ONLINEBOOKCLUB.org review-3 out of 4 stars

Love as they say is a very beautiful thing. It is difficult to explain what love really is but it can be seen in the action of people in it. The novel This Was Nearly Mine is a fictional romance novel. Though it contains a little bit of history, especially the history of Spain, I am opined that romance was the predominant theme. The leading character is Annie. She is raised in America. Her parents are widely travelled and have developed a soft spot for Spain. Spain has for long been the hotspot of tourism in Europe. Their family often moves to Spain during the summer to enjoy the warmth of its beaches. Spain is a fantastic state with cool and friendly citizens. It has good historical sites. Their love for Spain is passed onto their daughter Annie.

Annie is in college when she falls in love with Bill. Their relationship had been masterminded by her college roommate. Bill was her roommates brothers. She falls in love with him despite their huge age variation. He was nine years older than her. Things get from bad to worse when Bill starts cheating on her and gets abusive. Their relationship is a series of break ups and getting back together. This is what pulls him towards Francisco in one of her trips to Spain. Are her feelings for Francisco justified or a mere desire for sex? Whom does she choose between Bill sad Francisco?

One of the things I loved in the novel is the relationship between Annie and her husband. It is a relationship forged on truth and openness. Annie shares with her husband information on her past that that she has not shared with any soul. I think that is one of the strengths in their relationship. I admire openness in relationships. It should be the pillar and bedrock of families. However, I disliked Annie discussion of her past with Francisco to her daughter Marielle. I think that was unethical. Which parent does that? A parent should be the epitome of morals for their children and not a crying stone for past failed relationship. Such discussion and openly admitting to longing for the past was a misstep.

another aspect I loved in the book is character growth. The beauty of a tale lies its character growth. It is one of the things I desire in a great novel. Characters like Annie, Marielle and Jocelyn matures morally. For instance, it would be an injustice if a character like Jocelyn never matured considering the kid she was in her teens. 

This book is well edited, thoroughly proofread and has few typo errors. I'm convinced that the author did a great work in writing the book. I do not mind reading it a second time. I would recommend it to all men and women of all ages. It touches on family and openness which I think should be a virtue cherished in our homes. I rate the novel at 3 out of 4 stars. I loved it but cannot award it the full four stars. I was particularly fascinated by the books character development and the author's rich writing style.