"Read her once and fall in love"
By Stacy / Spinebreakers Crew
I remember reading another of Sarah Dessen’s books and stating that it was a girly read with a ‘backbone’; in fact, this should be Dessen’s tag line as she’s managed to sculpture another infectious novel full of charm, warmth and summer romance. Let’s face it, every girl wants a summer romance and when given the opportunity to spend the whole summer at her Dad’s house with his new wife and their gorgeous baby Thisbe this is exactly what Auden achieves, although not something she had planned.
Author Dessen herself states that ‘it’s not only a story, but an experience as well’ and how she is right, you can’t help but become sucked into Auden’s world, her ups, her downs and all the emotions of her own journey, both metaphorically and literally. Where do I begin with the hot guy of the novel? Of course every chick-lit book needs one (it’s a kind of requirement, think Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, hasn’t everyone fallen in love with him at some point?) and far from being a vacuous male Eli is sensitive, mysterious and irresistibly charming – all the qualities that make teenage girls swoon (Edward from Twilight, anyone?).
So why should you read this book? Firstly, Dessen’s writing style exudes this ability to connect with the reader and it’s definitely not a book lacking in direction, covering gritty real life issues like divorce and the pains of growing up. Relating back to Dessen’s point I can see how it is ‘an experience as well’, not only for protagonist Auden but also the reader who after reading it may well question the things that are important to them and the way they perceive others. I’m not promising that this book will change your life but it may well just change your outlook, even if only for a while. As the cover says ‘read her once and fall in love’, something I’ve definitely done and although I haven’t found my own Eli like Auden has quite yet, I’ve managed to find a book I can pick up at any moment and read again and again, absorbed in my own little world.