I gave this book a high rating since I really enjoyed it and couldn't put it down. It does have some dark moments but definitely a page turner! A great book for book clubs since there would be much to discuss! ( )

I really got wrapped up in these tragic characters. ( )

My wife read it first and her comment was, "I enjoyed it but I'm not certain it's your normal type of book." Insofar as I have a normal type of book, this made me a bit uncertain and I wondered if I was in for what she calls "a woman's summer read" (not to be confused with chick lit).

Within twenty pages or so I had completely forgotten those thoughts and was simply enjoying the story. It's not my normal type of read but it was enjoyable. Take a basic story about a pair of friends who might have been lovers if only circumstances and timing worked. Then put some darkness and depth into their lives and don't resolve it with a clichéd fairy tale ending. The result worked for me.

Most of the characters came alive for me—I didn't particularly like them, but they felt real, which is what matters as far as I'm concerned. My only real problem with the book was that Oliver was an exception to this. He never came into focus, particularly as an object of desire for April. As the book progressed, April grew ever more real and rounded but Oliver just stayed fuzzy for me.

The language is very distinctive. It seemed very spare at first, yet the images she created were vivid and compelling. It reads easily and I finished the book in a single sitting. ( )

One could spend time pointing out the flaws in this book, but I enjoyed reading it, I really liked the characters and their stories (even April's!), the writing was original, and what more can one ask for from a book?? ( )

I knew I was in trouble when the book is entitled April & Oliver, and my favorite character is named Bernadette. The book is well-written; Tess has a beautiful way with words. My problem is that I didn't like April. At all. Not even a little bit. I pitied her for her horrible childhood, but I didn't like her. I didn't understand Oliver's fascination with her, and I certainly didn't like his treatment of Bernadette. For all his rage over the men who used April, he wasn't above using ( to a much lesser extent, but still using) women himself. I don't understand the idea that "soulmates" can treat each other badly. I don't understand the idea that it's okay to hurt others if the cause is "true love." I was frustrated with every relationship in this book. This clearly was not the book for me, which is too bad because she is a talented writer. ( )