Sadly this book was not for me. This is no bearing on the author, it’s just that I personally could not get into the book.

This book has been on my TBR list since 2019, and after several attempts, I can't seem to get into it. Sorry!

2.5 stars
it just wasn`t what i thought it was going to be. I went into it with high expetations and they weren`t meet. The characters were boring and it did not exactly feel like a year of chasing love, it was just something missing.

If you are missing international travel as much as I am at the moment, then this book will come a close second, as you are whisked around the world over the course of 10 months.

All while Olivia who is a prolific and well regarded divorce lawyer, is on a sabbatical after being shaken by receiving her own divorce papers, is sent on a research mission by her best friend Rachel, to discover what it is that causes couples to stay together.

And her other friends want her to compile her lessons in love so they can see where they are going wrong. Now don't get me wrong all of the research and findings were interesting, but they weren't my main interest in this book.

As anyone who knows me by now will know I'm a huge fan of travel, whether armchair or real life and this book definitely helped scratch an itch or two. It brought back memories of a few trips I've had to some of the destinations that are featured and I enjoyed seeing how the various places were described.

My favourite section was the trips to Hawaii and Singapore which I felt were the most well researched, most vividly described and despite never having been to either of them, I really felt as though I got a feel for both places, and I also enjoyed what Olivia was doing and who she was meeting in both of those locations.

This was a very enjoyable way to spend an afternoon and it is a solid debut novel. I already have Rosie Chambers next book sitting on my kindle, so I look forward to reading that and seeing how this author develops.

Thank you to HQ Digital and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I loved the premise of this story. Although not totally original (woman's life begins to crumble, she goes on a journey of discovery, etc.), it was a cute and fun story. Olivia loses her job and her husband so she travels around the world to learn from other couples to find what it is that makes love last.
The characters in this story are fun, light-hearted, and funny which makes it all the more interesting to read.

Sometimes love stories aren’t just about love. This story is about a divorce attorney who ends up- you guessed it- getting a divorce.

And that’s the beginning of her journey.
A story of self discovery, travel and figuring out what really is important.

Looking for a heartwarming story with a happy ending? Check this one out, you wont regret it! The characters and story line were fabulous!

Unusual premise to the book, but ultimately a heartwarming story that had a happy ending. Interesting characters in the book.

A really enjoyable feel good tale! Just what was needed...uplifting and romantic
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When top divorce lawyer Olivia Hamilton is served her own divorce papers and is also asked to take sabbatical from work, she agrees to go on a year-long trip to various places to find the ultimate guide to love.

The basic storyline attracted me, and the book started off very well. But then everything went downhill. I was expecting fun and wit, but it was just dull. I made the mistake of going in expecting a romcom but the book was more contemporary fiction.

Also, I just couldn't like Olivia. She is going on a trip of love and self-discovery to some of the most beautiful places in the world, but instead of looking forward she keeps looking back. Almost every chapter ends with her thinking about her soon-to-be ex-husband, Nathan. Either she should move on or she should do something to win Nathan back!! The different places she visits are well written. But overall, the story just failed to deliver. I give it 3.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and HQ Digital for providing me with an ARC of this book.

This was a really fun and relatable read. I feel like a lot of romance books are making their stories more relatable. The whole premise of outdated, fall in love, happy forever is gone. People in love struggle. Sometimes they have to completely loss it on order to find it again. This is what Olivia goes through. She spends a year traveling and reveling in her own divorce. Searching for herself and tha answers and i loved going on that journey with her.

My thoughts

Narrative and Plot



A Year of Chasing love is the journey of Olivia, who is literally chasing love. The narrative is a simple third person perspective of Olivia, her thoughts and experience throughout the journey. This is more of a character based story.

To be honest, the narrative is a bit slow and descriptive. There are long monologues of Olivia with herself. And the way the subject matter is handled looks very objective. It's a quick read if you can get past the long descriptions.


Characters and Conflicts



Olivia is the central most character of the story. Even so, other characters require a bit more clarity. And not just from Olivia's perspective. As a reader it is hard to sympathise with Olivia's musings about Nathan. They know about him only through Olivia, who describes him in an idolised version with a longing that comes along with separation.

The central and only conflict of the book is "marriage". The book definitely wants to take the preachy road as it numbers down the rules of relationships. It's a bit on the face but there is fun as well. There are some good moments in the book here and there. It could have gone the way of "showing" rather than "telling" a lot of things. However, the pleasant landscapes of the trip around the world is enough to bring a smile to your face. There a lot of places where it feels like a debut novel is all. 




Conclusion



A Year of Chasing Love is the self-searching journey of a workaholic to find peace and harmony in life. This is a one time read if you are interested in reading about different places, culture and relationships in general.

As a lawyer, this book really caught my attention and I was so excited to read it!

The book started out strong for me and caught my attention but then it fell flat. However, this book is great for escapism. The places that she visits in the book are great. I love reading all the descriptions of all the places she was visiting, especially in these quarantine times! I think this was a great escape read novel, but overall was just missing something for me.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review!

This wasn't quite what I was expecting but I did enjoy it. I loved the setting but I did get a little annoyed with the focus the main character had on her ex-husband. I wanted something a little more maybe.

A cute and uplifting story. It didn’t break any new ground but sometimes you just need a soft and easy read to get you through. That was this book!

This was an enjoyable read. I loved Olivia’s travels and the revelations she encountered along the way. I look forward to more of this authors work.
Many thanks to HQ Digital and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. I enjoyed the beginning and the end but it was very wordy. Author explains things so brilliantly that you feel you are there. However, in the middle it was a lot of details that I was ok skipping through... All in all it was an ok book for me. Not bad. Not amazing. Just ok.

Olivia has it all: a successful marriage, a solid career as a partner and top marital solicitor in a firm she loves, solid friendships and plenty of moments in the sun. But, it all came at a price: namely her over-attention to work and clients at the expense of her marriage, her friendships and her own family. And it all comes crashing down when she’s served with divorce papers from her husband in the lobby of her office. Things are made even worse for her when a senior partner and her mentor demands she takes a ten month leave of absence to ‘find a life apart from her commitment to the clients’. Devastated and broken, she’s determined to just sit at home and mope – after packing away the apartment and readying it for sale as her husband Nathan is on a six month posting to Singapore with his work. She’s got no options, and the same-old drinking with pals during happy hour isn’t helping. When a university friend cajoles her into working to find out why marriages work as a counterpoint to a study grant she’s received, and already started making travel arrangements and organizing interviews, Olivia reluctantly agrees.

From discovering the power of family and ties to ones roots, to similar education, friendship and taking time to grow before marriage, to visiting with friends in Singapore and believing that all is done with Nathan, Olivia is starting to see where she was the problem: cancelling plans last minute, arriving late, working all hours, rushing back (or refusing) vacations and weekends away because of work, even ignoring her own parents, her friends are quietly moving forward in their lives. It isn’t until she realizes that the most important thing to a successful marriage is love, and that no matter what, she will love Nathan forever, that the reality of her lonely existence sets in.

With glorious insight into the conflicts of a work-life balance, along with some lovely moments around the globe: Malta, Hawaii, Singapore and Paris: the story is laden with Olivia’s recognition of her own mistakes and her desire for a “do over” with Nathan, even as there is seemingly nothing there. From making her visit some of her ‘bucket list’ places to the city of lights where she had a blissful honeymoon, Olivia’s friends have pushed, pulled, suggested and allowed her the room to discover her best self, and how to find it all over again. A lovely story that brings real emotion and quandaries to readers, allowing us all to see that sometimes finding that balance that makes you a happier partner, friend and colleague is often the only way to go.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-aDZ /”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

I received an ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

Synopsis:
One moment can change a lifetime…

The last thing top divorce lawyer Olivia Hamilton ever expected was to be served her own divorce papers! To escape her marriage troubles, she agrees to go on a year-long trip to find the ultimate guide to love.

Travelling the world, surrounded by stories of love and happiness, it’s not long before her thoughts turn to Nathan, her soon-to-be ex-husband, and she starts to take note of her own lessons in love…

But with Nathan over a thousand miles away, will it be too late?

Perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley, Philippa Ashley and Caroline Roberts.

Review:
I was a little disconnected from this one. The book has a fantastic start and I was intrigued, at first. Then it fell flat, for me. It wasn't what I expected from a top divorce lawyer. I had expectations that she would be in charge of her own life, maybe even have a little sass to her life. Yet, she often wondered what someone else would be doing or what someone else would be thinking. She is disconnected from herself and I just couldn't warm up to her. The places in the book that she visits are amazing and that in itself is a character in the book and what I really loved about the book. It is relate-able and many women go through similar situations. I can see how many other people will love this book, it just wasn't my cup of tea. I'd be very interested in reading other books by this author though.

Olivia is the stereotypical all-work lawyer, but when that goes from being an asset to what her boss perceives as a liability, she is forced to take leave from her job. Her husband has just reluctantly filed for divorce, and their well-heeled home is on the market. A friend sends her on a research trip to explore love and marriage with leading world experts, and Olivia's life goes from one of dogged labor to sunny, exotic locations -- and men. As she begins to blossom again, she learns what really pushed her out of her job and what really matters. While ultimately a heartwarming story, this book takes a while to sink into, as the early pacing feels sluggish.