Title: P.S. I Love You
Author: Cecelia Ahern
Book #: Standalone
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publication: December 2004, by Hyperion
Pages: 470
Rating: 
A novel about holding on, letting go, and learning to love again.
Holly couldn’t live without her husband Gerry, until the day she had to. They were the kind of young couple who could finish each other’s sentences. When Gerry succumbs to a terminal illness and dies, 30-year-old Holly is set adrift, unable to pick up the pieces. But with the help of a series of letters her husband left her before he died and a little nudging from an eccentric assortment of family and friends, she learns to laugh, overcome her fears, and discover a world she never knew existed.
The kind of enchanting novel with cross-generational appeal that comes along once in a great while, PS, I Love You is a captivating love letter to the world!
Synopsis from Goodreads.com
“Shoot for the moon, even if you fail, you’ll land among the stars”
Review
I decided to read this book, because I really liked the movie. Turns out, the book is even better!
A few parts had been changed in the movie recreation and after having read the book I don’t understand why. I really preferred those aspects how they originally were in the book. But, anyway! Books are usually better than their movies and this particular movie was pretty good, so I can’t really complain!
Even though I had already watched the movie, and so kind of knew what was coming, this book didn’t fail to surprise me. It was not as cheesy as I expected. It was actually not cheesy at all! I felt that it was very honest. I was very happy that it didn’t have the motto “life goes on” too much. Because if you lose someone so close to you, it’s only natural to feel like life has stopped. Like it’s the end of the world. On the other hand, it wasn’t depressing either. It just kept perfect balance!
Holly’s (the protagonist’s) character felt especially true and honest to me. I could empathize with her, even though, thankfully, I haven’t experienced a similar situation. I liked how her thoughts were often going back to that situation and her husband, because that’s how it always happens in these kinds of situations. It was generally depicted very realistically and I couldn’t ask for anything more in that department. I also enjoyed all other characters of the book. There was a wide range of personalities, from the “crazy” and fun sister, to the calm and (mostly) rational best friend. The book was mostly centered around Holly, though, so everyone else did not play that big of a role!
I found the book highly motivational, which is something that I expected, but not exactly in the form that I got it. Okay, I know that was incredibly unclear, so let me explain. I was expecting it to be motivating in the dealing-with-loss and moving-on aspect. But I also got really motivated in the finding-a-job department. Which, I know, can be a part of the first ones, but I was still not exactly expecting it. All I can say is that the next time I will have to go to a job interview I will read a few chapters of this book first! It made me think like anything is possible! Like I just have to figure out what my dream job is and then just go for it. Shoot for the moon!
The thing I loved most about the book was the ending! Don’t worry I’m not going to spoil you!!! I’m only going to say that I loved how it surprised me! I was expecting a stereotypical ending of an adult romance / chick-lit book, but that definitely wasn’t what I got. I was very pleased by that and ended up giving the book an extra half-a-star just for that!
Opening Line
Holly held the blue cotton sweater to her face and the familiar smell immediately struck her, an overwhelming grief knotting her stomach and pulling at her heart.
Mini Review
Very motivational.
I liked the many different kinds of characters!
A very sweet, but not cheesy book.
Recommend it for…
- fans of adult romance, who don’t like typical chick-lit books
P.S. I love you. If you’re wondering… no I did not cry with this book either! Still in search for the book that’s going to make me cry.
Nadia Reads 
I love this book. I read it before I saw the movie. The book is DEFINITELY much better.
Yeah! It is! I’m glad I read it!
I must cry a lot when I read books haha. This is one book that while I found it very hopeful, it destroyed me. It really was written quite beautifully and for a person who isn’t a huge fan of romance books, I did enjoy it.
Great review Nadia!
Yes! I’m also not that much into adult romance books, but this was quite different! I really liked it!
I’ve been wanting to read this for ages (as well with The Time Travellers Wife) and keep pushing it back. I’ve seen both films and really enjoyed them, but now that I have, I’m always nervous about the differences (kind of the same as if you’ve read the book and go to see the film, I guess), and I know the books are always better than the film, but sometimes what I love about the film isn’t always the same with the books, especially since you get more of a visual and feeling with a film, I definitely have to be emotionally invested with the book. But, it does sound like this one is more than the film, especially, like you said, it was more motivational, which doesn’t always come across in the film. And I love that it hasn’t got a stereotypical ending, always feels more realistic like that. So, so glad you enjoyed this more the book way. 🙂
That’s also the reason why I hadn’t read it for so long! I had bought this more than 5 years ago and didn’t read it because I was scared of being disappointed! But it was really good. And the film isn’t that much different. It has some differences plotwise, but the feelings that come across are quite similar!