It Will Always Be You tells the story of Elizabeth, a young woman who hasn’t had the best luck with relationships, and Marshall, a hunky, head-turning businessman. Elizabeth works at a hotel where Marshall frequently stays while on business trips, and she has been eyeing him for quite some time, afraid to make a move because she assumes he is a playboy. After a chance encounter leads to a date, romance blossoms, and Elizabeth slowly comes to realize that there is so much more to Marshall than meets the eye.

I enjoyed the development of Elizabeth and Marshall’s relationship. It was clear through early interactions that they were attracted to each other, but they managed to hold back from jumping each other’s bones right away. When they finally did become intimate, I appreciated the realistic progression of their encounters. Ness did a great job of writing hot-n-heavy scenes that aren’t cheesy or repetitive.

In addition to romance, this book also offers a bit of suspense surrounding Marshall’s family and something traumatic that happens to Elizabeth. I was glad when nothing turned out to be too far-fetched. However, I was disappointed with Marshall’s reaction when Elizabeth told him who was responsible for the traumatic event she experienced. I think this was the only part in the story that seemed unreal. I just couldn’t see Marshall reacting the way he did, given his strong feelings for Elizabeth.

Another thing that bothered me was how down on herself Elizabeth was at times. She’s a smart, independent woman with big dreams to become an interior designer, yet she has such low self-esteem. Parts like this made me so sad: “The husband, kids, and home are highly unlikely for the unlovable, but a girl can dream.”

The ending was perfect. I’ll be reading part two, Before There Was You, which is told from Marshall’s perspective instead of Elizabeth’s.

Memorable Quotes:

The searing heat of his hands and his heavenly scent made my blood boil and my clitoris sing.”

I don’t want to be without him. He’s like my drug, my medicine, my addiction.”

I can’t help but feel that the two of us are dooming any possible future while we protect ourselves from the things that hurt us most.” (This one really spoke to me. People often sabotage relationships for this very reason.)