Renée Carlino

"When a young graduate student discovers she is the romantic inspiration behind a pseudonymously published literary sensation, she embarks on a search for the elusive writer"--

A Novel

Swear on This Life

Sarah 

aileeeeeeen

Renee Carlino is probably an author that I know who absolutely can write from best friends to strangers and then become lovers. and this book is good at explaining about "if you love someone, you set them free. and eventually you will see, if they are meant to be with you, they will come back to you".

I thought this was a cute book, because the love of your life (your first love) make a story about you in a book. until I realized it was not it. the book is epic, and it had me in my feels and marked a certain thoughts in my mind. SOTL recites about a boy and a girl who were lived in the dark phase. they were so young but they must survive against the blackness of the world. so much of upsetting, traumatic, resentment, hurt but also tenderness and love being served in this book. and that is why personally for me, Swear On This Life has a grip on me. it just has pack of emotions and its story was beautifully written. out of two books of Renee's that I have read, SOTL carries sentiments that I fairly adore. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

turtle

Ryan 

1.5 stars

so funny how this is the first book that i rate 1 star of, because that’s very rare for me to rate it that low. and that this is from the same author that i read her other book, and that i love more. there were some MANY issues that i think would’ve been better. the ending, epilogue especially, just felt rushed. i didn’t have any sympathy with the characters and their relationships. i didn’t really like the characters that much. i really didn’t feel much as i read this entire book. SO disappointed. more to come.

rakshu

“For my Em. don’t wait too long. come let me love you.” 
rated this book 4 stars for this line and this line alone.

This was so sweet and I loved reading the book within the book. Jase & Emi forever!

Amelia Hruby

a great book but the main character sometimes annoyed me 

Nikola

Jazelle H

I had to wait a day to write this because every time I looked at the cover, my eyes blurred with fresh tears (good tears, book detox tears). This beautiful story puts Nicholas Sparks' novels to shame; proof that love lasts through time and hardship. Please read it, and don't take as long as Em did to finish it.

dija

”For my Em. Don’t wait this long. Come let me love you.”

Booklist, Top 10 Women’s Fiction of 2016 Goodreads Best Romance of August Redbook.com’s “20 Books by Women You Must ReadThis Fall” Popsugar’s “21 Fiction Reads to Add to Your Fall Reading List” Bustle’s “11 New Romance Books Perfect for Summer Beach Reading” Brit+Co’s “16 Must-Read Adult Books Out in August” Sunset magazine’s “Bookmark this: Your ultimate summer reading list” From USA TODAY bestselling author Renée Carlino (Before We Were Strangers), a warm and witty novel about a struggling writer who must come to grips with her past, present, and future after she discovers that she’s the inspiration for a pseudonymously published bestselling novel. When a bestselling debut novel from mysterious author J. Colby becomes the literary event of the year, Emiline reads it reluctantly. As an adjunct writing instructor at UC San Diego with her own stalled literary career and a bumpy long-term relationship, Emiline isn’t thrilled to celebrate the accomplishments of a young and gifted writer. Yet from the very first page, Emiline is entranced by the story of Emerson and Jackson, two childhood best friends who fall in love and dream of a better life beyond the long dirt road that winds through their impoverished town in rural Ohio. That’s because the novel is patterned on Emiline’s own dark and desperate childhood, which means that “J. Colby” must be Jase: the best friend and first love she hasn’t seen in over a decade. Far from being flattered that he wrote the novel from her perspective, Emiline is furious that he co-opted her painful past and took some dramatic creative liberties with the ending. The only way she can put her mind at ease is to find and confront “J. Colby,” but is she prepared to learn the truth behind the fiction?

Sven Test

This 4.5 latte's review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.

Some of us will look back on our lives and recall events that were a bit too perfect, but until you know the whole story, it’s impossible to see the universe at work, or even admit that there is something bigger than us, making sure everything that should happen does happen.

Emiline has been wanting to publish a book for a while, but every story she's written doesn't get positive feedback. Her roommate, mentor, and boyfriend advice to write something from the heart, to write about her life, but Em doesn't want to. One day, her roommate Cara gives Em a book that she just needs to read! As Emi reads, she realizes that she's reading about her past and she's the main character. Aside from her, there's only one other person who knows her well enough to write a story in her perspective, and that's someone she hasn't talked to in years.

If you couldn't tell by my rating, I'll let you know now: I LOVE THIS BOOK!!! I read 85% of this book in ONE sitting! I only put it down because it was very late and I needed to sleep. But as soon as I woke up, I picked it up and kept reading until I finished it. It was hard to put down when the story begged to be read.

"Our story is great. Maybe not all the other shit, but the story of us is perfect, Em."

I had read the synopsis back when I requested the book, but when I started reading it, I had forgotten all what it was about. It's safe to say I went in blind and I'm so happy I did! The first half of the first chapter was a tad off-putting. The other half had me full on submerged in the story and the rest is history.

Renée did a fantastic job in giving alternating past and present. She intertwined them so beautifully that it felt like they were one (that's a major compliment). The present story-line is told from Em's perspective, and the past story-line is told through Em's perspective but from J. Colby, the author of the book about Em's life. Yes, you read that right. You'll be reading a book about a book, and let me tell you, it's the best thing ever!

He was going to drag me all the way through my painful past, steal my story, and not even dedicate the damn book to me.

Em's and Jase's pasts were tragically beautiful. They found solace in each other—a safe haven—at a very young age, when they didn't have anyone else. They became the best of friends until their friendship evolved into so much more. In their world, they were the only ones that existed and they made sure to show love, care and kindness to one another.

We didn’t know it at the time, but we were lovesick. Our innocence was beautiful, impossible to capture again, impossible to re-create.

Jase was so patient waiting for Em to read their story in the book. Em was so mad when he changed the ending, but both Jase and Cara kept telling her to reach the ending. Em took her sweet time doing that, but Jase persisted because his love for her never ceased. He was waiting for his first love to return to him.

"Just being near you is enough for me for now."

Overall, Swear on this Life is an engrossing, heartfelt, and unique second-chance love story that's so beautifully written.

I received an eARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This 4.5 latte's review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.

Tia Malt 

See, this wasn't a bad book per say; but it wasn't a great one. I found the story within the story to be the only interesting part, while the current day story lacked 'umph' and much depth. The way Jase and Em fell back into a relationship so quickly definitely didn't sit right with me.

Overall, worth the read, but not something I'd ever read again.

Shriram R

I just finished this book and this is perfect !!
Jase and Emiline deserve everything in this world and more.

<i>“We can’t always control our circumstances, who our parents are, where we live, or how much money we make, but in those rare moments when we can shape our fate, when we do have the power to make our own happiness, we can’t be too scared to do it.” </i>

Sadly this one isn’t for me. I think this book brings trauma and love equally to the table, hoping to have its readers ache for the two main characters. But for me I felt like I couldn’t breathe between every major plot point I read. There was just sooo much trauma that I felt detached from the love story because I was questioning how healthy this entire relationship was. Also, soooo much happened! So many awful things! It was hard to keep up with, remain hopeful and believe it all. So unfortunately this was a story I couldn’t get lost in. 

I did appreciate the message behind the book, I think it’s always important to remember to embrace life as much as possible. 

Kathryn

<i>“We can’t always control our circumstances, who our parents are, where we live, or how much money we make, but in those rare moments when we can shape our fate, when we do have the power to make our own happiness, we can’t be too scared to do it.” </i>

Sadly this one isn’t for me. I think this book brings trauma and love equally to the table, hoping to have its readers ache for the two main characters. But for me I felt like I couldn’t breathe between every major plot point I read. There was just sooo much trauma that I felt detached from the love story because I was questioning how healthy this entire relationship was. Also, soooo much happened! So many awful things! It was hard to keep up with, remain hopeful and believe it all. So unfortunately this was a story I couldn’t get lost in. 

I did appreciate the message behind the book, I think it’s always important to remember to embrace life as much as possible. 

2/5⭐️

Nicki 

This book!!! I could not put it down. It is most definitely going in my top 5 favorite books ever! While Emiline and Jase’s childhood was dark and heavy and hard to read at times, I really liked how it was told through Jase’s book. Both Emi’s POV and Jase’s novel were equally intriguing and the back and forth between the two was always smooth. Jase and Emi’s connection was so passionate and powerful. It could be felt through the pages. This was one of those books were I had to just sit there for a while and take it all in once I finished. The end made me cry more than a book has in a long time, but I loved that I connected to it so well. Would definitely recommend this and any other books by Renee Carlino!

Jaclyn

SO EMOTIONAL! Deeply touching, extremely raw, and my heart feels so full! This book made me feel a thousand different emotions. It's a story of recovery, the power of a timeless love, and learning to forgive and let yourself live. SO SO BEAUTIFUL! My mind can't wrap itself around this one, I can't wait to read more from Renee Carlino!!

NAHH THE AUTHOR DID THIS BOOK SO DIRTY. Jase and Emi could have had such a STORY if the book had been written well 😭 I’m actually pissed for them and they are characters written by the author. 

Like it’s such a good plot line- I mean really good but the author executed it so badly. 
The book has so many good reviews I don’t understand how. Like honestly this book was written so badly I cannot. It was as though I was reading a Wattpad fiction written by an actual published author. 

Listen I truly believe jase and emi could have had a better story, like everything about them could have been made better. It was all so anticlimactic, everything related to them that is. Like you’d think that the meeting of such deeply connected individuals who had a very intimate relationship after a whole decade would be so emotional but all there was, was a wow you’ve changed and nice meeting you I gtg. LIKE BRO?? 💀

Also the inclusion of the dubious love triangle. I’m someone who really doesn’t care for one of executed properly. but this- boy oh boy! She gives up a relationship of 7 years for a man she hadn’t seen for 12 years. Not only that but cheats on him. And she couldn’t put her big girl panties on and break up with him, so the author had to create a situation in the book, to get her boyfriend in the wrong. 

The book was infuriating but what infuriates me more is that the book has SO MUCH POTENTIAL!! LIKE SOOO MUCH OMG. But I guess it all went to waste 😭

Rating: 2.5/5 stars 
Started: 03rd April 2022 
Finished: 09th April 2022



Anika Mano

the build up was fantastic it just felt like it didn't quite hit the mark it was supposed to

Maggie El Lethy

It felt like reading two books at once and I loved it

Aundreya Rich

** spoiler alert **
           What would you do if the love of your life who let you down wrote a book about your struggles and your relationship?


I would be a hot mess. 

I loved this book so much. I went into this book thinking “oh this will be a nice little read”

Oh heart, I’m sorry you weren’t prepared 😳💔

Beautiful beautiful. I wish there would have been more to the story though. Jase and Em deserve the world and I needed to hear more about their life together.....


Renee you are on my must reads now, thank you


4.7 rounded to 5 stars

Jocelyn Poh

my rating | 4 stars


  "We can't always control our circumstances, who our parents are, where we live, or how much money we make. But in those rare moments where we can shape our fate, when we do have the power to make our own happiness, we can't be too scared to do it."


the book starts off quickly - and i was roped in right away. i remember reading 200 pages in a single sitting, even. i got so invested in their story. however, after this part, i found that i got rather confused between what was in jase's book and reality when emi, being the smart MC she is started explaining how things "really turned out", which jase twisted for the sake of "fiction". god, i even got confused between jax and jase, em and emi - which is fiction and which is "real"?? in this aspect, i deducted a star from my originally perfect rating. i guess when trying to squeeze two stories into one things like this are bound to happen...



another thing i didn't like about the story was how (view spoiler)[ abruptly trevor got kicked out of the picture just because jase and emi are supposed to be together in the end.  (hide spoiler)]

nonetheless, reading about emi's life story ripped my heart into shreds and it's kinda nice to see how it had shaped emi to who she is today so if you're keen on a tearjerker, this is a mild book for it - not too much, yet enough to tug at your heartstrings and allow you to appreciate the things around you more. :-)

Chrissy

Genesis (@whisperingchapters)

b.andherbooks

The premise intrigued me - how would I feel if a childhood love became a famous author after telling my story (even a fictionalized version of it)? However, the drama promised in the description fell fairly flat in execution. The reader is made to "read" the fictionalized story of the main character's childhood, a childhood traumatized her so much she didn't tell her long term boyfriend most of the story. The reader is also made to feel this is building up to an explosive confrontation between the Emmiline and Jace, but no, not really. Just finish the book he tells her, that will make it all clear. Right. 

Not for me.

Find this review and more at 
  kimberlyfaye reads.


I feel like I can always count on Renée Carlino to take me on an emotional journey with her books and Swear on This Life is no exception. This book was a wild ride for sure. My goodness. It was not for public consumption, as I quickly found out as I was reading it on a plane. My feels had feels.

I loved the concept of this book. I'm also going to be very careful not to spoil any of it for you. It might be a little tough to read at times because of the emotions it brings forth – at least if you're an emotional reader like I am – but it's worth just experiencing it unspoiled. Y'all know I'm a sucker for a good second chance romance and this was definitely that and more. I loved Emiline and connected with her on a deep level. I felt everything she was going through as she was experiencing her past – painful parts and all – after discovering the book written about her. I loved how the story was told from both her perspective in present day and in the past, with creative liberties of course, through the words of the actual story written by her childhood friend. 

I couldn't put this book down once I started it. Whereas Emiline was resistant to finishing the book, I couldn't get it done soon enough. I needed to know how it all worked out. This was a total emotional roller coaster and I loved it. I highly recommend this book if you're looking for feels. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

FAVORITE QUOTES

  If you can surrender to the idea that there might be a plan, instead of reducing every magical moment to a coincidence, then love will find you. It found me.

"You ruined me that night, and you're ruining me again with this book."

I thought loving someone meant letting go, but by the time I learned that loving someone means fighting for them too, it was too late. 

I don't know much about fate, but I know something brought me back there. Maybe I fought that force for too long, or maybe everything happened exactly the way it was supposed to.

Swear on This Life A Novel

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