Official Review: The Hundredth Time Around by Stacy Lee

[AvidBibliophile]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Hundredth Time Around" by Stacy Lee.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The Hundredth Time Around is a fictional romance novel by author Stacy Lee. The majority of the story takes place at a beachside cottage in Maine, but the main character, Cassidy Quinn, also spends some time as a newly engaged attorney in Boston. She carries the burden of a traumatic memory, a car accident that tragically took the lives of her parents and grandmother when she was a teenager. As she grows and matures, she makes poignant diary entries that many might relate to: “I can’t remember the last time I was happy. But I sure as hell remember the exact point in time when I started being sad.”

Cassidy and her best friend, Emma, go on to make memories beachcombing, waitressing, and searching for sea glass, but nothing catches her eye quite like a young man named Sean Anderson. She spends the summer of 2001 falling in love and getting to know Sean’s grandpa before law school pulls her away. Five years later, an unbelievable offer sends her back to Maine, where she meets an elderly caretaker with an air of familiarity. She also gets a chance to finally rekindle that earlier summer romance.

Will she and Sean be able to make a fresh start, or will her chronic feelings of grief and loss dampen her emotional ability to connect? Will a long-forgotten trunk in the attic reveal a hidden family legacy that possesses the power to push them permanently apart, or will they find clues that help them clarify an issue of lineage? This 180-page novel explores some of the alternate realities that our brains manage to create to protect us from the truth – the worlds we subconsciously construct when emotional traumas become too heavy to process.

Each chapter is assigned to a specific character, allowing various chapters to be narrated through the eyes of Cassidy, Sean, or one of their associated grandparents. Some memories take the plot back to the 1940s, giving readers a taste of young love during World War II. These shifting perspectives were one of the aspects I enjoyed the most, but the twist near the end of the book was immensely delightful and enlightening!

There is a presence of scattered profanity present, in addition to several scenes of implied intimacy, but I feel that this book would be appropriate for adolescent readers with adult supervision. I did encounter some minor grammatical and typographical errors while reading, but they did not significantly impact my overall rating. There were no aspects of this story that I notably disliked. This book earns a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. If you enjoy a classic love story full of summer flings, heartbreaks, anxieties, sacrifices, secrets, and second chances, then you’ll appreciate all that The Hundredth Time Around has to offer.

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The Hundredth Time Around
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[Jennifer Aldo]

Emotional trauma often has a way of limiting or affecting the connections we have with people and the environment. I love the book because it's something I can relate to, and I bet it would be a very interesting read. Nice work.

[RetiredOBNurse]

I like the aspect of an old fashioned love story mixed with the raw emotions of grief and fear. It sounds suspenseful and true to life at the same time. Your thorough review certainly makes anyone want to pick up the book and settle in for an enjoyable evening of good reading, well done!

[Rayah Raouf]

This sounds like a pleasant afternoon read. Thank you for your review.

[Naaya123]

I absolutely love romance novels, I am able to finish them in no time. Thank you for the review!

[shreyagupta]

The title of the book sure caught my attention. Thanks for the review!!

[AvidBibliophile]

Emotional trauma often has a way of limiting or affecting the connections we have with people and the environment. I love the book because it's something I can relate to, and I bet it would be a very interesting read. Nice work.

I wholeheartedly agree. Emotional trauma can stick with us like an invisible cloud of restrictive fog. 🌫 I found several portions of this story to be quite relatable. I greatly appreciate your honest feedback and comment!

[AvidBibliophile]

I like the aspect of an old fashioned love story mixed with the raw emotions of grief and fear. It sounds suspenseful and true to life at the same time. Your thorough review certainly makes anyone want to pick up the book and settle in for an enjoyable evening of good reading, well done!

This novel actually contained a few different love stories from various generations, so the range of eras was pleasantly unexpected. Reality often contains plenty of intrigue and suspense, so I appreciate that this author was able to combine several elements into a memorable story!
Thank you for the kind words.

[AvidBibliophile]

This sounds like a pleasant afternoon read. Thank you for your review.

It was a pleasant afternoon read indeed! I found it to be genuinely emotional and entertaining.

[AvidBibliophile]

I absolutely love romance novels, I am able to finish them in no time. Thank you for the review!

You and me both!! And I just loved the cover of this one. That dreamy, romantic scene instantly pulled me in, and the story went on to hold my undivided attention. I hope you get the chance to enjoy this title sometime! 🕰

[AvidBibliophile]

The title of the book sure caught my attention. Thanks for the review!!

It caught my attention too! This story was moving and memorable from beginning to end. Appreciate you stopping by to read and comment.

[Kirsi Cultrera]

I am rather picky when it comes to romance novels, but this book has an absolutely beautiful cover picture! There also seem to be some deeper issues included, as the back story of the protagonist sounds intriguing. I would imagine this might be a suitable book for a Sunday afternoon read thanks for the nice review!

[AvidBibliophile]

I am rather picky when it comes to romance novels, but this book has an absolutely beautiful cover picture! There also seem to be some deeper issues included, as the back story of the protagonist sounds intriguing. I would imagine this might be a suitable book for a Sunday afternoon read thanks for the nice review!

This one would be quite suitable for some ‘lazy weekend’ enjoyment! And isn’t that cover artwork so romantic and captivating?! I have to admit that the illustration and font choices immediately pulled me in too. I’m so greatly appreciative you stopped by!

[MsH2k]

The title of this book caught my attention too. I hope that hundredth time around ended in closure for Cassidy. Thank you for your vivid description of this classic love story!

[Raluca_Mihaila]

What a lovely cover! It seems that the book is also very interesting, at least after reading your thorough review. Thank you for your recommendation!