Nope, this one wasn't for me. The first half was intriguing, but then it started playing into itself too much, being overly dramatic and taking itself too seriously.

What was up with the lung cancer thing? Why didn't she freak out and suspect it was true? Why didn't Cara and her aunts think that he was about to die? That was just glossed over.

Trevor??? What about Trevor? Where on earth did his addiction come from? There was no foreshadowing there--it seemed as though he was fully recovered from his injury. And that's how it ends? Um. No. That was way too simple and glossed over. And she was totally keeping him on the backburner just in case. Come on, girl.

And Jase? Okay, I get it, he saved her, they were in love as kids, la dee da. That doesn't translate into instalove twelve years later. Instalove is the worst. It's not at all believable, and to be honest, it was really darn CREEPY that he likely got his book to Cara, knew where Em lived, and basically presumed that she'd fall head over heels for him.

Also, I felt very uncomfortable reading about 15-year-olds having sex. Sure, I never like reading about people having sex, but really? Fifteen-year-olds? Can't we just leave some ambiguity? I do NOT need to be reading about fifteen-year-olds putting on condoms, nope nope nope.

Those were my main issues. Great premise, very poor execution, and I'm genuinely surprised to see how highly this has been rated. ( )

This was a beautiful story which had all the elements of a good book- friendship, romance, heartbreak and a life lesson.

Most part of the book was well written, including the transition between the past and the present, but the ending was so unbelievably rushed!

So, while it is a quick and sweet read it failed to connect on an emotional level because of its rather lackluster ending. ( )

Wonderfully written! I am such a fan of her writing. This was heart wrenching yet full of love and hope. I loved the end, even if I craved for more. ( )

3.5 stars.

Swear on this Life by Renee Carlino is a novel within a novel that alternates between past and present. Emiline (Emi) and Jason "Jase" Colbertson helped one another survive their dysfunctional childhoods only to lose touch after Emi moves out of state. Reunited as adults, they still remain separated by Emi's anger and unresolved issues but will the ending of a bestselling novel bring them together?

Despite her loving relationship with her aunt and her partner and some much needed therapy, Emi is still struggling with the baggage from her abusive childhood. Her long term relationship with Trevor does not seem to moving forward and her career is somewhat stalled as well. Emi is rather closed off and she refuses to discuss her past with anyone, including Trevor. When her roommate convinces her to read the bestselling debut novel by the mysterious "J. Colby", Emi is stunned then angered to discover the book is based on her childhood so she immediately knows her old friend Jase is the author. While the story is mostly factual, Emi is incensed that he wrote the book from her perspective. Even worse, Jase changed some very important details of a pivotal event from their childhood. Tracking down him is surprisingly simple, but will Emi's confrontation with Jase finally give her the opportunity to heal the wounds from her past?

Emi is so prickly and combative that she is very difficult to like. She runs from problems instead of facing them and she is fairly hot tempered. She is not very honest about her past so a lot of her troubles are of her own making. Emi's childhood was truly horrific but since she has not properly dealt with it, those long ago events continue to define her and control her actions although she is now in her late twenties.

First impressions of Jase as an adult are not exactly favorable. He comes across as cocky and arrogant rather than self-assured and empathetic. This grown up version of Jase is rather disappointing since he was so caring, kind and compassionate while he and Emi were growing up. His obnoxious behavior at their first meeting as adults certainly does not help his image. Jase had ample opportunity to reach out to Emi over the years so it is a little perplexing why he chose to write a book about their experiences instead meeting her in person.

The storytelling in Swear on this Life is rather unique since Emi and Jase's childhood is revealed through the chapters of Jase's book. While this insight is invaluable, too much of the novel concentrates on the events of the past. Emi and Jase's interactions as adults are quite limited and somewhat acrimonious. Jase's novel serves as a catalyst for Emi to work through the residual issues from her childhood which does help her resolve her present day problems with Trevor and her career. She is also slow to finish reading Jase's novel which makes it difficult to believe Emi's abrupt attitude change toward Jase and ultimately, the final resolution to their storyline.

The concept for Swear on this Life is interesting but overall, the execution is little dissatisfying. While their childhood experiences are certainly heartbreaking, Emi and Jase are little immature and not very easy to like. Although Emi's roommate and aunts are much more appealing, Trevor is a bit of a stereotype and he does not treat Emi very well. Renee Carlino does not hesitate to tackle difficult subject matter in her novels and although this latest release is a bit of a disappointment, it is a fast-paced read with a satisfying ending.
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Oh my, I haven't read a sweet story like this in a long time. I loved it. I even cried and I still loved it. I wish I could re-read it for the first time. ( )