I liked it by the end.

I was reluctant to listen to this story, because I knew going into the book that Shannon and Madison had a relationship that ended, and now they're encountering each other again after many years apart. I don't usually enjoy stories like this. The whole first part of the book is Shannon relating the story of her first love to her best friends before she moves back to her home town. This may have been one of the sweetest stories about first love that I've ever read. And it was torture, because we knew it would end, and how could it end well? I kept hoping I'd get to that point soon, because the sooner we knew their pain, the sooner they could meet again. I wanted to rip the band-aid off and get to the good stuff already.
I didn't have much sympathy for Madison. We're talking about someone who's almost forty years old who is still allowing decisions that she doesn't like to be made for her. Grow a pair! And part of me thinks Shannon was a doormat for just taking it. But beneath the cynic within me beats the heart of a romantic, so I loved when Madison finally woke up and took a good look around.
One final thing that I didn't like was the fact that Shannon let her friendship with Charlotte and Tracy go so easily. If you were good enough friends to tell them things you've never told another living soul, I wouldn't expect you to just tank the relationship like it didn't matter in the first place.
At the end of the book, I found that I enjoyed it, and that's a tribute to Hill's skill at telling a tale, because I didn't expect to like it much at all.

8 people found this helpful

Hill is Magic for Romance Novels and Lesbians!

What did you love best about At Seventeen?

That the story started with the girls when they were 17 then made them come full circle to adult woman and all they were dealing with, I loved that Madison had to deal with her parents, her estranged husband, her son, the growing feeling toward her childhood lover and she did the smart thing and decides she doesn't want to just have an affair, friendship is welcome but until her divorcee is final she is only interested in friendship because that is all she can manage at the time. And it's fair to ever one. Madison knows she needs to get act together before she can give her heart 100% to another. And that the only way she wants it.

What did you like best about this story?

Mostly what I said above, but that there was a lot of background on each girls families. I liked learning about Madison's super smart young son off at college, I liked the picture of her mother (Jerk 1) Husband (Jerk 2) and her father, I liked learning about Shannon and mother and brother. It was nice to have family support in a book. Not just those books with, you family hates because your gay, you must make your own family and never have a mother/brother/uncle or aunt show up and embarrass you in a story, It was refreshing.

Which character – as performed by Carly Robins – was your favorite?

Madison- I related to her the best, what it;s like to not be able to say no and to do it for so many years it just builds up. Only for me it was at work not at home but I could totally relate and to have someone telling you what to do every second of the time until you can't breathe, been there done that, not fun.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Two woman separated by time and circumstance, Brought together by love and chance, will they take the leap, or live in hell.

Any additional comments?

Hill is to me the second best lesbian romance writer topped by only Radclyffe, and then only just. Hill is amazing, she can make the same old story sound new, and the new sound amazing. In this jumping back and forth from 17 to the present, she wines and dine us on gourmet food. all the while making you want to eat more and more. Save room for dessert.

10 people found this helpful

Good Story

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, I would. It was a well written story.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I wanted to listen in one sitting but appreciated being able to listen over a couple of days.

4 people found this helpful

Wonderful story, okay narration

I really love this book. When I read stories about how people find their soulmates as children, I wonder what that must be like. Does it really happen, or is it the stuff of fantasies? This is one of those. but because the characters are from different social classes, the upper class mother does everything she can to keep them apart. And she succeeds. For entirely too long. Their childhood through high school years are told through flashbacks and it's a beautiful, yet painful story. A good deal of time passes through their adult years before they can find a chance at happiness.
This is another original idea from Gerri and I appreciated that. She writes so beautifully and captures well the angst of star-crossed lovers. I'd read the paperback in the past and decided to listen to the audiobook this time. Sadly, this was one that Abby Craden didn't narrate and I missed her every single moment. Narrator Carly Robbins didn't have the differentiation of voices or put the feeling into it to capture the true emotion of the story. She wasn't terrible, she just didn't add anything to it. I highly recommend this slow burn friends to lovers book but suggest you read, rather than listen. It's a gem.

3 people found this helpful

wow, just...wow

I'm speechless. I've read several of Gerri's other novels bur gosh, this one was just so tender and beautiful. Shannon and Madison's youthful attraction and angst for each other really hit home on a personal level. I am IMMEDIATELY replaying this one.

3 people found this helpful

what a wonderfully written book

I have to say i hated Madison for everything she put Shannon through, but that wouldn't be right. I've had friends who's lives were controlled that way. This book will bring out lots of emotions, from frustration, sadness, heartache, laugh out loud moments, smiles, happiness, lots of yeh about time moments.
The flow of this long story is great. There is a wonderful assortment of Characters that the Narrator did an amazing job bringing to life. Just a hint for anyone wanting to read this, like me, I was on the fence for months about it.. still not convinced I was gonna like it because of Madison and her mom. I finnally gave it a shot and I was so glad I did.... and trust me so will you. However, you will hate Madison's mom for sure...
Gerri Hill once again knocked it out of the park with yet another book.
This is a must read.

3 people found this helpful

If it’s meant to be....

This is a great love story! I really enjoyed the book. It goes to show that if it’s meant to be, true love never dies!

2 people found this helpful

always love the books by this author

I Loved it. Narrator was good. I Liked the main characters and the story line.

1 person found this helpful

I love how the writer is vivid with details.

This book was as close to an erotic romance novel as it gets. I was intrigued the whole story and did not want to put it down to go to work. I highly recommend this book to any hopeless romantics out there like me.

Thumbs up

I’ve always loved Gerri’s novels and this one was one of the first books that I’ve read when I started WLW books. It’s still awkward listening to your name during the sex scenes lol