Expectations and Other Moving Pieces is about an Edward and Bella who married for all the wrong reasons and it's made them both bitter, angry, desperate, and hurting. Honestly, this Bella is easy to dislike, but the way the author wrote her, I can understand Bella and the way she acted and continues to think. From flashbacks, you find out her story and how she ends up meeting Edward and ultimately, marrying him when she's pregnant with Jacob's baby while not at all in love with him.

This is a Bella who has almost always been deserted by the ones she loved and when she falls for her best friend, Jacob, she falls hard. Edward falls instantly in love with Bella when he first sees her. They don't become fast friends but are friendly towards one another - no, there's no attraction to Edward from Bella's way. She's all about Jacob - who really is her best friend.

Now, this Edward is pretty incredible and somewhat pitiful in his love for Bella. This smart, kind, loving Edward never had a girlfriend by choice. Girls never interested him until he sees Bella and he falls absolutely head over heels in love. He's pitiful, because his love wasn't returned by Bella and it made him want to keep her with him by marrying her even when he knew she didn't love him. This desperate and unreturned love turns him into the closed off, bitter, and angry man that we start seeing in the beginning of the story.

I really like this Edward, because after he has a crazy "head up the wazoo" moment or two, he actually starts to realize that he's as much at fault for his own bitterness and the way their marriage is currently at. He starts to help Bella, who has pretty much been in la la self-pity land since she lost Jacob and then later, after a tragic accident, become self-sufficient, self-aware, and self-confident.

I like this Bella, because after she's kicked out of la la land, she tries. She tries in little ways and big ways to not be a victim of the past and pretty much grow up. Yes, she still struggles and has her self pity moments, but she still tries. Now, the question is will she be strong enough to last. For Edward, it's will he be too afraid to admit that they can work if she is strong enough.

The plot is not new, but still good. The author does a good job of conveying the emotions of her characters pretty well. My only big issue with the story is that sometimes it's hard to tell when the flashbacks are happening, until you've already read a few lines into it. The flashback/memory scenes aren't really formatted any differently, so it can get a little confusing.

No cheating and I really hope it stays that way. This is one story where I would be devastated if either Edward or Bella were with other people, because their road has been rocky and washed out enough.