This was my final book in 2014. I loved A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I first read it sometime around 2005 and I've since reread it and had my oldest daughter read it and she also loved it.
I don't know what took me so long to try another novel by Betty Smith, but I'm glad I finally did. I really enjoyed this story. Annie and Carl are young and in love and they decide to get married even though both families are against it. He's in law school and she comes out to his college and embarks on her own self-education. She discovers she has a passion and talent for writing and just like Francie Nolan, she loves books. The young couple goes through some hard times, but always some bit of luck or help comes at the last minute to save them, which I thought was a bit too convenient but I remembered when the book was written and enjoyed the story for what it is.
There's a few things that did annoy me: Her vague references to her step-father and some incidents that are never fully disclosed and also through most of the book I just did not like her husband, Carl. I felt that he antagonized her purposely, only to make up with her right away for his own selfish reasons. He's also jealous of her reading and writing, worried she may out-grown him and I can totally see that happening if the story continued on. As it was it ended with a bright future ahead of them. I truly enjoyed this sweet, simple story of a new couple's first year together.
4/5
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