Ok, I should have given this book one star. But because it got better in the second half, I'm giving it three stars.

There were numerous flaws in the book. I'm extremely angry about how it began and ended. Rebecca told the story backward, so we knew the ending from the start.

The age aspect was a complete mess! The timing and the ages of the characters were confusing. The time from when Jane met Oliver to their marriage and then to when Jane was pregnant with Rebecca made no sense.

And Jane is such a selfish bitch. I loathe her. She's so needy and clingy. Seriously, what sane mother would turn to her daughter for directions, to let her daughter decide for them, and to take away her daughter's love?

The fact that Jane's brother is secretly in love with her is just creepy. Sure, he's trying to help her, which is a good thing, but he's also being selfish.

Oh, and the ending! It had me pulling out my hair and screaming. It broke my heart!

However, the reason I gave this book a three is that it turned me into a romantic. Yes, I know, it sounds crazy! I was rooting for Sam all the way! I'm disappointed that the ending wasn't what I wanted.

As the story progressed, it got better and better. I just didn't like Rebecca's narrative of the journey. It would have been much better if she told the story like her mother did, from the beginning to the end.

I loved how some of the characters (not all of them, mind you) developed.

I just wish Jane could have been more assertive and firm in what she wanted.

Moreover, there were many lessons in the story. Such as about friendship and love. After all, this is a story about marriage!

You should marry for love. But it takes two to make it work and keep the love alive.

You can fall in love quickly. Opposites attract, after all!

We can't control how we fall in love. We can only let it guide us. And we shouldn't force others not to love.

Have an open mind. Everyone has a story to tell.

It takes a journey to change a person.

You can fall in love twice, but in different ways. There are countless ways to fall in love, and each will be unique.

Friendship can develop and fall apart just as quickly. Value your time.

Time flies when you're not worried about anything.

Don't let your past determine your future. Your life is yours to take control of.

For me, I definitely don't want to be a housewife! Focusing my whole life around a child sounds exhausting. But that's just my opinion.

I truly did not have any liking for this book. On numerous occasions, I was extremely tempted to halt my reading and not complete it. However, I felt an inner compulsion to finish it, perhaps more as a personal objective. Sadly, the situation did not improve as I progressed through the book. But still, I am somewhat relieved that I managed to finish it, simply because it is now over and I can shift my focus to another book.

The characters in this book are nothing short of selfish, arrogant, and incredibly irritating. The relationship between the brother and sister teeters on the verge of being inappropriate, causing me to exclaim "ugh oh my God" out loud several times. The mother is dreadful, the father is equally bad, the owner of the farm is judgmental and stupid, and the relationship that develops between him and the mother is absolutely preposterous.

I had really expected that this book would center around a troubled marriage and the path that the couple takes to discover themselves and then reunite. But unfortunately, the author failed to hit the mark. Everything gets lost in the absurdity of every single decision that all the characters make.

This is the first book I have read by this author, and I have been informed that this particular book is among her worst. Therefore, I am still open to reading more of her works. I am just fervently hoping that they will be of a much higher quality than this one.

This was my second Picoult book, and I have to admit that I wasn't entirely used to her writing style.

Her books are known for their complex characters and intricate storylines, but in this particular one, I found myself a bit lost at times.

I think I need to go back and reread it, as I have truly enjoyed all of her other books so much more.

Maybe on a second reading, I will be able to better understand and appreciate the unique way she weaves her tales.

I'm determined to give it another chance, as I know that Picoult is a talented author and I don't want to miss out on the full experience of this book.

I'm looking forward to delving back into the story and seeing if I can uncover the hidden gems that I may have overlooked the first time around.

Jodi's note at the beginning of the book has been constantly haunting me throughout the entire reading process.

She mentioned that this was her first book, and with the title and its associations to apples, the story turned out to be completely different from what I had initially imagined.

Nevertheless, it was an inspiring story. It is very distinct from the works I am accustomed to, which mainly involve courtroom drama.

However, it still has the typical tedious details that Jodi always incorporates into her works. They are always so profound on a linguistic level, and the elements she selects for each work always have a deeper meaning than what meets the eye.

The changing perspectives she presents in this book, similar to those in "My Sister's Keepers" and her recent works, is definitely a major selling point for me.

I am in love with Rebecca and despise her mother, although I understand her point of view. But causing such significant damage in her daughter's life is just... well, it's hard to put into words.

Overall, this book has its own unique charm and makes me look forward to more of Jodi's works in the future.

DNF. I started skimming approximately 25% of the way through the book. By around 50% of the way, I had firmly decided that it simply wasn't worth my time.

The entire story was just plain dumb. A mom and daughter decide to embark on a road trip across the country after leaving a narcissistic husband. The thing is, they have no clue how to get from California to Massachusetts. So, the mom's brother sends them letters to different post offices scattered all across the country. (Mind you, this was written in the 90s before the internet, but still, it seems like a rather convoluted way to do things.)

During their journey, they have these really weird and random interactions in small towns, but these don't seem to add anything meaningful to the story at all.

They eventually end up at an apple farm where the brother/uncle works. The mom sort of quietly falls in love with the 25-year-old guy who owns the farm, and the 15-year-old daughter also falls in love with a 25-year-old guy who works there. Oh, and the brother is strangely obsessed with his sister.

All the men in this book are portrayed as jerks, entitled, and overly obsessed with sex and women. Seriously, can we please stop romanticizing a sexual relationship with a minor? It's just not okay.

In the end (since I skipped ahead), the mom and daughter end up going back to California with the original guy. Why? I have no idea. But the wife was in an unhappy marriage her whole life and then suddenly decides that now things will be different? And the poor kid is going to need a whole lot of therapy. (Oh, and did I mention she survived a plane crash?)

Anyway, it was a dumb book, and I'm definitely moving on.

Jane Jones has long lived in the shadow of her famous husband, Oliver Jones. Their relationship has been rocky, and they have struggled to maintain a strong love and intact forgiveness, but all in vain. Oliver is deeply committed to his career, spending less time with his wife and their teenage daughter, Rebecca, whom he fails to devote quality time to. After a fierce argument, Jane leaves with her daughter and, with the help of her affectionate brother Joley, is led to his apple farm in Massachusetts. There, she discovers her true passion and develops feelings for a handsome younger man named Sam. Rebecca, in search of solace, becomes interested in a guy named Hadley, who is ten years older than her. As an expert in tracking humpback whales across the oceans, Oliver sets out to find his wife and attempts to mend their broken relationship. During his journey, he views things from a different perspective: the world, his family, and himself through his wife's eyes. This is an emotionally charged, gripping, dramatic, and poignant novel that explores the true meaning of love and security!

I spent the first half of the book completely confused about what was going on. The story seemed to be going in all directions, with no clear plot or purpose.

I found myself constantly flipping back through the pages, trying to make sense of it all. But as I reached the second half of the book, I became determined to see it through to the end. I told myself that there must be some hidden meaning or twist that would make it all worthwhile.

I read on with bated breath, eager to discover if any of it had any point. And then, finally, I reached the end. And you know what? Spoiler alert… it didn’t! The book was a complete waste of time, with no satisfying conclusion or resolution. I was left feeling disappointed and cheated.

I would not recommend this book to anyone. Save your time and money and read something else.

I went into this book with a certain mindset, thinking that I would dislike it. However, it soon proved me wrong.

The book starts in a very haphazard manner, as nothing is presented in chronological order. At first, this was a bit disconcerting. But as I continued reading and was able to accept this unique structure, I found myself really enjoying the characters of this story.

Each character had their own distinct personality and traits that made them come alive on the pages. Their interactions and relationships added depth and complexity to the narrative.

However, I must admit that I was disappointed with the ending. But this is a common feeling for me as I typically don't like endings to be left open ended. I prefer a more conclusive resolution.

Nevertheless, I only read this book as part of my May challenge to read "a popular author's book". And I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by the overall experience. It had its flaws, but it also had many redeeming qualities that made it an enjoyable read.

I would recommend this book to others who are willing to step out of their comfort zone and embrace a different style of storytelling.

This was a rather challenging Picoult book to engage with.

I found myself repeatedly putting it aside to pick up other books.

The story, when it eventually coheres, is decent. However, the constant skipping around and then hearing from different points of view simply didn't capture my attention.

I have only two more of her books left to read, and once I do, I will have read all of her work. But I can already state that I have a much greater preference for her later work compared to her earlier work.

This particular book was one of my least favorite ones.

The characters had some redeeming qualities, but for the most part, they lacked likeability and were difficult to form a connection with.

My quick and straightforward overall assessment: It's not her finest work, but once you persevere through the story and it comes together, it's not at all bad.

A very different Picoult book indeed. It presents multiple narrators, which adds an interesting layer to the story. It's an out-of-order mystery for a while, keeping the readers on their toes and guessing. And then there's the question mark ending, which is sort of ambiguous and leaves room for interpretation. Despite all these differences, it's still a page-turner, so it's not a total departure from her usual style. HOWEVER, the sensationalist angle that is often present in her books isn't quite there. For example, a wife leaves her husband on a cross-country trip with her daughter, and tragedy does strike, but it's not as extreme as some of the scenarios she has written about before, like school shootings or a child being bred to be a life-saver for her older sister. And I have to say, I really don't miss that kind of sensationalism. Sometimes when I read Picoult books, I feel like the narrator from Law and Order is bellowing "Ripped from the Headlines!!!". But in this case, it's a more subdued and realistic story. Anyway, the characters are interesting, the plot is quick, and there are lots of details to keep you engaged. I cried when I was supposed to, and now I kind of want to live on an apple orchard. So don't let the cumbersome title scare you away. It's a good read.

At first, having 5 different voices was truly distracting.

It felt as if there were too many elements vying for attention and it was difficult to make sense of the overall narrative.

However, as the story progressed, something remarkable happened.

The voices started to blend and come together in a way that made the story more complete and engaging.

You could sense the tragedy lurking in the background from the very beginning, but it was only later that you truly understood its depth and significance.

The ripping apart that came with true sacrifice was palpable, and it left you with a sense of wonder and doubt.

Was it all worth it? Was this the right path to take? These questions lingered in your mind long after the story had ended.

The rating of 3.75 stars indicates a certain level of satisfaction or quality.

It shows that the item or service in question has received a relatively good evaluation.

However, it also implies that there may be some areas for improvement.

A 3.75-star rating could mean that the overall experience was positive, but perhaps there were a few minor drawbacks or aspects that did not quite meet the highest standards.

It could also suggest that the product or service has some unique features or qualities that set it apart, but may not be perfect in every regard.

Overall, a 3.75-star rating is a respectable score that indicates a certain level of value and desirability.

It can serve as a useful guide for consumers when making decisions about whether to choose a particular item or service.

However, it is important to consider other factors as well, such as personal preferences, specific needs, and reviews from other customers.

By taking a comprehensive approach, consumers can make more informed decisions and ensure that they are satisfied with their purchases.