After Hello by Lisa Mangum

Reviewed by Aimee

Ratings

Content Ratings based on a 0-5 scale where
0 = no objectionable content and
5 = an excessive or disturbing level of content

Guide to Rating System

LANGUAGE

VIOLENCE

SEXUAL CONTENT

ADULT THEMES

Ratings Explanation

Language:  There are two instances of mild swearing.

Violence:  A woman throws something at a wall in anger and it breaks.  Sam remembers a car accident where people were hurt and died.  A girl is hit by a biker and is scraped and cut.

Sexual Content:  There is some hand holding and a kiss.  Sara learns her mother had an affair.  A couple makes out on a couch.

Adult Themes:  Sara’s mother left when she was young.  She has never heard from her and she doesn’t understand what happened.  Sam carries a lot of guilt over a car accident he feels responsible for.

Synopsis

Sara is a seeker.  With her camera in hand, she is always looking for the perfect shot.  Finding the perfect shot isn’t always easy but she has a gift for seeing things.  While in New York City for just a day, she sees Sam and snaps a quick picture of him.  She knows she’s seen something special and decides to follow him.

Sam is a finder.  He has a knack for finding things that other people cannot.  When he realizes that someone is following him, he decides to take a chance and see what fate has brought him.

Sara and Sam begin on a 24-hour-adventure together that will change both of their lives.   Together they must find an elusive piece of artwork for an eccentric actress who has threatened the jobs of people that Sam and Sara care about.  Their lives become intertwined as they work together and learn more about each other.

Sara and Sam are two characters that I felt like I got to know in this book. It wasn’t loud, it wasn’t forced, it just was. Both Sara and Sam have stories that unfold and a connection that develops between them. The story is told in one 24-hour-period. It’s such a short amount of time but I really never felt like it was rushed or unbelievable.

I felt like I was on an adventure right along with Sara and Sam. It was fun and thought provoking and touching. The ending felt good but it definitely left the possibility of another book which I really hope happens.  I just loved this book.

Here is one of my favorite quotes from the book. “If you don’t know what you want, you’ll never get it. What’s more, if you don’t know what you want, you’ll never know when you do get it.”