- Hardcover: 272 pages
- Publisher: St. Martin’s Press (April 9, 2013)
- ISBN-10: 0312610769
- Source: Publisher
Kate Vaughan has a successful life: a caring family, a wonderfully devoted boyfriend and a thriving boutique. Yet when she imagines her life before her, she can’t help but remiss to the life she had before with her first love, Jack. Jack was the man she thought she would spend her life with yet in her indecisive youth, Jack moved on and married another woman.
In order to pursue her future with Rowan, her boyfriend, Kate feels she must visit Jack once more. The two share a secret that changed their lives, a secret only shared by their two families. A secret that she must share with Rowan if they are to have a happy life together. She knows that her life will never be happy if she does not confront her past, and the love she shared with Jack. Once she transports herself back to her past, and her relationship with Jack, feelings she thought banished once again appear. The secret they shared becomes real, preventing them from continuing on with their separate lives without dealing with the life they brought into this world together.
Inspired by a true story, And Then I Found You touches on a number of issues, including young love, pregnancy, and adoption. Since it was based on fact, this element adds a dimension of believability to the story, creating a bond with the author almost instantaneously. The characters she creates in Kate and Jack are truly genuine, well-rounded and incredibly flawed.
While I wholeheartedly enjoyed reading the story of Kate and Jack’s relationship, and of the child they chose to put up for adoption, I couldn’t dismiss the irritation I felt with Kate’s character. An indecisive youth is something I can deal with, but Kate continues with this characteristic well into her adulthood. She loves Rowan and looks forward to spending her life with him, yet she can’t abandon or admit to the love she still has for Jack. There were several instances in this novel in which I found myself yelling at Katie for her behavior and the way she treated both Jack and Rowan. She seemed genuinely shocked at Rowan’s behavior at times when his response to her actions was wholeheartedly valid.
Additionally, I did feel that the ending was pretty predictable but I feel that it did suit the overall tone of the novel. Going in, the reader understands that Kate will get whatever she desires, whether that be Jack or Rowan.
A character I truly adored was Luna/Emily, Jack and Kate’s daughter. Her adoption was never kept a secret and her family willingly permitted her to research her birth parents. Additionally, I feel that the emotions displayed by her adoptive mother were incredibly genuine and valid, given the circumstances.
Also, I could see why Kate felt such strong feelings for Jack. He was a wonderful man, devoted to her for most of his life. It was only when Kate could not commit and settle down that he moved on to pursue his own happiness. To me, Jack is the knight in shining armor that we all dream to find (and some of us are lucky to have caught.)
All in all, despite my issues with Kate’s character, I did enjoy this truly heartwarming and moving read. I definitely see it being discussed in book clubs or with close friends. Recommended.
I read this title as part of my involvement with the SheReads blog network. Interested in discussing this title? Be sure to tune in later this month for the official discussion.
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