It Happens All the Time

A Novel

By: Amy Hatvany

Narrated by: Julia Whelan, Kirby Heyborne

Length: 10 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

From master storyteller Amy Hatvany - whose writing has been hailed as "gripping and emotionally honest" (Stephanie Evanovich, New York Times best-selling author) comes a provocative and compelling novel about two friends whose lives are changed by a drunken kiss.

I want to rewind the clock, take back the night when the world shattered. I want to erase everything that went wrong.

Amber Bryant and Tyler Hicks have been best friends since they were teenagers - trusting and depending on each other through some of the darkest periods of their young lives. And while Amber has always felt that their relationship is strictly platonic, Tyler has long harbored the secret desire that they might one day become more than friends.

Returning home for the summer after her college graduation, Amber begins spending more time with Tyler than she has in years. Despite the fact that Amber is engaged to her college sweetheart, a flirtation begins to grow between them. One night, fueled by alcohol and concerns about whether she's getting married too young, Amber kisses Tyler.

What happens next will change them forever.

In alternating points of view, It Happens All the Time examines the complexity of sexual dynamics between men and women and offers an incisive exploration of gender roles, expectations, and the ever-timely issue of consent.

©2017 Amy Hatvany (P)2017 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Engrossing

This book definitely captivated me. Perfect book to be done in two voices, literally. Made me really think and feel, about something I fortunately have not experienced firsthand.

Great treatment of a difficult subject

Balanced treatment of a difficult, complex subject. Didnt sacrifice character development. Not preachy. The male narrator wasnt my fave for this book. He had a kind of milquetoast manner that didnt seem to fit the character. The female narrator was a better fit. Overall a great book. Rexommended.

Heartbreaking

This book was heartbreaking for me. I enjoyed the story, but it saddened me about what resulted between the two main characters. What's even sadder is that this really happens all the time. The title of the book is so appropriate.

Awesome read

This audiobook is the best I've heard in a long time. Thank you Audible! Yay!

Great story. A little overblown

This story left me feeling great compassion for each of the characters. Life is just not easy, and we all do the best we can, and sometimes the best we can do just isn’t good enough. Until
and unless it is! As a woman who was also raped, I was a little put off by how devastated this girl was...and I guess I should better be grateful that I wasn’t as compromised as she was by her experience. I also had compassion for the man because he simply didn’t know any better and had to learn the hard way that non consensual sex is rape, pure and simple.

Frustrated

My feelings about this book can't be explained in a few words. Suffice it to say since I do not want to be cursed at by a hundred women on this site, I'll refrain from being very specific. My parents taught me to take responsibility for my own actions. I don't think the author appropriately represented both sides of this complex issue. Frustrating! Extremely frustrating!

It’s okay.

I did not like the voice of Kirby heyborne and just the characters seemed kinda pathetic however I do appreciate the message of the story.

Julia was wonderful, the story was interesting but

I suppose the story should've taught the reader how easily an obsession can lead to tragic actions that saying I'm sorry for can't repair the damage. The problem with that is, the female lead is hard to feel sorry or sympathy for. Compassion for yes but sympathy for her is a little hard to do when she knew what she was doing and didn't stop to think of the consequences and neither did her best friend. No, means No and two wrongs don't make a right but still.

The male narrator, Kirby Heyborne, sucks. Julia Whelan should've read the book alone. Her male character voice sounds more authoritative as a man than Kirby's. Quite frankly Kirby sounds more like a girl.

This was an ok read but not a great one.

Heroine was hard to empathize with

I am sorry if my thoughts on this book offend an rape survivor but this book created some strong emotions in me and I felt really unsettled and unsatisfied with this book’s ending. I get that the author was tackling a sensitive subject but I didn’t quite agree with certain things. I needed time to reflect so I can write my review with sensitivity, yet honesty. I do not feel like I can be honest without victimizing people who have already been brutalized. So I will keep my words brief.

The book starts off with a history of how young Amber Bryant and Tyler Hicks became friends complete with their various family dysfunction. I believe the author was trying to lay foundation of what drove Amber and Tyler. This background led me to connect with Tyler and not so much with Amber. There were a lot of things that rubbed me the wrong. First I want to start off by saying Rape is just a horrible crime. I am not interested in victim blaming or justifications, however I do believe alcohol abuse does change the situation. I am not blaming Amber at all, but I am saying that Tyler wasn’t in a clear frame of mind to be making sure he “got” consent first. In addition, I do not agree that Tyler, whom the author had painted as a nice friend, just turned into a this monster so fast and the reader is to believe that he would take advice for a father whom he has despised just so he can avoid dealing with devastation his actions wrought. I do love that Amber talked to both her parents and they stood by her. The fact that they embraced her immediately and validated her was everything. Her parents seemed to be really good parents unlike Tyler’s parents.

I didn’t like the hypocrisy in the end with Amber committing a crime, but it’s viewed with “understanding” and it’s okay that Tyler covered her actions up because I guess Tyler owes Amber for his part in hurting her.

At the end of the day, I hope all rape victims get counseling and have a support for their healing. .This book was hard to review but it make me examine my own beliefs on the topic. I hope to learn more about how to help victims.

so so

I listened out of curiosity. Would I choose it again....no. it was just so, so.