Diese Nacht ist nur der Anfang

by Christina Meredith

Leah führt ein Leben, für das die meisten anderen Mädchen alles tun würden – sie ist beliebt, hat tolle Noten und ist mit dem reichen, gut aussehenden Sportstar der Schule zusammen. Kurz, sie führt das perfekte Leben. Also warum hat sie das Gefühl keine Luft zu bekommen? Und warum kann sie nicht aufhören an Porter zu denken? Der so umwerfend grüne Augen hat. Der nicht ihr Freund ist, den ihre Mutter niemals akzeptieren würde, den ihre perfekten älteren Schwestern nicht einmal anschauen würden. Und der ihr Herz zum Rasen bringt, wie kein Junge zuvor …

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, High School, Teen, Chick Lit

352 pages, Paperback

First published December 27, 2011

Reviews

[Katrina Passick Lumsden · Rating 1 out of 5]

How many times have we seen this story?

Leah is perfect; perfect body, perfect grades, perfect parents, perfect sisters, perfect friends, perfect boyfriend, perfect activities, perfect life, blah, blah, blaahhhhh. Then comes the boy from the "wrong side of the tracks" who makes her open her eyes to her cardboard existence, the boy no one in her life will approve of, the boy she lurves. Sound familiar?

I think the most ridiculous part of this story is that the love interest, Jon Duffy, is only guilty of having a job and an obnoxious, womanizing, former alcoholic father. What wasteland of utter whiteness did Christina Meredith spawn from that she thinks a guy with a job would be an unsuitable prospect for the daughter of a guy who owns a construction company? This isn't The Tudors, for shit's sake...

Leah's mom actually refers to Duffy as "the hired help"....he's a car porter at their country club! And Leah's dad owns a construction company!

I'm not really sure how to properly express the level at which I am flabbergasted. I think it might be impossible to convey.

Anyway, this story just drags. And drags....and drags some more. We get a lot of bitchy, whiny inner monologue nonsense from Leah while she tries to cope with her utter whiteness. She both hates the life being handed to her and lazily enjoys the fact that she never has to make her own decisions. How many times did I want to bitch slap this girl? I lost count.

The mother is a control freak bitch, the sisters are just as spineless as Leah is, none of them truly support each other, and the father just seems to float in and out of the scenery like some kind of upper-middle class spectre. Not a poltergeist, though, because poltergeists are loud and the man wouldn't dare do anything to upset his tyrannical, coral-lipped, harpy shrew of a wife. The sisters would get a pass if they were just spineless, but they're not, they're also judgmental and stuck up. It's sick. What's even worse is that about halfway through the book, you realize Leah is a flat-out awful person. I can sort of look past the whole "doing what you're told" thing, even though it's never been my forte', but the way Leah speaks about an old friend, Valerie, is just disgusting. Her near-constant inner judgment of her former friend's wardrobe made me realize that, even if she ever did wake up from this country club nightmare, she would still be a horrible person. I think this passage might sum up a little just how horrible she is:

"It's one of those things you know in the back of your mind, but you don't want to believe, like there are bits of bug in every bite of your peanut butter, that Christopher Columbus could have cared less that the world was round, or that your mother was a little loose and had to get married." (Emphasis mine).

Let us, for the moment, overlook the terrible writing (just for the record, it's couldn't care less, not could...think about it), and focus instead on what Leah just said about her mother. This is a 17-year-old girl as of 2011, which means she would have been born around 1994. Her sisters, then, were born around 1989 and 1992. Why is getting pregnant out of wedlock treated like a 1950's catastrophe, hushed up and shameful? And what teenager in this day and age is shocked that their mom was "loose" and "had to get married"? Seriously? I mean, just....really?

Just as Leah's starting to come around, though, we see a glimmer that perhaps she's going to stop being such a stuck-up bitch....but it's not explored because that's when the book ends! She stands up to her mother once (and not very well), and breaks up with her perfect boyfriend, then sees Duffy on the first day of school and the two of them are going to ride off into the sunset together....

In short, this is the story of a spoiled, rich white girl dealing with her white, first-world problems. If you'd like to get smashed on some white whine, by all means, be my guest.

[Crystal · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh where to even start?? I really had high hopes for this one, I mean just look at that cover! Unfortunately the contents of the book does not live up to the awesomeness that is that cover.

Characters...well there really isn't much to say about any of them. Even Leah the main character is still a mystery to me except for the fact that she hates the life that is being handed to her on a silver platter. I understand wanting more out of your life but I mean come on she didn't have to study, she had a boyfriend who adored her, and she never had to want for anything. Show me a teenage girl who does not want what Leah has and I will give you every book I own. I am that confident that one does not exist. Again, I know she wanted more than what was expected of her but she had so many opportunites to achieve something amazing. All Leah manages to accomplish IMO is cheating on her boyfriend with a random guy. I never understood her relationship if you can call it that with Duffy. We don't get to see any of their heartfelt moments except for one and all we ever get to hear is how much they make out. It just wasn't enough for me to connect with either character. The other characters in the book are really just a blur of spoiled, smart, and irritating.
Story...I still don't understand what the whole story was about. Kiss-where I didn't see unless you call that romp in the grass a kiss...Crush-well I guess that was in there but it seemed more like Leah was mad that Duffy didn't jump at her beck and call...Collide-again where was this?? I wanted a heart stopping, all consuming love and what I got was a romp in the grass and stolen cars.

So for those who are looking for a great book about a spoiled rich girl falling for the guy on the wrong side of the tracks this is definitely not it. I really hate writing negative reviews so I am just going to leave with the cover is still pretty amazing.

[Kristi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was so very excited to read this book because it was compared to the likeness of Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles! But it wasn’t.

I had a hard time feeling anything toward the main character Leah. She is a girl that has everything that she could ever want and more. Sure her parents have expectations for her, I feel so bad that her parents loved her enough to want the best for her. In case that didn’t come across as sarcastic, it was meant to be. Leah’s parents weren’t perfect but I didn’t feel like that was enough to justify her actions. Her boyfriend, while he wasn’t perfect, didn’t deserve to be lied to and cheated on. Had Leah grew as a character and redemmed in herself by the end of the novel, I would have felt totally different about her, but she just didn’t have any character growth.

Her love interest Duffy, who is he? We didn’t really learn much about him. Their relationship had no substance.

The premise of the novel could have been a wonderful one, unfortunately the whole thing just fell flat for me.

[Jasprit · Rating 2 out of 5]

What first caught my attention about Kiss Crush Collide, was the edgy enigmatic blurb and the enticing cover. Once I started this book however I soon realised that this maybe the only real positive about it, as the story was a huge disappointment.

Leah is the youngest of the Johnson sisters, being the youngest can be a pain for Leah especially as she has two successful well established sisters already; Yorke and Freddie. Of course Leah is expected to follow in the footsteps of her sisters; become valedictorian (she has a tough task here as the school geek Valerie is definitely the one she has to beat), go prom with boyfriend Shane captain of the football team and become home coming queen. She can expect no less otherwise she’ll have to deal with the wrath of her mother.

But everything changes when Leah meets Porter/Duffy, it’s different when she’s around him, he sets her pulse racing and she gets a thrill sneaking out to see him. The dilemma Leah faces is she really wants to be with him, but each time she wants to meet him she has to do it on the sly, she can’t tell her sisters as they would go blabbing to their mother, who would totally disapprove. In her mother’s eyes Duffy is seen as “hired help”, so definitely not good enough for Leah. So what’s a girl like Leah to do? should she follow her heart and be with Duffy and end her relationship with Shane? Or should she follow the path that’s already being planned by her mother?

The main reason for giving this book two stars was because of the characters; they were hugely frustrating. Firstly Shane, I didn’t blame Leah in the slightest for wanting to be with Duffy instead of Shane. Shane was a complete jerk. I didn’t understand how her mum thought she should be with him, he was always checking out her sisters in front of her and only had one thing on his mind. This quote pretty much sums up everything he had going.

“And there’s nothing wrong with Shane. He’s nice
he’s fit. He’s super cute. He smells good. Occasionally
he’s funny. I’ve got it good. I get that”

So I’m glad Leah made the right choice and chose to be with Duffy, it was a decision which made her happy and showed her mother up in the process .Leah’s mum was a right old snobby control freak, always trying to keep her daughters in check, telling them what was and wasn’t acceptable for them. But the character who annoyed me the most was Yorke; she was flaky, obnoxious and self centred. Always looking her nose down at everyone, thinking she was perfect when she wasn’t, she made my blood boil every time she turned up (let me tell you she popped up so many times, by the end of this book, I wanted to throttle her)

I really wanted to enjoy this book; it was one of my highly anticipated books of the year. But I found the story dragged for most of the book; Leah was either sneaking off spending time with Duffy or pondering over what she should do. I think this could have been resolved a lot quicker. It was also full of really grating and shallow characters; the only intelligent character in the book was Valerie! I’m sorry to say this book wasn’t for me, hopefully others will enjoy it a lot more than I did.

This review can also be found on my blog; The Readers Den

[Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lesson learned from "Kiss Crush Collide" - vivid, telling descriptions do not make a cohesive story between two characters, especially if your two primary leads are about as interesting as watching paint dry. No, I wouldn't say they're that uninteresting, but I don't think they ever realized their full potential to make the work amount to more than what it offered. It didn't live up to the description of the book all that much.

The cover of this, in my opinion, is breathtakingly beautiful. I could write a review on the cover itself, actually. There's a level of intimacy between the guy and the girl here that has my mind dancing with possibilities. The colors, the lighting, the proximity of the two subjects, all blend together amazingly well. Somehow my eye falls on the design of the guy's tattoo, the wave pattern, which kind of fits the theme pretty well - this cresting of emotions in which they rise and fall. So to the person who designed this cover - you rock. I think that's one of the reasons why I was extra excited to pick this story up. The description (barring comparisons - I'll get to that in a bit) also seems something of a story that I would like. I like watching opposing characters attracted to each other and the point at which they finally realize that they're in love. Of course, I prefer a good love story to develop the characters as well as the relationship.

It gets trickier with the fact that there's a cheating scenario going on, but I figure as long as the story handles it realistically, I can roll with it to see how it turns out.

This one...was more on the insta-love connection side of things. And even then, you take one character that's not very likable and try to pair them with another character that's not very likable, both of them aren't exactly going to crush together in a good way for the reader unless there's some element that makes it ultra convincing. Even if I don't quite like one of the characters in the relationship, I can usually jump on the train a little more if one of them at least have some redeeming qualities. Sometimes it's the girl, sometimes it's the guy (though I've read a lot of books with dislikable boys as of late - somehow I hope that's a trend that changes if only because it feels like it's saturating the market a bit too much. But I digress.)

I can say from the experience of this book that neither Leah nor Porter are very likable when they're first introduced and it's hard to say whether or not they ever become remotely likable. For me, they never did.

Leah's a bit on the spoiled side of things - in one point of the book, she describes herself - paraphrased - as being the type of girl who gets everything she doesn't deserve and thus steals opportunities from people who deserve it. Okay. For the sake of the argument, I rolled with that. Her sister's getting married and is a little self absorbed too. They come from a seemingly well to do, perfect family. Leah already has a "perfect" boyfriend. She somewhat rambles a bit on her life and I'm thinking - it's not really hooking me, but I'm going to get through it.

Then in comes Porter at a country club. Sharp green eyes, tossled hair, crooked smile. I have a beef with crooked smiles by now - they're used too much in YA, though I know it's a common point of attraction.

Sparks fly. As Leah says, quote:

"I don’t need to drive off in a suspiciously borrowed car and end up making out with some random guy. It was a whole year before I even let Shane put his hand up my shirt. He tried many, many times, and I fought him off, protecting my turf against what I knew would be an inevitable march forward. It’s boobs first, then down the pants, undies off, and then, after that, everything is fair game.

I didn't really feel convinced of the reason given - there wasn't really any immediate emotional connection as to what attracted Leah to Porter - more lust than romance. She notes his appearance, but it feels static. The scene where they hooked up was vividly described, though, and there's a lot of references to Leah's boobs being big and getting in the way and it doesn't feel really all that humorous or evoke the sense of awkwardness that the author's going for. It's mostly just…weird.

Much of the book somewhat jumps to the surrounding action going on around Leah, but while this could potentially be interesting, I felt a bit lost in the sea. The details are described as passing matters, and you never really get a sense of connection to the events going on around Leah. Per example:

The last three days of school drip by. The parties, the yearbook signings, even the final class photos feel uneventful. I am listless, wilted, my pulse slow and slippery like water in a garden hose that’s been left in the sun.

There is no breeze or breathing room at home. And our kitchen table is the front line in a silent war, France versus the traditional wedding. A bunker of bridal magazines flanks the left side of the breakfast nook, A Guidebook to French Phrases and an unfolded map of the Paris Métro dominate the right, leaving the silver salt and pepper shakers unprotected in the middle of no-man’s-land on the flowered tablecloth.

And there are many more passages that feel like a disconnect, even with Leah sister's upcoming marriage and such. I'd rather hear Leah talk about what excites/motivates/intrigues her than what bores her (cardinal rule: anything boring to the main character's likely going to be boring to the reader). Even when she mentions the fact that her parents "made" her quit the swim team and struck a deal for her to take up lifeguarding instead, I didn't get any sense of regret/heartbreak from her character though she *says* she's heartbroken. Again, the disconnect relates to more of the telling than showing and evoking a sense of the reader aligning with the primary character. It feels the same way in scenes where Porter shows up as well.

Actually, to correct this - Porter's name isn't "Porter" but Jon Duffy, "Duffy" notably. That somewhat threw me as well because we don't learn the character's real name for a little while out, even when the name on the cover has him as "Porter". This is revealed in the environmental details of the work ultimately, but I think I would've rather had the cover of the work say that his name was Duffy rather than Porter, because it really wasn't a big secret where the character's true name was a hidden necessity (unlike in "Incarnate" where you're dealing with reincarnated souls, or Paige Harbison's "New Girl" where the narrator's name isn't revealed for a while because of wanting to give emphasis to the character's identity.) When Leah's confused about Duffy's identity as well - it's a telling sign that the reader's reaction going to be like "Wait, what?" It probably would've been consistent to stick with just one name throughout the work, instead of jumping between Porter and Duffy in places.

I didn't like how this book dealt with the cheating scenario either - there's not really a sense of urgency in what Leah and Porter are doing in their relationship - unlike what the description for the book entails. I kept waiting for the clash, and for Leah to realize "oh crud, crud, crud - what am I doing?", but she's really like a mechanical doll - her thought process being more on the level of "I didn't really cheat. Oh wait, I guess I did. Oh…this is wrong."

Actually, I think I should let the text speak for itself:

I am not cheating, I think. Can I cheat on someone that I am not, technically, even going out with? I watch an old couple in red bicycle helmets chugging up the park hill like candy apples.
“I am not cheating,” I say clearly. I am certain of that. But with a long, raggedy breath I search for what I actually am doing.
“I am undecided,” I conclude.

and

“You need to choose, Leah,” Duffy breathes into my ear as he drags his lips lightly across my cheekbone. He rests his forehead against mine. “I won’t be your second choice.”
God, I didn’t mean to cheat. Because this whole thing with Duffy, well, it just kind of happened. He just kind of happens. He shows up, and my blood runs hot, and like that, I am off course, spinning. He has never been part of the plan.

And the last one (which made me want to throw my book against the wall):

I haven’t made a choice. Ever. I’ve always waited for someone to make it for me—Shane, Yorke, Freddie, my mother, even Duffy. It’s finally my turn, ready or not.

I grip my fingers under his hand and brace myself for the good-bye ’cause I am scared of giving up all the things I will have to give up if I give up Shane. My whole senior year, my whole life, everything will be different, and I am worried that I won’t be brave enough.

And there’s nothing wrong with Shane. He’s nice. He’s fit. He’s supercute. He smells good. Occasionally he’s funny. I’ve got it good. I get that. But my whole life has been about going along, living with what has been given to me, which is kind of hard to bitch about, because I’ve been given a lot, but that doesn’t mean I have to drive around for the rest of my life with his hand weighing down my leg, does it?

Ugh.

I'm not going to say that Meredith isn't a writer with potential, because she actually does some of the descriptions well, but it's hard to get into and meandering in points, which makes it hard to hold interest. Plus, an unlikable set of passive protagonists combined with more lust than romance made it difficult to connect.

Now, the advertisement of it says "For fans of John Green, Sarah Dessen, and "Perfect Chemistry" - the latter written by Simone Elkeles. For my own reading experience, I ignored these comparisons, because I wanted to see how the book would stand on its own. I've read John Green (still have yet to do quite a few reviews of his books, but I've loved his work) , I've read two Dessen books ("Dreamland" being my favorite so far) and I've never read "Perfect Chemistry" or any of its companion books (*hangs head in shame*). Usually though, my experience has been whenever I hear a book is the next [insert ultra popular book, series, or author here], I get weary because it usually ends up being nothing like the aforementioned and its success rides more on the comparison rather than the book's own individual merits.

There wasn't really any of the trademark humor (Green), sweetness (Dessen) or direct conflict ("Perfect Chemistry") to warrant the comparison. For me, I was more disappointed at what it didn't offer rather than the comparisons. On one hand, I saw where the story was coming from, but at the same time, it just didn't provide the connection it promised.

Overall score: 1.5/5

[Jennifer Howell / Late Bloomer Online · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited to read Kiss Crush Collide. The back of the book compares itself to Perfect Chemistry which is a book I love. I admit I was disappointed. The storyline is girl is living a life shadowed by her two older sisters. She is expected to be as 'perfect' as they are and follow in their footsteps. She has a neurotic over bearing Mother and a clueless Father. It appears she has the perfect life, perfect friends, perfect boyfriend. Then one night at the country club a porter that takes the car for them grabs her hand to help her out of the car and instant chemistry occurs complete with tingly fingers. Girl can't stop thinking about boy, but given his job at the country club etc., he isn't the kind of boy she is expected to associate with.

The premise of the book is great, although it has a familiar theme. The thing is that I felt like Leah and Duffy had zero substance. I closed the final page and felt like I never really even got to know Duffy and I'm not really sure what is redeeming about Leah. She barely scratches the surface of her feelings when she finally admits a little about how she's feeling to her Mother, her family life is never discussed with Duffy, and Leah is mean to the one girl that "gets" her the whole book practically. I wanted to fall for Duffy too... I wanted to feel the tingles and anticipation that Leah was feeling when she would see Duffy, but the story just never put me, as the reader, there.

Bottom line, Kiss Crush Collide was okay. Definitely not in the same league as Perfect Chemistry in my opinion. If you are looking for a quick read that gives you an escape for a few hours then check it out. I just think that if Christina Meredith had developed the characters and Leah and Duffy's relationship more, I would have liked the story much better. Instead, I was left scratching my head at what not only Duffy's appeal was but what Duffy saw in Leah... other than just physical attraction.

Kiss Crush Collide is due to release in December 27, 2011. Let me know what you all think if you read it.

[Michelle B · Rating 1 out of 5]

Que weones de protagonistas tan pencas. (super chilena mini-review)

[Jena]

I can't wait to read this one. It sounds SO good. And his waves tat on his arm is KILLING me... SO perfect. <3

[Vani (Por Amor a los Libros) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Un sin sentido desde el inicio hasta el final de la historia. De los libros más flojos que leí este año.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just couldn't get into this book. I won't be reviewing it on my blog but it just wasn't for me.

[Christina (Reading Extensively) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kiss Crush Collide is touted by the publishers as a book that would appeal to fans of Perfect Chemistry, John Green, and Sarah Dessen. I think this sets the reader up for unrealistically high expectations. The novel may have that theme of forbidden romance like Perfect Chemistry but that is where similarities end. We don't really get to see the romance develop between the characters. Instead there is instant attraction and stolen kisses in borrowed cars. They make out the first time they meet and their relationship doesn't seem to have much substance. We don't really get to know Duffy either. There are snippets of information about his background and home life but not much. Unlike Perfect Chemistry where readers get to know Alex Fuentes through the chapters from his point of view, we don't really learn much about Duffy by the end of the book. It isn't really clear what Leah likes about him either.

Where the novel has its strength is the family dynamics between Leah, her sisters, and her unbearable mother. While we still don't see any motivation for the way her mother behaves, it does give us some understanding of why Leah acts like she does. I found it hard to connect with Leah because she is somewhat spoiled and privileged and she complains about her life. She cheats on her boyfriend and isn't fair to Duffy. She is also really rude to Valerie, her academic rival (though that isn't very believable-Leah isn't convincingly portrayed as a smart student but rather someone who is allowed to slide by virtue of her family name). Valerie shows up every day at the pool where Leah works and she calls Leah out on her behavior and lack of effort in school. Of all the characters in the book I liked Valerie the most. She is quirky, different, she loves to read and study, and she doesn't seem to care about popularity. The two eventually become friends as Leah becomes more mature. In the end Leah does grow up a little and assert some independence which was nice to see.

I think Kiss Crush Collide shouldn't have been marketed the way it was. Comparing the book to those by such major YA authors as Sarah Dessen and John Green did not do it any favors. Without those comparisons I think the book was not bad for a debut novel and I liked how the author wrote the scenes involving Leah and her family. Kiss Crush Collide does have some flaws and would have benefited from more character development or even alternating chapters between Leah and Duffy. If you are in the mood for a romance with lots of chemistry and don't mind the flaws then Kiss Crush Collide might appeal to you. It is certainly entertaining and the author definitely has potential. I think that with time her books will rival the works of authors like Simone Elkeles and Jennifer Echols. Some fans of Perfect Chemistry and Forget You might even enjoy Kiss Crush Collide as long as they don't read it expecting it to be just like those books.

[Lena ♫ ♪ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Where to begin.

I really did not enjoy the overall flow to the story. The narration of the story jumped everywhere. One minute, she was talking about herself, the next her family, then her boyfriend, back to her sisters, back to herself, etc, all within just a few short pages. It was like listening to a 4 year old on a candy high try and tell you a story. Needless to say, it made the book quite difficult to follow.

The dialogue...well, what dialogue? Every so often, Leah or one of her sisters or mother would say one line then stop. End of conversation until the next page. I don't think anyone really had any real conversations that lasted more than a minute. Aren't high school girls suppose to be chatty? Aren't people in general suppose to be chatty? I guess not in the world of Kiss Crush Collide.

The romance was unbearable. It wasn't romance. It was pure teenage lust. After barely speaking with Porter (someone who is not Leah's boyfriend), she finds herself making out with him and "doing things she only did with her boyfriend after waiting 11 or so months". Really? Porter's practically a stranger to her, and she runs off with him to do naughty things? And please, do not even get me started on how many times her breast (which are bigger than her sisters') started falling out of her top. That is not something teenagers nor anyone outside a Harlequin romance novel should discuss.

And finally, Leah. I cannot put into words how much I disliked the main character. I felt like she was far too snobby and conceited. She constantly spoke of things such as her family's wealth (her dad buys them each a car for their 16th birthday, but she doesn't drive it), how smart she and her sisters are, and how no one gives her a chance even though, when someone tries to speak with her, she comes off agitated, rude and snippy. I would love to say she grows through out the story, but that would be a lie. She pretty much stays the same.

I'm sorry guys, but I can't hide my disappointment when it comes to Kiss Crush Collide. The cover is so gorgeous and with the way the summary is described (how it's comparing the book to such things as Perfect Chemistry and John Green), I really thought I would fall in love with it. Sadly, that's not the case at all. From the beginning to the end, I struggled with it. I kept hoping it would get better, but it didn't. I even found myself speed reading through the majority of the book, just to finish, and I hardly ever do that. Personally, I wouldn't recommend this book. If you're looking for a fabulous contemporary novel, look for titles by John Green, Sarah Dessen, Simon Elkeles, Gayle Forman or Jennifer Echols.

[Joy (joyous reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was such a disappointment. Cold, shallow characters and sparse conversations made for a very blasé read. The main character's family - especially the mother, single-handedly made me want to quit reading altogether. My anticipation for this book was through the roof and I'm annoyed that it didn't even come close.

Leah Johnson has everything going for her; wealth, looks, intelligence, perfect boyfriend - she doesn't have to work hard to achieve anything she wants. But dissatisfaction and boredom bubbles near the surface as she slowly realizes that her life is not even close to the life she wanted but is nothing but copycats of her sisters'. It would take doses of a boy on the other side of the tracks and an over-achieving nemesis for her to rip the blue print of a life drawn by her over-bearing mother.

Pretentious characters. Check.
Whiny, why-doesn't-he-like-me girl. Check.
Unrepentant, cheating girl. Check.
Misleading cover. Check.

Kiss, Crush, Collide has the perfect recipe for a rant review. But I couldn't, for the life of me, bring myself to do it. This book managed to keep my interest from page one to the last, albeit I was impassive for the most part. And considering how much I wanted to gouge my eyes with a dull knife every time any of the Johnsons was in the scene, I say, this was quite a feat. There is much to be said about an author's ability for keeping a reader's attention in their book regardless of the reason. For me, it was because I wanted to find out if Leah could redeem herself in the end. I wanted to know if she was going to let her mother roughshod her way until all that would become of her was a shadow of her sisters. I also wanted to know if my wish for her mother's bloody and gory demise would come into fruition but because life doesn't work out that way, one of these three wishes didn't come true. Read this book to find out.

Anyway, the characters were one dimensional. But somehow, it worked in this book. After all, if you're trying to paint the most insipid, ostentatious group of people, this was the way to do it. What got to me was Leah's inability to finally get rid of the grabby boyfriend when she clearly hated being with him. This guy salivated over her sister, Fred and yet Leah was so nonchalant about it all. Minor details. I fully expected a steamy romance. Sad to say, it wasn't even close to lukewarm.

Lesson Learned: Take your anticipation down a notch. Life is too short for disappointments. Incidentally, this wasn't the lesson in the book but just life in general. :D

[Kym McNabney · Rating 4 out of 5]

What first drew me to KISS CRUSH COLLIDE by CHRISTINA MEREDITH, was in fact the cover. The title, not so great, yet it sounded interesting enough. I’ve been increasingly attracted to young adult books since my teenage daughter got me hooked on one. Each one she’s suggested was wonderfully written. KISS CRUSH COLLIDE was no exception.

Leah Johnson had her life planned out. Not that she did any of the planning. Nope, there was no need for that when she had a mother and two sisters before you that she was expected to follow in their footsteps. Only problem was, Leah wants to live her own life.

With the perfect boyfriend, Shane, why would any girl want to end their relationship? For that matter, why would anyone who had it all, a promised spot as Valedictorian, prom queen, homecoming queen and the most popular girl in school, give it all up for a guy she hardly knows.

What I love about KISS CRUSH COLLIDE:

-The fast pace.
-Well developed female characters.
-Beautiful writing.
-The main characters final decision.

What I didn’t like about KISS CRUSH COLLIDE:

-The male characters weren’t developed/no deep point of view.
-The foul language.
-Not a lot of dialog.
-Not enough drama.

I would have loved to see tension between Shane, the “boyfriend” and “Porter”, the “other guy”. I appreciated there was no explicit sex, though I would have preferred a better choice on Leah’s part. I also appreciated the minimal foul language, especially considering the targeted audience.

The writing was wonderful, flowing beautifully, so much so that I finished it in only a few short days. I felt the female characters were well developed, very strong personalities, but the males were vague. I would have liked to of heard more about Porter’s story, having it played out.

I was however pleased with the ending, though it left me wanting more. As if a new story was just about to unfold. I could easily see a second book to develop Leah and Porter’s romance. I would say MEREDITH did an excellent job with her debut novel.

[Alex Bennett]

Please check out Electrifying Reviews for more reviews like this, plus giveaways, interviews, and more!

I don’t know quite what I was expecting with Kiss Crush Collide. It was being compared to both John Green and Simone Elkeles in the blurb I read for it, so of course I wanted to give it a try since I love John Green and have heard great things about Simone Elkeles. Unfortunately, however, I was just disappointed by Kiss Crush Collide.

The story in Kiss Crush Collide really isn’t anything special. Good girl goes for bad boy. And really, that’s all there is to the book. There aren’t any significant subplots or character progression or anything. It just focuses on this one aspect in all of these characters’ lives, which made it dull. With more substance, I do think Kiss Crush Collide could have been better, but it just fell flat.

Nothing really stands out with Christina Meredith’s writing for me, unfortunately. It was just okay, and told the story. Actually, there were times throughout Kiss Crush Collide where I was actually confused, which I wouldn’t expect from such a simple contemporary novel, but what can I say.

The character in Kiss Crush Collide weren’t special in the slightest, and to be honest I can’t even remember their names without looking them up, which I am not going to right now. I didn’t connect to any of them, and I didn’t feel like they had any realism to them. They were all just cardboard cutouts put in place to make the story continue.

Kiss Crush Collide wasn’t the worst book I’ve read or anything, but it just wasn’t anything special and I could recommend hundreds of other books to read before this one. It was lacking in all of the places it could have excelled, and the final product is just average, if even.

[Sandee is Reading · Rating 2 out of 5]

Do you want to know what pushed me to read this book?

The cover of course!

And unfortunately the contents of the book did not live up to the cool cover of the book. It was one of those books you’ll ask yourself why you bother reading. It seriously bored me out of my wits.

The connection between our two main characters was very weak. I didn’t feel the connection that I should have felt when they were together. It lacks emotion maybe I don’t know.

Leah has everything. She has the money, the brains and a cute boyfriend. What more could she ask for right? I would trade anything to be in her shoes but hey she doesn’t like it. Then, she starts to fall for this guy Porter (or Duffy) who she met at a country club.

Seriously, I don’t think I have anything else more to say about this book. I think I prefer that this book dealt with her family issues rather than her story with Porter. I think I would have liked it better if it just focused on her family. I thought this was supposed to be a romance novel. I was pretty disappointed that I didn’t get much of that as I was expecting.

This book has loads of potential but mostly lacking on characterization and the main plot. The writing was good but the story just fell flat to me.

Sorry. I really wanted to like this book.

I have to give it 2 stars

[Tearling · Rating 2 out of 5]

Urm... well. *scratching head*


Okay, firstly... What first drew me to this book, was in fact the cover. I like the cover.
And secondly, I was excited to read it because it compares itself to Perfect Chemistry which is a book I love. I thought it's good but well... I'm disappointed.

This book tell us about Leah who's perfect in every way. She's born in rich family, she has two beautiful and smart sisters, she has a hot boyfriend and she has a very bright future. But, she is unhappy.

Everyday, she look at her family, thinking that her life seems like it has been planned but not by her, but by people around her.

And one day, she met a boy, a boy that make her happy. She started to going out with this boy and.. BOOM! You know what'll happened.


This book was such an easy read, but a bit boring.


This book also make me felt clueless.
I felt like Leah and Duffy had zero substance. After I finished reading it, I felt like I dont really know what actually happened between Leah and Duffy. And who's Duffy? What happened in his life, what make Leah is so in love with him? I dont know. Duffy seems like a great character but... I don't know. Duh, so many 'I don't know'.

When I read a book, I want to fall in love with the main boy too but in this book, Im clueless.
SERIOUSLY, IM CLUELESS.

[Shanyn]

Misleading cover much?

Fully expecting a huge passionate romantic plot, I picked up Kiss Crush Collide on an afternoon I was looking for a solid contemporary read. Unfortunately, this didn't play out very well for me.

The cover and summary have us expecting to read a steamy story, but by page 100 I was still wondering when that was going to happen. When Leah finally does meet a boy, she gets that passion we were looking for before - but HAS A BOYFRIEND and has no intention of changing that fact throughout the ENTIRE BOOK. Literally. This really, really got to me - I am not at all interested in reading about someone who cheats on their significant other and has no emotional connection to that at all.

Besides the boy, Leah has two sisters that she is sort of following in the footsteps of. I actually feel like the familial element should have been the focus of the cover/summary, as I was MUCH more interested in Leah's interactions with her two sisters and mom than with the mysterious boy she meets.

I didn't connect well with much of this book and felt extremely mislead from the beginning. I feel like it was molded into something it wasn't meant to be instead of focusing on the topics Meredith did a good job with. This one wasn't for me.

[Carrie Kaut · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't remember the last time I was ever so bored reading a book...oh wait yes I do, illuminating, my biology text book and lab book, and crossed by allie condie....the cover and summary of the book sounds amazing...that's as far as it goes literally there's no depth to the characters in fact every character but the guy were stuck up snobby rich people...I can see donating to charity not being in their list of things we should do since were rich...the writing was adaquate considering there was NO attachment to the characters what so ever and they were dull..what dad says your shoulders are getting big maybe you should stop swimming??? Seriously?! Seriously!! Call me judgemental but this is seriously among one of the worst books I've ever read..if I had the ability to get rid of books without having an anxiety attack I would give it to the library

[Tee loves Kyle Jacobson]

This book is a must read!!! Shot December please come :)

[Whatchyareading]

I love love stories. And it’s no wonder with how many romance books I read in a month that I wanted to read Kiss Crush Collide as soon as I read the summary. It fit my love of forbidden romances and bad boys who fall for good girls, so I’m so glad I was able to get a hold of an ARC thanks to Around the World ARC Tours.

This book is told through Leah’s eyes. She’s just finished her Junior year of high school, has a cute boyfriend, gets good grades, is popular herself… she seems to have everything. But from the first page, you can tell Leah’s not all there. She’s not fully participating in her life, just letting others (mainly her mother) dictate it for her while she sails along.

She says several times that people expect her to live like her two older sisters — Freddie, who just graduated from high school, and Yorke, who just got engaged after her first year at college. First Yorke does it, then Freddie and then her. Every time. Her entire life has been laid out for her. But when have you ever heard of a person who’s happy with having their choices taken away from them?

Maybe that’s why the mysterious boy who parks their car attracts so much of her attention. Maybe that’s why she goes with him when he offers her a ride and then moments later they’re making out. Maybe that’s why she continues to see him.

I can see why Leah would choose to rebel from her life. Cookie cutter lives never work out well for people who don’t want it, as movies and books have shown us time and time again. What your parents want for you is not necessarily what you want or what will make you happy, as Leah starts to realize over the course of the summer between her Junior and Senior year.

I can even see why Leah didn’t want to mix her life with her side excursions with mystery boy, since to her, they are two separate things and he’s the one thing she’s ever chosen for herself.

What I didn’t like is the fact that after all this growth we see in Leah, we never got any firm feelings from her about her life or what she wants. There’s one argument in the book where she stands up for herself, but it’s quickly over and never really talked about again. Leah never really makes a solid stand. I didn’t get a feeling of closure that she was going to be alright by herself with both her sisters gone, but then, maybe it’ll help with them being gone. I don’t know. I just wish we’d gotten something definite about Leah being her own person now.

Apart from that, this was a fast and light read that I liked. There is some underage drinking, just so you know. And also, this book is not just about some forbidden romance with a boy from “the wrong side of the tracks”. It’s more about Leah and her growing into a person who makes her own choices in life. The summary is a bit misleading, but the romance is still there, if that’s what draws you in.

Kiss Crush Collide will be released on December 27th from Greenwillow Books, aka HarperCollins.

Reviewed at WhatchYAreading on October 11, 2011.

[Damaris (GoodChoiceReading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first came across Kiss Crush Collide I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Based on the synopsis, I just knew I had to read it. I was super excited to finally have a copy and started it immediately. I guess my expectations were a little too high being that the book was compared to Perfect Chemistry, which I adored.

Leah has huge shoes to fill. Her family is rich and they only want the best for her and her sisters. But her mother is a little too controlling and pretty much runs their lives. She has very high expectations when it comes to her daughters. To her mother, it's all about what’s on the outside. You look at them and you would think "Perfect Happy Family." Her sisters were Valedictorians, dated the captain of the football team, prom queen, you name it, they did it. So all this was expected of Leah as well, but when someone is telling you what to do with your life, who to date, how to dress, you begin to get bored. Leah didn't even have to study because she wasn't going to fail. That is how popular her family is and that also tells you just HOW rich they are. So what does Leah do? She begins to take things into her own hands. She tries things she's never done before, like cheating on her boyfriend with someone her family wouldn't approve of. It just happened. But what she didn't expect was to actually fall in love.

What I had a problem with was I felt that Meredith focused a little too much on Leah's life and gave too little about the romance. According to the synopsis, I am expecting this huge forbidden romance and lots of drama, but I did not get that. You get a couple of chapters of Leah and Porter together, but nothing that would WOW you. I liked them together, but I just didn't feel the connection in the beginning. It wasn't until almost the near end that you finally get a feel for them. The way it all played out though, was put together really well, but I would have liked a lot more. There was just way too much of Leah's life and memories than there was romance.

Now the book isn't bad, but it just wasn't what I was expecting at all. Christina is a great writer though and excellent at describing things. It wasn't hard at all to picture what Leah was feeling, or picture a scene in my head. Again, I just wish there was A LOT more of Porter and Leah.

Would I recommend Kiss Crush Collide? Yes. Other than what I listed above, it actually has a good meaning behind it.

Will I read any future books by Christina Meredith? Yes. I really do like her way of writing.

I give Kiss Crush Collide 3 out of 5 Stars!

[twstrfries · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won't be fooled of a good cover and blurb ever again!

That's what sinks in to my head after reading Kiss Crush Collide. My, this is a waste of time and effort. I shouldn't have disregarded its rating and not-so good reviews in GR. Ugh. I was looking forward for this since I have been waiting for its release since September! And I'm so f***ing disappointed.

Johnson family is too perfect. They're too good to be true. Three talented, pretty, smart and overachiever daughters all in one upper middle class family? Yeah, right. I know a family with overachiever kids. All of them are valedictorian. Their parents are well-known intelligent professors so having kids with above average IQ level is expected. But they're not perfect. I won't say they're ugly kids, let’s just say they have an average physical appearance. I'm not saying beauty and brains can't be mixed. It could be. We have a lot of beauty queens that aren't just a pretty face. They're talented and overachiever too. But they don't come from the same family. What I'm trying to point is, one family can't have it all.

Leah is an unrelatable heroine plagued with sibling rivalry, envy and self-pity. She's the youngest from three sisters so she feels her future was already planned out and was patterned after her two sisters. I can't understand her. Youngest kid feeling left out? Unheard of. They're usually the favorites. I would have believed it if she's the second daughter in the family.

Porter's character is like a mushroom. He pops up everywhere. I understand Meredith tried to make Porter's character mysterious. But I would have to say it didn't work. Instead of being intrigued, I was confused to the tenth level.

I didn't enjoy reading this. The conflict was presented past half of the novel and Leah's issues with her mom, sisters and herself were never resolved. There's no dénouement. After reading this, I'm left with three words—WTF.

My first 1 Star rating this year. I'm sure I'll think thrice before reading a Christina Meredith novel again.

Lesson Learned:
Don't judge a book by its cover. Literally.

Challenges:
Book # 10 of 2012
Book # 2 of Off The Shelf


****
Review also posted @ Off the Wall.

[G Knightley · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have ever been in love—I mean REALLY been in love—you will agree that all your senses operate in a new way: Colors look different; sounds are more pronounced; you notice things that you would never before; you make mistakes. In short, your brain works in mysterious (and new) ways. Take the example of biting into a fresh peach. When you are in love, such a mundane action take on whole new levels of fireworks.

The way this book was written is more realistically from the vantage point of someone who is falling in love than many others I have read in a long time. But the feelings aren't described in steamy passages. They leave more to the imagination. The main character (Leah) is trying to find herself in the context of her family's dysfunction while falling for a boy who intoxicates her and distorts her senses. Author Christina Meredith captures this feeling perfectly with her highly tactile attention to details and her lush descriptions. It is as if the book bounces from fantasy to fantasy at times, just the way someone in love bounces from feeling to feeling, suspending logic.

Perhaps this book is not the pre-packaged romance that it was promised to be. The characters aren't as likeable in the first chapters. They are more unexpected and complex. But as you get to know them, Leah especially, you realize her vulnerabilities. She becomes a lot more human.

In my opinion this book shouldn't be dismissed, as it's actually a refreshing take on the confusing, awful and wonderful craziness that falling in love brings.

[Chu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been waiting for Kiss Crush Collide since I had it on my Recommendation List at Goodreads, and liken it to Simone Elkeles’ Perfect Chemistry – I just knew I had to read it ASAP. But I was bound for a big disappointment.

Kiss Crush Collide is a quick read, about a perfect girl from a perfect family who fell in love with a not so perfect boy. The cover was stunning, it was sweet, I was expecting a romantic interlude between a boy and a girl. Instead, the story focused more on Leah and her dysfunctional family.

Leah was the youngest among the three, and practically she have lived her life the way she was expected to do so – following the examples of her sisters. Well, she was making it all happen until she met Porter, a guy who works at a country club – and suddenly her plans fell apart.

Although I like the story line, I didn’t feel any connection with Leah. The supposedly important character ‘Porter’ wasn’t developed, and after reading the whole book, I just stared at my Kindle and said “This was it?!!” I wanted more from Porter and Leah. Something more besides the make out sessions they have – a relationship, a conversation – anything!

Maybe part of my disappointment came from the fact that this book was compared to a personal favorite – something I have read and really liked. On the other hand, if I haven’t come across Perfect Chemistry, I would’ve liked this one fine.

[Catastrophe Queen · Rating 2 out of 5]

KISS.
CRUSH.
COLLIDE.

I'm sorry but for me it was just okay. I thought I'd get into it because of Leah's family dysfunctions but I really just ended up getting bored and skimming through a few parts. I tried to like Leah and Duffy's relationship but it happened too quickly for me. It was instant love. They met, had sex, and formed a relationship just like that. There was no development or courtship. It was all purely physical.

Leah wasn't even that likable. I couldn't relate to her at all. She had everything; money, beauty and connections. Her only problems was her family which she could've easily addressed if she talked to them -- or opened up her feelings. But no. She kept it to herself and if it wasn't for Valerie, a person she claimed to dislike, she wouldn't have gotten anywhere with Duffy.

Let's move on to Duffy. Other than the fact that he managed to captivate Leah's attention despite his job as a porter (or maybe even because of his job), and the fact that his father was a womanizer I didn't really know anything more about him. He wasn't swoon worthy for me.

All in all, I did not like the book. I do not plan on reading it again or recommending it to my friends at school. It's a pity, I did like the cover.

[Amy Jacobs · Rating 1 out of 5]

Since this book was compared with Perfect Chemistry, I knew it had big shoes to fill. I absolutely loved Perfect Chemistry and if it is being compared to it, it better be able to deliver. Add on the fact that this book hasn't gotten so much hype revolving around -- plus a great cover-- and you would think it would be a winner. Unfortunately, this book was a miss for me.

I had a really hard time getting into this story. Leah was not a favorite character for me from the first chapter. I just couldn't connect with her. She didn't really feel bad about making out with another boy even though her boyfriend was still in her life. She had annoying family that was at times a little too much. Within the first few chapters we are introduced to so many characters that it left me confused and wishing I was taking notes. The book is also off balance with most of the story revolving around Leah and lacking story from Duffy. The romance was instant -- making out the first time they meet -- and forced for the reader to accept it.

Overall, it is definitely not a book I would reread again. This was a big miss in the young adult genre, but others might enjoy it as it is.

[JoJo - JJJ (Jo Anna) Janesko · Rating 1 out of 5]

I bought this book in hopes for something magical on each of the pages. I love reading a contemporary romance and this one had me quite interested in the story line. Despite some of the mixed reviews it had been compared to other books I really enjoyed so I thought I would give it a go. What a disappointment. Sadly this book isn't for me. I have read a descent chunk of it however I can't read anymore. There are so many things that bother me about this pretentious group of characters. I read for pleasure and because I want to enjoy the content of the book not to be tortured. Thus is why I am ditching this book midstream. I feel guilty for stopping but I don't think I should have to endure reading a book I truly don't enjoy. If you are brave and give this book a go I hope you enjoy it however my advise would be to stay away. It is not worth your time. Next time I consider trying a book with mixed reviews I hope that someone stops me. It was a waste of my money.

[Michelle Kampmeier · Rating 3 out of 5]

I basically skimmed this whole novel. I was interested at the beginning, knowing how this was supposed to go, but the dialogue was so sparse and the characters were kind of harsh so I didn't really get into this book. I heard lots of hype and really good things, and this one just didn't live up to it for me. Plus I was in a rush, but I don't think that my opinion would change if I took it slower. No one really said much. And the rivalry between Valerie and Leah seemed strained and forced. Not my new favorite book, that's for sure. I do hope other people enjoy it though.

It is first-person, present-tense, but that didn't save it. I may try something by this author in the future though. Perhaps the writing will get better.

[Paige · Rating 1 out of 5]

My reasons for reading this book were very skewed. Almost like the book itself. I had zero plans to read this novel; most of my friends disliked the book and I don't enjoy reading romance, which the book is centered around. Then a librarian friend of mine asked me if I would read and review the book for our public library. I agreed, because she's my friend and I love reviewing books. But from the beginning I had a feeling this book just would....suck. And I'm sad to say that my prediction -- which I wholeheartedly hoped was wrong -- came true.

The book is essentially a "pretty rich girl" story. We've all seen those, whether it be in a novel, on TV, a movie, or elsewhere in the media. The stories are similar: pretty rich girl is super rich and super super selfish, everyone hates her but she thinks she's all that. Then something comes along, whether it be a *hot* guy or some major life-changing event like losing all her money or having both of her rich mogul parents die. With the help of said *hot guy* or some other person who helps her get over the major event in her life, pretty rich girl learns that she doesn't need to be so selfish, that she really can just be normal and not have to follow the rules of society, and she changes into a better, more interesting person.

Kiss Crush Collide follows this stock formula almost perfectly. There's a hot guy, Porter; an overprotective mother; "perfect" sisters; and a mean girl turned friend.

But it strays away from the stock plot designed by Hollywood in one aspect: the main character never changes. Leah begins the novel as a spoiled, rich girl and ends the story barely changed. She still thinks of herself as goregous; she still thinks that she's better than her sisters. I can understand if the author wanted to show that she never changed, that she was so selfish that she was unchangable; but with the many events that happen to her throughout the story, it seems ridicolous for Leah to not change. Shouldn't every character have an arc? Does it need to be a good arc, or even a positive arc? No. But a character should change in some way, whether it's for the better or for the worse.

It makes it hard to relate to Leah, as she's so superficial. She goes to the pool and comments on "how hard" it is to have everyone staring at her, how she'll "never get used to it" and how some people are "lesser than I am, and they'll never get better". The entire book is populated with selfish quotes. And those selfish quotes last from the first to the last page. It makes it extremely hard to read and enjoy this book. I didn't care for Leah. She was stupid and vapid and lame, and frankly, someone I'd stay far far away from.

And Porter/John Duffy/JD/Duffy-- what the heck was up with him? First, I could never keep his name straight. He introduces himself to Leah as "Porter", but then tells her about a hundred pages later that that's not his real name; no, he's lied to her, it only says "Porter" on the back because that's his job: porting cars at a fancy club that Leah's family belongs to. He tells her she can call him John Duffy, JD, Duffy, the works -- and Leah chooses Duffy. Then, at the end of the novel, he buys a coat that says "Porter" on it and Leah remarks how AMAZING! and WONDERFUL! it is that he has that coat. He was essentially a stock character, with the programmed "guy from the wrong side of the tracks" and the sweet, smoldering looks and beautifulness.

So Porter and Leah kiss in a country club and BAM sparks I never really felt their romance; Porter seemed like a nice guy but I never really connected with their love. I never really felt that passion, those sparks Leah kept commenting on. I wanted to see the love and the passion. I wanted to grin and smirk when they had cute moments. But I never felt the passion. It seemed so flat and boring to me. The steamy cover seemed to suggest a steamy romance; instead the romance fell flat.

The rest of the characters -- hmm. They, too, fell for the same stock characters as Leah and Porter-whatshisface. The mother was a stock character, a strong woman who never changed but only was uber harsh and mean. The sisters were almost identical; they never seemed to have any differing personality traits that made me seperate them from each other. Valerie the mean girl's plot was predictable, Shane's plot didn't surprise me either.

Also speaking on the plot, it was....strange. Porter leaves halfway through the book due to a misunderstanding, and then just disappears. So much for the love interest. Yorke (I had to go look up her name, seriously), one of the sisters, was mentioned being pregnant at the end of chapter sixteen. No one mentions the pregnancy again until chapter thirty. Yes, that's fourteen chapters. The plot seemed to meander and just be boring the entire time.

Now, it might seem like I hated this entire book. I didn't. There were two redeeming factors for me, personally: the writing and the strength of the family dynamics that made me up this from one star to one point five stars.

I thought the author handled the family dynamics well. I don't mean that she portrayed the family in a caring way; this family is essentially dysfunctional. She didn't necessarily portray them in a unique way, either; like I mentioned before the family characters seemed stock and boring. But she really portrayed the dysfunctionality well, with Leah's mother's expectations and her sister's relationships and her father's misunderstanding. I really felt trapped, as her mother made horrible decisions (yelling at her daughters, ignoring them, threatening to disown them) and her father made a blind eye. These situations were hard to read at times but they really seemed realistic to the kind of dystfunctional nature Leah lived in. And the truth? At the end, the dysfunctionality hasn't changed. But that's realistic; situations won't change that fast.

The other thing I liked was the author's writing. I mentioned this recently in my review of If I Die : the writing was very fluid and easy to read. It makes for a quick read, if a hard and difficult one to plod through.

I would really only recommend this to people who really enjoy romance or *hot guys*. Otherwise I'd recommend skipping this and picking up other, better romance novels. Also, in case anyone is wondering: I won't be recommending this to my librarian. :) (I am recommending a couple of the other ARCs she got me though -- no worries :D).

One point five stars.