This heartfelt tale of a couple who, largely due to circumstances, are unable to fully experience their lives how they thought they would, also develops into a fascinating story of a band, and an exploration of missed chances. I found the central relationship a beautiful one, lovingly rendered with moments of real power and heart.

It keeps you hooked and intrigued, whilst dazzling with its language.

An emotive portrait of grief, belonging, class, trauma and learning how to… love, when life’s given you every reason not to. My copy is more than slightly dog-eared for all the musings Crewe expresses through Keely and Finn, from their loneliness to their anger to their capacity for love to their coping mechanisms to their joy – just so beautiful. I thought it would be a five-star but I couldn’t get on board with the conflict and complete lack of reasoning behind it. That said, the ending had me on the edge of my seat holding my breath; the anxiety was palpable and I couldn’t believe that after all that, Crewe was capable of even more tugging at the heartstrings.

This book was tragically heartbreaking, filled with lots of engaging characters and very emotional in parts.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC.

What does it mean to love and be loved? This experience of connection and vulnerability is complex indeed; of course, there are many types of love. In this searingly raw read, Paddy Crewe explores love with compelling and affectingly profound empathy.

Somewhere in the North East of England, near the sea, our main protagonists, Keely and Finn, are living troubled lives.

When we first meet her, Keely is twelve, living with her caring but grief-stricken father and her little brother, William. It’s a hard life, eking out a meagre living picking sea coal, and the caravan where they live is functional but only just. After tragedy strikes, she desperately searches for a means of escape, for some small comfort in the harsh world, one that doesn’t seem to care very much about her.

Finn is an introspective child brought up by his grandparents. He is always on the outside looking in, barely speaking, unable to find the words to articulate how he feels about the world. He’s an easy target for bullies and made fun of by those who see him as a misfit.

When Keely and Finn meet, their connection is instant and young love blooms. They only want to find a safe haven, a place where they can be their true selves, but is this enough to save them?

I read True Love way back in June, and these wonderfully constructed, vibrant, complex characters still live rent-free in my head, which is a sure sign of a great book.

Get the tissues ready, as this heart-on-sleeve storytelling is bound to have you sobbing. 4.5⭐

Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the advance copy. As always, this is an honest review.

Well, this little beauty has left me feeling quite untethered; by its sparkling prose, by its unforgettable characters, and by a structure as clever as it is unique. As for that ending! It takes my breath away every time I think of it.

As the title suggests, True Love is indeed a love story, but to describe it as such is as reductive as calling Pride and Prejudice a Regency romance. Yes, it’s about romantic love, but it’s also about sibling love and love between a parent and child. Paddy Crewe explores all of these versions with a raw, searing empathy that’s both compelling and profoundly affecting.

Our two protagonists, Keeley and Finn, are superbly crafted, bringing to mind many a tragic literary hero and heroine. We get to know them separately; the first quarter of the book devoted to Keeley, and the second to Finn. By the time their paths cross, we know them intimately and ache for the tough hand life has dealt them. As two lost souls, with deeply troubled pasts, it comes as no surprise that they are drawn to one another. More than soulmates, they are each other’s salvation.

But, in the words of Shakespeare: “The course of true love never did run smooth.” And this is an aphorism that Crewe scrutinizes with devastating precision.

At its heart, True Love is a study on loss, grief and abandonment, about being “different,” and on the power of love to soothe and mend even the deepest, bloodiest of wounds. It’s the story of experiences that bring people together and keep them together, proving that the truest love is that which survives, even when tested to its limits.

I cannot express just how much I loved the structure of this narrative. It has a unique kind of rhythm, a gently modulated seesawing that builds to an unexpectedly wild crescendo, where words, voices crash together in a spine-tingling union that made my heart race.

This is only Paddy Crewe’s second novel, but what an extraordinary talent! I’m beyond excited to see what he delivers next.

Keely is twelve when we first meet her, she lives with her caring, but remote father, and her little brother, William. They eke out a meagre living picking sea coal and the caravan where they live is functional, but basic. When tragedy strikes, Keely must try and hold everything together but she doesn't know how to shoulder the unbearable burden of grief which hangs about her shoulders like a cloud. She searches for a means of escape, desperately seeking comfort in a world which doesn't seem to care very much about her.

Finn is an introspective child, brought up by his grandparents, he is always on the outside looking in, and although perfectly content with his own company, he remains a lonely child, an easy target for bullies and made fun of by those who see him as some kind of misfit. On the surface these two lost and lonely souls would never have met but as this hauntingly beautiful story unfolds we start to discover that sometimes the stars align and what will be, will inevitably, be.

True Love wrapped itself around me like a blanket and even when I wasn't reading it my thoughts returned to Keely and Finn, two of the most memorable literary characters I have met in a long time. Whilst the story is a complex study into the fragility of relationships it is also desperately sad and deeply moving. It’s the story of two people searching for something only to have life get in the way and though desperate for a happy ever after ending, I knew that life isn’t always kind enough to give us what we want. Strong and beautiful the essence of True Love lingers long after the book is closed and Keely and Finn’s story is finally told.

This one punched me straight in the stomach. The family that live by the sea in Ireland - their lives are not as simple as it sounds. It's full of heartbreak and hardship. This is a book in the same category as Shuggie Bain, and just as emotive.

Somewhere in the North East of England, Finn and Keely are struggling to find connection in their lives, dealing with grief and loneliness, as we follow them from their childhoods into adulthood, in this honest and empathetic book by Paddy Crewe.

‘True love’ has such a strong opening, with Keely frantically searching for her brother amongst the sand dunes, who she lives with in a caravan in a camp along with her dad, who collects coal from the beach to sell locally.

Finn is quiet and sensitive, and lives with his grandparents. He cuts a lonely figure, playing by the river by himself as a child, content in his own company. He struggles with life as he moves into adulthood, adrift from his peers and seen as a bit odd.

From the title you can probably guess that Finn and Keely eventually meet, and by that time I found myself really hoping the characters would find happiness together. I suppose that depends on whether or not you believe another person can complete you, but Finn and Keely are so lonely and unhappy that I just wanted them to wash up together on a shore and cling together.

The writing itself is lyrical yet understated, the two lead characters both deft creations. They lived in my heart for the duration of this book, and I often found myself thinking about them when I sat the book down. The ending reaches a crescendo, with a poignancy and elegiac quality. There’s also a grittiness to story, that keeps it grounded.

What is true love?

It’s a book not just about the romantic love between two people, but the love we seek from the people around us. Many of us simply want to feel a connection, and the book made me think of ‘The lonely century - How to restore connection in a world that's pulling apart by Noreena Hertz’ and ‘Lost connections’ by Johann Hari. There’s also the love between siblings, paternal or maternal love (or lack thereof). What sustains us?

I found this to be a moving read, with fleshed out characters that I cared about. It’s a book about the importance of family and belonging, about loneliness, about grief and love - in all it’s forms.

beautifully written novel about two people who have been propelled together by their own personal circumstances.

Told from both perspectives Keely and Finn are two young people who don't really fit in and feel like outcasts in society. This book spans across their younger years and the years spent together.

Will definitely recommend this book!

"This, she is realising, is one of the things men are best at: turning their backs on the things they're meant to love and walking in the other direction."

Keely grows up lonely but loved. Her mother died when she was young. Her father spends his days doing backbreaking work dredging for coal in the sea off Ireland. But tragedy drives a wedge between her and her da and grief follows them both, reaching a breaking point.

Finn is being brought up by his grandparents. He too is lonely. He barely speaks, unable to find the words to articulate how he feels about the world. As a young man, he finds this ability in music, but this is short-lived.

When Keely and Finn meet, the connection is instant. Love blooms. But is it enough to save them both?

This story about love, grief and loneliness is rendered in heart-wrenchingly beautiful prose to the point where I wiped away tears. These themes are etched into the plot, and explored with deftness and aplomb.

Keely and Finn jump off the page, three-dimensional characters who feel real enough to touch. They're full of depth and I felt so protective of them. Keely, especially, stole my heart.

My only real criticism of the book is that the relationship between the characters develops too quickly. I've never been a fan of insta-love and I feel like the tensions between Keely and Finn would have been more pronounced and their heartache more profound if there had been more of a build-up.

Otherwise, I cannot recommend this stunning, lyrical novel enough.

True Love by Paddy Crewe is an extraordinary novel that explores the many facets of love through its deeply compelling characters.

The story follows Keely, a young girl who, after a tragic loss, becomes reclusive and finds solace in books, and Fin, who grows up with his grandparents and discovers his voice through music. Their eventual meeting is intense and transformative, highlighting their struggles and the redemptive power of love.

Crewe's writing is both beautiful and poignant, capturing the complexity of love and its impact on our lives. This book is a profound exploration of how love can both heal and hurt, and it left a lasting impression on me.

http://thesecretbookreview.co.uk

✨True Love by Paddy Crewe✨

"𝑫𝒊𝒅 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆? 𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒔𝒌𝒆𝒅.
𝑬𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕?
𝑻𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒆, 𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅. 𝑫𝒊𝒅 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑫𝒂?"

Keely and Finn have both been left shattered by heartache as they grew up. Dealing with grief and crushing loneliness, they both long for the relief and comfort of love. True Love builds both Keely and Finn’s stories, and paves the path for them to meet - could they be the answer to what the other so desperately seeks?

True Love is a quietly devastating story written in the most beautiful prose. The author shapes and moulds two unforgettable characters in Keely and Finn, almost like an artist sculpting two intricate, exquisite forms from stone. They lifted off the page and gently took up residence in my heart, as I let myself drift along with them. Of course, letting yourself get involved with characters like this (which cannot be avoided in this book), means when tragedy or tribulations happen to them, it can feel like a punch in the gut.

The book is about love, of course, but not only romantic love. It’s about the love we all seek as a basic human need, and the love we are often missing because of tragedy, or even just the imperfect people who surround us in our families. While there is much to be bereft about throughout this novel, there is a sense of hope at the end, something to twitch my mouth into a smile amidst a flood of tears. A profound and memorable book, its core beauty in the authenticity of the characters, I defy you not to fall in love.

Astonishingly engrossing story that makes you want to read everything Crewe has already written and writes in the future.

It’s a coming of age story for Keely and Finn, who have various childhood traumas and brings us into their early years of parenthood in their early twenties.

I was completely hooked and loved the way the story was told, with a big back story for each of the characters, then individual pieces interwoven on the same page as the years progressed.

Completely raw.

Gifted. I read an Arc from Random House UK.

What is true love? This book asks the question and tries to answer it, all while breaking your heart. Keely and Finn are two young people, both from difficult and impoverished backgrounds. Both are loved in a way but not enough.
In the first 2 sections of the book we meet them separately and watch them grow up, dealing with tragedy, extreme isolation and bullying, abandonment and more. Yet there are points of warmth and hope in both their lives. As we get the point that they meet, both have been let down again and are desperate need of something good in the lives.
The final third covers their relationship - how love to transform a person and a life - yet how an inbuilt tendency for self destruction can ruin something wonderful.
This is one of the most beautifully written books I’ve read. The descriptions of their lives and surroundings are astonishingly detailed and vivid. Keely and Finn are brought utterly to life so you read their coming together with so much hope for their future. Desperately sad yet giving you the hope that love can drive people to a better place.

The power of love, the good, the bad and the tragic

With such a high concept title, you would be forgiven for thinking that this was a romance. There IS a romance, but that's not really what this book's about. It's about the power of love, what love can make you do, both the good things and the not so good.

The first third of the book is narrated in third person present tense about Keely, a daughter without a mother, who faces tragedy after tragedy until she is left alone with only drink to succour her. Then the next third of the book shifts to a boy-then-man, Finn, a lonely child with only his maternal grandparents who grows into a lonely young man who storms the local rock scene with a Svengali-like best friend. And then they met, and it was... love?

Really, this novel is about love in all its forms: paternal and maternal, fraternal, platonic, personal, adulation, love at first sight, lust, sacrificial, selfish love. Keely and Finn are both fairy tale abandoned children, looking for the one to be their other, and too late they realise what's exactly in front of their eyes in a conclusion that takes up barely a chapter.

A technically interesting novel, but emotionally opaque, with language that belies both the child characters and the adults they become, the floridity in parts breaking the spell of suspended disbelief. I see what Crewe is trying to do here, perching tight on the shoulders of his two main characters, but the structure relies on the reader investing in each protagonist to the end,; meanwhile the book focuses wholly on one, and then the other, so that by the time they come together the reader is just expected to believe that one form of true love can spark up between these two broken characters. And it just doesn't ring true.

Three stars.

A poignant, descriptive and heartbreaking book. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy

Keely has grown up with her Dad and young brother at a caravan camp by the coast, mining coal from the sea and delivering it to locals. When tragedy strikes, Keely’s life is upended. Finn has grown up with his grandparents, never having known his parents. Shy, uncomfortable in his skin and awkward with those around him, he can’t seem to find his place in the world. When Keely and Finn’s paths cross, they are two broken, lonely souls, at odds with the world around them and yearning for connection, affection. They find it in each other, consumed by a love at times beyond their understanding; but is love enough to move on from past traumas, to leave old versions of themselves behind, and to keep them living in the present, looking to their shared future.

This one broke my heart; such beautiful, lyrical writing that balances both a quiet stillness and intensity with an absolute depth of feeling and visceral emotion. Set mostly in 1980s Northern England around the colder months, Crewe deftly and atmospherically conjures the bleakness, the seeping chill, the harshness of the landscape and climate. The first warmth we see is at the peak of Keely and Finn’s love, before dipping back into winter’s chill. Keely’s relationship with her father is beautifully explored; a man who has lived a hard existence and who loves his daughter in his own awkward way but is drowning in grief. Finn’s grandparents try to do their best for him but a wall remains between them.

This is a novel about grief, loss, abandonment, and the ways we handle them; about trauma and the ways we carry forward; about our pasts that haunt us and come calling, no matter how much we try to push on. It’s about knowing ourselves, who we are; the people and places we have come from. It’s about the unclosable distances between people, the things that hang heavy but remain unspoken. It’s about the need to be understood; to be listened to without interjection, to be stood by silently and solidly. It’s about love in all its unfathomable complexity. Keely and Finn, and their story, will get under your skin, and stay with you long after.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the DRC.

Here’s an author who knows how to make an impact with a novel’s opening. We meet 12 year old Keg on horseback on a beach in bad weather searching for her younger brother. There’s a timelessness in the powerful, atmospheric writing. It’s the 1980s in North East England but time and location do remain vague throughout.
Keg grows into Keely and she is one half of the couple searching for the true love in the title. The other is Finn, both are outsiders who have experienced abandonment and gnawing loneliness. Keely finds her escape through alcohol and her love of reading, Finn through finding objects in the river and later music.
It takes over half the book for them to meet but before then we have two extremely strong sections which tell Keely’s story and then Finn’s. The early days of their relationship maintains the high standard of story-telling. I felt that the last third of the book followed more predictable plot-lines which didn’t grab me the way in which what had gone before had but perhaps it was age and responsibility that made these complex characters lose their spark but I missed the tone, the drive and vibrancy of the first two-thirds.
This still ends up a strong, emotional, sensitive and thoughtful second novel for this British author. I need to seek out his debut “My Name Is Yip” (2022) which made it onto a number of awards shortlists. This certainly has the potential to do the same.

When I saw this book was blurbed by one of my fav authors, I knew this book was going to be special. And it’s true, this book is completely special and one I can wait to reread.

My first time reading a book from this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I couldn’t put it down.
A beautiful and heartbreaking story about grief, loneliness, family and love.
Set in the 1980’s in the North East England, two young people Keely and Finn who growing up in difficult circumstances connect when they fall in love.
An emotional character driven story that just draws you right in and has you rooting for the characters. Told from the two POV’s of Keely and Finn. It’s beautiful honest descriptive writing. A worthwhile read. Definitely recommend this one. I look forward to reading more from @paddyCrewe
With thanks to #NetGallery #RandomHouseUK @TransworldPublishers for an arc of #TrueLove in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 4 July 2024.