alone or in conjunction with Jake Undone. If both books are read, it should follow Jake Undone, which is also on sale for .99.
June 24, 2015
This is book 2 - ten years after their "HEA" book 1:
** SPOILER alert **
A story about Jake and his 2 leading ladies:
His wife, Nina, the heroine, to whom he has been married to for 9 years now
His ex-wife, Ivy, the other woman (A schizophrenic whom he has visited for longer than a decade, once a week, every Saturday (or sometimes Fridays) at the group home where she is being cared for.
At the beginning of this book, the h has walked out on the H)
Excerpts:
THE CATALYST:
“Are you insane, Jake? Do you really think there are any circumstances under which it’s okay to spend the night with your ex-wife?”
PAGE 1:
“My wife walked out on me”
JAKE - ABOUT THE HEROINE:
“This day was a long time coming. In fact, I’d been bracing for it from the moment I first met her.”
“The truth was I couldn’t blame her for leaving. Nina had every right to be pissed at me.”
“…she was likely thinking about all of the ways I hadn’t “put her first. I shuddered.”
“Nina had always put aside her own needs to allow me to continue to look out for Ivy within reason.”
“....she did understand my needing to take care of Ivy. Nina had too big of a heart to ever question that.”
HEROINE - ABOUT JAKE SEEING HIS EX-WIFE:
“Saturdays were the black holes of my life because those were the days he’d visit Ivy. He’d leave in the morning, and I’d count the hours until he returned. Sometimes, that would be late afternoon and often times, evening.”
“I really did understand his dilemma. But that didn’t mean I had to like it or that I wasn’t going to get jealous.”
“Because I’d never met her, had never even seen what she looked like, she was like this mythical creature that held a small part of my husband’s heart.”
“I was terrified……that I’d find out she really wasn’t that incapacitated….”
HEROINE - TAKES IT UPON HERSELF TO VISIT THE OW FOR THE 1ST TIME:
“.....a frame that held a photo of Jake and Ivy.”
“It was overwhelming to see him so young in a time before I ever knew him. It was also painful to see him looking so happy with someone else.”
“While it was heartwarming to see how meticulously he looked out for her, seeing that he used the term baby girl had sparked unwanted jealousy.”
“We (h and ow) couldn’t be friends or anything else to each other for that matter. But Jake was a part of me. So, in a sense, a part of me would always be with her.”
NB:
While these excerpts reflect the bottom line for me, there’s so much MORE happening in this book
A. It’s a retelling of book 1 (Jake Undone) in his POV, 9 years into their marriage
B. He literally sits-down-with-his-friends and retells book 1 to them. A painful rehash, really.
D. It’s about how and why the h leaves the H. On page one.
E. Heroine’s POV is in the present day:
(1) A depiction of her unhappiness, insecurities and vulnerabilities as a result of her feelings wrt his continued devotion to ow.
(2) Of how their lives are built around his dedication to the ow, with a few concessions when it comes to certain aspects.
(3) She has NO idea of what Jake's weekly visits with ow entails
(4) Nor of the full extent of ow's illness
(5) Until she goes to see the ow, she’s unaware of the life he has built over the years with the her, her fellow housemates and the staff of her care facility
F. The ONE night the h really, REALLY needs him, he doesn’t come home but is with the ow because of various factors (Murphy’s Law? Fate? His choice?...)
G. This occurrence is the reason the h leaves Jake (albeit for a day or so), plus the combination of years of:
1) The h’s insecurities about his commitment to his ill ex-wife and the impact it has on their lives.
(Mostly she is okay with it but this time, not at all)
2) Her pregnancy (unexpected and long awaited) hormones
3) Various ups and downs within their marriage, jobs, etc.
MY FAV PARTS:
A. Jake is probably one of the sexiest and most romantic heroes I've read about in a longggg time. He's so well written. After all these years together, he still adores the heroine. Very VERY much so. He's love for her is palpable. (Almost made me accept his connection and loyalty to the ow)
B. The gorgeous cover, albeit Shutterstock stock, does our beautiful hero justice
C. The heroine is a REAL woman. Her character reflects the ordinary wife and mother with an "everyday normal”. She’s reachable, flawed and relatable. No wonder woman, cardboard cut-out kickass kinda heroine. She’s nice. Nice is good, sometimes.
D. We get a 9-years-later glimpse into the lives of the author’s other books’ MCs.
THE ICK FACTORS:
A. This book 2 is confirmation that book 1 had no solid hea.
B. His detailed retelling of their intimacy to his friends. TMI to the extreme.
C. For the past 9 years the Hxh have never discussed the ow. He tells her NOTHING of the 7 or 8 hours he spends with the ow each week. When she does eventually find out how truly devoted he is to ow, she’s hurt and jealous, again.
D. He has a LIFE with the ow. Totally apart from the h and their son. Despite his love for the h, he is 100% committed to ow. A couple of hours a week is not enough for him to spend with her. He needs a full day to be with her. He plans her week until his next visit.
E. Heroine dedicates their baby's name to ow
F. The last part of the book:
It felt…odd…off-ish…The tone changes from intense to slapstick, almost. Lotsa weird stuff happening to them, when by now I just felt they deserved a break. I wanted “normal happy” for this couple after all the negativity they’ve experienced.
G. That he will ALWAYS, ALWAYS chose the ow first. She is his FIRST priority.
** SPOILER alert **
A story about Jake and his 2 leading ladies:
His wife, Nina, the heroine, to whom he has been married to for 9 years now
His ex-wife, Ivy, the other woman (A schizophrenic whom he has visited for longer than a decade, once a week, every Saturday (or sometimes Fridays) at the group home where she is being cared for.
At the beginning of this book, the h has walked out on the H)
Excerpts:
THE CATALYST:
“Are you insane, Jake? Do you really think there are any circumstances under which it’s okay to spend the night with your ex-wife?”
PAGE 1:
“My wife walked out on me”
JAKE - ABOUT THE HEROINE:
“This day was a long time coming. In fact, I’d been bracing for it from the moment I first met her.”
“The truth was I couldn’t blame her for leaving. Nina had every right to be pissed at me.”
“…she was likely thinking about all of the ways I hadn’t “put her first. I shuddered.”
“Nina had always put aside her own needs to allow me to continue to look out for Ivy within reason.”
“....she did understand my needing to take care of Ivy. Nina had too big of a heart to ever question that.”
HEROINE - ABOUT JAKE SEEING HIS EX-WIFE:
“Saturdays were the black holes of my life because those were the days he’d visit Ivy. He’d leave in the morning, and I’d count the hours until he returned. Sometimes, that would be late afternoon and often times, evening.”
“I really did understand his dilemma. But that didn’t mean I had to like it or that I wasn’t going to get jealous.”
“Because I’d never met her, had never even seen what she looked like, she was like this mythical creature that held a small part of my husband’s heart.”
“I was terrified……that I’d find out she really wasn’t that incapacitated….”
HEROINE - TAKES IT UPON HERSELF TO VISIT THE OW FOR THE 1ST TIME:
“.....a frame that held a photo of Jake and Ivy.”
“It was overwhelming to see him so young in a time before I ever knew him. It was also painful to see him looking so happy with someone else.”
“While it was heartwarming to see how meticulously he looked out for her, seeing that he used the term baby girl had sparked unwanted jealousy.”
“We (h and ow) couldn’t be friends or anything else to each other for that matter. But Jake was a part of me. So, in a sense, a part of me would always be with her.”
NB:
While these excerpts reflect the bottom line for me, there’s so much MORE happening in this book
A. It’s a retelling of book 1 (Jake Undone) in his POV, 9 years into their marriage
B. He literally sits-down-with-his-friends and retells book 1 to them. A painful rehash, really.
D. It’s about how and why the h leaves the H. On page one.
E. Heroine’s POV is in the present day:
(1) A depiction of her unhappiness, insecurities and vulnerabilities as a result of her feelings wrt his continued devotion to ow.
(2) Of how their lives are built around his dedication to the ow, with a few concessions when it comes to certain aspects.
(3) She has NO idea of what Jake's weekly visits with ow entails
(4) Nor of the full extent of ow's illness
(5) Until she goes to see the ow, she’s unaware of the life he has built over the years with the her, her fellow housemates and the staff of her care facility
F. The ONE night the h really, REALLY needs him, he doesn’t come home but is with the ow because of various factors (Murphy’s Law? Fate? His choice?...)
G. This occurrence is the reason the h leaves Jake (albeit for a day or so), plus the combination of years of:
1) The h’s insecurities about his commitment to his ill ex-wife and the impact it has on their lives.
(Mostly she is okay with it but this time, not at all)
2) Her pregnancy (unexpected and long awaited) hormones
3) Various ups and downs within their marriage, jobs, etc.
MY FAV PARTS:
A. Jake is probably one of the sexiest and most romantic heroes I've read about in a longggg time. He's so well written. After all these years together, he still adores the heroine. Very VERY much so. He's love for her is palpable. (Almost made me accept his connection and loyalty to the ow)
B. The gorgeous cover, albeit Shutterstock stock, does our beautiful hero justice
C. The heroine is a REAL woman. Her character reflects the ordinary wife and mother with an "everyday normal”. She’s reachable, flawed and relatable. No wonder woman, cardboard cut-out kickass kinda heroine. She’s nice. Nice is good, sometimes.
D. We get a 9-years-later glimpse into the lives of the author’s other books’ MCs.
THE ICK FACTORS:
A. This book 2 is confirmation that book 1 had no solid hea.
B. His detailed retelling of their intimacy to his friends. TMI to the extreme.
C. For the past 9 years the Hxh have never discussed the ow. He tells her NOTHING of the 7 or 8 hours he spends with the ow each week. When she does eventually find out how truly devoted he is to ow, she’s hurt and jealous, again.
D. He has a LIFE with the ow. Totally apart from the h and their son. Despite his love for the h, he is 100% committed to ow. A couple of hours a week is not enough for him to spend with her. He needs a full day to be with her. He plans her week until his next visit.
E. Heroine dedicates their baby's name to ow
F. The last part of the book:
It felt…odd…off-ish…The tone changes from intense to slapstick, almost. Lotsa weird stuff happening to them, when by now I just felt they deserved a break. I wanted “normal happy” for this couple after all the negativity they’ve experienced.
G. That he will ALWAYS, ALWAYS chose the ow first. She is his FIRST priority.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2015
“From the day you first walked into my life, you’ve been saving me."
Penelope Ward has written a richly detailed, VERRA sexy and emotional story with lots of new material and details.
This unputdownable story is told from Jake’s point of view, who is one of my absolute favorite book boyfriends so I devoured every word of this cleverly-written book. It takes a very gifted writer to create a story that includes the most significant facts from another book (JAKE UNDONE) but which also includes incredibly fresh insights and beautiful, emotional, sexy and swoon-worthy new scenes. JAKE UNDERSTOOD can absolutely be read as a standalone, but it is also the perfect companion to Jake Undone.
This story is told mainly through a series of flashbacks, precipitated by a series of events that are driving a wedge between Nina and Jake’s great love. I am a huge fan of male POV’s and Penelope Ward once again nails the male voice. We get a sexy, gritty, emotional yet incredibly erotic and readable story that flows perfectly and will bring you to tears.
Marriage and family is not easy. And Jake and Nina have more uphill battles than most couples. Yet Jake is fighting hard for their love and for his girl. Do not shy away from this book out of the belief that it is merely a retelling of Jake Undone. It is much, much more!! Fall in love with Jake all over again in this gorgeous story. Another must-read from Penelope Ward!!
(ARC received from the author with thanks.)
Penelope Ward has written a richly detailed, VERRA sexy and emotional story with lots of new material and details.
This unputdownable story is told from Jake’s point of view, who is one of my absolute favorite book boyfriends so I devoured every word of this cleverly-written book. It takes a very gifted writer to create a story that includes the most significant facts from another book (JAKE UNDONE) but which also includes incredibly fresh insights and beautiful, emotional, sexy and swoon-worthy new scenes. JAKE UNDERSTOOD can absolutely be read as a standalone, but it is also the perfect companion to Jake Undone.
This story is told mainly through a series of flashbacks, precipitated by a series of events that are driving a wedge between Nina and Jake’s great love. I am a huge fan of male POV’s and Penelope Ward once again nails the male voice. We get a sexy, gritty, emotional yet incredibly erotic and readable story that flows perfectly and will bring you to tears.
Marriage and family is not easy. And Jake and Nina have more uphill battles than most couples. Yet Jake is fighting hard for their love and for his girl. Do not shy away from this book out of the belief that it is merely a retelling of Jake Undone. It is much, much more!! Fall in love with Jake all over again in this gorgeous story. Another must-read from Penelope Ward!!
(ARC received from the author with thanks.)
March 26, 2015
☆ I received an ARC via Soluri PR in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ☆
First we are utterly undone by the woes and delights that are Jake Green. And now we get to get inside his head?! Can life get any sweeter?!
Jake Understood is a complimentary companion to Jake Undone told from Jake’s perspective.
It was a gooey-goodness of give and take, as we are regaled of his and Nina’s story, from start to end with some inserted scenes and tidbits that we have not witnessed before, as well as, some post Jake Undone material.
I have to admit, I was a bit apprehensive since I was worried we would just be corralled with the same info we already know, but it was instead very refreshing, informative and innovative, and made me fall in love with Jake all over again.
I would love to go into more detail about why I loved this read, but seeing as most of you already know the story, I will not recap what is common knowledge and will cease further comment as to not to divulge any spoilers in the additional plot content that we readers are given.
All I will say is, get ready to one-click this baby as I was surely not disappointed! Everything felt more complete, more dual oriented, had extra depth, and was better explained.
Loved this heartwarming and long-awaited follow up!!
First we are utterly undone by the woes and delights that are Jake Green. And now we get to get inside his head?! Can life get any sweeter?!
Jake Understood is a complimentary companion to Jake Undone told from Jake’s perspective.
It was a gooey-goodness of give and take, as we are regaled of his and Nina’s story, from start to end with some inserted scenes and tidbits that we have not witnessed before, as well as, some post Jake Undone material.
I have to admit, I was a bit apprehensive since I was worried we would just be corralled with the same info we already know, but it was instead very refreshing, informative and innovative, and made me fall in love with Jake all over again.
I would love to go into more detail about why I loved this read, but seeing as most of you already know the story, I will not recap what is common knowledge and will cease further comment as to not to divulge any spoilers in the additional plot content that we readers are given.
All I will say is, get ready to one-click this baby as I was surely not disappointed! Everything felt more complete, more dual oriented, had extra depth, and was better explained.
Loved this heartwarming and long-awaited follow up!!
March 30, 2015
5 "Let it Be" Stars! There are so many aspects of this touching, heartfelt read that I really connected with, that it's hard to distill it down for purposes of a review. Jake's and Nina's story is a truly magical one. A true friends to lovers story, that will genuinely break your heart and show you how to reconstruct it again. Try though they might, even the largest obstacles, can never come close to extinguishing true love. And Jake and Nina certainly had to learn to overcome more than their fair share. In the end though, the lesson that Jake Understood imparted is a vastly brilliant one, though it may be extremely difficult to learn in theory. Therefore its an invaluable lesson, that in essence, most people can typically only really learn in action: in life it is always better to reach for the sun and risk getting burned than in essence freeze out life by failing to live at all.
I will say that my experience may be somewhat unusual. In that regard, I did not read Jake Undone which I understand recounts many of the central points of this story from Nina's perspective. That being said, I think Penelope Ward's writing is so poignant and visceral that Jake Understood, told almost exclusively from Jake's perspective, completely worked as a standalone for me. Never did I feel like I was missing something from the background. Moreover, while the reader knows the big secret that is revealed in Jake Undone from the very beginning in Jake Understood, I got the feeling that in addition to getting Jake's point of view, there were also additional aspects to this story that were told for the first time in this sequel. Additionally, Ms. Ward cleverly continues Jake's and Nina's story and even inserts a new present conflict, which is initially described in a vague format so as to leave the reader in suspense as to its true nature until the end, when the events leading up to it are slowly revealed.
The crucial events from the past are revealed in the form of a story. Jake has invited a number of friends to celebrate Nina's nursing graduation, but before they arrive she disappears. Merely stating that she needs some time to think. As the friends start to arrive, Jake passes the time by telling them the unconventional story of how he and Nina came to be together. As time keeps passing, however, Jake's unease with Nina's clipped unexplained departure begins to weigh on him, as he ponders all of the possibilities for her true reason for leaving and whether she will ever come back.
Of course the past story is one that readers who read Jake Undone are somewhat familiar with--at least as it relates to how Nina experienced it. In Jake Understood we get to experience how some events, which may have appeared callous, unfeeling or wavering between hot and cold in Jake Undone, were actually just as anxiety producing and confusing for Jake. It's a story of how two roommates, a tattooed, pierced, engineer with seemingly inexplainable behaviors and a reserved, innocent seeming and paranoia riddled, nursing student, became unlikely friends, taught each other how to live again and ultimately fell in love.
Meanwhile in the present, old conflicts may have been accepted, but have nonetheless taken their toll. Can such conflicts ever support a long-term HEA in their future?
What a fantastic read! The characters were incredibly complex, and I loved the panoply of unique little touches that Ms. Ward infused these characters with. From a love of bananas to origami bats bearing special messages, there were a ton of very distinctive traits that really personalized these characters. It was these unique little quirks, and how Ms. Ward wove them into this story, that really made it come to life for me. I was also humbled by Ms. Ward's attention to the devastating effects of some very real life, life-altering issues. Having witnessed their horrific effects on a close loved one first hand, her delicate handling of these issues brought tears to my eyes. These characters were faced with some impossible choices, and their perseverance in spite of it all, was extremely inspiring.
This was my first experience with Ms. Ward, and I'm hooked. I can't wait to experience more of Ms. Ward's unique, emotional stories in the future.
Source: Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
I will say that my experience may be somewhat unusual. In that regard, I did not read Jake Undone which I understand recounts many of the central points of this story from Nina's perspective. That being said, I think Penelope Ward's writing is so poignant and visceral that Jake Understood, told almost exclusively from Jake's perspective, completely worked as a standalone for me. Never did I feel like I was missing something from the background. Moreover, while the reader knows the big secret that is revealed in Jake Undone from the very beginning in Jake Understood, I got the feeling that in addition to getting Jake's point of view, there were also additional aspects to this story that were told for the first time in this sequel. Additionally, Ms. Ward cleverly continues Jake's and Nina's story and even inserts a new present conflict, which is initially described in a vague format so as to leave the reader in suspense as to its true nature until the end, when the events leading up to it are slowly revealed.
The crucial events from the past are revealed in the form of a story. Jake has invited a number of friends to celebrate Nina's nursing graduation, but before they arrive she disappears. Merely stating that she needs some time to think. As the friends start to arrive, Jake passes the time by telling them the unconventional story of how he and Nina came to be together. As time keeps passing, however, Jake's unease with Nina's clipped unexplained departure begins to weigh on him, as he ponders all of the possibilities for her true reason for leaving and whether she will ever come back.
Of course the past story is one that readers who read Jake Undone are somewhat familiar with--at least as it relates to how Nina experienced it. In Jake Understood we get to experience how some events, which may have appeared callous, unfeeling or wavering between hot and cold in Jake Undone, were actually just as anxiety producing and confusing for Jake. It's a story of how two roommates, a tattooed, pierced, engineer with seemingly inexplainable behaviors and a reserved, innocent seeming and paranoia riddled, nursing student, became unlikely friends, taught each other how to live again and ultimately fell in love.
Meanwhile in the present, old conflicts may have been accepted, but have nonetheless taken their toll. Can such conflicts ever support a long-term HEA in their future?
What a fantastic read! The characters were incredibly complex, and I loved the panoply of unique little touches that Ms. Ward infused these characters with. From a love of bananas to origami bats bearing special messages, there were a ton of very distinctive traits that really personalized these characters. It was these unique little quirks, and how Ms. Ward wove them into this story, that really made it come to life for me. I was also humbled by Ms. Ward's attention to the devastating effects of some very real life, life-altering issues. Having witnessed their horrific effects on a close loved one first hand, her delicate handling of these issues brought tears to my eyes. These characters were faced with some impossible choices, and their perseverance in spite of it all, was extremely inspiring.
This was my first experience with Ms. Ward, and I'm hooked. I can't wait to experience more of Ms. Ward's unique, emotional stories in the future.
Source: Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
April 6, 2015
I started reading this before "Jake Undone". I then got "Jake Undone" to fill in the blanks that were skimmed over in this one. (It's not really a standalone...).
First of all Jake telling all his and Nina's friends the story of how they ended up together was just weird. I could not get into it because it just felt too weird and fake and not at ALL like something that would happen. I felt like I was reading about a slumber party. With kids.
So, Nina leaves because she's tired of sharing Jake with Ivy? SHOCKER. And then Nina worries Jake will be pissed because she went to finally see Ivy? Not to mention he freaking flips out and threatens Ryan like a high school boy when he finds out Ryan tried to get Nina to leave him before they got married, before Ryan himself got married too! I just do not think Jake has a leg to stand on here. AT ALL.
My question is: How in the freaking hell had she never met Ivy before this?! I would definitely want to see the woman that my husband was married to before and the woman that he just HAS to go see every Saturday.
And then the whole delivering their baby girl in an elevator and him nearly losing Nina...another contrivance to make us swoon over how much Jake loves Nina oh so much...BUT not enough to stop seeing Ivy.
And then the comments about how Jake couldn't blame their daughter for latching on to Nina's boobs?
Nope. Not a fan.
First of all Jake telling all his and Nina's friends the story of how they ended up together was just weird. I could not get into it because it just felt too weird and fake and not at ALL like something that would happen. I felt like I was reading about a slumber party. With kids.
So, Nina leaves because she's tired of sharing Jake with Ivy? SHOCKER. And then Nina worries Jake will be pissed because she went to finally see Ivy? Not to mention he freaking flips out and threatens Ryan like a high school boy when he finds out Ryan tried to get Nina to leave him before they got married, before Ryan himself got married too! I just do not think Jake has a leg to stand on here. AT ALL.
My question is: How in the freaking hell had she never met Ivy before this?! I would definitely want to see the woman that my husband was married to before and the woman that he just HAS to go see every Saturday.
And then the whole delivering their baby girl in an elevator and him nearly losing Nina...another contrivance to make us swoon over how much Jake loves Nina oh so much...BUT not enough to stop seeing Ivy.
And then the comments about how Jake couldn't blame their daughter for latching on to Nina's boobs?
Nope. Not a fan.
September 21, 2018
5 BEAUTIFULLY UNDERSTOOD STARS
Jake Undone has long been a favourite book of mine and I'm always a little wary of companion books because sometimes they can ruin the characters by putting a new spin on them ( Walking Disaster by Jamie Maguire completely changed my view of Abby Abernathy, for example) so it was with a lot of trepidation but much more excitement that I read Jake Understood.........Well, . I'm delighted to say that Ms Ward knocked it out of the ball park with this beautiful book, largely from Jake's pov. I loved being in his head. It didn't feel like a rehash . It was an excellent book. Straight onto my favourites and re-read list. I might even love this one a little bit more!
September 2018 - I listened to this on audible & fell in love with Jake Green all over again. Also, Nina is such an amazing heroine. This is still an all time favourite.
Jake Undone has long been a favourite book of mine and I'm always a little wary of companion books because sometimes they can ruin the characters by putting a new spin on them ( Walking Disaster by Jamie Maguire completely changed my view of Abby Abernathy, for example) so it was with a lot of trepidation but much more excitement that I read Jake Understood.........Well, . I'm delighted to say that Ms Ward knocked it out of the ball park with this beautiful book, largely from Jake's pov. I loved being in his head. It didn't feel like a rehash . It was an excellent book. Straight onto my favourites and re-read list. I might even love this one a little bit more!
September 2018 - I listened to this on audible & fell in love with Jake Green all over again. Also, Nina is such an amazing heroine. This is still an all time favourite.
February 5, 2022
As I said in my Jake Undone review; I felt this book was a bit of a waste. The first 70% is Jake re-telling “their story” to Skylar and Mitch; there’s a couple of new scenes thrown in…we visit the Desiree “pre-Nina” hookup again, add a new ONS with a desperate recent divorcee… and some Ivy backstory, including a cringy scene where she tries to initiate sex. Now if you read my reviews; you know I’m not a prude when it comes to “OW issues” BUT this is the second book after they’ve been happily married for almost 10 years, and I don’t want to sit again through my H being with OW. Not to mention, the “Ivy initiation” added a whole bucket of yuck to an already stressful sub-plot.
But let me back up first, this book starts I think 9 years (AJ is 8) later with Jake upset because Nina has left after he stayed out all night after Ivy’s visit. It was due to bad weather, but I thought we were finally getting somewhere with this Ivy situation. I’ve always had mixed feelings, I see where he’s coming from, and I’m usually very understanding with the “second-best” scenario, but the OW is usually deceased which makes it easier. The “Ivy situation” had potential for some SUPER angsty drama, but I thought it was glossed over with the one-year jump at the end of Jake Undone, so I was looking forward to revisiting it. It's confusing, because she's “out of it” enough to warrant being institutionalized; yet “in it” enough to remember/track that he visited each and every weekend. Nina’s always understanding, but I wanted to explore her insecurities, fears, concerns, etc. And we do get this…
What if Jake can’t handle my issues this time, and it ruins us? What if Jake is still attracted to Ivy? (That was an oldie but goodie that always seemed to creep in at my worst.) Then, the “what if” questions turned to “whys.” Why do I have to share my husband? Why can’t we just be a normal family? Why is he with her and not with me?
**me rubbing my hands, this is the kind of angst I love** but after she visits Ivy; she’s once again all understanding and shit…pfft
“Seeing what you’ve had to deal with is eye opening. I will never be one hundred percent comfortable with it, but seriously, where would she be if you hadn’t looked out for her all these years? You’ve single-handedly saved her, Jake.”
Don’t get me wrong, Jake’s pretty awesome, but I was looking forward to one gut wrenching convo, so he understood just what those visits cost Nina.
We get another long pregnancy jump (7 months) which made for some awkward transitions like this.
“This isn’t supposed to happen. My body is not supposed to go into natural labor. I’m scared because I’m more prone to uterine rupture because of the prior C-section. What if we don’t get there in time and something happens to the baby?”
We needed the info dump, since we skipped over all the Dr. visits, but this is not a natural way you’d have a convo with your hubs.
Bottom Line- Not bad, but not great either. I just expected more new material after having to purchase another book. She set it up perfectly for there to be kid hookup books (Nina’s & Skylar’s) down the road, because their ages match up.
But let me back up first, this book starts I think 9 years (AJ is 8) later with Jake upset because Nina has left after he stayed out all night after Ivy’s visit. It was due to bad weather, but I thought we were finally getting somewhere with this Ivy situation. I’ve always had mixed feelings, I see where he’s coming from, and I’m usually very understanding with the “second-best” scenario, but the OW is usually deceased which makes it easier. The “Ivy situation” had potential for some SUPER angsty drama, but I thought it was glossed over with the one-year jump at the end of Jake Undone, so I was looking forward to revisiting it. It's confusing, because she's “out of it” enough to warrant being institutionalized; yet “in it” enough to remember/track that he visited each and every weekend. Nina’s always understanding, but I wanted to explore her insecurities, fears, concerns, etc. And we do get this…
What if Jake can’t handle my issues this time, and it ruins us? What if Jake is still attracted to Ivy? (That was an oldie but goodie that always seemed to creep in at my worst.) Then, the “what if” questions turned to “whys.” Why do I have to share my husband? Why can’t we just be a normal family? Why is he with her and not with me?
**me rubbing my hands, this is the kind of angst I love** but after she visits Ivy; she’s once again all understanding and shit…pfft
“Seeing what you’ve had to deal with is eye opening. I will never be one hundred percent comfortable with it, but seriously, where would she be if you hadn’t looked out for her all these years? You’ve single-handedly saved her, Jake.”
Don’t get me wrong, Jake’s pretty awesome, but I was looking forward to one gut wrenching convo, so he understood just what those visits cost Nina.
We get another long pregnancy jump (7 months) which made for some awkward transitions like this.
“This isn’t supposed to happen. My body is not supposed to go into natural labor. I’m scared because I’m more prone to uterine rupture because of the prior C-section. What if we don’t get there in time and something happens to the baby?”
We needed the info dump, since we skipped over all the Dr. visits, but this is not a natural way you’d have a convo with your hubs.
Bottom Line- Not bad, but not great either. I just expected more new material after having to purchase another book. She set it up perfectly for there to be kid hookup books (Nina’s & Skylar’s) down the road, because their ages match up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2015
Oh.My.God...you guys! If you thought you loved Jake before you ain't seen nothing yet!!! I was so lucky to win an arc of this book from Penelope, I can't thank her enough!
It can be tough going with books rewritten in an alternate point of view, there's always the chance it will be just a rehashing of the same story. But that was not the case with Jake Understood, it was so much more. I love how Penelope Ward set this one up, as if we're there, part of the family, hearing Jake and Nina's story for the first time. We get pivotal moments and present day happenings.
I was completely undone by Jake in the first book, and now that we get to see inside his head, see and feel what he went through, see his reasons for doing the things he did, it just made me love him even more...now that he's understood!
One of the things I was most hoping for in this book was getting a little more insight into his relationship with Ivy, and boy was that a heartbreaker. "I always see you, Ivy. I know who you are. Don't worry."
Watching him deal with Ivy, the sacrifices he's made over the years, the way he's trying to navigate his feelings for Nina, thinking he needed to distance himself from her, just tears you apart. He tries so hard to do what's right by Ivy, but at the same time he is suffering because he loves Nina so much.
"Some of the most beautiful things are those we can only enjoy from afar. The unattainability makes the attraction more intense.
This is an emotional book, but it isn't all angst and tugging at the heartstring. There were so many funny moments that made me laugh out loud- his inner thoughts and commentary, the bat poems that never made it out of his head.
Jake Understood is a perfect follow-up/companion/sequel to Jake Undone...Jake has firmly cemented himself as one of my favorite bbf, ever.
"I didn't just love her. To me, she was love, was life. My life started the day she entered it. It would end the day she left it. There was no gap between where I began and she ended. We were one."
It can be tough going with books rewritten in an alternate point of view, there's always the chance it will be just a rehashing of the same story. But that was not the case with Jake Understood, it was so much more. I love how Penelope Ward set this one up, as if we're there, part of the family, hearing Jake and Nina's story for the first time. We get pivotal moments and present day happenings.
I was completely undone by Jake in the first book, and now that we get to see inside his head, see and feel what he went through, see his reasons for doing the things he did, it just made me love him even more...now that he's understood!
One of the things I was most hoping for in this book was getting a little more insight into his relationship with Ivy, and boy was that a heartbreaker. "I always see you, Ivy. I know who you are. Don't worry."
Watching him deal with Ivy, the sacrifices he's made over the years, the way he's trying to navigate his feelings for Nina, thinking he needed to distance himself from her, just tears you apart. He tries so hard to do what's right by Ivy, but at the same time he is suffering because he loves Nina so much.
"Some of the most beautiful things are those we can only enjoy from afar. The unattainability makes the attraction more intense.
This is an emotional book, but it isn't all angst and tugging at the heartstring. There were so many funny moments that made me laugh out loud- his inner thoughts and commentary, the bat poems that never made it out of his head.
Jake Understood is a perfect follow-up/companion/sequel to Jake Undone...Jake has firmly cemented himself as one of my favorite bbf, ever.
"I didn't just love her. To me, she was love, was life. My life started the day she entered it. It would end the day she left it. There was no gap between where I began and she ended. We were one."
March 28, 2015
Normally I get a little frustrated with companion or different POV novels, but I honestly liked this one better than the original in the series. I can’t explain it but I just did. While I still highly recommend that you pick up Jake Undone, because it is a big piece of the puzzle in helping you understand the overall and big picture of the character, this one really helps you see exactly what was going through his mind. This story is even more enthralling and heart breaking for me and I just fell in love with these characters even more than I did the first time around. Amazing writing, beautiful story and memorable characters, Jake Understood is one that you definitely need to check out.
January 1, 2016
Jake Understood by Penelope Ward (Gemini 2.5)
Jake
Understood
Jake
Understood
March 27, 2015
Penelope Ward you blew me away! There really are no amount of words that you can use to adequately describe this book. Reading this book was bittersweet knowing that this book was the last of the series. I was both sad for it to end because I knew that there would be no more books from this series yet eager for it to end to see how their lives turned out. Penelope did not disappoint. Jake Undone was my first book that I read by Penelope where I met and fell in love with Jake and Nina's love story. So to have this book from Jake's p.o.v. was the cherry on top. It was amazing to get inside Jake's mind to see how he was thinking and feeling during key pivotal experiences from Jake Undone. I didn't think it was possible to love Jake anymore than I already did but my thoughts and feelings for him intensified ten fold. You will fall in love with him all over again and swoon with ever word he says. He is the most caring, sweet, kind hearted character you can read about. If only he were real I would say to myself. He is loyal beyond belief. He grabbed my heart and never let it go. The things he did and said are what every man should strive to be. Nina blew me away in this book! I was so happy that she did what she did for herself. I feel it was the peace that she needed to lead a truly happy life. I loved seeing all of our favorite characters from the series. As much as it was Jake's side of the story I don't think it would truly be complete without them. The way the book ended was amazing! Be prepared once you start reading because once Jake starts talking you are gonna want to listen. So be prepared for an all nighter because it was impossible to put this book down. As this series comes to a end all I can do is thank Penelope for creating a series that both captivates you and makes you think of life. When you can read books that affect you on a personal level and make you want to strive to be even better person is a beautiful thing. I'm sad for this review to come to a end as it's my goodbye to Jake and the crew but I'm looking forward for more from Penelope. I can only imagine the greatness that she has in store for us all.
November 9, 2016
Good book, not great. I thought it would be better than it was. A little too mushy for me, especially being from the guys perspective. Took me longer to read than most books because I kept putting it down which I hardly ever do but I don't regret reading it. It simply wasn't a favorite as I thought it might be.
March 22, 2015
**arc received from author in exchange for an honest review and blog tour from us book hookers at http://www.twounrulygirls.com
Not an easy task to tell a story that has already been done..but this one was done beautifully, and added a dimension that makes you fall even more in love with Jake. Loved it! Full review closer to release.
Not an easy task to tell a story that has already been done..but this one was done beautifully, and added a dimension that makes you fall even more in love with Jake. Loved it! Full review closer to release.
June 11, 2016
I'm completely in love with series. Honestly it's made me laugh, cry, angry and want to smack a bitch a guy lol. Jake is total package this man is God sent. And Nina is definitely an angel to deal with everything life has thrown at her. She also God sent. Together they one. I love them both. This series needs more than 5 stars, it's that good.
August 7, 2017
4 Jake-lovin’ stars
This book follows on from Jake UndoneJake Undone, and is part-sequel, part-alternate POV book. It is set 8 years into the future where Jake and Nina are together and living the life they wanted together, but a bad night leads to Nina taking off for the day to get some space, leaving Jake at home. And when friends arrive (Alison & Cedric, Skylar & Mitch), he begins to reminisce about their beginning and how it all started for them.
There is a combination of seeing the same pivotal moments from Jake’s perspective, and some new scenes which add additional context to the beginning of their relationship, as well as some fun and sweet moment that I enjoyed just because the dynamic between these two is so gorgeous and I love to see them in that fun, flirty, deeply-attracted-yet-still-holding-back stage. Ward manages to recapture the angst and anticipation that I felt while reading Jake Undone, and I loved getting to see this new side to things as we experienced Jake’s surprise, fear and open acceptance of his feelings for Nina.
I was completely happy with the way the story was told in Jake Undone. Even though the story was mainly written from Nina’s POV, I could empathise with both characters and I felt what they were going through, but this book gives us some further insight into just how intense Jake’s torment was at his situation – the struggle between his all-consuming feelings for Nina, and his pain about his past and his fear about her reaction. But it also shows us just what a big heart he has and the way he truly cares for the people in his life, and his soul-deep love for Nina just melted me.
The scenes in the present show us that that love has only grown, and my heart ached for the pain that he was in over the fact that he hurt the woman he loved so badly. Oh Jake… I just want to hug him so badly!
Jake and Nina may have moved on from the conflicts of the past, but those issues still haven’t been fully overcome and they continue to add pressure, and this book shows us that. It was inevitable, really, and I’m really glad that Ward took us back to this complicated storyline to show us the impact of their situation on them in the future, and how they deal with it.
But more than anything, this book shows us just how truly special Jake and Nina are as a couple. Their unquestionable love for each other is gorgeous to see, and I loved the glimpses we got of them in the future living out the HEA that they so deserve.
I loved this book. Not a must-read in terms of storyline, but fans of Jake will love getting more of him, and of this beautiful love story.
4 stars.
This book follows on from Jake UndoneJake Undone, and is part-sequel, part-alternate POV book. It is set 8 years into the future where Jake and Nina are together and living the life they wanted together, but a bad night leads to Nina taking off for the day to get some space, leaving Jake at home. And when friends arrive (Alison & Cedric, Skylar & Mitch), he begins to reminisce about their beginning and how it all started for them.
There is a combination of seeing the same pivotal moments from Jake’s perspective, and some new scenes which add additional context to the beginning of their relationship, as well as some fun and sweet moment that I enjoyed just because the dynamic between these two is so gorgeous and I love to see them in that fun, flirty, deeply-attracted-yet-still-holding-back stage. Ward manages to recapture the angst and anticipation that I felt while reading Jake Undone, and I loved getting to see this new side to things as we experienced Jake’s surprise, fear and open acceptance of his feelings for Nina.
“I hadn’t held anyone like that in years. But never had it felt like this - like home.”
I was completely happy with the way the story was told in Jake Undone. Even though the story was mainly written from Nina’s POV, I could empathise with both characters and I felt what they were going through, but this book gives us some further insight into just how intense Jake’s torment was at his situation – the struggle between his all-consuming feelings for Nina, and his pain about his past and his fear about her reaction. But it also shows us just what a big heart he has and the way he truly cares for the people in his life, and his soul-deep love for Nina just melted me.
“I didn't just love her. To me, she was love, was life. My life started the day she entered it. It would end the day she left it. There was no gap between where I began and she ended. We were one.”
The scenes in the present show us that that love has only grown, and my heart ached for the pain that he was in over the fact that he hurt the woman he loved so badly. Oh Jake… I just want to hug him so badly!
“This day was a long time coming. In fact, I’d been bracing for it from the moment I first met her.”
Jake and Nina may have moved on from the conflicts of the past, but those issues still haven’t been fully overcome and they continue to add pressure, and this book shows us that. It was inevitable, really, and I’m really glad that Ward took us back to this complicated storyline to show us the impact of their situation on them in the future, and how they deal with it.
“Sometimes, you need to step away to realize you can't really walk away from something that's a part of you.”
But more than anything, this book shows us just how truly special Jake and Nina are as a couple. Their unquestionable love for each other is gorgeous to see, and I loved the glimpses we got of them in the future living out the HEA that they so deserve.
“From the day you first walked into my life, you’ve been saving me.”
I loved this book. Not a must-read in terms of storyline, but fans of Jake will love getting more of him, and of this beautiful love story.
4 stars.
March 26, 2015
5 Moon, Bat & Stars!
Penelope doesn't disappoint. I loved it.. *le sigh *
Sometimes as a reader, I have a problem connecting with a book follow up, a '. 5' or something but with Jake Understood, Penelope did an amazing job of retelling Jake and Nina's story in an interesting way and well, it is Jake's POV so I know for sure that it will be a good read!
JAKE will always be my favorite (yet, aside feom Cedric and Elec haha) or should I say the first Penelope BBF that really made an impact with my heart. Writing this review will be so biased because I really adore Jake Greene.
I really had a great time peeking in Jake's mind and when I thought I couldn't love him more, this book made me "understood" (i know it's grammatically incorrect but I leave it really that way..) Jake! I had fun reading his bat notes—the different version, i have a lot of LOL turned to Awwww/Squee moments.
I never expected that I will miss Cedric and Jake until now. At 57% is one my favorite part too!
So for those of my fellow readers who fell in love witjnJake Greene, prepare yourself to fall in love even more with him.
I am one happy fan and I'm so thankful for the privilege of reading this book in advance!
Penelope doesn't disappoint. I loved it.. *le sigh *
Sometimes as a reader, I have a problem connecting with a book follow up, a '. 5' or something but with Jake Understood, Penelope did an amazing job of retelling Jake and Nina's story in an interesting way and well, it is Jake's POV so I know for sure that it will be a good read!
JAKE will always be my favorite (yet, aside feom Cedric and Elec haha) or should I say the first Penelope BBF that really made an impact with my heart. Writing this review will be so biased because I really adore Jake Greene.
I really had a great time peeking in Jake's mind and when I thought I couldn't love him more, this book made me "understood" (i know it's grammatically incorrect but I leave it really that way..) Jake! I had fun reading his bat notes—the different version, i have a lot of LOL turned to Awwww/Squee moments.
I never expected that I will miss Cedric and Jake until now. At 57% is one my favorite part too!
So for those of my fellow readers who fell in love witjnJake Greene, prepare yourself to fall in love even more with him.
I am one happy fan and I'm so thankful for the privilege of reading this book in advance!
April 8, 2015
Oh Jake Green...... How wonderful to read you again! Reading things from his POV and getting the insight to certain scenes and situations from the first book absolutely rocked my world. From Oragami Bats, Bananas and THAT lip piercing to his ADORATION for his girl! Just PERFECT!! (Full review to come)
April 13, 2015
this could have been a novella 70% was the exact same story and as we got dual POVs in the first book it was boring. After reading this book I believe poor Jake has a bat-shit crazy girl magnet embeded in him
August 2, 2018
When i read jake undone, i remember i do not like the heroine. And i feel annoyed with how anxiety disorder being unfairly portrays.
Now in jake understood, the POV from jake is really touching me. I can see his character more clearly. He is such a funny, warm and gold heart type of person. How he sacrifice his future for ivy. How he determine to help nina.
I was so touch by him. When it gets into nina pov, i still feel annoyed by her. She is just a big mess. Immature and needy.
Despite my dislike of nina, i still give this book 4 stars. All because of jake. This man is super alpha male with a heart of saint.
Now in jake understood, the POV from jake is really touching me. I can see his character more clearly. He is such a funny, warm and gold heart type of person. How he sacrifice his future for ivy. How he determine to help nina.
I was so touch by him. When it gets into nina pov, i still feel annoyed by her. She is just a big mess. Immature and needy.
Despite my dislike of nina, i still give this book 4 stars. All because of jake. This man is super alpha male with a heart of saint.
September 29, 2020
4.25 stars
March 29, 2015
* A review copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review *
~ 5 Forever Jake Green Stars ~
AMAZEBALLS!!!!
That is really all I can say about this book.
Penelope Ward has done it again….She has made me fall in love with Jake and Nina all over again. Penelope has been and will always be one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE authors. She is a drop everything and read whatever she writes author for me. In my mind she can do NO wrong!!!
Jake Understood was just amazing!!! I had been anticipating this book from the time Penelope announced she was releasing it. And I am happy to say that this book didn't disappoint. I don't think I can accurately sum up what and how I am feeling after reading this book. As always the writing was phenomenal. Penelope has an amazing gift in being able to make you feel what her characters are feeling. She will make you laugh, cry, yell and blush. I have to be honest I read this book so slowly because I wanted to cherish it, because this is the last of Jake we will get. It was quite bittersweet for me, since Jake is right up there on my Book Boyfriend List with Travis Maddox and Christian Grey.
Jake Understood is the follow up novel to Jake Undone (one of my all time favorite reads) but it can be read as a standalone. I wouldn't recommend that…I truly believe that Jake Undone should be read first so that you can get Nina's perspective on Jake and their story together. Jake Understood is primarily told from Jake's POV, but we do get some of Nina's POV also. Now don't fret….this is not just a retelling of Jake Undone. This book actually takes place 9 years after the end of Jake Undone. The way Penelope told this story was outstanding!!! She switches between the past and present. The past chapters are all about how Jake was feeling during the time when him and Nina met and got together. The present chapters are all about what was going on in their lives currently. This truly is a continuation of Jake and Nina's story and I loved that we got to see them 9 years later. But what I LOVED the most was being inside Jake's head during the time from Jake Undone. He was such a tortured soul. My heart broke for him on many occasions.
What I thought was great was that Penelope didn't overload this book with too much material from Jake Undone, she truly just took the most important scenes from that book and put them into this book, but also gave us a look into some scenes we weren't privy to in the first book (like scenes with Ivy). She wrote this book like Jake was telling a story. (Which was great because he was actually telling his story to Skylar and Mitch. )
That was another great aspect to this book….she really helped wrap up Skylar and Mitch and Cedric and Allison's stories. I was so happy that all those characters were in this book as well and that we got to know what they have been up to over the last 9 years.
This book was truly the best conclusion for all of their love stories. It felt like they all came full circle once I was finished with the book.
This book has to be one of the best books for me in 2015 and Jake Undone and Jake Understood are two of my all time favorite books and ones I will continue to read again in the future. This duet of books are definitely MUST READ books!!!! You won't be sorry for picking them up.
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~ 5 Forever Jake Green Stars ~
AMAZEBALLS!!!!
That is really all I can say about this book.
Penelope Ward has done it again….She has made me fall in love with Jake and Nina all over again. Penelope has been and will always be one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE authors. She is a drop everything and read whatever she writes author for me. In my mind she can do NO wrong!!!
Jake Understood was just amazing!!! I had been anticipating this book from the time Penelope announced she was releasing it. And I am happy to say that this book didn't disappoint. I don't think I can accurately sum up what and how I am feeling after reading this book. As always the writing was phenomenal. Penelope has an amazing gift in being able to make you feel what her characters are feeling. She will make you laugh, cry, yell and blush. I have to be honest I read this book so slowly because I wanted to cherish it, because this is the last of Jake we will get. It was quite bittersweet for me, since Jake is right up there on my Book Boyfriend List with Travis Maddox and Christian Grey.
Jake Understood is the follow up novel to Jake Undone (one of my all time favorite reads) but it can be read as a standalone. I wouldn't recommend that…I truly believe that Jake Undone should be read first so that you can get Nina's perspective on Jake and their story together. Jake Understood is primarily told from Jake's POV, but we do get some of Nina's POV also. Now don't fret….this is not just a retelling of Jake Undone. This book actually takes place 9 years after the end of Jake Undone. The way Penelope told this story was outstanding!!! She switches between the past and present. The past chapters are all about how Jake was feeling during the time when him and Nina met and got together. The present chapters are all about what was going on in their lives currently. This truly is a continuation of Jake and Nina's story and I loved that we got to see them 9 years later. But what I LOVED the most was being inside Jake's head during the time from Jake Undone. He was such a tortured soul. My heart broke for him on many occasions.
What I thought was great was that Penelope didn't overload this book with too much material from Jake Undone, she truly just took the most important scenes from that book and put them into this book, but also gave us a look into some scenes we weren't privy to in the first book (like scenes with Ivy). She wrote this book like Jake was telling a story. (Which was great because he was actually telling his story to Skylar and Mitch. )
That was another great aspect to this book….she really helped wrap up Skylar and Mitch and Cedric and Allison's stories. I was so happy that all those characters were in this book as well and that we got to know what they have been up to over the last 9 years.
This book was truly the best conclusion for all of their love stories. It felt like they all came full circle once I was finished with the book.
This book has to be one of the best books for me in 2015 and Jake Undone and Jake Understood are two of my all time favorite books and ones I will continue to read again in the future. This duet of books are definitely MUST READ books!!!! You won't be sorry for picking them up.
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March 29, 2015
5 STARS!
I didn't think that I could have fallen more in love with Jake after reading Jake Undone, but I was wrong because...I DID! This was such a great companion novel, and I am so honored to have received and ARC from Penelope. I have to admit that I am always leery of reading this type of alternate POV novel...for fear of disappointment with it being a repeat of the first. Honestly...I was NOT disappointed at all; this was a PERFECT conclusion to an amazing story!
In Jake Understood, we really get to see and feel the torment that Jake struggled with in the days leading up telling Nina about Ivy. My heart broke all over again for him. It was nice to read about the times when Jake had visited Ivy and be privy to the conversations and experiences that they had with one another. It gave me a better understanding of his true feelings for Ivy and the complexity of their relationship.
There was so much between Jake and Nina that was not in Jake Undone that we get in his POV. The conversations that they shared revealed how strong their connection was. The scenes that we loved in Jake Undone were revealed in a different light through Jake's eyes and man...they were even hotter! I especially LOVED the additional text messages between Jake and Nina that were shared and the opportunity to see what Jake had wanted to write in his origami bats and what he felt he should have written in them, versus what he actually wrote. It was absolutely swoon worthy and heart breaking to know what he was thinking in those moments.
I adored the conversation that Jake had with Cedric when he realized he was in love with Nina. Boys! They, mainly Cedric, was hilarious! The dialogue between them was spot on. I'd imagine that is exactly how two men would have that conversation. It definitely had me laughing out loud! It was also nice to read more into who Ryan was to Nina and how his character played a role in their journey.
The conclusion to Jake and Nina's story was simply beautiful. The additional storyline was everything I had hoped for and more. It stayed true to the essence of Jake and Nina's characters and it solidified how deeply they loved each other. Jake and Nina's story is one that will definitely stay with me. I would highly recommend Jake Understood to those that loved Jake Undone...you can NEVER have enough of sexy, sweet, and naughty Jake Green!
♥ Review by Lys
I didn't think that I could have fallen more in love with Jake after reading Jake Undone, but I was wrong because...I DID! This was such a great companion novel, and I am so honored to have received and ARC from Penelope. I have to admit that I am always leery of reading this type of alternate POV novel...for fear of disappointment with it being a repeat of the first. Honestly...I was NOT disappointed at all; this was a PERFECT conclusion to an amazing story!
In Jake Understood, we really get to see and feel the torment that Jake struggled with in the days leading up telling Nina about Ivy. My heart broke all over again for him. It was nice to read about the times when Jake had visited Ivy and be privy to the conversations and experiences that they had with one another. It gave me a better understanding of his true feelings for Ivy and the complexity of their relationship.
There was so much between Jake and Nina that was not in Jake Undone that we get in his POV. The conversations that they shared revealed how strong their connection was. The scenes that we loved in Jake Undone were revealed in a different light through Jake's eyes and man...they were even hotter! I especially LOVED the additional text messages between Jake and Nina that were shared and the opportunity to see what Jake had wanted to write in his origami bats and what he felt he should have written in them, versus what he actually wrote. It was absolutely swoon worthy and heart breaking to know what he was thinking in those moments.
I adored the conversation that Jake had with Cedric when he realized he was in love with Nina. Boys! They, mainly Cedric, was hilarious! The dialogue between them was spot on. I'd imagine that is exactly how two men would have that conversation. It definitely had me laughing out loud! It was also nice to read more into who Ryan was to Nina and how his character played a role in their journey.
The conclusion to Jake and Nina's story was simply beautiful. The additional storyline was everything I had hoped for and more. It stayed true to the essence of Jake and Nina's characters and it solidified how deeply they loved each other. Jake and Nina's story is one that will definitely stay with me. I would highly recommend Jake Understood to those that loved Jake Undone...you can NEVER have enough of sexy, sweet, and naughty Jake Green!
♥ Review by Lys
March 26, 2015
Goodreads does not allow enough stars for this book!
I remember when I was younger and I read Sweet Valley High and other books and as I grew older I moved on to other authors but I have to tell you on May 29, 2013 I read a free book from Amazon and I believe that Penelope Ward is the first author that left me completely mesmerized after reading a book.
I finished Jake Understood last week and it has taken me a few days to actually sit down and write this review because honestly I felt that I needed to get my thoughts together before I wrote this review. Some people do not like when we hear the males POV and in many cases this bores me to tears because I feel as though I have already read the story. This was NOT the case with Jake Understood! This was absolutely AMAZING. Like
This was not just a story of Jake telling his and Nina’s original journey but intead it included present day situations that led to the re-telling of the story. It consumed me from the beginning to end and I do not feel that it was a ploy by the author but instead it was knowing the real Jake and it gave me what I needed to take from the story. I fell so much more in love with Jake and I can only tell you that I never realized how invested you could be in all of the characters of the book. Jake has always been a little mis-understood but now I truly feel that I know who Jake is and I love him even more than I did years ago when I read about him at the gravesite with Allison. I never knew I would fall so in love with the character, the story, and where that I knew him from beginning to end.
Penelope Ward really did a number on me in this book. Truly she made me miss the characters and I hope that Jake’s story remains undone. I love these people and Penelope I don’t care if people hate me or love me I am a:
FOR LIFE
**I received this book from the lovely Penelope Ward in the form of an ARC this does not in any way shape or form reflect my feelings toward this book or anything that I have to say in this review.**
I remember when I was younger and I read Sweet Valley High and other books and as I grew older I moved on to other authors but I have to tell you on May 29, 2013 I read a free book from Amazon and I believe that Penelope Ward is the first author that left me completely mesmerized after reading a book.
I finished Jake Understood last week and it has taken me a few days to actually sit down and write this review because honestly I felt that I needed to get my thoughts together before I wrote this review. Some people do not like when we hear the males POV and in many cases this bores me to tears because I feel as though I have already read the story. This was NOT the case with Jake Understood! This was absolutely AMAZING. Like
This was not just a story of Jake telling his and Nina’s original journey but intead it included present day situations that led to the re-telling of the story. It consumed me from the beginning to end and I do not feel that it was a ploy by the author but instead it was knowing the real Jake and it gave me what I needed to take from the story. I fell so much more in love with Jake and I can only tell you that I never realized how invested you could be in all of the characters of the book. Jake has always been a little mis-understood but now I truly feel that I know who Jake is and I love him even more than I did years ago when I read about him at the gravesite with Allison. I never knew I would fall so in love with the character, the story, and where that I knew him from beginning to end.
Penelope Ward really did a number on me in this book. Truly she made me miss the characters and I hope that Jake’s story remains undone. I love these people and Penelope I don’t care if people hate me or love me I am a:
FOR LIFE
**I received this book from the lovely Penelope Ward in the form of an ARC this does not in any way shape or form reflect my feelings toward this book or anything that I have to say in this review.**
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