Review: The Smallest Part, Amy Harmon

“In the end, only three things matter. How much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.”
- Unknown

It was a big lie. The biggest lie she’d ever told. It reverberated through her head as she said it, ringing eerily, and the girl behind her eyes—the girl who knew the truth—screamed, and her scream echoed along with the lie.

“Are you in love with Noah, Mercedes?” Cora asked. “I mean . . . I know you love him. You’ve been friends forever. We all have. But are you in love with him?”
If it had been anyone else—anyone—Mercedes would have stuck out her chest, folded her skinny arms, and let her feelings be known. She would have claimed him. But it was Cora. Brave, beautiful, broken Cora, and Cora loved Noah too.

So Mercedes lied.

And with that lie, she lost him. With that lie, she sealed her fate.

She was the best friend, the bridesmaid, the godmother, the glue. She was there for the good times and the bad, the ups and the downs, the biggest moments and the smallest parts. And she was there when it all came crashing down.

This is the tale of the girl who didn’t get the guy.

(5 full hearts, although I'd totally give it all the hearts in the world)

This review might contain spoilers, because I'm too excited to stop my fingers.

One important point about the book/reading that I need to mention before starting this review: I don't even know how to explain it in a way that makes sense, but I was still in the prologue when I got truly enthralled to The Smallest Part. I mean, it wasn't even the first chapter, so I could say that I've had a great five minutes to get to love the book. Instead I had merely five seconds to realize that I would lose a night of sleep. 

Now that I made my so much needed revelation... 

This is a standalone story about Noah Andelin's life (you'd met him briefly in The Law of Moses), and his friendship with Mercedes and Cora. 

The narrative starts at some time in 1985 when the two friends, Noah and Mercedes, meet the newest resident of The Three Amigos apartment complex, Cora. Mercedes, the Latina girl, being the one who had lied for love, carrying that lie for a long time, and Cora the self-conscious friend that was constantly fighting to find her way through life. One that would allow her to be enough. They've been friends since childhood, and within the years have learned the makes of a good friendship, and the meaning each one had for each other. 

The chapter one, as well as the other chapters, is divided in two halves (past and present), each one marked by a year, and cute small icons that may illustrate what is coming in that point of the story. Also, (this is a spoiler, but I need to tell it, because it made me happy, and I think it was genious), Harmon mentions a Peter Pan's character as a comparison to the moment Noah and Mer meet Cora, which gives you no choice other than to love, and fall hard for this book. 

In The Smallest Part we get seriously surprised by some events that we hadn't expected. So don't expect to learn a lot on the plot only by reading the blurb. Actually, after reading the book I found myself completely unprepared to face those events. However, you must be ready to cry, to get truly inspired, and find yourself totally and genuinely connected to the characters. 

As the author have already said, this book is more about friendship than anything else. And it's so beautiful to see how it all started, the way each friend have been present in every single moment of each other lives. The way each one have been living, how they keep dealing with all the best and worst moments. The way they play the parts that were given to them. It warmed my heart seeing how the three amigos supported each other. It was heart healing to navigate through Harmon's beautiful words. Words that carried so much power about friendship, and how much love can be shared into this universe.

So thank you, Amy, you made me love The Smallest Part from the beginning. And gracias for showing me that we all got our parts in life. Big or small, their ours, and we need to play them the best we can.