It feels like a lifetime has passed since I reviewed Someday, Maybe’s predecessor, State of Grace. Over a year, to be exact. I first started reading the Moonflower Cove series by Addison Clarke out of order. The first few pages I read, actually belonged to Someday, Maybe. I remember being quite disappointed at the time that I had to put down this book to start the first, but I’ve always believed in reading series in order.
I wasn’t disappointed when I finally got to slip into the story. As soon as I finished reading the last page, I knew I had to dive into the second book. Unfortunately, this was around the time that I chose to allow my TBR jar to decide my fate. As you can tell, it took quite some time for me to pull this beauty (don’t get me wrong, I did contemplate ‘cheating’ and finding this little slip of paper, but I figured that there are some things you don’t mess with. Fate, being one of them).
I remembered enough of State of Grace to remember the cast, and enough to be excited when I read the names Walker and Maddie.
For all intents and purposes, this is a story about second chances. Walker had lost herself to her addiction and obliterated her relationship with Maddie. More than just with her ex-girlfriend, but with her family. Now, two years sober, she’s returning to Moonflower Cove where she has to rebuild again. It seems unlikely, but it looks like she may be able to rekindle what she had with Maddie. Though, there seems to be a glimmer of hope. That is, if Maddie can contend with her own inner demons and overcome her mental health struggles.
I really did love Someday, Maybe. I loved Clarke’s writing style and her characterization. I do think that it’s important to represent tricky subjects like addiction and mental health struggles without focusing on re-victimization and instead on forgiveness. There were parts of this book that pained me to read, and parts that filled me with joy and made my heart soar. I adored how this book made me feel.
As someone who struggles with mental health issues and whose life has been personally affected by addiction, I saw a lot of my struggles and my loved ones reflected in this book. I love how tenderly Maddie was taken care of during her low moments and how people were courteous (and grudgingly willing to forgive) Walker. All in all, it felt almost cathartic to see things play out so delicately when identical situations in real life might be met with far harsher responses.
I feel like just based on story merits alone, I’d have to give this book a five star. Though, due to my own grading criteria, I have to take a closer look at some things.
I feel like Someday, Maybe was prone to some growing pains (which is to be expected). Being the second book in a series, one expects to have to read the first book, but I do feel like this book was done a bit of a disservice by how much it relied on the reader having already read State of Grace. Having stepped away from the series for several months (thanks to my TBR jar), I was thrown into a bit of a lurch within the first few pages. I was almost tempted to go pick up its predecessor to refresh my memory — which, is not the reason I want to return to read a book.
Much like the first story, there were some pacing issues (though, there is marked improvement from State of Grace.) There were a few points where the language felt a bit unrefined and could have used a bit of a polish (which is where a copy-editor would have come in handy, pricy as they are). Though, I do have a personal vendetta against the word “hella,” and seeing it in a steamy scene made my soul evacuate my body.
All in all, my criticisms are significantly outweighed by how much I loved the story. I just hope my TBR jar will be kind and not keep me away from Champagne Problems for another nine months!
You can find Addison Clarke: Amazon, Instagram, Twitter, and Website.
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Ivy Whitaker 