Anne EliotCritiques

Wow. Just absolutely wow. This book is amazing. I flew through the pages. It was well written, eye opening. It had the right amount of tension and the characters were honest. The topic is obviously an important one and the author tackled it flawlessly.

How do you describe a book like this? I wanted to go through the pages and slap a few of the characters. Oi! Teenagers! These books reminded me of what it was like to be one. I am not sure if that's good or not yet. ;)

Absolutely brilliant book about teenagers falling in love. I am not sure what I loved about it more, that it took place here in Ontario or that absolutely wonderful first kiss.

I know I didn't love how hungry it made me, every time it mentioned those oh so delicious Tim Horton's goodies my tummy would rumble. Ellen's favourite donuts are also my son's favourite and I could pratically taste them when they were mentioned. A yummy minor detail.

I think this could be a powerful book for some teenagers, perhaps those who love reading things like A Child Called "It". Would I have let my daughters read this in middle school? Emphatically no.
Despite the plot of an "almost" rape, in some ways the book seemed almost immature. However, talk of the love interest having too much blood flow to certain parts of his anatomy definitely put it into the mature category for me, along with the memories of the "almost" rape. Add to that the bad language on almost every page of the book (profanity, cussing, vulgarities), and I would be very careful about letting your tweens to early teens read it. It does touch on some important issues, and that is why I think it could be powerful for the right reader. As far as the plot and characters go, there were some plot points and characters I really enjoyed, and some that drove me crazy. I don't think teenagers will care that much about the deficiencies, though. So, although I don't recommend this book to all readers, I think there are some that would really like it.½

Ellen and Cam are 16-year old high school sophomores. Ellen has a mild case of Cerebral Palsy and works hard to overcome the physical walls that keep her from being like the other kids. She has admired superstar football player Cam for many years. Little does she know he has also secretly been crushing on her as well. Pushed together for a photography project, the two inevitably expose their feelings for one another.

I really loved the first part of this book. The characters are likable and there are some well-written, dreamy passages of first love. The first time Ellen and Cam's eyes meet, their first touch, hug, kiss and the first time they admit strong feelings for one another. Ellen is strong female lead and Cam is adorable - a big football player who is genuine and sweet. He doesn't care what others think of him and his feelings for Ellen.

As much as I loved the first half, the book twisted away from the warm, sweet love story into a mean-spirited power play between Cam and his parents. Adding to my mixed feelings, is the cliffhanger ending. That said, I really enjoyed Elliot's writing, and am interested in seeing where Cam and Ellen go from here, so when the sequel comes out, I will read it. I would hope to finally see some redeeming qualities in Cam's parents and the town.

I loved this book. Anne Eliot captivated with the different POVs with every chapter (Hunter/Dustin and Vere) coupled with her successful character development of both Hunter/Dustin and Vere and Charlie were very honest and believable. I LOVED this story.

Hunter and Vere are both struggling in different ways, however, when they are together, they seem at peace with each other and themselves. Friends first then love is a plot that I adore and they have this in spades. I was swept up in Hunter's deep feelings for Vere. I really wanted to read those song lyrics he wrote and pitched to his agent. This book needs a Spotify soundtrack so I can get an idea of what the author had in mind when she made Hunter a songwriter as well as a star.

The very public ending of this love story was a bit of a surprise for a couple that developed and stayed true to their privacy/secrets the entire novel but I forgive that point for the great HEA ending.

Read this NOW if you love a feel good, rock star YA novel.

Pop by my blog, Drugs Called Books, to read this review and more!

3.5 of 5 stars
Let's start with saying this: without a doubt one of the cutest books I've ever read. I am still grinning. And that sappy ending *giggle giggle* love it!

Hunter Kennedy is a famous pop star. The kind girls get all incoherent around; textbook good looks, abs to die for, eyes to dive in... perfect. But Hunter doesn't feel perfect. He feels depressed... which leads to all kind of stuff that lend him in Colorado, spending his time under the disguise of Dustin McHugh.
I simply adored Hunter/Dustin's character. He wasn't mean, jerky or full of it at all. Even when he spoke of stuff that others considered him "being full of it", he explained quite nicely how that really wasn't what he meant at all.
He was just sweet, nice and funny, and I loved him. The guy deserves sooooo many hugs!

Vere Roth is a cute, geeky girl. She is pretty much a reject in her school because she has what I call super-blush-attacks, and she get's so embarrassed by them she can't talk or breath properly when they happen.
She was sweet, shy, full of excitement about everything in life - ice cream, heart-shaped rocks, water... She approaches everything with enthusiasm and with all her heart, and she really cares about everyone around her.

Charlie is Vere's brother, and contradictory to typical sibling-relationships in books, they've got the kind of relationship I envy. They love each other deeply and are very protective and supportive of one another.
He's also a fan of Hunter, but personally I thought he had a weird way of showing it; being kind of mean to Hunter most of the time. Though, he was just doing his brotherly duty...

Jenna is Vere's best friend, and she's a pretty cool girl. She's another outcast, as Vere is, but she acts like one of the popular kids sometimes. It was a weird but interesting combination. Also, I loved her and Vere together because even though they're like the lowest in the food chain in their school, they talk cloths and boys and appearances just the same, which from experience is something I know to be true. At least in my case, anyway.

Curtis is Charlie's best friend and the guy Vere's in love with. Personally, I've no idea what she finds in the guy...

The romance was very sweet.
I loved that Hunter/Dustin knew when he fell for Vere, and never once pretended to himself otherwise. He crushed on her basically from the get-go, and was very open with himself--and later on with Vere and the rest of the world--about his feelings. I love when a guy knows and is alright with loving someone!
I was a bit frustrated with the promise he made Charlie--especially since he realized he was crushing two minutes later--and the way he stuck to it, even though he knew his feelings.
On the other hand, it was very sweet how he tried to give Vere what she wanted and what he thought would make her happy!
Vere had been in love with Curtis forever. I was a bit angry with her when Curtis started to pay attention to her and they started hanging out because every time she mentioned Curtis, she said annoying, creepy and stuff like that in her head. Girl, when you think those things about a guy so many times... figure out you don't really love him already! Please!

The ending was so sappy, but damn, I couldn't stop grinning! I wish we got to see them at homecoming or something, though :/

The bad parts in the book were mostly that some times - I did not understand the character's behaviors! They would suddenly get mad or something, and for the life of me I couldn't figure out why!
Or they'd just contradict themselves, like how Hunter keeps saying he loves and enjoys his life in Colorado, but seconds later he wants to get back home and screams at people that this is putting his life on hold and they don't understand how it is for him... WTH? It didn't add up.
Then there was the fact all the parts people figured out who Hunter was came out a bit over the top. Lots of AHHHHHHHHHH and DUDE, DUDE and OHMYGODs and what's not. It felt a bit too much to me...
And lastly, Hunter's depression and all he's been through were handled pretty lightly and too easily. Same goes with Vere's super-blush condition. It seemed like it was just solved too shallowly, easily and quickly.

However, this is, to me at least, just a light, fun, cute novel, and so I forgive it for handling the dark parts lightly, because at the end I enjoyed it despite of it. I wasn't looking for a heavy read, anyway.

I've been meaning to read the other Anne Eliot's book, Almost, but never got to it. However, this came highly recommended by a friend, and the blurb sounded promising, so I immediately pushed everything else and started reading this.

The book is cute, funny and heartbreaking, all at the same time. I was literally cracking up, sighing in contentment and fighting tears throughout the whole book. My whole face was hurting from so much smiling in the end.
The two main characters are both so convinced they are less than what they really are, it was painful to read.

Hunter's depression seemed very real, and the way he was dealing with it, before and after the...accident was very realistic. This isn't a light read, even if you don't have any history of depression, just know that Anne Eliot captured the feel of it perfectly.
The thing I liked about Hunter was his honesty throughout the book. I thought he wouldn't admit to his feelings, leave and hope to get over it, and it was so awesome to see the author do the complete opposite. I have hope that a real person would do exactly what he did.
But what the author did perfectly is show Hunter as a normal teenage boy despite his celebrity status, and I love her for that. Often celebrity bad boys in books are presented as some untouchable gods and then a girl comes along and they change their personality completely because of her. Well, not here. Hunter really is a decent, normal teenage boy, with some major issues, and I never had a feeling that his fame got to his head so much. We see this in the whole "asset" conversation he has with Vere. It is what it is. He just liked his music.

Vere's issues are minor to Hunter's but I know to her they were huge. She is so extremely shy you feel shy for her when she gets herself in one of those situations. Her fixation on Curtis was hilarious.

The evolution of their relationship was really natural. It was delightful watching Hunter fall head over heels for Vere. She is like a ray of sunshine and he learns to appreciate and need her like that.

The book is written in a simple, but elegant way and the alternating POV fit really well with it. The character development and the pace are perfect. I'm not just talking about Vere and Hunter, all of the characters have some real depth, even if they're not so much in the book. I wouldn't change a thing about it, really. The ending is swoon worthy.
I'm definitely going back to read Almost soon.

Review originally posted here.

I started reading this book, I think it was June 20, 2012 and I finished it today. Two weeks of me reading it. Why did it took me two weeks? One, I was bored in the first few chapters of this book. I'm not gonna pretend or lie about it. I was bored BUT there's something in my mind that says I need to finish it. A friend of mine actually said to me that if I didn't like it, no need to punish myself over it. But still I decided to continue even if it's taking my precious time.

Second reason why it took me two weeks was that I keep on putting it off. I've read other books that was why I only finish it now. Heck, I've been putting TGL off too!

But as I slow read this book, about 32% done with it, I started to grin like an idiot. That could only mean one thing. I'm starting to like it. Yes, it's taken me too long to before I finally like the book but IMO, it's worth it. It's worth reading.

Now, I need to review this or I'll just start random babbling.  Soooo, this book, as the blurb says, was about a girl who's ALMOST raped. Almost okay, almost living better. Almost. The book was written in two POV's, Jess Jordan's and Gray Porter's. What I like about it having two POV's was that I get to see what Gray Porter's mind works. I mean, I was always in the head of a female MC (from the books I've read) and having a male MC in your mind--take note, if and only if the said Male MC is hot, cocky, playful, likes you a lot and all that--was totally cool.

Jess Jordan struck me as a strong character. She knows what she wants. She wanted to live normally like she used to. She wanted to go to college and go away from home so her parents would not always hover at her. That's the reason why she made a deal with Gray Porter. So yeah, she struck me as a strong-willed character, she doesn't want to back down. And damn, she always slugs down Red Bull because it helps her not sleep so that she'll never have nightmares.

Gray Porter... Gray. Just like the other guy MC I have read over the weeks, I'm liking him too. Well, the reason why Gray sticks to Jess was because he's involved to what almost happened to Jess. Okay, I'm totally not saying anything. Just read it. Being in Gray's mind made me smirk, grin whatever you want to call it, like a freakin' idiot. I was reading it earlier with people in my surrounding and I CAN'T HELP NOT TO GRIN!!! It's like, OMG, you are such a big flirt!! I like guys who flirts with their partners, like them teasing their girls. href="http:>

The story mostly circulates on their pretend relationship and how Gray wanted to tell the truth about him, about them. How Jess battles her nightmares, how she wished to be a normal teenager, fall in love and all that. I love how the side characters, Corey and Michelle, get to know Jess. 'Cause they all at first believe Jess' reputation as a b*tch but learned that she's not like that at all.

The book is worth reading. You might be bored at first but this is an honest story about the journey of Jess Jordan on how she made it whole once again and sees that she really was loved by a lot. You should try reading this book, you might like it or you might not. But at least you've tried. And if you're getting lazy in reading it or bored by it, take a break, read other book then pick up Almost again to continue where you left off.

4.5 Stars and rounding up!!! Woot!

UPDATE: 12.10.12: Got the book today!!! Anne Eliot sent me one! :) Up in my blog: Ramblings of a YA Reader...

I really love this one. It made me smile and a bit teary eyed. Although the music bit is less than what I wanted... It still rock. I have read Anne Eliot's first book, Almost. And I could say I really like this better than that. Almost took me 2 weeks to finished it but Unmaking Hunter Kennedy took me just what? 2 days?

I'm not really the type to read books about Depression or whatever you called it stuffs. But this is crazy. I mean, crazy in a good way. Am I making any sense? Maybe it'll be better to just enumerate the things I like about this book... Here you go...

I like Vere Roth. I know she's a bit of a naive, innocent type and a bit uh, annoying? LOL, she's an honest girl, cares for her friends and family, bit of a weirdo but a sweet girl. And also cute when she blush profusely. I even like Charlie cause he's so protective to his little sister, Vere. And he's sooooo freakin' funny when he met Hunter. He's totally reacts like a girl. *giggles*

Jenna is so funny too! Her high-squealing is really hilarious. She can't get over the fact that Hunter was actually hanging out with her. LOL. Love this girl! Cool best friend too.

Hunter Kennedy aka Dustin McHugh... I dunno, I like him but can't think of words that would describe him better than the physical one. My brain turns mushy. Although I have to say, I wanted to hear him talk too cause of the voice, Vere often complained about. I want to look him in the eyes too. Dammit. I like guys with blue eyes, well okay, colorful eyes. Yes I know, this one is perfect for me since I'm weird too.

And heck yes! I drooled about him too! That first kiss got me squealing!!! God! Even though Anne Eliot, herself somehow warned me about it. Dammit. I totally grin, squeal with joy or whatever happy hormones I have.

Kristen Stewart could even smile about it. :P


This is one of the moments I don't really know what to say about the book I've read besides it's really great. I don't know what to say. I like the story of the rock star who found himself again.

Just...

Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.

I've been wanting to read Unmaking Hunter Kennedy for a while, so when I saw it on Amazon for an awesome deal, of course I bought it! Turns out that it wasn't a bad book at all-- I really liked it. Of course, the romance was fairly predictable, but it never was boring. It was adorable.

Hunter and Vere were so perfect together-- you just have to love the classic "celebrity falls in love with normal girl" storyline, which was done remarkably well in this one. Hunter was such a jerk at first, but as the book goes on, we get to see more and more of who he is and he starts to really come out of his shell. He really is a funny and sweet guy. By the end he really is a fabulous! I loved seeing the character development from him. And Vere?

Well, she was so clueless that it was ridiculous, but I really think that it was a huge part of her charm. She just wouldn't be herself without the innocence and the blushing and the anxiety. It is such a huge part of her, but it was wonderful to see those traits through Hunter's eyes. The alternating points of view really added good development on both of their parts and made it so fun to read! They had such great chemistry-- I was totally rooting for him from the very beginning. And not just in the physical part (because that didn't happen (even kissing) til very late in that book) but in the conversational part. I was never bored with their dialogue, actually just the opposite. Most of the time it was laugh out loud funny! Seriously, best cute relationship growth ever.

All in all, Unmaking Hunter Kennedy is one of the best romantic books I've read in a long time. I really recommend it as a sweet, fun romance.

Pop star sensation Hunter Kennedy has lived in the spotlight most of his life. With world wide tours, groupies, and more money than any teenager knows what to do with you would think the fast lane offered up happiness, only Hunter's silver platter is anything but. Hunter loves his music and for the most part his fame, but it came at a price as a young boy that he didn't grasp until later, and giving up privacy, true friendships and normal teen years has taken its toll. Not that he's complaining, but with fame comes loneliness and unhappiness which has led to depression mixed with heavy drinking, pill popping and dangerous pranks. One night a choice that Hunter likes to refer to as the prank gone wrong, landed him in rehab and therapy to deal with his issues, not something he planned on. Although nothing really changed in rehab Hunter knows what he did was wrong, and with rehab coming to an end he is eager to get back to his music. His mom however has other plans and decides he needs a break from the spotlight and a chance to rest from the craziness of his popularity. Her solution: send him to his Aunts house, where he will live in disguise and pretend to be someone else as a hired double fills in for him on the other side of the world. At 17 and still a minor, Hunter has no say in this decision and he's mad about his forced rest but can't really do anything about it, nor can his agent until they can get him emancipated. Sentenced to a year in Colorado he learns that he wont just be hanging out with his aunt, but that he has been banned from his guitars, has to go to public school and the worst of all, that the family next door has been recruited to help him out so he can blend in with his new surroundings.

The kids next door happen to be Vere (a somewhat cute geeky girl) and her brother, highschool kids that will be driving him around, being his friend and teaching him about normal teen life. The first meeting is hilarious as the kids figure out who Hunter really is and although the shock wears off pretty fast, Vere is not at all impressed with Hunters snarky attitude. Even though he's a tad snotty, she sort of sees the lonely aloof guy with razor blue eyes and decides that she must save him. Determined to be friends, Hunter truly becomes her pet project and she takes the opportunity to build a real relationship with him all the while transforming him into bonafide-super geek Dustin.

Hunter even geek-tastic is still beautiful, and when he takes his glasses off Vere cant stop herself from falling deep into them, of course that could never happen though cause shes a geek and he's a rock-god and she has a crush on her brothers best friend, a guy who has been her butterfly's in the belly since Kindergarten. What Vere doesn't know though is that for the first time ever Hunter has finally made a real friend, he knows Vere isn't after him for his money or his popularity, she treats him like everyone else and he actually feels happy around her, he likes everything about her personality and gravitates towards her joyful look at life, could this be love or could it be the peace his mom wanted him to experience?. Hunter knows Vere likes another guy but cant stop the feelings that are building inside him and while playing the part of geeky best friend, he's managed to fall in love with her. Underneath the dork, he's nervous, happy, restless and still trying to deal with his past problems but it doesn't change the fact that for this brief moment he feels...normal.

Things that are normal though can't last long in Hunters world, his agent, his fans nor his band have forgotten where he is and are fighting to get him back. The craziness of the past and the pressure of the future are spiraling towards him and about to collide with Dustin the geek and Vere, the first girl he's ever loved.

Unmaking Hunter Kennedy was a perfect read for the light, fun tone I was looking for. What surprised me outside of the book fitting my overall fluffy mood, was how happy it made me. The plot while a touch serious (due to a few dramatic issues concerning depression) was for the most part hysterical. The main characters played off each other perfect, the conversations and scenes made for a great comedy and the writing flowed nicely even with its predictability. I loved the chemistry Hunter and Vere had, their dynamic was very entertaining and in the end it was a fun read that made me laugh out loud a dozen times. Character development was done very well and some of the heart touching scenes between the characters showcased perfectly timed steps for the reader watching them fall in love.

Overall clean for ya romance, laced with great tension, great first kisses and every swoon cheese worthy outcome that makes romance lovers smile. Starting 2013 with this book was a great choice.

Hunter Kennedy is 17 years old and is the lead singer/guitar player in GuardeRobe, one of the most popular bands around. He has been in the spotlight most of his life and is no stranger to the kind of life that accompanies being famous. Unfortunately, being famous doesn't keep you for being lonely, angry, and depressed. Hunter decides to take some of his mom's antidepressants to see if that will help. This, combined with some alcohol, soon results in Hunter wrecking his car and taking out his front door in the process. When his mom finds him passed out in a pool of blood afterwords, Hunter finds himself "secretly" in a facility receiving treatment for his depression. As part of his recovery plan, Hunter's therapist and mom come up with a plan for him to spend the year in Colorado with his Aunt Nan, in disguise of course, while he recovers from his scars, both inside and out. Meanwhile, his manager and fellow band members are covering for him with the media. Not thrilled about this at all, Hunter accepts his fate with the determination that he is going to get out of this situation as soon as possible.

Hunter's Aunt Nan and Mom enlist the help of the Nan's neighbors across the street to help Hunter acclimate to a "normal" teenage life and come up with a convincing disguise. Vere and Charlie Roth, brother and sister, are to be Hunter's "best friends" and the only kids in on his secret. Charlie is a senior, popular football player, and cocky. Vere on the other hand, is a self-made dork with a great personality. She is snarky and cute as she can be, though she doesn't know it. She also has a very serious problem with shyness, especially around guys, which is almost crippling. Vere takes on the job of coordinating Hunter's transformation into Dustin McHugh, and strangely enough, doesn't seem to have her shyness problem around him. They make him into a super dork, and have a blast while doing it. Charlie talks Hunter AKA Dustin into helping Vere get over her shyness problem so that she can date Curtis, the high school quarterback, who she has been in love with since she was 7 years old. Charlie is very protective of Vere, even though he sometimes comes across as a jerk. He warns Hunter about his sister and makes it clear to Hunter that he doesn't want him involved with Vere in anyway as more than friends, because he doesn't want Vere's heart broken. Hunter agrees, but the more time he spends with Vere, the harder it is to keep his promise to Charlie. He soon becomes Vere's BGF (Best Guy Friend), and the two are almost inseparable.

When Vere finds out Hunter/Dustin's darkest secret, it breaks her heart, and Hunter finds himself opening up to her in a way he has never let anyone else in. He ends up helping Vere with a makeover, both outside and inside, though he's always seen how beautiful she already is. Now that everyone else is noticing, Hunter is finding it more and more difficult to hide his feeling, especially when he has to hear Vere talk about Curtis. Keeping his feelings hidden, dealing with his anger towards his mom and his manager, and trying to keep up the pretense of being Dustin McHugh is harder than he anticipated. When Vere asks him for some help with kissing, things get totally out of control, but can he risk opening up his heart to Vere, and does he even know who he really is anymore? Vere must also face her own feelings and decide between the boy in front of her and the boy she has loved for most of her life.

I absolutely loved this story. I really loved Vere, with her trademark bun and dorky choice of clothes. She truly cares about Hunter as person, never being the "groupie" that everyone else who knows who he is really is becomes. She is extremely loyal and protective, and when she realizes she screws up, she is the first to admit it. Though very shy, she is also very funny and fun loving, finding extreme pleasure in the simple things of life, something that she introduces Hunter/Dustin to, something that he also finds irresistible about her. I loved Hunter's character also. Talk about hot, the boy has it going on, something that Vere isn't blind to, even when he is transformed into dorky Dustin. I loved the way their relationship is based first on friendship and earning each other's trust, then facing some really deep and heart wrenching issues together, while having good times and bad times, and trying to figure out who they really are and what they mean to one another. The romance was sweet, heartwarming, a little heartbreaking at times, and even has its hot moments. I like the secondary characters in the book also, especially Jenna, Vere's best friend, and also Charlie, though he had his "jerk" moments. The book is a little over 400 pages, but I enjoyed it from beginning to end. The pace and character building was executed beautifully, and the balance between humor and seriousness was perfect. I loved the whole "rock star in hiding" theme, as well as the serious issues that Eliot addresses, such as depression and teen suicide. Unmaking Hunter Kennedy is fun, entertaining, and heartwarming. If you love YA contemporary romance, then you should definitely check this book out.

I 100% LOVED this book! I’ve actually read it 3 times since I received it & it just gets better each time! :) I was never really into YA all that much, until the last year or so, aside from when I was younger. It’s books like Unmaking Hunter Kennedy that remind me of just why I loved these novels when I was younger!

You would never know it just from looking at the gorgeous Pop Star, but Hunters life could not be any more of a mess. After a prank gone wrong, he’s sent to be a “normal teenager,” in disguise, of course. Really, how normal can one famous pop star really be? Then, Vere enters his life.. Or is it Hunter enters Vere’s life? Really, I think they both needed each other lol.

Vere is that gorgeous, everyone should have a friend like her girl – who is totally unaware of this fact. Which seems to make her that much more compelling to Hunter. One thing she does know, is that when she is around Hunter, she can be her TRUE self & not the self that she lets everyone else see. I absolutely ADORE Vere & her inner monologue. Seriously, this girl knows how to keep you laughing. I couldn’t get enough of her lol.

I would like to point out that I LOATHED Hunter’s mom. Seriously, you know how there is always that one character from a book that you want to shank with a really, really sharp knife? Yea, well in this book, it is that horrible woman. Only really bad words come to mind when I try to describe her lol.

Anne Eliot held me captive this entire novel. I loved every single page of it. She has a way with writing a story that captures you and you just cannot put it down until the very last page & even then, you are left wanting more. I would recommend this book to anyone who ADORES poetically written first kisses and loves a true romantic novel!

An easy read, this is the type of book that is comfortable yet predictable. It's something that you know that you will like when you pick up.

What I enjoyed most about this book is the plot. Yes, it's quite predictable, but that's okay. It's just one of those stories that if you want something simple and not to dramatic to read, this is your story. I love how the plot moves at a good pace, allowing the reader to grasp every single chapter. The reader gets to see both sides of the story well without any confusement.

My grip is the characters. Sometimes they did things that didn't quite sit well with me. I sorta just rolled my eyes and moved on. If you can put aside these aspects of the characters and take the story for what it's worth, then you'll be okay. But if you get bothered by these things, you might not take to well to the story.

Overall, the story is good. It's not one that I would read again, but it's good for one time amusement. The author does do a good job in creating a good story, so I might look forward to reading more works by her. Unmaking Hunter Kennedy has a good concept with good charms. Written nicely, Unmaking Hunter Kennedy is a one hit wonder. Amazing the first time, but let it sit on your shelf, you might go back to it someday.

Jess Jordan has a broken life and a dark past she can't remember completely that haunts her dreams so badly that Jess is actually terrified to along herself to fall asleep when night comes. Gray Porter has secrets that are eating him inside.. secrets that have to do with things Jess can't seem to even remember. Gray wants nothing more than a chance to be with Jess, he's always been drawn to her.. but he's also forbidden to see her. Though Jess' memory is foggy from that night and she can't seem to put together the pieces from it that doesn't stop her never ending nightmares. When Gray and Jess both interview for a internship they both desperately need but only one can have, they come up with a plan that will work in their favor and land them both the position. With Gray pretending to be Jess' boyfriend, he finds himself falling harder and harder for her making him feel more guilty about the secrets his hiding. As he fights to find the right thing to do, Jess' nightmares get worse and revel to her the secrets Gray has before he gets a chance to tell her. Already caught up in a life of pain and brokenness with her only light being Gray, things spiral out of control when she loses the one thing she's grown to love and hold dear. This is an amazing book of dark pasts and secrets that threaten to destroy the beauty of the love story you find yourself silently routing for.

"Ignoring Gray Porter is like ignoring an elephant in a tut. A really hot elephant in a tutu... a very manly tutu." -Jess

"I want you to know if we die right now, I won't be able to distinguish if I've made it to heaven or not, because I'm already sitting here with you.. like this." -Gray Porter

“Sometimes different is not better,” -Jess

“Maybe because he's already been in my dreams for so long, it feels to me as though we've always been together.” -Jess

“And you do, don't you? Love me just a little? Because I'll say it again. Right now, to your face. I straight up love you, Jess Jordan. I'll shout it if it will help plead my case. But I have to at least get that point across before one more minute passes.” -Gray

“So that's a make-up kiss? Let's have another fight soon.” -Jess

“You have my word. I won't let anyone-anything hurt you. This will work out. It will.” -Gray

“I know I'm acting crazy but I'm in love with this girl. Major love. And I have no idea what to do about it, so it's messing with my sanity.” -Gray

Right. There's a convention in romantic comedies going at least back to Shakespeare in which a guy pretends to love a woman in order to achieve some goal.

That this convention is used here in a book about a near-rape PTSD survivor is not to mean that it's a light, fluffy, or flippant book.

Jess, the main character, has been suffering for the last three years from a near-rape experience. Let me just say that, by the end of the book, you realize exactly why it's taken her three years to get this far, and why she's as messed-up as she is. She hires a guy (well, tricks him, really) into pretending to be her boyfriend for the summer, so she can have the illusion of a normal life, so she can be allowed to get out of the house and go to college. (The parents aren't dealing well with it, either.)

At any rate, it's a powerful book, with living, breathing characters, and I cried though the last third of it. The fact that is has what all survivors deserve to have--a happy ending--doesn't lessen it at all.

Young mystery novelist Petra returns to Aylforth Priory at the news that her beloved guardian has died. The cousins who were her friends and tormenters have grown up self-assured and sophisticated, but the new owner of Aylforth is a stranger, brusque and suspicious. A typical contemporary gothic in many ways, Return distinguishes itself by a convincing depiction of growing love, fuelled by a common love of books and quotations, and by the heroine's using the example of Simon Templar to encourage herself in a dangerous situation.