Title: Georgie, All Along
Author: Kate Clayborn
Genre: Romance
Expected On: January 24, 2023
Publisher: Kensington Books
Source: digital
Pages: 366

My thoughts

(Spoiler free)

When Georgie and Bel discover an old “friendfic” diary they created together among Bel’s boxes, Georgie is shook by the confident younger Georgie she discovers among its pages. A Georgie that had plans and wishes for herself, instead of just fulfilling someone else’s wishes. She decides to let the fic be a sort of guidebook as she forges a new path forward by going back.

“I’ve left crumbs on the counter, the peanut-buttered knife, too, but I can’t make myself care. It’s all part of the plan tonight, and the plan is me in my robe, eating this toast, and finding out whether it’s wishful thinking for this fic to have an answer for me.”

Kate Clayborn; Georgie, All Along

Unfortunately, just as she’s finally hopeful about making new plans, her plans are disrupted by an unexpected guest. It seems her adorably absentminded parents forgot they’d already invited someone else to housesit, the grumpy—and former town troublemaker—Levi Fanning.

And just like Georgie, Levi’s story is messy, too. But where Georgie is open and inviting, Levi is closed-off. I enjoyed the opposing balance their two stories presented, each learning to see their flaws as strengths, even when those strengths conflicted with the other’s. I was rooting for these two, trying to be oh so patient as they figured it all out. While this one is fairly predictable, I didn’t mind one bit, relishing in the familiarity and settling into the phenomenal characters Clayborn created, enjoying the several laugh-out-loud moments, as well.

It’s not only Georgie and Levi who drive this story, the side characters are well-rounded, as well, breathing even more life into our main characters, some of them even learning and changing, themselves. From Georgie’s best friend Bel to Levi’s estranged siblings, Clayborn does a good job of taking characters that seem surface-level and giving them a deeper meaning, wonderfully representing people in real life.

I can’t not mention one of the most important side characters, Levi’s faithful companion, Hank. As someone who is terrified of dogs, especially pit bulls, color me shocked to discover I was melting every time Hank made an appearance. Levi and Hank’s mutual devotion is irresistibly heartwarming.

I didn’t want this one to end, torn between not wanting to put it down and wanting it to last a little bit longer. I felt assured I would love this one since I adored Clayborn’s previous book Love at First, and I was happy to find I was right. Georgie, All Along, firmly cements Clayborn among my must-read authors!

Thank you to the publisher Kensington Books and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy.

(All quotes are taken from the advance copy and are subject to change in final print.)

Rating:

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About the Author

A Song For A Book

While searching for an accompanying author playlist (there isn’t one), I found this interview in which Clayborn states she wanted to write a book that felt like Taylor Swift’s song “Invisible String”, and that book eventually became Georgie, All Along. So, that’s the song I’m going with, since I’d have to say she captured the feeling perfectly.

Green was the color of the grass
Where I used to read at Centennial Park
I used to think I would meet somebody there
Teal was the color of your shirt 
When you were sixteen at the yogurt shop
You used to work at to make a little money

Time, curious time
Gave me no compasses, gave me no signs
Were there clues I didn’t see?
And isn’t it just so pretty to think
All along there was some
Invisible string
Tying you to me?
Ooh…

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Have you read Georgie, All Along? Will you be adding it to your tbr? Let me know in the comments!

Happy Wandering!