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The Lonesome Young
Get swept away in the first book of the sensational romantic drama that is Romeo & Juliet meets Justified.
WHAT HAPPENS when the teenage heirs of two bitterly FEUDING FAMILIES can’t stay away from each other?
The Rhodales and the Whitfields have been sworn enemies for close on a hundred years, with a whole slew of adulterous affairs, financial backstabbing, and blackmailing that’s escalated the rivalry to its current state of tense ceasefire.
IT’S TIME TO LIGHT THE FUSE . . .
And now a meth lab explosion in rural Whitfield County is set to reignite the feud more viciously than ever before. Especially when the toxic fire that results throws together two unlikely spectators—proper good girl Victoria Whitfield, exiled from boarding school after her father’s real estate business melts down in disgrace, and town motorcycle rebel Mickey Rhodale, too late as always to thwart his older brothers’ dangerous drug deals.
Victoria and Mickey are about to find out the most passionate romances are the forbidden ones.
. . . ON A POWDER KEG FULL OF PENT-UP DESIRE, risk-taking daredevilry, and the desperate actions that erupt when a generation of teens inherits nothing but hate.
WHAT HAPPENS when the teenage heirs of two bitterly FEUDING FAMILIES can’t stay away from each other?
The Rhodales and the Whitfields have been sworn enemies for close on a hundred years, with a whole slew of adulterous affairs, financial backstabbing, and blackmailing that’s escalated the rivalry to its current state of tense ceasefire.
IT’S TIME TO LIGHT THE FUSE . . .
And now a meth lab explosion in rural Whitfield County is set to reignite the feud more viciously than ever before. Especially when the toxic fire that results throws together two unlikely spectators—proper good girl Victoria Whitfield, exiled from boarding school after her father’s real estate business melts down in disgrace, and town motorcycle rebel Mickey Rhodale, too late as always to thwart his older brothers’ dangerous drug deals.
Victoria and Mickey are about to find out the most passionate romances are the forbidden ones.
. . . ON A POWDER KEG FULL OF PENT-UP DESIRE, risk-taking daredevilry, and the desperate actions that erupt when a generation of teens inherits nothing but hate.
369 pages, Hardcover
First published April 8, 2014
25 people are currently reading
1660 people want to read
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December 25, 2014
Review also posted at Young Adult Hollywood.
If I looked back at the mediocre rating of this book. I honestly didn't expect I would consume it in one sitting down.
The Lonesome Young is the Young Adult modern retelling of Romeo & Juliet meets Justified.
The Rhodales and the Whitfields have been mortal enemies from the very beginning. And even though that has been the case for years, both of the families had managed to keep their ceasefire. Until one day, Victoria Whitfield arrived in the county, exiled from her boarding school. It seems like the fate is playing a very cruel game when the proper and rich girl Victoria met Mickey Rhodale, the guy from the troublesome family.
Soon sparks are flying and what make the best kind of romance are the forbidden ones and once again the family feud erupted, but this time it could be the start of a war.
I love books that are consistent:
The Lonesome Young grabbed my pique interest from the very start. The plot flows smoothly, it never faltered. Although I admit the first meeting of the protagonist and the hero made me cringe a little, but aside from that, the rest is almost perfection.
“That’s always been your problem, hasn’t it? You let the women wear the pants in your marriages.”
“And you let your mommy tell you what to do,”
Another thing I wholly love and appreciate in a book:
Unpretentious snark and sass. There is nothing more irritating than reading a book with a dry and phony “humour” . The Lonesome Young on the other hand is filled with unfiltered remarks and comebacks. I almost died laughing throughout the book and I love every single bit of it.
Dear Lucy Connors,
You did a lot of awesome in this book and one of that is the complex and extraordinary characterization of women.
I easily fall in love with a book that illustrates an interesting and fascinating woman.
In The Lonesome Young, we have a complex representation of women. There’s a fierce grandmother, an addict sister, a gentle and loving mom, an irresponsible mom, another immoral drug dealer mom, and a tough and capable heroine. YOU CAN’T NEVER GO WRONG WITH THIS LIST.
I will always treasure a book that doesn’t demean and devalue women, but instead recognize our worth and capabilities.
Even though it was said The Lonesome Young is the modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet. It is still different in some aspects. It certainly brought some new flavors and twists to the table.
The plot essentially centers the perplexing topic of loving your problematic family and the burden that came along with it. The characters struggled with the blurred juxtaposition of good and bad. I am sure a lot of readers could greatly empathize and relate to that and because of the profound family drama and the focal point of the familial angle of both clans. I think fans of the US, television series The Shameless and Breaking Bad would find The Lonesome Young immensely appealing.
There’s a drug subplot in the story. Don’t fear my loves because thankfully, the whole book didn’t revolve around it, not really.
There is plenty of romance. I love a fantastic story about love and I am not ashamed to admit it. Victoria and Mickey are so cute, I love their banter and they are always on fire. It’s also great to see that they have a healthy relationship and that have love and respect as its foundation. I had so much fun reading their story.
Though this book is not necessarily explicit, I'm surprised Penguin Teen did not publish it as New Adult because it could definitely pass as one.
The Lonesome Young is sexy and gritty; the classical Young Adult Contemporary novel that explores the obstacles in making a forbidden relationship work.
If I looked back at the mediocre rating of this book. I honestly didn't expect I would consume it in one sitting down.
The Lonesome Young is the Young Adult modern retelling of Romeo & Juliet meets Justified.
The Rhodales and the Whitfields have been mortal enemies from the very beginning. And even though that has been the case for years, both of the families had managed to keep their ceasefire. Until one day, Victoria Whitfield arrived in the county, exiled from her boarding school. It seems like the fate is playing a very cruel game when the proper and rich girl Victoria met Mickey Rhodale, the guy from the troublesome family.
Soon sparks are flying and what make the best kind of romance are the forbidden ones and once again the family feud erupted, but this time it could be the start of a war.
I love books that are consistent:
The Lonesome Young grabbed my pique interest from the very start. The plot flows smoothly, it never faltered. Although I admit the first meeting of the protagonist and the hero made me cringe a little, but aside from that, the rest is almost perfection.
“That’s always been your problem, hasn’t it? You let the women wear the pants in your marriages.”
“And you let your mommy tell you what to do,”
Another thing I wholly love and appreciate in a book:
Unpretentious snark and sass. There is nothing more irritating than reading a book with a dry and phony “humour” . The Lonesome Young on the other hand is filled with unfiltered remarks and comebacks. I almost died laughing throughout the book and I love every single bit of it.
Dear Lucy Connors,
You did a lot of awesome in this book and one of that is the complex and extraordinary characterization of women.
I easily fall in love with a book that illustrates an interesting and fascinating woman.
In The Lonesome Young, we have a complex representation of women. There’s a fierce grandmother, an addict sister, a gentle and loving mom, an irresponsible mom, another immoral drug dealer mom, and a tough and capable heroine. YOU CAN’T NEVER GO WRONG WITH THIS LIST.
I will always treasure a book that doesn’t demean and devalue women, but instead recognize our worth and capabilities.
Even though it was said The Lonesome Young is the modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet. It is still different in some aspects. It certainly brought some new flavors and twists to the table.
The plot essentially centers the perplexing topic of loving your problematic family and the burden that came along with it. The characters struggled with the blurred juxtaposition of good and bad. I am sure a lot of readers could greatly empathize and relate to that and because of the profound family drama and the focal point of the familial angle of both clans. I think fans of the US, television series The Shameless and Breaking Bad would find The Lonesome Young immensely appealing.
There’s a drug subplot in the story. Don’t fear my loves because thankfully, the whole book didn’t revolve around it, not really.
There is plenty of romance. I love a fantastic story about love and I am not ashamed to admit it. Victoria and Mickey are so cute, I love their banter and they are always on fire. It’s also great to see that they have a healthy relationship and that have love and respect as its foundation. I had so much fun reading their story.
Though this book is not necessarily explicit, I'm surprised Penguin Teen did not publish it as New Adult because it could definitely pass as one.
The Lonesome Young is sexy and gritty; the classical Young Adult Contemporary novel that explores the obstacles in making a forbidden relationship work.
not-yet-released
June 29, 2013The plot for this one sounds kind of ridiculous but I'm kinda sold? Hearing books (or their love stories) being compared to Romeo & Julia (that's not a compliment, in my opinion) makes me cringe but this one sounds like something that might be able to entertain me. (Hopefully not with its ridiculousness, though.)
Read
March 26, 2018I am a huge fan of horses. I've read all the Black Stallion books and have always dreamed of owning a horse ranch. This is probably the only YA book I've read with thoroughbreds. Love the bad boy on his motorcycle and the good girl on horseback. The drug running stuff scares me. I'd get as far away from that as I could. I'm really hoping these two make a run for it.
Want to read
July 12, 2013This book was recommended to me by Katie McGarry so clearly I knew I had to add it to my TBR pile. She raved about it and now I really can't wait to read this! It sounds great plus Katie's heavy support absolutely makes it a must read for me!
January 8, 2014
2.5 stars. Victoria Whitfield is just returning home when a meth lab explodes. Mickey Rhodale's older brother is just returning home as well... from jail. Both teens are pulled to the scene of the explosion, where they meet by chance. A relationship between good girl Victoria and bad boy Mickey should never work, but, for better or worse, the two are pulled towards one another. But there's more than just class and status against the Victoria and Mickey: their families have hated one another for decades and the feud is no where near dead. Will blood or love prevail in this story of starcrossed love?
Okay, I admit it, it was the cover that first drew me to THE LONESOME YOUNG. It shows bad boy Mickey with Victoria in his arms. I was itching for a good romance and Simone Elkeles blurb made me hopeful that Connors' YA debut would fulfill this craving. Unfortunately, the romance in THE LONESOME YOUNG was just too... predictable? contrived? boring? It just didn't make my heart speed up or leave me with a goofy smile on my face. In fact, I would have been much happier with this novel if there was less romance and more of a focus on the action and family drama.
In addition to a comparison to Romeo and Juliet, THE LONESOME YOUNG has been pitched at Justified for YA readers, which also pulled me in. And I definitely saw - and approved of - the similarities. There's drugs, guns, crazy drug-running families headed by scary women, corrupt cops... I loved this side of the novel! Which is why I was disappointed each time it was brushed over for more Victoria and Mickey and their agonizingly ridiculous should-we-or-shouldn't-we fights. I think it's fairly obvious that our starcrossed lovers are going to be together, no matter the consequences, so the back and forth got pretty frustrating (and pointless) after the second time.
Overall, not a horrible novel, but lacking the depth it could have had. There was so much potential here, but the romance squashed it! 2.5 stars.
Okay, I admit it, it was the cover that first drew me to THE LONESOME YOUNG. It shows bad boy Mickey with Victoria in his arms. I was itching for a good romance and Simone Elkeles blurb made me hopeful that Connors' YA debut would fulfill this craving. Unfortunately, the romance in THE LONESOME YOUNG was just too... predictable? contrived? boring? It just didn't make my heart speed up or leave me with a goofy smile on my face. In fact, I would have been much happier with this novel if there was less romance and more of a focus on the action and family drama.
In addition to a comparison to Romeo and Juliet, THE LONESOME YOUNG has been pitched at Justified for YA readers, which also pulled me in. And I definitely saw - and approved of - the similarities. There's drugs, guns, crazy drug-running families headed by scary women, corrupt cops... I loved this side of the novel! Which is why I was disappointed each time it was brushed over for more Victoria and Mickey and their agonizingly ridiculous should-we-or-shouldn't-we fights. I think it's fairly obvious that our starcrossed lovers are going to be together, no matter the consequences, so the back and forth got pretty frustrating (and pointless) after the second time.
Overall, not a horrible novel, but lacking the depth it could have had. There was so much potential here, but the romance squashed it! 2.5 stars.
Read
April 5, 2015J'ai finalement décidé d'arrêter de le lire à la 100e page. Ce n'est juste pas possible. D'un côté, j'aurais aimé savoir comment le livre allait évoluer mais bon 100 pages et rien ne se passe à part des répétitions incessantes de "lui c'est un délinquant, sa famille aussi, blablabla" et "Princesse par-ci, ne t'approche pas d'elle par-là"
Je n'ai pas envie d'y passer 10 jours donc next !
Je n'ai pas envie d'y passer 10 jours donc next !
August 14, 2016
Victoria Whitfield moves back home to her family's Kentucky ranch after her father's business takes a turn for the worse and he can no longer afford her expensive boarding school. The Whitfields are the richest family in town (the county is named after them!) and everyone knows them. Victoria now has to go to the public school, but she makes the best of it, especially since she gets to see her little brother everyday now. On her first day back in town, she finds herself at the scene of a meth lab fire and runs into Mickey Rhodale, resident bad boy and son of the sheriff. Mickey isn't like the usual boys that Victoria comes across. He's a bad boy, rides a motorcycle and it's a well-known fact that the Rhodale family is usually up to no good. You see, the Whitfield vs. Rhodale rivalry has been going on for a hundred years and the feud is still alive and well today. Mickey and Victoria don't know the details of their family's history with one another and despite warnings from family members, they form an unlikely connection. The Lonesome Young by Lucy Connors is the quintessential bad-boy meets good-girl story along with a side of of Romeo and Juliet thrown in.
Read my full review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
Read my full review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
October 13, 2013
Another forbidden love. Another dual narrative. Another misunderstood rich girl. Another misunderstood bad boy.
There was just nothing original about this book.
That being said, it wasn't necessarily BAD either, so it's a solid 3 for me. I'm really glad it didn't mirror ROMEO & JULIET exactly: there was no Queen-Mab-type speech, and the (minor spoiler) . THE LONESOME YOUNG is perfect for an older teen that wants an angsty romance, but doesn't want the more explicit love scenes in New Adult books.
Also, I am IN LOVE with this cover!
There was just nothing original about this book.
That being said, it wasn't necessarily BAD either, so it's a solid 3 for me. I'm really glad it didn't mirror ROMEO & JULIET exactly: there was no Queen-Mab-type speech, and the (minor spoiler) . THE LONESOME YOUNG is perfect for an older teen that wants an angsty romance, but doesn't want the more explicit love scenes in New Adult books.
Also, I am IN LOVE with this cover!
September 8, 2013
Sometimes a girl just needs a sappy romance book to read, and this one delivers. The characters are all pretty stereotypical ones from this genre, but that just adds to the pleasure of curling up on a weekend and settling in for a fun ride. This one lives up to the Harlequin-esque cover, and is one I'd definitely rec to romance lovers. It would also make a great beach read.
August 18, 2017
Check out my review here: https://thepaigeturnerblog.wordpress....
July 27, 2015
2-1/2 stars.
A modified version of this book is also posted on Swoony Boys Podcast.
I didn't realize that this wasn't a standalone when I picked it up, and I definitely wish I had waited to read it. Actually, I'm not even sure if I'm glad I read it at all.
Seventeen year old Victoria Whitfield has been plucked out of her posh boarding school life and is on her way to her family's estate when she lays eyes on bad boy Mickey Rhodale for the first time.
They run into each other a few times and sparks fly. The trouble is that their families are embroiled in a bitter battle, and they're not allowed to even look at each other, much less fall in love. So, we have the comparison to Romeo and Juliet, and I guess I can see it--she's rich and a good girl and he's from the total wrong side of the tracks. Small town politics plays a huge roll here and it seems that everyone is on one side or the other. But that's pretty much where the similarity ends, and I wouldn't categorize every story with a forbidden love aspect as Romeo and Juliet-esque, even if their families are fighting. But maybe that's just me.
The Justified angle is definitely there with guns and drugs and drama. Mickey's half-brother, Ethan, has just gotten out of jail and has big plans that he can't afford to allow anyone to thwart. There's also the issue of Victoria's father trying to rule all the land around him, as well as all of the other adults in this story acting batshit crazy. At the heart of it all, Mickey and Victoria can't stay away from each other.
They go back and forth--a lot--and realize they can't not be together.
There's a lot of crazy drama and back and forth and then...the book ends and we get to wait for the next one.
I liked Mickey and felt bad so bad for him. His parents are pretty awesome, but he's definitely in a town that no matter how great he is, he'll never be good enough to be better than his family name. When he meets Victoria, he just has to go for it.
He's a good guy with a bad boy persona. He rides a motorcycle and he writes poetry.
I love that he calls her "Princess" and makes their first date so sweet. He says he's "allergic to ruffles" and he's loyal to his family and wants to be protective of everyone he loves. He's fairly awesome and sometimes swoony:
Victoria is sassy, and I liked that about her. She's okay through most of the book, but then at the end she does something--or rather, reacts a certain way that makes me hate her. She's so ridiculous, I seriously wanted Mickey to just be done with her.
The idea for this story is pretty good, but I feel like it got caught up in all the drama. I wonder if this was originally pitched as one book and stretched out into a series. There is so much back and forth, so much drama, so much "let's figure out a way to be together." It's too much! This would actually make a great TV show because it is so drawn out.
Also, most of the other characters in this story are a total joke. Victoria's parents are worse than ridiculous. The character who I think Connors wanted to come off as borderline crazy was actually the most interesting to me: Ethan. He's loyal and protective and caught between a rock and a hard place for sure.
With crazy drama and a couple who seems to be all talk, The Lonesome Young wasn't the action packed loved story that I expected. Unless the next book is featuring Ethan, I'm not sure if I'll stick around for the sequel.
A modified version of this book is also posted on Swoony Boys Podcast.
I didn't realize that this wasn't a standalone when I picked it up, and I definitely wish I had waited to read it. Actually, I'm not even sure if I'm glad I read it at all.
Seventeen year old Victoria Whitfield has been plucked out of her posh boarding school life and is on her way to her family's estate when she lays eyes on bad boy Mickey Rhodale for the first time.
He was gorgeous: tall, dark, and definitely dangerous. The gleam in his bright blue eyes told me he wasn't used to anybody defying him, and his sculpted cheekbones and long, lean body told me that most girls wouldn't even want to try.
They run into each other a few times and sparks fly. The trouble is that their families are embroiled in a bitter battle, and they're not allowed to even look at each other, much less fall in love. So, we have the comparison to Romeo and Juliet, and I guess I can see it--she's rich and a good girl and he's from the total wrong side of the tracks. Small town politics plays a huge roll here and it seems that everyone is on one side or the other. But that's pretty much where the similarity ends, and I wouldn't categorize every story with a forbidden love aspect as Romeo and Juliet-esque, even if their families are fighting. But maybe that's just me.
The Justified angle is definitely there with guns and drugs and drama. Mickey's half-brother, Ethan, has just gotten out of jail and has big plans that he can't afford to allow anyone to thwart. There's also the issue of Victoria's father trying to rule all the land around him, as well as all of the other adults in this story acting batshit crazy. At the heart of it all, Mickey and Victoria can't stay away from each other.
"The best thing for both of us would be if we forgot we'd ever met, wouldn't it?"
They go back and forth--a lot--and realize they can't not be together.
"I can't make that decision for you, Victoria. I can't tell you what to do, and I wouldn't even try. But I can tell you that the only thing in the world that makes sense to me right now is you and me."
There's a lot of crazy drama and back and forth and then...the book ends and we get to wait for the next one.
I liked Mickey and felt bad so bad for him. His parents are pretty awesome, but he's definitely in a town that no matter how great he is, he'll never be good enough to be better than his family name. When he meets Victoria, he just has to go for it.
"I don't know how to be myself around you," I muttered. The lame-ass confession made me wince even as I said it. "You don't make sense. I barely know you, but I want to know everything about you. You're smart and gorgeous, and you make my skin too tight."
He's a good guy with a bad boy persona. He rides a motorcycle and he writes poetry.
"The face of an angel, the soul of a poet, and the fists of a fighter. I don't know how to understand you, Mickey."
I love that he calls her "Princess" and makes their first date so sweet. He says he's "allergic to ruffles" and he's loyal to his family and wants to be protective of everyone he loves. He's fairly awesome and sometimes swoony:
"You knew I wasn't a virgin, Princess. I can't rewrite history just because I finally found you."
Victoria is sassy, and I liked that about her. She's okay through most of the book, but then at the end she does something--or rather, reacts a certain way that makes me hate her. She's so ridiculous, I seriously wanted Mickey to just be done with her.
The idea for this story is pretty good, but I feel like it got caught up in all the drama. I wonder if this was originally pitched as one book and stretched out into a series. There is so much back and forth, so much drama, so much "let's figure out a way to be together." It's too much! This would actually make a great TV show because it is so drawn out.
Also, most of the other characters in this story are a total joke. Victoria's parents are worse than ridiculous. The character who I think Connors wanted to come off as borderline crazy was actually the most interesting to me: Ethan. He's loyal and protective and caught between a rock and a hard place for sure.
With crazy drama and a couple who seems to be all talk, The Lonesome Young wasn't the action packed loved story that I expected. Unless the next book is featuring Ethan, I'm not sure if I'll stick around for the sequel.
August 10, 2024
I thought it was really good in a love kind a way but I think that their shouldn't be another book. I think that it could have been all in one book a day the author could have wrapped it up nicely.
September 10, 2013
The first quarter started off a bit slow, but once Mickey and Victoria got together, the feud was laid out, the drugs, the family issues; everything was a bunch of chaotic pieces that came together in the very end. This book was so up and down and the reader never got a chance to recover. Sometimes that annoys me a bit, but in this book it just kept pushing me further and helped progress the story. This is truly a modern-day Romeo and Juliet in the least-cliché sense of the comparison. A family feud in a rarely talked about landscape and setting; and characters that were so utterly flawed and Mickey as our hero that gets locked into all types of bad situations.
Also, the potential for Ethan to become an anti-hero is interesting, and is the only thing I felt came out of left field, but I am extremely curious to see where that goes. Instead of the main characters having a drug problem and a tale of romance leading to recovery, it was an entire business that just kept festering and growing, devouring everyone’s lives in its path. A feud based all the way back to land grants and early pioneer wars all the way up to adultery, a woman scorned, and everyone straddling the fine line of the law made for an emotional cocktail laced with a greatly written YA-romance. You wanted to hit, kick, hug, kiss, and stomp on all of these characters on every page. People surprised you, people let you down. I really enjoyed it and I hope this does big things.
All I want is MORE. And I want to know what happens next. This is so different, and really pushes the boundaries of a YA contemporary romance. You don’t know if you are back in the Wild West or in Shakespearean Italy, but all the while reminding us we are in the heartland of America where hard work and family values all come at a price.
Also, the potential for Ethan to become an anti-hero is interesting, and is the only thing I felt came out of left field, but I am extremely curious to see where that goes. Instead of the main characters having a drug problem and a tale of romance leading to recovery, it was an entire business that just kept festering and growing, devouring everyone’s lives in its path. A feud based all the way back to land grants and early pioneer wars all the way up to adultery, a woman scorned, and everyone straddling the fine line of the law made for an emotional cocktail laced with a greatly written YA-romance. You wanted to hit, kick, hug, kiss, and stomp on all of these characters on every page. People surprised you, people let you down. I really enjoyed it and I hope this does big things.
All I want is MORE. And I want to know what happens next. This is so different, and really pushes the boundaries of a YA contemporary romance. You don’t know if you are back in the Wild West or in Shakespearean Italy, but all the while reminding us we are in the heartland of America where hard work and family values all come at a price.
June 6, 2023
Le résumé promettait une histoire digne de Roméo et Juliette mais avec les préoccupations de notre temps. Je n'ais pas du tout accroché à ce livre et ce pour plusieurs raisons.
Alors oui, l'histoire est bien une histoire d'amour, les familles des deux amoureux se détestent cordialement comme pour Roméo et Juliette ... mais la comparaison s'arrête la.
J'ai trouvé certes que les personnages principaux étaient un peu attachant mais bien trop caricaturés (tout comme les personnages secondaires) !
De plus l'alternance de POV qui d'habitude fait progresser l'histoire ne sert ici qu'a répéter les scènes du point de vue de l'autre sans rien apporter...
La rancune entre les deux familles n'a pas été clairement expliqué, on manque d'infos; Est-ce parce qu'il y a un deuxième tome et que l'auteur réserve quelques surprises pour le second tome ? ou tout simplement parce que l'histoire n'est pas maîtrisé ? A voir...
Un dernier point m'a beaucoup chiffonnée : le vouvoiement entre Victoria et Mickey ! Non mais vous en connaissez vous des jeunes de 16-17 ans qui vont se vouvoyer et ce pendant plus de 80 pages ?! Je ne sais pas si c'est un problème de traduction ou une volonté réelle de l'auteur de marquer encore plus les différences sociales mais c'est juste NUL.
En bref, (vous l'aurez compris), je ne recommande PAS DU TOUT ce livre mais je peux comprendre que malgré ces défauts ce livre puisse plaire à certains !
Alors oui, l'histoire est bien une histoire d'amour, les familles des deux amoureux se détestent cordialement comme pour Roméo et Juliette ... mais la comparaison s'arrête la.
J'ai trouvé certes que les personnages principaux étaient un peu attachant mais bien trop caricaturés (tout comme les personnages secondaires) !
De plus l'alternance de POV qui d'habitude fait progresser l'histoire ne sert ici qu'a répéter les scènes du point de vue de l'autre sans rien apporter...
La rancune entre les deux familles n'a pas été clairement expliqué, on manque d'infos; Est-ce parce qu'il y a un deuxième tome et que l'auteur réserve quelques surprises pour le second tome ? ou tout simplement parce que l'histoire n'est pas maîtrisé ? A voir...
Un dernier point m'a beaucoup chiffonnée : le vouvoiement entre Victoria et Mickey ! Non mais vous en connaissez vous des jeunes de 16-17 ans qui vont se vouvoyer et ce pendant plus de 80 pages ?! Je ne sais pas si c'est un problème de traduction ou une volonté réelle de l'auteur de marquer encore plus les différences sociales mais c'est juste NUL.
En bref, (vous l'aurez compris), je ne recommande PAS DU TOUT ce livre mais je peux comprendre que malgré ces défauts ce livre puisse plaire à certains !
March 6, 2014
I can't wait to see what's next to come with Mickey & Victoria! That can't just be the end of them! This book was everything I thought it would be! I adore the different point of views from each character and the way the chapters aren't too long either; enough to get the right amount of emotion and even urgency at certain points for climatic results.
I don't know where a second book would take us but I'll definitely be on board when it arrives!!
FULL REVIEW TO COME.
I don't know where a second book would take us but I'll definitely be on board when it arrives!!
FULL REVIEW TO COME.
November 20, 2015
The Lonesome Young by Lucy Connors
A young adult novel where two teens are on opposing sides in a violent multi-generational family feud. Fortunately it doesn't end with them killing themselves!
Victoria Whitfield and Mickey Rhodale are strong characters and by far, the strongest emotionally in their own families as well. Complex writing includes a depth of self destruction by many of the secondary characters.
I really liked this romance drama but it seemed to end a bit abruptly.
A young adult novel where two teens are on opposing sides in a violent multi-generational family feud. Fortunately it doesn't end with them killing themselves!
Victoria Whitfield and Mickey Rhodale are strong characters and by far, the strongest emotionally in their own families as well. Complex writing includes a depth of self destruction by many of the secondary characters.
I really liked this romance drama but it seemed to end a bit abruptly.
October 25, 2013
I was really excited at the idea of this, but it just didn't play out the way I was expecting. Loved the duel narrative and the [very few] times that Mickey and Victoria were able to be normal teenagers, but that's about it.
Too dramatic, too much of the "I love you, I hate you" push and pull and a very abrupt ending all made for an unsatisfying read.
Too dramatic, too much of the "I love you, I hate you" push and pull and a very abrupt ending all made for an unsatisfying read.
October 15, 2013
It was cute but there were a lot of unanswered questions at the end, almost didn't seem finished so I hope it is only the first book of what could be a series, because it stopped at a weird place in the story.
October 26, 2016
4 stars! Maaaaybe 3.5, but 4 since I read it pretty much in one sitting.
Review soon. I really didn't feel emotionally invested in the characters (which is kind of a big deal to be missing...) but the plot just kept rolling, so it was action filled an entertaining.
review soon.
Review soon. I really didn't feel emotionally invested in the characters (which is kind of a big deal to be missing...) but the plot just kept rolling, so it was action filled an entertaining.
review soon.
February 15, 2015
Decent first half, boring second half. But I am glad we got a happy ending.
May 6, 2019
2.5 Stars
I wish someone had told me so...TRIGGER WARNING for animal abuse.
I really thought I was going to love this book. I love the family feud with 2 of them falling in love aspect but this was just not for me. I enjoyed the first half of the book a lot. I love Victoria and Mickey's characters and their relationship. I understand why they would have a hard time with hearing that they shouldn't be together but there were way to many times where they would stop talking because of it. I also wish there hadn't been such a big plotline for drugs. I feel like everything else was kind of overshadowed by Ethan and his mom's crime ring.
There were also time that I was pulled out of the story because of the way sentences were worded.
SPOILERS (kind of?)
This was supposed to be a series but it doesn't seem like anything else is being written. It really annoyed me that there were a few times that despite Victoria never talking to Ethan and Ethan only saying a few words to Victoria we were supposed to believe that there was something between them (obviously setting up a love triangle). We were supposed to believe that Ethan had feelings for her?!
I wish someone had told me so...TRIGGER WARNING for animal abuse.
I really thought I was going to love this book. I love the family feud with 2 of them falling in love aspect but this was just not for me. I enjoyed the first half of the book a lot. I love Victoria and Mickey's characters and their relationship. I understand why they would have a hard time with hearing that they shouldn't be together but there were way to many times where they would stop talking because of it. I also wish there hadn't been such a big plotline for drugs. I feel like everything else was kind of overshadowed by Ethan and his mom's crime ring.
There were also time that I was pulled out of the story because of the way sentences were worded.
SPOILERS (kind of?)
This was supposed to be a series but it doesn't seem like anything else is being written. It really annoyed me that there were a few times that despite Victoria never talking to Ethan and Ethan only saying a few words to Victoria we were supposed to believe that there was something between them (obviously setting up a love triangle). We were supposed to believe that Ethan had feelings for her?!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2024
I'm gonna be real honest here..
after about 160 pages it gets old...really old...
😭😭 I mean I did enjoy the first 160 pages and I was so hyped but the plot was so repetitive
this was how it went:
and that essentially repeated over and over.
so much so that the whole plot is so tiring at that point that your so tired of these arrogant characters (and also this stupid feud) that overall the whole romeo and juliet thing feels so...overdone? like omg learn how to makeup? aren't we all adults in this situation 😭 your what 35? and your mad at what a 18 year old is doing... like girl please
anyways rant over !! it was an okay book for what it was and I wasn't expecting much as this was what I added to my wishlist years ago 😭
after about 160 pages it gets old...really old...
😭😭 I mean I did enjoy the first 160 pages and I was so hyped but the plot was so repetitive
this was how it went:
and that essentially repeated over and over.
so much so that the whole plot is so tiring at that point that your so tired of these arrogant characters (and also this stupid feud) that overall the whole romeo and juliet thing feels so...overdone? like omg learn how to makeup? aren't we all adults in this situation 😭 your what 35? and your mad at what a 18 year old is doing... like girl please
anyways rant over !! it was an okay book for what it was and I wasn't expecting much as this was what I added to my wishlist years ago 😭
January 6, 2016
I find myself growing increasingly frustrated with instalove and other clichés in YA romance. It never used to be more than a mild annoyance to me, but lately I seem to be reaching the edge of my tolerance. There are only so many times I can read about someone feeling an immediate, unexplainable connection with some impossibly sexy stranger before I lose my cool.
Unfortunately for The Lonesome Young, it was the book that finally sent me over the edge. It’s got a lot of redeeming qualities, but I’ve been so inundated with YA tropes that I’ve reached my saturation point and couldn’t get past The Lonesome Young’s flaws.
Basic summary of this book? There are two families, the Rhodales and Whitfields, who’ve been at war for ages. They’ve got all kinds of beef with one another – romantically, financially, and otherwise. The feud, which has been at a tentative stand-off for a few years, is suddenly reignited when a new generation of Whitfields moves to town and shakes things up.
In this story there is Victoria Whitfield, the poor little rich girl who nobody understands. Then there’s Mickey Rhodale, the swaggering boy with a bad rep and secret heart of gold. Naturally, Mickey is dark and ripped and gorgeous. Naturally, Victoria is blond and curvy and gorgeous. Naturally, they immediately fall head over heels in love. Naturally, I wanted to hurl the book out the window.
Come on, guys. I understand instant attraction, but hitting it off with someone doesn’t mean you have to go straight to being fated lovers.
Another trope I’m beginning to loathe is the whole “sweet but spunky girl saves the damaged, undeserving guy with her angelic goodness.” Why are there so many tortured-soul boys in YA? And why can their demons only be exorcised by the power of a perky blond girl’s love?
I’ve seen all of this before. It’s like Connors took a bunch of YA clichés and made an effort to check each one off the list. Guy calling the girl “princess”? Check. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear? Check. Connors even went so far as to do the cheesy “admire the stars and say how beautiful they are while actually talking about the girl” bit. I’m not kidding. Here it is:
The Lonesome Young is super melodramatic, too. In a way, some drama is justified – the mess the Rhodales and Whitfields get mired in over the course of the book is serious, life-or-death trouble. The stakes are high, and there’s no easy way out. This would actually be a strength of the book if Connors didn’t overdo it with hysterics. The events of the book speak for themselves; the characters don’t need to hammer the points home by wailing things like “This might explode into an inferno that could burn down the entire county.”
It’s possible I’m being overly critical. Despite my raging, The Lonesome Young isn’t completely terrible. As I mentioned previously, there are several aspects I liked about this book. If it weren’t for the fact that I’ve been up to my eyeballs in instalove recently, I probably wouldn’t have been nearly so harsh in this review.
One noteworthy plus of The Lonesome Young is the complexity Connors weaves into the Whitfield and Rhodale families’ dynamics. Mickey and his half-brother Ethan share a complicated relationship, one that I was actually invested in. Mickey’s negative, dangerous experiences with Ethan in the present are countered by their more pleasant childhood memories. Like Mickey, you’re forced to wonder how the boy who used to play Three Musketeers and protect Mickey from harm came to be the person Ethan is during the events of the book.
Victoria’s family is believably flawed as well. There are moments when they’re vulnerable and human, and there are moments when they’re unreasonable and completely self-centered. They’re your classic terrible relatives without being caricatures.
Another thing I liked in The Lonesome Young is that Mickey’s not truly a bad boy. He does have some violence issues to work out, but for the most part his bad-boy reputation is an unfair one, caused by his association with his drug-dealing brothers. Mickey works hard, is honest with his parents, and stands his ground against his brothers’ negative influence. He tries to toe the line, and when he does get sucked into trouble it’s usually because his family gives him no choice in the matter. It was a relief not to have him be the typical tough guy with an attitude.
Because of these positives, I grugdingly awarded The Lonesome Young two whole stars. This is pretty generous, considering I was practically foaming at the mouth in rage for much of the book.
This review can also be found on my blog, Angela's Library.
Unfortunately for The Lonesome Young, it was the book that finally sent me over the edge. It’s got a lot of redeeming qualities, but I’ve been so inundated with YA tropes that I’ve reached my saturation point and couldn’t get past The Lonesome Young’s flaws.
Basic summary of this book? There are two families, the Rhodales and Whitfields, who’ve been at war for ages. They’ve got all kinds of beef with one another – romantically, financially, and otherwise. The feud, which has been at a tentative stand-off for a few years, is suddenly reignited when a new generation of Whitfields moves to town and shakes things up.
In this story there is Victoria Whitfield, the poor little rich girl who nobody understands. Then there’s Mickey Rhodale, the swaggering boy with a bad rep and secret heart of gold. Naturally, Mickey is dark and ripped and gorgeous. Naturally, Victoria is blond and curvy and gorgeous. Naturally, they immediately fall head over heels in love. Naturally, I wanted to hurl the book out the window.
“The powerful feeling of instant connection between us ran too deep to be pleasant, or even casual.”
Come on, guys. I understand instant attraction, but hitting it off with someone doesn’t mean you have to go straight to being fated lovers.
Another trope I’m beginning to loathe is the whole “sweet but spunky girl saves the damaged, undeserving guy with her angelic goodness.” Why are there so many tortured-soul boys in YA? And why can their demons only be exorcised by the power of a perky blond girl’s love?
“But where I was mad at the world, she was compassionate as she confronted the demons of a guy she’d been told to avoid and even fear.”
I’ve seen all of this before. It’s like Connors took a bunch of YA clichés and made an effort to check each one off the list. Guy calling the girl “princess”? Check. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear? Check. Connors even went so far as to do the cheesy “admire the stars and say how beautiful they are while actually talking about the girl” bit. I’m not kidding. Here it is:
“‘Oh my gosh, that’s beautiful,’ I whispered.
‘Yeah. Beautiful.’ Mickey’s voice was husky and I turned my head and saw that he wasn’t looking at the scenery at all.
He was looking at me.”
The Lonesome Young is super melodramatic, too. In a way, some drama is justified – the mess the Rhodales and Whitfields get mired in over the course of the book is serious, life-or-death trouble. The stakes are high, and there’s no easy way out. This would actually be a strength of the book if Connors didn’t overdo it with hysterics. The events of the book speak for themselves; the characters don’t need to hammer the points home by wailing things like “This might explode into an inferno that could burn down the entire county.”
“Mickey Rhodale, for all of his dangerous, bad-boy exterior, had a hint of damaged vulnerability about him that I was pretty sure he didn’t let anybody else see, and he’s shown it to me. / Something inside me, in a very small voice, was saying, “Yes, of course. Finally. Here you are.” / And it scared me to death. But I had to face it head-on.”
It’s possible I’m being overly critical. Despite my raging, The Lonesome Young isn’t completely terrible. As I mentioned previously, there are several aspects I liked about this book. If it weren’t for the fact that I’ve been up to my eyeballs in instalove recently, I probably wouldn’t have been nearly so harsh in this review.
One noteworthy plus of The Lonesome Young is the complexity Connors weaves into the Whitfield and Rhodale families’ dynamics. Mickey and his half-brother Ethan share a complicated relationship, one that I was actually invested in. Mickey’s negative, dangerous experiences with Ethan in the present are countered by their more pleasant childhood memories. Like Mickey, you’re forced to wonder how the boy who used to play Three Musketeers and protect Mickey from harm came to be the person Ethan is during the events of the book.
Victoria’s family is believably flawed as well. There are moments when they’re vulnerable and human, and there are moments when they’re unreasonable and completely self-centered. They’re your classic terrible relatives without being caricatures.
Another thing I liked in The Lonesome Young is that Mickey’s not truly a bad boy. He does have some violence issues to work out, but for the most part his bad-boy reputation is an unfair one, caused by his association with his drug-dealing brothers. Mickey works hard, is honest with his parents, and stands his ground against his brothers’ negative influence. He tries to toe the line, and when he does get sucked into trouble it’s usually because his family gives him no choice in the matter. It was a relief not to have him be the typical tough guy with an attitude.
Because of these positives, I grugdingly awarded The Lonesome Young two whole stars. This is pretty generous, considering I was practically foaming at the mouth in rage for much of the book.
This review can also be found on my blog, Angela's Library.
February 24, 2018
This is a true Romeo and Juliet retelling - and probably more accurate than not when it comes to real life. It's set in rural Kentucky and the language is spot on. It was believable and even a little sad.
The ending might seem abrupt, but I think it was a good place to stop with the story. It's a great last line that both sets things up for another book and gives us a great conclusion to this one. I liked it.
If this ever gets published on audio, I hope they get someone who is naturally southern and can do the Kentucky accent, because otherwise it will lose it's authenticity and appeal.
The ending might seem abrupt, but I think it was a good place to stop with the story. It's a great last line that both sets things up for another book and gives us a great conclusion to this one. I liked it.
If this ever gets published on audio, I hope they get someone who is naturally southern and can do the Kentucky accent, because otherwise it will lose it's authenticity and appeal.
August 17, 2017
The Lonesome Young by Lucy Connors is a fantastic retelling of Romeo and Juliet. The book involves with romance, complications, drama, family, sisterhood, and other amazing things. At first the title didn't't make sense to me since it was a retelling of a classic story. But reading throughout it will make a lot more sense. The story is set in todays time in Kentucky. There are two families the Whitfields and the Rhodales. Basically their love is forbidden due to drama between the families in the past. Overall, I gave this book a 4/5.
April 11, 2020
The Lonesome Young is a story of two young lovers caught in a family feud passed down by generations. They try to find a way to end what's been destroying their families for decades.
With a cast of supporting characters, Lucy Connors writes what would make an excellent television show. It's Yellowstone meets Sons of Anarchy and the drama is devine.
A great young adult novel that had me wanting more. More Rhodales. More Whitfields. More teen determination to end a war without shedding more blood and forging ahead as a unit to ensure the next generations would be free of the past.
With a cast of supporting characters, Lucy Connors writes what would make an excellent television show. It's Yellowstone meets Sons of Anarchy and the drama is devine.
A great young adult novel that had me wanting more. More Rhodales. More Whitfields. More teen determination to end a war without shedding more blood and forging ahead as a unit to ensure the next generations would be free of the past.
March 30, 2022
THIS WAS SOOO GOOD! ❤️ the only reason it isn't getting 5 stars is bc the author didn't write the sequel, even tho it's set up for one. This is SO RIDICULOUS and I'm so angry. Did it not do good, is that why she didn't write a sequel? Bc I loved it and was looking forward to the next one..but no 😥
I really loved mickey and Victoria's relationship/chemistry/dynamic. Just so crazy to me that there isn't a sequel
I really loved mickey and Victoria's relationship/chemistry/dynamic. Just so crazy to me that there isn't a sequel
June 24, 2017
So this book had a lot of teen angst stupid back and forth love you hate you scenarios and incredibly stupid violent feuds. It had me enough that I wanted to see how it ended ... guess what?! No ending 😒 it's basically got a "to be continued" at the end. Could not be more frustrated about this book. Thankfully I got it for $2 so 🤷🏻♀️eh can't complain about getting it to read.
July 4, 2017
This book was a quick easy read. I enjoyed the Romeo and Juliet theme, although it was not the best adaptation of the play that I have read before.
The ending was a little abrupt (although I read this online, so the full book may not have been displayed). I would have liked to know what happened a little more in the future, such as college.
Overall a good contemporary novel that I enjoyed!
The ending was a little abrupt (although I read this online, so the full book may not have been displayed). I would have liked to know what happened a little more in the future, such as college.
Overall a good contemporary novel that I enjoyed!
December 31, 2018
I for one wasn’t a huge fan of the ending but it wasn’t terrible. The complex and real characters make up for it completely. At some points I hated the characters and at others I absolutely adored them but I was consistently drawn into the story! This book played with my emotions as I read on and I loved every second of it.
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