Review: The Quintessential Gemini - Linn B Halton

• Publisher: Sapphire Star Publishing LLC (16 May 2012)
• ISBN-13: 978-1938404092
• Also available for Kindle
• 
  

The blurb

For twenty-one years, the focus of Katherine Dale's life has been her work. Love interests and hobbies came and went, but what has always been there for her was her nine to five habit. Until she's replaced. With her confidence dented, Katherine is angry at life and at herself. 

She's ignored hints of "changes to come" in her horoscope forecasts, written by the wonderful and renowned astrologer, Mark Ainsley-Thomas. 

Mark is now an "A" list celebrity in the UK and his new Agent is determined to raise his profile in America, so he has to take on the new, but talented, astrologer James Kingman to help him run his web-site. 

Katherine lives her life according to her daily horoscope. When Katherine finds James has been writing her daily horoscopes rather than Mark, Katherine's life explodes in confusion and, unexpectedly, love as the three lives become inextricably tangled. 

Now Katherine has to learn that the stars might be telling her that love is going to feature in her life, but when Katherine finds herself implicated in the headlines 'Mystic Love Triangle Surprise' she's just as surprised as everyone else! None of the men in her life are love interests - so what exactly does fate have in store?

Katherine Dale finds herself unemployed at the age of 42.  Not unusual but Kat has put all her adult life into her work forsaking friends and relationships. Work is all she knows.

That and her daily horoscopes, which she lives her life by. She decides to try to write her own novel.  The locals in the Camsworth Writers Circle run away with this knowledge and promote Kat to be their resident writer.

Mark is an astrologer and the main adviser in Katherine's life along with many other fans.  He is very successful. So successful his workload is too much.  An assistant is taken on by his agent to write the daily horoscopes allowing Mark to attend his many appearances and work on the monthly readings. His personal life is just that.

James, the new assistant hired to write the daily horoscopes is also going through major changes in his life. His wife has left him and their business has collapsed.  

James has an elderly neighbour Jake, who also features as a main character in the novel and he has an interesting story to be told.

No4 is the only male in Katherine's life and he has his opinions on whom Katherine should bring home.

Are you sitting comfortably, then I shall begin.....this was how the style and narrative of this novel made me feel right from the beginning.   The three main characters narrate their own short and titled chapters. I felt as if I was their confident being told their inner most thoughts as they would talk to their closet friend. 

The author's interest in Astrology shines in this novel.  I admire her flowing writing and especially the horoscope readings for Katherine.  It must have taken some research to write those readings. I also enjoyed the insight into the writing process. 

A wonderful love story with Astrology as the main theme where the characters not only have to interpret their star charts but also their personal relationships.

10 out of 10!  I loved it!

Thank you to the author who gave me a review copy for my honest opinion.  This did not influence my review in any way.

Anatomy of a Single Girl, by Daria Snadowsky

Author: Daria Snadowsky
Publisher: Delacorte BYR
Release Date: January 8, 2013
Format: Hardcover; 240 pages
Series: N/A
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Avg. Rating: ★★★★✩

Goodreads | Book Depository

With Judy Blume-like honesty and insight, this sequel to Anatomy of a Boyfriend is about life after first love--romance, sex, friendship, family, and the ups and downs of life as a single girl. 

After everything that happened—my first boyfriend, my first time, my first breakup—jumping back into the dating game seemed like the least healthy thing I could do. It’s not that I didn’t want to fall in love again, since that’s about the best feeling ever. But as a busy college premed still raw from heartbreak, which is the worst feeling ever, I figured I’d lie low for a while. Of course, as soon as I stopped looking for someone, an impossibly amazing—and devastatingly cute—guy came along, and I learned that having a new boyfriend is the quickest way to recover from losing your old one. 

The moment we got together, all my preconceptions about romance and sex were turned upside down. I discovered physical and emotional firsts I never knew existed. I learned to let go of my past by living in the present. It was thrilling. It was hot. It was just what the doctor ordered. 

 But I couldn’t avoid my future forever. 

After reading Anatomy of a Boyfriend, I was thrilled to here that there would be a follow-up. This book is shorter than the first, but it covers less of a timeline than the first does. And it's just as enjoyable, if not more so.

One of the very first things that I noticed about the story was that the writing and Dom was much more mature. It was a small point that may not have been necessary but was definitely a welcomed change, considering that Dom is older and it makes sense that she would sound a little older. And I do like the change of romantic interests and romantical situations - it's not just something that was written to sound like a repeat of the first book. Guy was a surprise as I was thinking it was going to be about Dom's guy friend, but having Guy wasn't so much of a bad thing. And of course Dom's best friend Amy is included in this story and takes a more prominent role in the book.

There is a couple of things that kept me from absolutely loving this book, though they're not so bad. Even though a shorter story is sometimes a good thing, I found that I longed for more story in this case. I think if there was more story with maybe some more characters, or a side-plot or just SOMETHING extra, it would have made this story much more enjoyable.There were also a few situations that felt a little forced to me to keep the story moving along but, like I said, it's nothing that really took away from the whole story - it's just me being super picky.

Overall, this was a great follow-up to Snadowsky's first Anatomy book and I definitely enjoyed having the opportunity to read it.

Rating: ★★★★✩
Source: Netgalley

Daria Snadowsky is the author of the novels "Anatomy of a Boyfriend" and "Anatomy of a Single Girl." She also contributed the essay "To Sir Anthony, With Love," to the anthology "Crush: 26 Real-life Tales of First Love."  

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Dark Territory, by J. Gabriel Gates & Charlene Keel

Author: J. Gabriel Gates [W], Charlene Keel [W]
Publisher: HCI Teens [W]
Release Date: July 1, 2011
Format: Paperback; 504 pages
Series: The Tracks (Book 1)
Genre: YA, Romance, Urban Fantasy
Avg. Rating: ★★★★✩

Goodreads | Book Depository

Star-Crossed Love, Martial Arts, and Supernatural Evil meet at the Abandoned Tracks in the Deceptively Quaint town of Middleburg...When Ignacio Torrez moved from the rough streets of Los Angeles to a small town dead smack in the middle of nowhere, he never expected to find himself in the midst of a gang war. But, he soon learns, these are no ordinary gangs. The wealthy, preppie Toppers on one side of the tracks and the working-class Flatliners on the other adhere to a strict code of honor and use their deadly martial arts skills, taught to them by the wise Master Chin, to battle one another for pride, territory, and survival. When Raphael, leader of the Flatliners, falls for Aimee, a Topper girl, the rival gangs prepare for a bloody, all-out war. The only hope for peace between them lies within the dark territory of the abandoned train tunnels where the tracks cross. Under the direction of the mysterious and frightening Magician, the awesome power within the crossing sends the rivals on a terrifying mystical quest to fight the malevolent force that threatens the existence of Middleburg.

I've read many, many books. And there have been many plots and elements in each and every one of those books. However, out of the plethora of books that I have read, I can honestly say that I have never in my life read a book involving martial arts. I thought that was something that would have to stay to the television screen or a real life event that I see with my own two eyes in order to really get into it and understand it. Boy, was I wrong! To be quite honest, the one thing that made me hesitate the most about this book was the one thing that hooked me to the book quite easily. 

It's not just the martial arts that made me fall for this book, though. It was every single element and detail in this book, especially the characters. Raphael was an amazing character with so much history and quality to him that he seemed to really jump out of the pages for me. With his back story and how he handles his life, it was easy to feel a connection with him. Aimee was also great and I couldn't help but cheer for her and Raphael to work out together. The chemistry between the two is endearing.

There's also a nice number of characters that I couldn't help but love to hate. I'd assume that comes along with the territory of getting involved with a story that deals with gangs. BUT, I didn't know that I would get so emotionally attached to the story that the "bad guys" would actually make me have a physical reaction on top of the emotion. I would say that type of influence that a book has on you is a pretty big deal - and it shows just how well developed and written this book really is.

If I had to say anything bad about the book, I guess it would be that some of the plot is a little unoriginal with the whole girl on the "right side" falling for the boy on the "wrong side." That didn't deter me from the book one bit though because that very insignificant detail is just that - insignificant. The unique spin that the book takes on that plot, along with all the action, drama and suspense, really puts this story in its very own category. I absolutely loved this book and look forward to catching up with the rest of the books in the series. 

 
Rating: ★★★★★
Source: Publisher

Review: Second Time Around by ERIN KAYE

• Publisher: Avon (5 July 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1847562027
• ISBN-13: 978-1847562029
• Also available for Kindle

The blurb

Divorcee Jennifer Irwin has it all – a successful interior design business and two loving children. But as her 45th birthday approaches and her children prepare to start their own lives, Jennifer is left feeling lonely in her empty nest.

That’s when she meets Ben Crawford – a man 16 years her junior – as their attraction heightens, Jennifer realises what she’s been missing. But mindful that the small-town Ballyfergus residents would never approve, they conduct their affair in secret.

But a secret is never a secret for long…

As the affair surfaces, Jennifer encounters opposition from friends and family, especially her daughter Lucy. Enraged by her mother’s relationship, Lucy seeks comfort in the arms of charismatic but troubled, Oren. Jennifer knows that Oren is not the man he seems, but can she convince her daughter of that?

And with everything going against them, can Jennifer and Ben’s love survive? Or will she risk losing her daughter to be with the man she loves?

Set in fictitious town of Ballyfergus, Ireland, this heart warming story had my full attention.

The lead character Jennifer has a story that I could identify with, apart from the younger man. :)

The strong characters each had their own background to bring to the story and reason for being there.

Each situation and problem that Jennifer came across was believable .  There were no "that just wouldn't happen" scenes.   I liked that.  

A very lifelike look at the changing dynamics of a family post-divorce, where dad has moved on, but the children find it difficult to come to terms with mum moving on.

I felt like I was catching up with an old friend and how her life was changing as she reached her mid 40's.

I loved it!

10/10 for me!

Thank you to Avon for a review copy.  This did not influence my review in any way.

Calling Romance writers and readers

I have had this press release from Kate at Romance Fiction On-line

Do you write romantic fiction? Then don't miss the Festival of Romance in Bedford in November. The UK's only literary festival for fans of romantic fiction also has lots to offer writers.

From expertly led creative writing workshops to the chance to pitch your novel to publishers, and even a Romantic Fiction Conference to catch up on all the latest news and industry debate.

The Festival is also involved with some fantastic competitions:

The closing date for the New Talent Award and Piatkus Win a Publishing Competition is 30 September.

Details of New Talent Award (for aspiring authors) - http://festivalofromance.co.uk/#/new-talent/4566583941

Details of Piatkus Competition (open to all authors) - http://festivalofromance.co.uk/#/piatkus/4565853270

And here's a little taster of the events for writers over the Festival weekend:

Friday 16 November:

- Announcements of the New Talent Award, Reader and Industry Awards at the Festival of Romance Awards and Ball, 7.30pm until late

Saturday 17 November:

- Writing Category (Short) Romances Workshop with Sally Quilford, 9.30am to 11.45am

- Writing Fiction for Magazines with Helen Hunt, 11.45am to 2pm

- Writing Romantic Novels with Sue Moorcroft, 2.15pm to 4.30pm

Sunday 18 November:

- Pitch Your Novel to a panel of publishers, 10am to 11.30am

- Romance Fiction Conference: "After 50 Shades, Where Next?", 11.30am to 3pm

For more details: http://festivalofromance.co.uk/#/writers/4567971477

To book your tickets: http://festivalofromance.co.uk/

Review - Coffee, Tea, The Gypsy and Me - Caroline James

• Format: Kindle Edition
• ASIN: B007RFBZPA

The blurb

Jo’s romance with the gypsy began with his first kiss, she never forgot it…

When Jo Edmond’s husband runs off with their nanny and disappears into a Spanish sunset, Jo resolves to make a new life with her baby son. She impulsively purchases Kirkton House a run down guest house and with the help of a colourful cast of characters, establishes a thriving country house hotel. Jo opens the hotel during Fair Week, a famous 300 year old gypsy tradition, hated by the locals and loved by every tinker and traveller in the country. Romance is the last thing on her mind, until the enigmatic John Doherty walks into her life...

Assisted by Hattie, a local woman who becomes a friend, Jo’s business succeeds and a new Jo emerges, attracting the attention of every man who comes within her radar. In Fair Week, Jo’s errant husband turns up and begins a campaign to win her back but Black Monday is looming, the stock market crashes and tourism dries up. With difficult days ahead Jo has to reinvent her business to survive…

1987

Jo is a single mother of a little boy, not of her choosing, after all her weasel husband ran off to Spain with the nanny!

Jo is a strong character who decides to pick herself up and make a life for herself and her son.  

When her friend Robert shows her a run down hotel, Jo jumps at the chance to turn it around and make it a success.

Enter Hattie, who seems to appear just like a fairy godmother and help Jo, not only with the hotel business but also with a change of image for Jo.

  

The annual Gypsy horse fair is coming to the village.  There are mixed reactions to the event, locals are not too keen.   Meanwhile, Jo does very well from the horse fair when it brings some business at the hotel and a new love interest into her life.   John is handsome, charming and very attentive towards Jo, but she feels this could not go any further, he is a Gypsy and wanderer.

The story takes us through a year in the life of Jo, Hattie and the traditional country hotel.  As to be expected in a busy hotel, there is an array of colourful characters coming and going.

Extra business comes in via a shooting party.

Just as things are looking up, the recession hits the hotel hard and her ex husband turns up looking for a second chance.  Should Jo cut her losses and sell up or stick with it? Should she give Greg a second chance? Will John return to her life and settle?  

I found this story engaging from page one and enjoyed this delightful weekend read  right the last page.  I warmed to all the characters.  John was especially handsome and oozed charm.  I hated the villain of the piece, Greg.

I look forward to more from this author.

5 out of 5 for me!  Loved it!

Review copy - This did not influence my review in any way

Falling In Between, by Devon Ashley

Finally! A private conversation. And all I had to do was throw myself off a cliff, drown in a pond in my undies and let him put his hands on my breasts to bring me back to life. Yay me! (yeah, that’s sarcasm)

Yep, that pretty much sums up the most craptastic night of Jenna Baker’s life. She drowns after jumping off a cliff, meets a hotty named Chance in the pearlescent in-between and is brought back to life by her soon-to-be boyfriend Robert.

Just when things start to move forward with Robert, the guy she'd been crushing on for a year now, in walks the man of her dreams – literally. Chance suddenly appears in her dream every time she closes her eyes. So it's Robert by day and Chance by night. One in the real world and one in the dream world. What could possibly go wrong?

Absolutely nothing – until she comes face to face with the guy she met in the in-between, and realizes her romantic rendezvous with Chance may be more than just her imagination.

*Mature YA. Recommended for older teenagers.

This was a surprisingly great read. Not surprising in that I was surprised the author wrote such a great book (I know better from experience), but surprising in how original and completely captivating the story was.

Jenna is a character that feels very real and one that you can connect to almost instantly. She's not some cookie-cutter damsel-in-distress YA female lead that makes you like a book a little less.. she's actually genuine and acts like a typical teenager - a real teenager. Her relationship with her roommate Sophie was beautiful and it's nice to see a friendship that doesn't sour almost instantly for any reason during a story. I also liked the relationships that Jenna had with Chance and Robert. Although similar in that they both seem to develop a little too quickly, they are almost polar opposites in their pace, though that doesn't seem to make Jenna like one more than the other.

I think the part of this story that had me on the edge through most of the book (besides Jenna's relationships) was the fact that I had no idea if Chance was real or just a dream. I kept thinking if I read faster, I'd know even quicker. It had me biting at my nails because of the suspense!

Falling in Between is an easy to read book that has all the aspects of a heart-warming romance that will make you want to devour it in one reading - including a paranormal aspect that added an unexpected layer of wonder to the story. I enjoy this story immensely and cannot wait for its sequel.

Rating: ★★★★✩
Source: Author

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Title: Falling In Between
Author: Devon Ashley
Series: Falling, Book 1
Publisher: Self-Published
Format: Kindle Edition
Release Date: February 14, 2012

Hidden Summit, by Robyn Carr

Sick of running into her cheery ex-husband and his new wife, Leslie Petruso accepts a job at the Virgin River branch of Haggerty Construction and takes the high road right out of town. Now she's got Paul Haggerty's business running like a well-oiled machine. In fact, things are so busy Paul jumps at the chance to hire an extra set of hands.

Just like Leslie, Conner Danson has been burned by love. But if Leslie was disappointed by her relationship going bad, Conner was decimated. He's got no time for women…although he spends an awful lot of time pretending not to notice Leslie. And she's pretty busy "ignoring" the chemistry between them.

According to Conner and Leslie, they have only one thing in common—they're done with love. But everyone in Virgin River can see that things are heating up at Haggerty Construction. And as far as Paul Haggerty can tell, the best thing he can do is hang on to his hard hat and watch the sparks fly!

I have to admit, this is my first book in the Virgin River series that I have read. Sometimes, starting a series so late in the game (especially when it's seventeen books in) can be a little daunting as characters or other references could be made to the books before and you have no idea what they're talking about. But that's not the case with Hidden Summit. Everything is made perfectly clear, any reference is explained quickly enough so you get a picture of what everything is.. and there's really no confusion at all.

And the characters are great in this series! Leslie and Conner are both great characters that seem to be made for one another. They're both hard-working, family oriented adults that have things in their past that keep them from wanting a relationship -- only, I don't even think they had a chance to not have a relationship, it just kind of took on a life of its own. Leslie's ex was definitely an ex for a reason and I have to say that she has a lot of strength that I don't think I could ever have when it comes to playing nice with him. Once you meet him, you'll understand why she wanted to get away. Far, far away. The other characters all play important roles in the novel, both big and small, and they definitely give you that feel of community in a small town. It reminds me a bit of where I live, so there was familiarity there.

I really enjoyed the story. If I had to say anything, I would say that the ending was a little.. anti-climatic for my taste, but it didn't take away from the story. This is a great feel-good read that I would recommend to fans of Susan Mallery and the like. You won't be disappointed.

Rating: ★★★★✩

Source: Little Bird Publicity

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Title: Hidden Summit

Author: Robyn Carr

Series: Virgin River, Book 17

Publisher: Mira

Format: Paperback, 400 pages

Release Date: December 27, 2011

Purchase Book

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound

Review - Strings Attached

Kindle edition
ASIN: B005OSISVG

The Blurb

Between the past and the future there are always strings attached

Caterer George Fraser has a mission. She's going to prove everyone wrong. Ambitious owner of catering firm Finger Food and black sheep of her family, she's determined to succeed in business where she's so far failed in her personal life. Asked to cater for gorgeous rock star Quinn Blake's after-show party, her life suddenly takes a turn for the dramatic.

Magnetically drawn together, George and Quinn embark on a relationship that no one must know about. But is Quinn everything he seems or is there more to his star life than he's telling her?

Things hot up when George is invited to the wedding of the millennium and her integrity very soon becomes compromised. With celebrity obsessed colleague Marisa in the mix and her beloved Adam spending more time in her life, can George keep her secrets and hold on to her ambition, or will love finally get in the way?

Quinn Blake is an International Rock Star doing a tour of the UK.  

George Fraser is owner of her own catering company Finger Foods.  She is doing well despite being the black sheep of the family, according to her mother.  

George is asked to cater for an after show party for Quinn Blake at short notice.  She doesn't want to pass on the opportunity when she hears what Michael, Quinn's aide will pay for the inconvenience. So, along with her faithful team of employees and her little brother, Adam they do such a good job that Michael asks them to continue to cater for the rest of the after shows and more importantly, the wedding of the year!

Quinn just made me feel like a teenager again drooling over the lastest pop/rock idol. His dialogue is sultry and he comes across as a man of few words, mysterious but exciting.  There is a lot more to Quinn behind that Rock image, even he is not sure who he is.

George is fairly grounded and knows that this is not a romance that can be pursued, after all he must have a girl in every town,  but no matter how much she tries to stay away from Quinn she finds it almost impossible. 

When George is asked to cater for the wedding of the year, she takes the opportunity to take her business to the next level.   She has to be professional and put her business first.

The chemistry between George and Quinn from the very first meeting is intense and the intensity continues right to the last page.  

This  hot, Rock n Roll romance is pure escapism and I loved it!

4.5 out of 5 for me!


Thank you to author, Mandy Baggot for a review copy.

Review - Persuade Me - Juliet Archer

• Publisher: Choc Lit (15 Sep 2011)
• ISBN-10: 1906931216
• ISBN-13: 978-1906931216

The Blurb

When do you let your heart rule your head?

When it comes to love, Anna Elliot is stuck in the past.  No one can compare to Rick Wentworth, the man she gave up ten years ago at the insistence of her disapproving family.  What is she's missed her only chance for real happiness?

This contemporary re-telling of Jane Austen's last completed novel is the second book in Juliet Archer's  Darcy & Friends series, offering fresh insights into the hearts and minds of Austen's irresistible heroes.

Now, I have a confession, between you and me, I have not read Jane Austen's novels, but from what I understand Juliet Archer stays true to the characters and plot of Persuasion.  I also understand that you do not need to know the Jane Austen novel to enjoy this re-telling of the classic.


I fell in love with this story from page one.  The idea of Anna still in love with a summer affair she had ten years ago with the gorgeous Rick.  


Anna, lecturer, gave up love at the request of her family.  Now lives alone in a top floor flat wondering what could have been with Rick.  


Rick has moved on in location and relationship stakes.  He is now Dr Rick Wentworth, Celebrity scientist, living in Australia,  with a model girlfriend to keep him company.  He is not short of admiring fans.


Fate brings Rick and Anna back together when Rick tours England to promote his book and visit his sister, who happens to live nearby.  Their paths were meant to cross.


There is a fabulous cast of characters including Anna's eccentric father,  Sir Walter, with his obsession with mirrors and  his 'youthfulness', and his other daughters, Lisa and Mona, Mona's husband Charles and the in-laws the Musgrove's and Rick's family.


There were times I wanted to shake Rick and Anna for not ceasing the moment or for not speaking up when they had the chance.  There is a lot of surmising going on between these two characters and if only they would communictate. 


Sometimes it felt like the story was slipping into the past with Sir Walter's antiquated views and mannerisms.  He is quite a character.   


I really enjoyed getting to know all these characters and discovering the connections between the families.  A romantic modern day tale.




I am putting Juliet's other novel on my TBR list along with Jane Austen's Persuasion. 

4.5 out of 5 for me!



Find out more about Juliet Archer  here

Thank you ChocLit for sending me a review copy

Review - A Kiss at Midnight - Eloisa James

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Piatkus Books (4 Aug 2011)
• ISBN-13: 978-0749956912

The Blurb

Miss Kate Daltry doesn't believe in fairy tales ...or happily ever after. Forced by her stepmother to attend a ball, Kate meets a prince, and decides he's anything but charming. A clash of wits and wills ensues, but they both know their irresistible attraction will lead nowhere. For Gabriel is promised to another woman - a princess whose hand in marriage will fulfil his ruthless ambitions.


 Gabriel likes his fiancee, which is a welcome turn of events, but he doesn't love her, and knows, he should be wooing his bride-to-be, not the witty, impoverished beauty who refuses to fawn over him. 


Godmothers and glass slippers notwithstanding, this is one fairy tale in which destiny conspires to destroy any chance that Kate and Gabriel might have a happily ever after - unless one kiss at the stroke of midnight changes everything.


A Fairytale for adults.


This story is Cinderalla retold in modern language but set in the Regency period.


Fate has not been kind to Miss Kate and she finds herself at the beck and call of her step-mother and her daughter.   A unfortunate accident has left Victoria unable to attend court with her betrothed.  Kate must take her place and travel to court with Lord Dimsdale to see Prince Gabriel.


Prince Gabriel is awaiting the arrival of his fiancee, but is he getting cold feet?


Miss Kate, like Cinderella has her own fairy godmother, actually her long lost godmother Henry to guide her at the palace.


This is definitely a grown up fairy tale told with wit and lots of saucy frolics.
I had to chuckle when two of the characters were sensible enough to think about safe sex.


Although this is set sometime in the Regency period the language used is fairly modern.  Usually I like period novels to use language from that time but here it worked well using the modern language to bring this adventure and characters to life.


I really enjoyed this unusual retelling of a classic story.


I will certainly be looking out for Eloisa James other novel in this series, When Beauty Tamed the Beast. 


4.5 out of 5 for me!

Anatomy of a Boyfriend, by Daria Snadowsky

Anatomy Of A Boyfriend
Daria Snadowsky

Publisher: Delacorte
Release Date: January 9, 2007
Series: N/A
Genre: Romance, Young Adult
Pages: Paperback, 416
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 4/5 (Avg 3/5)

Before this all happened, the closest I'd ever come to getting physical with a guy was playing the board game Operation. Okay, so maybe that sounds pathetic, but it's not like there were any guys at my high school who I cared to share more than three words with, let alone my body.

Then I met Wes, a track star senior from across town. Maybe it was his soulful blue eyes, or maybe my hormones just started raging. Either way, I was hooked. And after a while, he was too. I couldn't believe how intense my feelings became, or the fact that I was seeing—and touching—parts of the body I'd only read about in my Gray's Anatomy textbook. You could say Wes and I experienced a lot of firsts together that spring. It was scary. It was fun. It was love.

And then came the fall.

I read a lot of reviews for this book - both good and bad, which is pretty much what intrigued me enough to pick it up and read it. For all intents and purposes, I can see exactly why the reviews are so split in half. I can see why people would really like it, where others wouldn't like it at all.

The funny thing about this is that a lot of older (read: not teen) readers comment about the graphic sex in this book and the fact that this is a YA book with the two main characters having sex. Really, all I can say about that is that (1) the title of the book should have warned you right away, and (2) it's about time we stop trying to act like teens don't have sex. They do. Sorry to break it to you if you didn't know, but it just kind of happens.

Having said that, I can say that I personally had two things that irked me most about this book. The first being the main character, Dom. I understand that she's a teen experiencing her first love, but I can't say that I relate to her that much. Her whole character just screams desperate and clingy. The only thing I applaud her for is admitting up to these faults, but it still didn't make them any easier for me to digest. I think her mood swings also completely caught me off guard. One minute she'd be really hot with Wes and the next, snap!, suddenly he's the worse person on the face of the earth. She was selfish. She expected Wes to choose her over everything and blamed some bad [even tragic] events in both of their lives for him not completely doting on her 24/7 and them not getting more sexy time together. I wanted to smack her for not at least acknowledging some type of empathy and remorse for that. She also changed major things about herself because she wanted to feel closer to him, then completely changed back when things went awry. Altogether, Dom was a headache for me.

The other thing was that the actual love between the two felt a little distorted. What was described in the book was more like fascination and lust instead of real, true love between Dominique and Wes. The friendship felt real. The love? Not so much.

Despite those two major things, I did enjoy this read. Even though I couldn't relate to Dom, this did seem like a pretty accurate portrayal of first love for teens. Everything is so dramatic, yet vastly exciting because everything is so new. I don't think that the sex scenes were too bad. It's nothing worse than what I've heard described on TV for teens these days, so it shouldn't be so shocking. The ending of the book was a little unexpected. Really, I expected Dom's best friend's brother to play a bigger role in this book. I think it was because he was so hyped up through Dom's description. But you only see one scene with him that kind of leaves you scratching your head, wondering if you'll ever find out what the heck it was all about. A hint: you don't.

This book is rated a shaky 4 from me, though it's more like a solid 3.5. The writing was good and fit this story well. There wasn't too much overkill on description, rather it was more about character interactions and feelings. Overall, this book is worth at least giving a shot.

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