Who Do You Love: A Novel
Written by Jennifer Weiner
Narrated by Sarah Steele and JD Jackson
4/5
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About this audiobook
Rachel Blum and Andy Landis are just eight years old when they meet one night in an ER waiting room. Born with a congenial heart defect, Rachel is a veteran of hospitals, and she's intrigued by the boy who shows up alone with a broken arm. He tells her his name. She tells him a story. After Andy's taken back to a doctor and Rachel's sent back to her bed, they think they'll never see each other again.
Yet, over the next three decades, Andy and Rachel will meet again and again—linked by chance, history, and the memory of the first time they met, a night that changed both of their lives.
A sweeping, warmhearted, and intimate tale, Who Do You Love is an extraordinary novel about the passage of time, the way people change and change each other, and how the measure of a life is who you love.
Jennifer Weiner
Jennifer Weiner is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-one books, including The Summer Place, That Summer, Big Summer, Mrs. Everything, In Her Shoes, Good in Bed, and a memoir in essays, Hungry Heart. She has appeared on many national television programs, including Today and Good Morning America, and her work has been published in The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, among other newspapers and magazines. Jennifer lives with her family in Philadelphia. Visit her online at JenniferWeiner.com.
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Reviews for Who Do You Love
268 ratings22 reviews
What our readers think
Readers find this title interesting and engaging, with a well-developed storyline. However, some readers felt that the book dragged on and became unnecessarily long. There were also mixed opinions about the narrators, with some enjoying the male voice but not the female voice. Despite these criticisms, many readers appreciated the realistic portrayal of a love story and the way the characters evolved over time. Overall, this book is recommended for those who enjoy character-driven stories and are willing to overlook its flaws.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This was cruising along at a nice, even three. And then the ending came and hit me right in the feels, which bumped it up to a four. Well, a three-and-a-half. It's not brilliant, but it's classic Weiner--real people with messy lives finding their rocky way to contentment, if not happiness. And, yes, it made me cry and I'm a reader who would rather a book made me feel deeply than that it was stylistically impressive or edgy or unique.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rachel grows up the beloved daughter of wealthy parents in Florida. They are extra attention as she is born with a heart problem and requires multiple surgeries as a child. At age eight, in the ER, she meets Andy, also age 8. Waiting alone in the ER, he has a broken arm, and Rachel calms him down with stories. While it's a short meeting, the two leave a clear impression on each other, even as children.
Obviously, the premise of the novel is that Rachel and Andy will meet again, so when they do so in high school it doesn't come as a big shock. In fact, one of things Weiner does so well with this story is weaving a compelling tale, despite the reader knowing that Rachel and Andy will run into each other, over and over. It's definitely rough in some spots and jumps around a bit, but it's an enjoyable read. Rachel is an interesting character, if not always a likable one, but she comes across as human and real. Andy is a little harder to get to know, but he too is an intriguing character. The book makes a big show comparing Rachel's wealthy upbringing and Andy's impoverished childhood in Philadelphia - sometimes it seems a bit forced, but it brings up some good points about the class system. Some of the plot is a little unrealistic and it wraps up rather predictably, but I still found this a fun read and more enjoyable than some of Weiner's last couple of books. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Interesting book! Got caught up in the story especially when they were adults!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Who do you love by Weiner_ Jennifer Have read the author's other works and have enjoyed the books. Starts out with a chapter by Rachel. Her friend has showed up in her apartment to clean it and to help Rachel with herself.Then back to 1985 and we find out about Rachel's heart condition that she was born with. Like how she befriends a girl who's dying and she sneaks out into ER to find funny things to share with her. She meets up with Andy who's there with a broken arm. She tells him of her Grimm stories, not the fairy godmother ones.Story then switches to Andrew (Andy) and what he goes through growing up with just a mother...His father was black and his mother is white and they live in the black neighborhood and he can't understand why people treat him bad.Alternating chapters as the kids grow up til they meet again. She's had it really good and he's had to struggle for everything.They are volunteering and they get more time to spend with one another. A misunderstanding almost breaks them up but she can't get her parents to help her get to Philly to visit him.Hes in track and field and she's a book reader and they want to take her overseas for a trip after high school.What I like about this book is the feelings they have for one another even though it's been years since they've spent any time together. Hot steamy sex scenes.They take their college days seriously...she's doing social work and trying to help those less fortunate and he's concentrating on running-for the Olympics....And 9/11 hits...bring them together....and breaking up....and each goes their own way....I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5First I was angry at where she took the characters, but as always, readers should trust the mastery of Jennifer Weiner. As the characters glide through almost thirty years of the world, the changes in themselves mirror the changes in our world. A great read from beginning to end.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I know this was just a love story without some crazy plot but I love it! It was real! Only thing that I didn't like was the lady's voice, took me a while to accept it, men's voice was really good.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I was looking forward to this book. The storyline interested me. I enjoyed it but as time went on, I felt it dragged on. Unnecessarily long and it went all over the place. I also wasn’t a fan of the male narrator so that made it a little harder to keep the book on. It dragged and dragged as they got older. I quit listening when they entered college. Some scenes I felt were annoying. Disappointing that the book started off wonderfully and just got worse. I didn’t finish it, though. May be good if you can stand to get passed half of the book? I wouldn’t recommend.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/53.5 stars. I enjoyed this, particularly the chapters from Andy's POV. I really wish that Weiner would branch out a little and tell a story that isn't based on events from her life. I get "write what you know", but it would be nice to see her stretch a little more.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I gave it 4 starts because I desperately wanted some closure. After following them for 20 years, I just wanted to know what happened besides a meeting in a store! Otherwise I loved this book and found it very real and raw. The back and forth made it a little hard to see all the growth with the characters ( not viewing the sorority incident from Rachel's point of view was a big one for me, but otherwise I loved the way the story flowed and the rawness of the characters.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I have had this book for a while on my kindle and after reading several reviews, decided it was time to read it, in fact, it was past time. I am so glad I did as I really enjoyed this book.The relationships in this story were far more complex than I was expecting, although I don't know why I didn't expect it as that is one of the things that Jennifer Weiner does so well. The story is told alternately by both Rachel Blum and Andy Landis, the two main characters. It takes place over 30 years, from the time they met at age 8 until the end when they are in their late thirties. They are soulmates, although they never really say that. They meet over and over throughout their lives and share their heartfelt feelings, love and disappointments. Rachel is the privileged daughter of a well to do couple in Florida. Due to her heart condition and medical issues when she was younger, she is somewhat spoiled, but also refreshing. Andy and Rachel meet in the emergency room at the hospital when he has broken his arm and nobody can find his mother. He lives in Philadelphia and is being raised by a single mother after his father died in Germany. When they meet again as teenagers, the connection is palpable, but geography keeps them apart until they are in college. Their relationship has its ups and downs as they continue to meet, separate and meet again. This was an enjoyable read and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a dramatic romance and real life story.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I really liked the two main characters in this novel - warts and all. Weiner did a great job with characterization, and adding fully developed dimensions.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I thought I would like Who Do You Love more than I actually did. Despite the premise of this story being right down my alley, with all the elements I love in a great romance story - childhood sweethearts, being taken on their journey as they grow over the years, alternating perspectives and shifts in time, I just couldn't totally get into it. Who Do You Love started out strong and piqued my interest, wanting to know what events led to Rachel's unraveling. However, I found the pacing quite slow and lost interest at times wanting to skip ahead and I didn't particularly like either Rachel or Andy's characters. I found Rachel quite shallow or annoying at times and I found Andy a bit of a contradiction which made me less invested in their love story. The portrayal of their relationship over time didn’t work as well in Who Do you Love and left me feeling like I wasn’t getting enough depth to their story rather than reeling me in. And the ending seemed a bit too convenient given their relationship struggles and compatibility issues which weren’t really resolved. Other reviewers enjoyed Who Do You Love but it wasn’t for me.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Overall, I liked the character development and the main relationship. The ending was kind of a let down because it seemed like it was just tacked on instead of thoughtfully laid out like the rest of the book.
I liked that there were 2 points of view, and that there were 2 audiobook narrators. The narrators that were chosen, however, weren't that great. It didn't sound like they put much work into it. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Who Do You Love by Jennifer Weiner was a great book from the very beginning. I am seldom hooked by the very first chapter, but this book did it. I enjoyed how the book chapters bounced back and forth between Rachel and Andy's story. And I thought it was a very touching story that shows just how unpredictable love can truly be. That being said, the only thing that I was a little disappointed with was the book's ending. I thought that it felt a little rushed to me. It was like going on a long drive with all kinds of hills and curves and scenery and then topping a hill and there sits McDonald's right there in the middle of it - totally unexpected, although appreciated. I can't really go into my thoughts about it without spoiling the ending which I don't want to do, so let me just say that I wish it would have been a little more drawn out and detailed. I wanted there to be more before it ended. Without a doubt this was a wonderful book, don't get me wrong about that, but I wanted to take that scenic route for a little while longer instead of popping the next hill and reaching my destination. I hope that makes sense to someone other than me?? lol Regardless, this was such a great story that you won't want to miss.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5For different reasons people come in and out of your life. Sometimes only once and sometimes several times. Rachel and Andy meet for the first time when they are 8-years-old when Rachel is in a Miami hospital for heart disease and Andy is there for a possible broken arm that he sustained while leaning over a balcony looking for his Mom. He was from Philadelphia visiting. Rachel tells him a story while waiting for his Mom to show up. They don't see each other again until they are both 16-year-olds and on a mission trip. They quickly reconnect and fall in love. Over the years they go separate ways yet are also together in college, after college and down the road. They make mistakes but they are always find a way back to each other. I really enjoyed this book. I liked that Rachel didn't let her health define her and Andy worked hard to not go down the a dark and slippery slope of crime. There are just some loves that the heart won't forget and won't let go and Rachel and Andy have one of those loves.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Who Do You Love is the story of a fortunate girl with a heart problem, and a boy who turns to running when everything else seems outside of his control. And between Rachel and Andy, there are plenty of times where it's appropriate to question, 'who DO you love?'
I've felt like the multi-perspective stories have been having a moment over the last several years, and for the most part this book just seems to blend in with the rest in terms of its style. What it does do especially well is progress through the timeline. Since this story takes place over the span of about 30 years, it could have been easy to make the story feel drawn out or boring in parts. But through some great structuring and some truly unique pacing, I never once felt that there were lulls in terms of my own interest in the story.
What did I think?: Although I know I'm reading this one a bit later than many, I felt that it was one that has somehow flown under the radar for some others of us. For that reason, it was a pleasant surprise to be asked to read this one and I can't wait to share it with others.
Who should read it?: If you like love stories that don't follow any traditional formulas, I highly recommend you spend some time with this one. - Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Books by Jennifer Weiner are generally not very taxing books to read, and this was a pleasant interlude between weightier books. Rachel and Andy met in the hospital when they were both 8 years old, and continue to fall in and out of love over the many years that follow. You know what to expect from Jennifer Weiner, and she does not disappoint.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I absolutely enjoyed this book. It was very sweet and totally appealed to the romantic side of my guilty pleasure.
We get to see glimpses of Rachel and Andy's life throughout the years, from when they first met up until...well... can't spoil that!
Neither of them have had an easy life. For Andy, it was growing up in near poverty with a single mother and no father in his life and all he had to live for was his running. For Rachel, it was dealing with her heart condition and trying to leave her hospital days behind her while trying to find herself.
I like how both encountered various challenges that helped shaped them into who they are, for the better and for the worse. The story went at a decent pace, just enough for the characters to develop and come into their own, but fast enough that we aren't biting our nails to find out of true love really does exist! Well we all know, but it might not always be the case if the author decides to spring a twist.
The rise and fall of Andy and Rachel, whether they are together or apart, you keep the hope that true love will conquer all in the end. After all, they found each other again after years apart and were there for each other for most of their teenage and adult lives despite everything (drugs, marriage, careers, etc) - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5As usual, she never disappoints me and I'm always amazed at Weiner's ability to pull so much together for the surroundings and circumstances of her characters, to say nothing of their personalities. Switching back and forth in time would maybe make this a slightly difficult book to listen to as an audio---I kept checking back to the beginning of each time period/chapter to determine where we were in the story.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sweet love story.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5It’s been awhile since I’ve read a romance, but after a week like I had (it was the first week of school...need I say more?) a gentle romance was about the only reading my tired brain could handle. I read it in three hours, gobbled it, really, and it was the absolute perfect book for me after that long, long, long first week of school. Like a soda after a detox or summer break after the first year of college or the new fall lineup after summer reruns. A lovely little romance.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Jennifer Weiner returns with WHO DO YOU LOVE, her 12th book, and first love story, a grown up emotional book about life, love, dreams, fate, and complications— mixed with wit, humor, and brutal honesty. A love story is sparked by the chance encounter at a hospital between Rachel Blum, a privileged Jewish Floridian, and Andy Landis, a poor, bi-racial boy from Philadelphia, who later in life becomes an Olympic athlete. Two young children are looking for the perfect grown-up life.Rachel Blum has lived a sheltered life, born with a congenital heart defect, she has not had a normal life. Her parents over overprotective and she has spent plenty of time in and out of hospitals. She comes from a well-to-do family and financial security. She never feels like she belongs. As a child, she met a boy named Andy Landis in the hospital ER. She tells him a story. They never see each other until years later.Andy Landis, on the other hand, comes from a poor humble beginning. Raised by a single mother, in Philadelphia they never have money and his dad died years before, so he never knew him. His mom encouraged him to channel his rage into running. He finds he is good at running, and becoming a devoted athlete. He becomes obsessed with being the best runner in the world. From scholarships to gold medals. However, when he becomes famous, the reporters dig up his dad and his past. When is achieving enough? When is it time to stop? Years later, two misfits, with different backgrounds, meet again and begin dating while in high school and college. They are close, share the most intimate moments; connected in many ways; however, as most kids in college, they do not always see eye to eye. They break up and go their separate ways; however, they both are always on each other’s mind. They compare other people in their lives, to their first love. Destiny?From the geographical distance which separates them, plus different colleges, and diverse backgrounds, from childhood love to teenage, college, to adulthood. Will fate bring them back together? Poor choices, a drive to succeed, the need for a perfect life—will their differences and desires drive them further away, or back to one another. Can you go back? Soul mates?Rachel is flawed, realistic, imperfect, and always trying to do better. Andy is continuously striving for more, to be good enough to fit in. When they both lose everything, will they turn to one another once again for rediscovery? Are the goals in our lives more important than the people? Do we lose part of ourselves on the climb? Sometimes the journey is more important. Now decades later after college, to adulthood--will they find their way back to one another? From high school, college, gold medals, marriage, pregnancy, social work, Sports Illustrated, and other partners—with unexpected turns. How do you act when you have lost it all? A little different twist, than Weiner’s past books-- she delves into the heart of two young kids, their passions, and dreams, and the tragedies and triumphs of life, love, and relationships. A coming-of-age, a journey, as two characters, find their way in this complex world we call life. In the midst of the love story, there is prison, racial, issues, body image, abandoned parent, alcoholism, cheating, infidelity, snobbery, drugs, bullying, parenting, and injustice, plus more social issues. Having read all Jennifer’s books; they are always entertaining. I would have most likely given a higher rating if I had read the book, versus listening to the audio. (you are unable to sample the narrator; the downside of pre-ordering audio). I found Sarah Steele (Rachel’s voice), totally annoying. On the other hand, Andy’s voice, narrator, JD Jackson delivered a good performance. Would not recommend the audio; however, highly recommend the book, as a beautiful love story about young love, life’s problems, and adult love. Two characters you will remember, long after the book ends. Chick-lit and Weiner fans will love it. I enjoyed reading the inspiration behind the story from Weiner. “Some of it was my own story, too. When my marriage ended I reconnected with an old beau who was still single — someone I'd dated in my twenties, and might have married if things had worked out differently and if we’d been on the same page then in terms of what we wanted. It got me thinking about time, and the nature of love, and how it changes as people change.”