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Through to You
“Fans of Sarah Dessen, Lauren Myracle, Morgan Matson, and Simone Elkeles will enjoy this story told from both Harper and Penn’s points of view, widening the appeal to all teens, not just females” (VOYA ).
It starts with a scribbled note in I like your sparkle. Harper had casually threaded a piece of blue and silver tinsel through her ponytail in honor of school spirit day. And that carefree, corny gesture is what grabs Penn Mattingly’s eye. Penn—resident heartbreaker of the senior class. Reliably unreliable. Trouble with a capital “T.” And okay, smolderingly sexy .
Harper’s surprised by Penn’s attention—and so is Penn. The last thing he needs is a girlfriend. Or even a friend-with-benefits. The note is not supposed to lead to anything.
Oh, but it does. They hang out. They have fun. They talk. They make out. And after a while, it seems like they just click . But Penn and Harper have very different ideas about what relationships look like, in no small part because of their very different family backgrounds. Of course they could talk about these differences—if Penn knew how to talk about his feelings.
Harper and Penn understand their attraction is illogical, yet something keeps pulling them together. It’s like a crazy roller coaster—exhilarating,terrifying, and amazing all at once. And neither knows how to stop the ride…
It starts with a scribbled note in I like your sparkle. Harper had casually threaded a piece of blue and silver tinsel through her ponytail in honor of school spirit day. And that carefree, corny gesture is what grabs Penn Mattingly’s eye. Penn—resident heartbreaker of the senior class. Reliably unreliable. Trouble with a capital “T.” And okay, smolderingly sexy .
Harper’s surprised by Penn’s attention—and so is Penn. The last thing he needs is a girlfriend. Or even a friend-with-benefits. The note is not supposed to lead to anything.
Oh, but it does. They hang out. They have fun. They talk. They make out. And after a while, it seems like they just click . But Penn and Harper have very different ideas about what relationships look like, in no small part because of their very different family backgrounds. Of course they could talk about these differences—if Penn knew how to talk about his feelings.
Harper and Penn understand their attraction is illogical, yet something keeps pulling them together. It’s like a crazy roller coaster—exhilarating,terrifying, and amazing all at once. And neither knows how to stop the ride…
304 pages, Paperback
First published July 8, 2014
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November 9, 2014
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Through To You by Lauren Barnholdt
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: July 8, 2014
Rating: 5 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss
Summary (from Goodreads):
Opposites attract—and then complicate—in this romantic, relatable novel from the author of Two-way Street and Sometimes It Happens.
It starts with a scribbled note in class: I like your sparkle. Harper had casually threaded a piece of blue and silver tinsel through her ponytail in honor of school spirit day. And that carefree, corny gesture is what grabs Penn Mattingly’s eye. Penn—resident heartbreaker of the senior class. Reliably unreliable. Trouble with a capital “T.” And okay, smolderingly sexy.
Harper’s surprised by Penn’s attention—and so is Penn. The last thing he needs is a girlfriend. Or even a friend-with-benefits. The note is not supposed to lead to anything.
Oh, but it does. They hang out. They have fun. They talk. They make out. And after a while, it seems like they just click. But Penn and Harper have very different ideas about what relationships look like, in no small part because of their very different family backgrounds. Of course they could talk about these differences—if Penn knew how to talk about feelings.
Harper and Penn understand their attraction is illogical, yet something keeps pulling them together. It’s like a crazy roller coaster—exhilarating, terrifying, and amazing all at once. And neither knows how to stop the ride…
What I Liked:
Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. OH MY GOSH. I already know I will not be able to do this book justice. I've read it, re-read it, and I'm about to re-read it again. THAT GOOD, PEOPLE, THAT GOOD. I usually dislike YA contemporary novels - they don't seem to be my thing - but I think this is the second YA contemporary novel for 2014 that has received a rare 5 stars from me. HOLY GUACAMOLE.
Harper and Penn are literally opposites - Harper is the quiet, good-girl, nerdy type, and Penn is the brooding jock type. I know both sound incredibly cliche, but I found that neither of them were cliche at all. Anyway. It all starts with a silly note that Penn leaves on Harper's desk. Then they start hanging out. Then they start to care about each other. But Penn keeps pulling Harper close and pushing her away. Penn's accident, his tragic family, and his desire to be left to his own devices seem to drive Harper away. And Harper, well, she knows she should be focusing on things like her Ballard application. How will they survive?
There are so many wonderful things I want to talk about! The story is so great, as well as the characters, the realness/authenticity of everything, THE ROMANCE. Oh, the romance. You'll see in this review one of the reasons why this book was SO GOOD to me.
The flow of the book is so lovely. One of the things that I usually dislike about YA contemporaries is how romance-focused they are. YES, the romance in this book is definitely a big deal. But so is Harper's relationship with her best friend Anna (especially after Harper starts dating Penn). So is Anna's love life. So is Penn's family life. Harper's family life. Harper's dance application, her choreography, her fear of the school nurse. There are so many great things that made this story more than just a love story. And the constant humor is SO AWESOME. I loved reading the small parts at the dance studio with the engaged couple that were always fighting. So funny!
The two protagonists - oh, how I loved them both! I'll start with Harper. She's quiet, kind, smart. She talks a lot, but she also listens. She's never been in a relationship before Penn, never kissed a guy. Honestly, I relate to Harper a lot - we're like, the same person. Seriously though. Which is why I don't see Harper as a cliche "good girl" - I don't really see myself as one either. Harper is so sweet and selfless - she was always looking out for Penn, for what's best for him. She pushed him, but never too much.
Penn. Oh Penn. He's a jock, an injured baseball player, with a cocky smile and a history of girls and that lazy charm that he doesn't have to work for. He definitely corrupts Harper - not that there is anything wrong with that. Penn is thoughtful yet moody, confident yet vulnerable. But let me tell you why I really like Penn. Don't get me wrong - I really like him in the story. But here it is:
Harper is a lot like me. Penn is a lot like This Guy, who will remain nameless. This Guy plays soccer, has that lazy charm, confidence, smile, and a history of girls. He's thoughtful when he wants to be, moody, and he corrupts me entirely too much. That's actually a joke between us - he's always trying to get me to live more, to take risks and chances, to be corrupted by him. HA HA. So Penn is a lot like This Guy, which is why I like Penn so much. Penn is JUST LIKE a guy in real life. Harper is JUST LIKE a girl in real life. Neither are cliches, but both are very authentic.
So, yeah, this story has a lot of authenticity to it. It should, since it's a contemporary novel, but the fact that I could relate so well to Harper and Penn and their relationship is incredible. Literally, this book spoke to me. You have no idea. The characters, even the ones besides Harper and Penn, seem so lifelike.
One of the things that I really liked how Barnholdt portrayed is Penn's moodiness and Harper's insecurity and even Penn's insecurity. Penn knows that Harper is too good for him, and he worries that she'll "come to her senses" and stop wanting to be with him. He's also extremely moody, because he hates talking about his injury, or anything related to baseball. Once upon a time, I would have gotten mad about this - why is he so moody?! But after hanging out with This Guy for so long, I get it - guys have such different minds. This Guy hates talking about it when he and his team loses a game. He hates people feeling sorry for him or pushing him, when he's down. So, I really get Penn and his moodiness. It's not necessarily an excuse, but I get it.
And I totally get Harper's insecurity. Does Penn like her? Why does Penn like her? Why is he with her? Why does it seem like he's hooked up or has a history with every girl? Just like I get Penn, I get Harper. It's easier with her because she's a girl, and all girls think alike in some way, when it comes to boys. POOR HARPER!
The romance... ahhh, I loved the development of the romance in this book. I can see the romance annoying some people, because it's very on and off, black and white and gray, there and not. However, I love this. I love watching Harper and Penn dance around each other, collide, bounce back, collide again. Their relationship is very much a modern-day teenage relationship, I must say. Barnholdt has that down.
I really did NOT like Barnholdt's The Thing About the Truth, but I am so glad that I decided to give her another chance, with this book. Because THIS BOOK. It was so so so good, people. I can't even put into words how much I loved this book. I read and re-read it in the same day!! And will re-read it again! So much love for this book, SO MUCH LOVE.
On a sidenote, this book ends so well. Not cookie-cutter perfect, because that would have been cliche, but really, really well. Me and This Guy? Well, unlike Harper and Penn, we can't find our rhythm, so that's not happening at the moment (unfortunately). In case anyone was wondering.
What I Did Not Like:
I CAN THINK OF NOTHING. NOT ONE THING. Soo... yeah.
Would I Recommend It:
YAAASSSSSSS!! I'm sorry, forgive my enthusiasm and excitement, but this book. THIS BOOK. I can't even form proper sentences, my love is too great! Seriously, contemporary fan or not, definitely make a point to check out this book. If you're in the mood for a wonderful, realistic romance, then head this way!
Rating:
5 stars. Wow. Wow wow wow. This book took me completely by surprise. If all YA contemporary novels were like this... well, then I would get bored of them, so I guess I'm glad that they're not. All the others that I've read and disliked have really made me appreciate the ones that I loved, like this one! THIS ONE WAS SO (OVERALL) PERFECT!!
Through To You by Lauren Barnholdt
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: July 8, 2014
Rating: 5 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss
Summary (from Goodreads):
Opposites attract—and then complicate—in this romantic, relatable novel from the author of Two-way Street and Sometimes It Happens.
It starts with a scribbled note in class: I like your sparkle. Harper had casually threaded a piece of blue and silver tinsel through her ponytail in honor of school spirit day. And that carefree, corny gesture is what grabs Penn Mattingly’s eye. Penn—resident heartbreaker of the senior class. Reliably unreliable. Trouble with a capital “T.” And okay, smolderingly sexy.
Harper’s surprised by Penn’s attention—and so is Penn. The last thing he needs is a girlfriend. Or even a friend-with-benefits. The note is not supposed to lead to anything.
Oh, but it does. They hang out. They have fun. They talk. They make out. And after a while, it seems like they just click. But Penn and Harper have very different ideas about what relationships look like, in no small part because of their very different family backgrounds. Of course they could talk about these differences—if Penn knew how to talk about feelings.
Harper and Penn understand their attraction is illogical, yet something keeps pulling them together. It’s like a crazy roller coaster—exhilarating, terrifying, and amazing all at once. And neither knows how to stop the ride…
What I Liked:
Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. OH MY GOSH. I already know I will not be able to do this book justice. I've read it, re-read it, and I'm about to re-read it again. THAT GOOD, PEOPLE, THAT GOOD. I usually dislike YA contemporary novels - they don't seem to be my thing - but I think this is the second YA contemporary novel for 2014 that has received a rare 5 stars from me. HOLY GUACAMOLE.
Harper and Penn are literally opposites - Harper is the quiet, good-girl, nerdy type, and Penn is the brooding jock type. I know both sound incredibly cliche, but I found that neither of them were cliche at all. Anyway. It all starts with a silly note that Penn leaves on Harper's desk. Then they start hanging out. Then they start to care about each other. But Penn keeps pulling Harper close and pushing her away. Penn's accident, his tragic family, and his desire to be left to his own devices seem to drive Harper away. And Harper, well, she knows she should be focusing on things like her Ballard application. How will they survive?
There are so many wonderful things I want to talk about! The story is so great, as well as the characters, the realness/authenticity of everything, THE ROMANCE. Oh, the romance. You'll see in this review one of the reasons why this book was SO GOOD to me.
The flow of the book is so lovely. One of the things that I usually dislike about YA contemporaries is how romance-focused they are. YES, the romance in this book is definitely a big deal. But so is Harper's relationship with her best friend Anna (especially after Harper starts dating Penn). So is Anna's love life. So is Penn's family life. Harper's family life. Harper's dance application, her choreography, her fear of the school nurse. There are so many great things that made this story more than just a love story. And the constant humor is SO AWESOME. I loved reading the small parts at the dance studio with the engaged couple that were always fighting. So funny!
The two protagonists - oh, how I loved them both! I'll start with Harper. She's quiet, kind, smart. She talks a lot, but she also listens. She's never been in a relationship before Penn, never kissed a guy. Honestly, I relate to Harper a lot - we're like, the same person. Seriously though. Which is why I don't see Harper as a cliche "good girl" - I don't really see myself as one either. Harper is so sweet and selfless - she was always looking out for Penn, for what's best for him. She pushed him, but never too much.
Penn. Oh Penn. He's a jock, an injured baseball player, with a cocky smile and a history of girls and that lazy charm that he doesn't have to work for. He definitely corrupts Harper - not that there is anything wrong with that. Penn is thoughtful yet moody, confident yet vulnerable. But let me tell you why I really like Penn. Don't get me wrong - I really like him in the story. But here it is:
Harper is a lot like me. Penn is a lot like This Guy, who will remain nameless. This Guy plays soccer, has that lazy charm, confidence, smile, and a history of girls. He's thoughtful when he wants to be, moody, and he corrupts me entirely too much. That's actually a joke between us - he's always trying to get me to live more, to take risks and chances, to be corrupted by him. HA HA. So Penn is a lot like This Guy, which is why I like Penn so much. Penn is JUST LIKE a guy in real life. Harper is JUST LIKE a girl in real life. Neither are cliches, but both are very authentic.
So, yeah, this story has a lot of authenticity to it. It should, since it's a contemporary novel, but the fact that I could relate so well to Harper and Penn and their relationship is incredible. Literally, this book spoke to me. You have no idea. The characters, even the ones besides Harper and Penn, seem so lifelike.
One of the things that I really liked how Barnholdt portrayed is Penn's moodiness and Harper's insecurity and even Penn's insecurity. Penn knows that Harper is too good for him, and he worries that she'll "come to her senses" and stop wanting to be with him. He's also extremely moody, because he hates talking about his injury, or anything related to baseball. Once upon a time, I would have gotten mad about this - why is he so moody?! But after hanging out with This Guy for so long, I get it - guys have such different minds. This Guy hates talking about it when he and his team loses a game. He hates people feeling sorry for him or pushing him, when he's down. So, I really get Penn and his moodiness. It's not necessarily an excuse, but I get it.
And I totally get Harper's insecurity. Does Penn like her? Why does Penn like her? Why is he with her? Why does it seem like he's hooked up or has a history with every girl? Just like I get Penn, I get Harper. It's easier with her because she's a girl, and all girls think alike in some way, when it comes to boys. POOR HARPER!
The romance... ahhh, I loved the development of the romance in this book. I can see the romance annoying some people, because it's very on and off, black and white and gray, there and not. However, I love this. I love watching Harper and Penn dance around each other, collide, bounce back, collide again. Their relationship is very much a modern-day teenage relationship, I must say. Barnholdt has that down.
I really did NOT like Barnholdt's The Thing About the Truth, but I am so glad that I decided to give her another chance, with this book. Because THIS BOOK. It was so so so good, people. I can't even put into words how much I loved this book. I read and re-read it in the same day!! And will re-read it again! So much love for this book, SO MUCH LOVE.
On a sidenote, this book ends so well. Not cookie-cutter perfect, because that would have been cliche, but really, really well. Me and This Guy? Well, unlike Harper and Penn, we can't find our rhythm, so that's not happening at the moment (unfortunately). In case anyone was wondering.
What I Did Not Like:
I CAN THINK OF NOTHING. NOT ONE THING. Soo... yeah.
Would I Recommend It:
YAAASSSSSSS!! I'm sorry, forgive my enthusiasm and excitement, but this book. THIS BOOK. I can't even form proper sentences, my love is too great! Seriously, contemporary fan or not, definitely make a point to check out this book. If you're in the mood for a wonderful, realistic romance, then head this way!
Rating:
5 stars. Wow. Wow wow wow. This book took me completely by surprise. If all YA contemporary novels were like this... well, then I would get bored of them, so I guess I'm glad that they're not. All the others that I've read and disliked have really made me appreciate the ones that I loved, like this one! THIS ONE WAS SO (OVERALL) PERFECT!!
July 7, 2014
Quite frankly, I've never been a fan of Lauren Barnholdt nor have I ever really enjoyed her books and I've read like three or four of them. Her books lack that realistic, raw feel that a teenager has during a relationship and in a romance. Her books are mostly fluff and toned down which infuriates me to no end. I'm not a fucking child. The audience for her stories are not fucking toddlers so I don't understand why she makes everything fluffy and light and boring. Through to You is the exact same as all of the others with the same problems. Barnholdt tries to make this one a bit more edgier with one of the main character's being very broken. Sadly, it doesn't work in her favour and by the end of the story, I felt disappointed and tired.
This story tries too hard, it really does. The story is typical-the good girl with a million phobias of anything fun falls for the bad boy who's biggest fan is trouble. It's annoying because the story is fluff, and the characters are underdeveloped. The main characters have rough problems, sure, but neither of them feel realistic and are mentioned off-handedly during the book which makes this book try to be important and moving. It's not. Furthermore, Harper is flat-out annoying, I had a very hard time caring for her and her problems. Adding on to that, the relationship between these two is odd. I found it hard to believe that after never feeling anything for a girl, (that wasn't sexual) Penn is flipping out over Harper and when they break up three weeks later, he's still obsessing over her and her every move in their shared class. Plus, there's close to nothing about Harper that seemed it would make Penn care about her even weeks after they break up. I'm sorry, but no.
Well, at least the cover matches the characters more. Also, the writing is all right in the middle of the story, the descriptions are mediocre but didn't bother me. I wasn't furious while reading this one like I was while reading The Thing About the Truth.
Through to You isn't as bad as some of Barnholdt's other novels, believe it or not. The beginning is confusing and dual perspectives isn't properly done, but I didn't feel overly angry while reading this one. However, I still wouldn't recommend it to anyone since the characters are not developed, the romance is forced and close to pointless, and the whole story is extremely predictable that I'm getting sleepy just thinking about it.
July 24, 2015
Lauren Barnholdt’s Through to You is a quick summer read. Fast, flirty, and fun.
“But now I’ve gone and kissed Harper, and to make it even worse, I did it on the hood of my car after a rainstorm, at a park while we were having a picnic. What the hell was I thinking?” Haha...
Harper and Penn’s flirty, kiss and run & hide relationship started with the classic note passed in class and heated up from there. It just happened. They hung out, kissed and argued in a don’t-talk-or-text-me-for-weeks kind of way. Very realistic and frustrating! Hell—I think I knew these kids in high school. But, in the end, I really didn’t like them.
I LOVE Lauren Barnholdt though! :) She has a style that’s so fun to read and be in. Back and forth points of view with hilarious, pitch perfect transitions. The chapters and banter *snap* with energy and life. I find myself reading certain lines or voices quickly almost like the characters are jacked up on caffeine. The way her books move and sound fit right into my rhythm. I adore being in a Barnholdt world with words like “herky-jerky” and lines that capture high school so perfectly.
”And honestly, it’s not that weird to see someone walking down the hall crying. It’s one of those crazy things about high school. Things that would seem out of place in the world are completely normal here.”
Boom! High school in three lines! Barnholdt keeps me reading and smiling all the way through with food cravings and laughs. Even if I’m not over the moon happy-clappy with the characters.
Penn and Harper are selfish and cowardly. Their time on the page was a loop of “we need to talk” and “let’s get out of here”. I needed a little more meat and meaning in the relationship to feel their tears and longing. Whenever things got dark or hard, these characters ran. We all have to learn to stand up, talk, and face the things in good times and bad. I don’t think Penn and Harper quite learned that lesson. This was my favorite line in the book:
“But sometimes the easiest thing isn’t always the best thing.”
I realize that wasn’t a glowing review, but I would still recommend this book. It was fun. Perfect for summer!
July 29, 2016
I received a free copy via Edelweiss.
Harper has never been noticed by Penn before until he leaves a note on her desk saying he liked her sparkle - the tinsel she put in her hair for school spirit day. Both are surprised that Penn has shown Harper some attention. They start to hang out, ditch school and have fun. But Penn think he's in no position for a relationship, but pursue's one anyway, albeit a hot-and-cold one. Differing pasts, differing ideals, yet drawn together anyway.
I was hoping for a fun and loving YA contemporary romance, but that's not what I got. The pacing was rushed and the plot over done - bad boy meets good girl and good girl proceeds to change and fix bad boy. Cliché and predictable and I found little enjoyment in reading Through to You.
To top it all off, I didn't really like Penn. At all. His inabilities to communicate feelings and how he continuously ignored Harper when things got too much for him was almost unbearable. Yet Harper, sweet, good-girl, innocent Harper, fell for him over and over and was won over by a kiss or two and a quick, half-hearted apology. I felt very little emotional attachment to the characters and didn't find myself rooting for Penn and Harper.
Perhaps those much more invested in contemporary romances will like this, but I don't think it was for me. If I'm going to read a contemporary, I want it to be awesome and heart-wrenching or funny and wild, this was neither I'm afraid, though don't take my word for it and I still suggest you give it a read if you want to.
Harper has never been noticed by Penn before until he leaves a note on her desk saying he liked her sparkle - the tinsel she put in her hair for school spirit day. Both are surprised that Penn has shown Harper some attention. They start to hang out, ditch school and have fun. But Penn think he's in no position for a relationship, but pursue's one anyway, albeit a hot-and-cold one. Differing pasts, differing ideals, yet drawn together anyway.
I was hoping for a fun and loving YA contemporary romance, but that's not what I got. The pacing was rushed and the plot over done - bad boy meets good girl and good girl proceeds to change and fix bad boy. Cliché and predictable and I found little enjoyment in reading Through to You.
To top it all off, I didn't really like Penn. At all. His inabilities to communicate feelings and how he continuously ignored Harper when things got too much for him was almost unbearable. Yet Harper, sweet, good-girl, innocent Harper, fell for him over and over and was won over by a kiss or two and a quick, half-hearted apology. I felt very little emotional attachment to the characters and didn't find myself rooting for Penn and Harper.
Perhaps those much more invested in contemporary romances will like this, but I don't think it was for me. If I'm going to read a contemporary, I want it to be awesome and heart-wrenching or funny and wild, this was neither I'm afraid, though don't take my word for it and I still suggest you give it a read if you want to.
July 22, 2014
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“The door to the bathroom opens, and I hear footsteps crossing the floor. A group of girls laughing as they reapply their lipstick. They’re happy and excited.
Like I should be.
But I’m not.
Instead here I am.
Crying in a bathroom stall.
This is how it ends.
And I have no-one to blame but myself.
I saw it coming.
I just couldn’t stop it.”
It all started with a note. Four simple words. “I like your sparkle.” What begins as an innocent flirtation soon escalates into something more, however, as two incompatible teenagers are increasingly, inexplicably drawn to one another despite a world of differences and dysfunction. Penn Mattingly doesn’t know why he wrote that note to Harper Fairbanks on that fateful day. Boredom? Curiosity? Whatever the reason, Penn can’t help but continue to seek Harper out, in spite of his absolute disinterest in a serious relationship. An impromptu picnic. A trip to the carnival. Stolen moments between classes. Soon, the two are spending every waking moment together, but Penn is still keeping Harper at arm’s length emotionally. Unwilling to confide in her about the shoulder injury that compromised both his baseball career and his chances at a college scholarship, tensions begin to rise as Penn and Harper unknowingly embark on a roller coaster of emotions complete with mixed signals and insecurity, secrets and betrayal, jealousy and second chances. With passions running high and two hearts in the mix, in a relationship defined by its turbulence and uncertainty, the only thing that Penn and Harper can be sure of is that this road surely leads to only one destination: Heartbreak.
“She looks at me, and I can see in her eyes that she wants some reassurance. She wants me to tell her that we’ll talk tomorrow, that me kissing her meant something.
But I can’t give her that.
So instead I just say “See you tomorrow, Harper.”
I watch her walk into the house, until she’s inside safely and has shut the door behind her. I imagine her walking up the stairs, dropping her bag in her room, maybe calling a friend or starting her homework.
It’s all so normal.
And that’s why Harper and I could never work out.
Because she’s normal.
And I’m anything but.”
Well, I can’t say I wasn’t warned. A series of one and two stars reviews on Goodreads. Words of caution from my friends and fellow bloggers. When I first accepted Through To You for review, there was a veritable chorus of detractors warning me not to get my hopes up. Despite all of this, I tried. I really did. I wanted to like this novel, whose premise about a tumultuous teen romance appeared tailor-made for me. Try as I might, however, reading Through To You proved to be little more than a test of my tolerance, my patience, and most importantly, my sanity. I take no pleasure in writing negative reviews. A fledgling writer myself, I appreciate the vast amount of time, energy and care it takes to bring a novel to fruition. That said, I feel it does a disservice both to myself and my readership, however small, if I’m not entirely honest about the books I read and review. I’m not typically one to DNF (‘do not finish’) a book, even if I’m not enjoying it. An eternal optimist, I like to believe that a lacklustre story can always be redeemed, even if it’s at the last possible moment. Unfortunately, this was not true in the case of Through To You. An unoriginal premise featuring the same tired story and the same tired characters with personalities either so flat or so foul as to render it almost unreadable, Lauren Barnholdt’s latest is a novel as distasteful as it is potentially dangerous.
“God, you really are uptight, aren’t you?” Penn asks. He shifts the truck into another gear, and as he does, his hand brushes against my thigh. I’m not sure if it’s my imagination, but I feel like maybe he did it on purpose.
“No.” I don’t think I’m uptight. Am I uptight? I don’t think I am. But probably people who are uptight don’t realize they’re uptight. Oh God. I might be uptight.”
As an individual, Harper Fairbanks is a practical non-entity for the complete absence of personality she exhibits over the course of the novel. Sure, she’s given the requisite number of quirks and phobias. A Type-A personality. An inexplicable fear of doctors and routine checkups. An alleged love of dance. Unfortunately, these are little more than window dressing on an otherwise structurally unsound house as Harper is nothing more than a cliche, two-dimensional character I’ve encountered an innumerable number of times before. To make matters worse, what few interests and little personality Harper does possess is quickly lost in her pursuit of Penn. Gone is her passion for dance. Gone is any mention of or preparation for her upcoming audition at Ballard. Everything becomes secondary to Penn’s feelings and concerns, further exemplifying the imbalance of power in their already disconcerting relationship. There are few things more disappointing than seeing a female character compromise who she is and lose any semblance of self in the pursuit of a relationship. For his part, Penn is a more memorable character, though not for the reasons one would likely wish. Once the golden boy and star of the high school’s baseball team, Penn Mattingly’s life is suddenly thrown off course when a serious shoulder injury threatens to sideline his baseball career forever. Upset over the loss of a potential sports scholarship, what he perceives as his only chance at attending college, Penn retreats into himself, cutting ties with his former friends on the team and becoming reclusive, bitter and angry. After failing to secure an appointment with the preeminent physician, Dr. Marzetti, Penn considers his last hope at rehabilitation dashed. While Penn’s feelings of hopelessness and anger are justified, realistic and even understandable, there’s a point at which they become tiresome. I wanted to see Penn become a proactive character and to do something, anything, to change his fate. Instead he mopes endlessly and resigns himself to his fate, becoming a reactionary character and making progress and moving forward only when other characters propel him to do so.
“Slam.
Why does everyone have to keep trying?
Slam.
Why does Harper even want to be around me, when I’m such a mess?
Slam.
Why doesn’t Jackson just go away, after all the shit I’ve put him through?
Slam.
Why do people keep pretending there’s hope when there isn’t?
Slam, slam, slam.
I don’t understand why everyone can’t just leave me alone, why people won’t just give up on me when I’ve obviously given up on myself.”
The first and most obvious problem with this novel is the glaring lack of originality. Make it unique. Make it sexy. Make it surprising. Make it something. I don’t think I’m asking too much. I’m certainly not expecting miracles. Had the author done no more than reverse the traditional gender roles and cast Penn in the role of the uptight, conscientious rule-follower and Harper as the attitudinal, devil-may-care rebel, I would have been pleased. But no. Instead, Through To You is no more than the average, unremarkable story of Good Girl falls in love with Bad Boy, attempts to ‘save him’ and heartbreak ensues. Tale as old as time. The author does nothing to subvert expectations or make these familiar archetypes her own. Even more frustrating, entire secondary storylines are introduced only to be later dismissed with little profundity or examination. Penn’s alcoholic father, presumably inserted as a means of adding ‘depth’ to his character and justifying his otherwise inexcusable behaviour, is never scrutinized in any significant way, nor are we ever given any closure or finality on this issue. Why is Penn’s father an alcoholic? Why does his family continue to accept his behaviour and act as though nothing is happening? This absence of insight and complexity carries on into other aspects of the story as well, most notable of which is Penn and Harper’s relationship. Being privy to Penn’s thoughts offers no further insight on this topic, either. Contrary to the author’s apparent belief, “God, she’s so sexy” and “God, she’s so adorable” do not a relationship make. While physical attraction is no doubt an important component of any romantic relationship, one is given the distinct impression that Penn knows nothing substantial about Harper, and only continues to pursue her because of how she makes him feel. She doesn’t ask too many questions. She continues to support him despite his poor treatment of her. These characters have nothing absolutely nothing in common apart from a shared adoration of Penn. A relationship that has all the depth and resonance of a stone skipping across a shallow pond, Barnholdt barely scratches the surface of what attracts these two seemingly incompatible strangers. When he isn’t questioning his attraction to Harper, Penn is questioning his pursuit of her, and constantly reiterating his disinterest in a serious relationship. So what does he do? Pursue her anyway, of course! Who needs character growth or personal insight when you can have a variation of the same scene repeated half a dozen times? What little character development we are given occurs hastily within the final one or two pages of the novel and is undoubtedly too little, too late.
“I open the door for her, and I can tell she’s impressed. It’s not that I like being chivalrous. It’s just that I learned that if you are chivalrous, you have a better chance of getting what you want. I know that sounds horrible, and it is. But old habits die hard.”
When Penn and Harper do spend time together, their interactions follow a very predictable, and very exasperating, pattern. Penn does something wrong. Harper is offended or hurt. Penn apologizes. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. These scenes are as uninspired as they is grating, and given the amount of time Penn spends grovelling for his numerous offences, I’m surprised he didn’t take up permanent residency on the floor. Even worse, Harper loses what little semblance of personality and individuality she once had upon entering into a relationship with Penn. Her love of dance and choreography, admittedly heretofore little more than a stated fact the reader is meant to readily accept with no tangible evidence, are forgotten entirely. Harper sacrifices her will, her self respect, and even her basic common sense in order to pursue a relationship with Penn. She knows they don’t get along. She knows he treats her poorly. But, overtaken with a rush of teenage hormones that would rival a tsunami, she continues to allow herself to be treated with disrespect and accepts treatment that I would not wish upon my worst enemy.
“I drive around for a while, not sure where I’m going.
Until, eventually, I end up at the same place I always end up.
At Sienna’s house.
Which is no good.
Not for me.
Not for her.
Not for Harper.
Not for anyone.”
The biggest problem? None of this story is even remotely romantic. What purports to be an ‘exhilarating, terrifying, amazing’ contemporary love story is more akin to a cautionary tale against the dangers of entering into an emotionally abusive relationship. No, I don’t think it’s romantic that Penn slept with another girl soon after Penn and Harper’s first kiss because he ‘couldn’t deal’. No, I don’t think it’s romantic that Penn shatters a glass on their first date in a fit of rage. No, I don’t think it’s romantic that Penn seems to have a sordid and unhappy sexual history with every single female character he comes into contact with. No, I don’t think it’s romantic that Harper is constantly worried about saying the wrong thing, for fear that Penn will leave her behind or display one of his frequent, mercurial and often volatile mood swings. I refuse to accept Barnholdt’s attempts to make this ‘love affair’ appear to be anything other than what it is: Abusive, dangerous, and unhealthy. This is not the sort of relationship we should be modelling for young girls and portraying as romantic, exhilarating or remotely desirable.
“That’s how it is with the best journeys, I decide. You never know where you’re going to end up until you’re there.
I roll down the window and let the warm summer breeze blow through my hair. Our journey might just be beginning, but I’m already right where I’m supposed to be.”
These were, hands down, the longest 288 pages of my life. I can’t count the number of times I picked up this novel only to put it down again out of frustration and disgust. Were a lack of originality, charisma and chemistry Through To You’s only faults, I would have simply dismissed it as not being the right novel for me and moved on. What upsets me most, however, is my concern that this book is potentially dangerous for young, impressionable readers. It romanticizes and excuses behaviour that is unacceptable and undesirable in a romantic partner at best and potentially abusive at worst. Harper’s lack of sense of self and her willingness to compromise her interests, her feelings, and her morals in order to pursue a relationship with Penn is equally troubling. I could not in good conscience recommend Through To You to anyone and now can only wish I could have saved myself from a similar fate.
“The door to the bathroom opens, and I hear footsteps crossing the floor. A group of girls laughing as they reapply their lipstick. They’re happy and excited.
Like I should be.
But I’m not.
Instead here I am.
Crying in a bathroom stall.
This is how it ends.
And I have no-one to blame but myself.
I saw it coming.
I just couldn’t stop it.”
It all started with a note. Four simple words. “I like your sparkle.” What begins as an innocent flirtation soon escalates into something more, however, as two incompatible teenagers are increasingly, inexplicably drawn to one another despite a world of differences and dysfunction. Penn Mattingly doesn’t know why he wrote that note to Harper Fairbanks on that fateful day. Boredom? Curiosity? Whatever the reason, Penn can’t help but continue to seek Harper out, in spite of his absolute disinterest in a serious relationship. An impromptu picnic. A trip to the carnival. Stolen moments between classes. Soon, the two are spending every waking moment together, but Penn is still keeping Harper at arm’s length emotionally. Unwilling to confide in her about the shoulder injury that compromised both his baseball career and his chances at a college scholarship, tensions begin to rise as Penn and Harper unknowingly embark on a roller coaster of emotions complete with mixed signals and insecurity, secrets and betrayal, jealousy and second chances. With passions running high and two hearts in the mix, in a relationship defined by its turbulence and uncertainty, the only thing that Penn and Harper can be sure of is that this road surely leads to only one destination: Heartbreak.
“She looks at me, and I can see in her eyes that she wants some reassurance. She wants me to tell her that we’ll talk tomorrow, that me kissing her meant something.
But I can’t give her that.
So instead I just say “See you tomorrow, Harper.”
I watch her walk into the house, until she’s inside safely and has shut the door behind her. I imagine her walking up the stairs, dropping her bag in her room, maybe calling a friend or starting her homework.
It’s all so normal.
And that’s why Harper and I could never work out.
Because she’s normal.
And I’m anything but.”
Well, I can’t say I wasn’t warned. A series of one and two stars reviews on Goodreads. Words of caution from my friends and fellow bloggers. When I first accepted Through To You for review, there was a veritable chorus of detractors warning me not to get my hopes up. Despite all of this, I tried. I really did. I wanted to like this novel, whose premise about a tumultuous teen romance appeared tailor-made for me. Try as I might, however, reading Through To You proved to be little more than a test of my tolerance, my patience, and most importantly, my sanity. I take no pleasure in writing negative reviews. A fledgling writer myself, I appreciate the vast amount of time, energy and care it takes to bring a novel to fruition. That said, I feel it does a disservice both to myself and my readership, however small, if I’m not entirely honest about the books I read and review. I’m not typically one to DNF (‘do not finish’) a book, even if I’m not enjoying it. An eternal optimist, I like to believe that a lacklustre story can always be redeemed, even if it’s at the last possible moment. Unfortunately, this was not true in the case of Through To You. An unoriginal premise featuring the same tired story and the same tired characters with personalities either so flat or so foul as to render it almost unreadable, Lauren Barnholdt’s latest is a novel as distasteful as it is potentially dangerous.
“God, you really are uptight, aren’t you?” Penn asks. He shifts the truck into another gear, and as he does, his hand brushes against my thigh. I’m not sure if it’s my imagination, but I feel like maybe he did it on purpose.
“No.” I don’t think I’m uptight. Am I uptight? I don’t think I am. But probably people who are uptight don’t realize they’re uptight. Oh God. I might be uptight.”
As an individual, Harper Fairbanks is a practical non-entity for the complete absence of personality she exhibits over the course of the novel. Sure, she’s given the requisite number of quirks and phobias. A Type-A personality. An inexplicable fear of doctors and routine checkups. An alleged love of dance. Unfortunately, these are little more than window dressing on an otherwise structurally unsound house as Harper is nothing more than a cliche, two-dimensional character I’ve encountered an innumerable number of times before. To make matters worse, what few interests and little personality Harper does possess is quickly lost in her pursuit of Penn. Gone is her passion for dance. Gone is any mention of or preparation for her upcoming audition at Ballard. Everything becomes secondary to Penn’s feelings and concerns, further exemplifying the imbalance of power in their already disconcerting relationship. There are few things more disappointing than seeing a female character compromise who she is and lose any semblance of self in the pursuit of a relationship. For his part, Penn is a more memorable character, though not for the reasons one would likely wish. Once the golden boy and star of the high school’s baseball team, Penn Mattingly’s life is suddenly thrown off course when a serious shoulder injury threatens to sideline his baseball career forever. Upset over the loss of a potential sports scholarship, what he perceives as his only chance at attending college, Penn retreats into himself, cutting ties with his former friends on the team and becoming reclusive, bitter and angry. After failing to secure an appointment with the preeminent physician, Dr. Marzetti, Penn considers his last hope at rehabilitation dashed. While Penn’s feelings of hopelessness and anger are justified, realistic and even understandable, there’s a point at which they become tiresome. I wanted to see Penn become a proactive character and to do something, anything, to change his fate. Instead he mopes endlessly and resigns himself to his fate, becoming a reactionary character and making progress and moving forward only when other characters propel him to do so.
“Slam.
Why does everyone have to keep trying?
Slam.
Why does Harper even want to be around me, when I’m such a mess?
Slam.
Why doesn’t Jackson just go away, after all the shit I’ve put him through?
Slam.
Why do people keep pretending there’s hope when there isn’t?
Slam, slam, slam.
I don’t understand why everyone can’t just leave me alone, why people won’t just give up on me when I’ve obviously given up on myself.”
The first and most obvious problem with this novel is the glaring lack of originality. Make it unique. Make it sexy. Make it surprising. Make it something. I don’t think I’m asking too much. I’m certainly not expecting miracles. Had the author done no more than reverse the traditional gender roles and cast Penn in the role of the uptight, conscientious rule-follower and Harper as the attitudinal, devil-may-care rebel, I would have been pleased. But no. Instead, Through To You is no more than the average, unremarkable story of Good Girl falls in love with Bad Boy, attempts to ‘save him’ and heartbreak ensues. Tale as old as time. The author does nothing to subvert expectations or make these familiar archetypes her own. Even more frustrating, entire secondary storylines are introduced only to be later dismissed with little profundity or examination. Penn’s alcoholic father, presumably inserted as a means of adding ‘depth’ to his character and justifying his otherwise inexcusable behaviour, is never scrutinized in any significant way, nor are we ever given any closure or finality on this issue. Why is Penn’s father an alcoholic? Why does his family continue to accept his behaviour and act as though nothing is happening? This absence of insight and complexity carries on into other aspects of the story as well, most notable of which is Penn and Harper’s relationship. Being privy to Penn’s thoughts offers no further insight on this topic, either. Contrary to the author’s apparent belief, “God, she’s so sexy” and “God, she’s so adorable” do not a relationship make. While physical attraction is no doubt an important component of any romantic relationship, one is given the distinct impression that Penn knows nothing substantial about Harper, and only continues to pursue her because of how she makes him feel. She doesn’t ask too many questions. She continues to support him despite his poor treatment of her. These characters have nothing absolutely nothing in common apart from a shared adoration of Penn. A relationship that has all the depth and resonance of a stone skipping across a shallow pond, Barnholdt barely scratches the surface of what attracts these two seemingly incompatible strangers. When he isn’t questioning his attraction to Harper, Penn is questioning his pursuit of her, and constantly reiterating his disinterest in a serious relationship. So what does he do? Pursue her anyway, of course! Who needs character growth or personal insight when you can have a variation of the same scene repeated half a dozen times? What little character development we are given occurs hastily within the final one or two pages of the novel and is undoubtedly too little, too late.
“I open the door for her, and I can tell she’s impressed. It’s not that I like being chivalrous. It’s just that I learned that if you are chivalrous, you have a better chance of getting what you want. I know that sounds horrible, and it is. But old habits die hard.”
When Penn and Harper do spend time together, their interactions follow a very predictable, and very exasperating, pattern. Penn does something wrong. Harper is offended or hurt. Penn apologizes. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. These scenes are as uninspired as they is grating, and given the amount of time Penn spends grovelling for his numerous offences, I’m surprised he didn’t take up permanent residency on the floor. Even worse, Harper loses what little semblance of personality and individuality she once had upon entering into a relationship with Penn. Her love of dance and choreography, admittedly heretofore little more than a stated fact the reader is meant to readily accept with no tangible evidence, are forgotten entirely. Harper sacrifices her will, her self respect, and even her basic common sense in order to pursue a relationship with Penn. She knows they don’t get along. She knows he treats her poorly. But, overtaken with a rush of teenage hormones that would rival a tsunami, she continues to allow herself to be treated with disrespect and accepts treatment that I would not wish upon my worst enemy.
“I drive around for a while, not sure where I’m going.
Until, eventually, I end up at the same place I always end up.
At Sienna’s house.
Which is no good.
Not for me.
Not for her.
Not for Harper.
Not for anyone.”
The biggest problem? None of this story is even remotely romantic. What purports to be an ‘exhilarating, terrifying, amazing’ contemporary love story is more akin to a cautionary tale against the dangers of entering into an emotionally abusive relationship. No, I don’t think it’s romantic that Penn slept with another girl soon after Penn and Harper’s first kiss because he ‘couldn’t deal’. No, I don’t think it’s romantic that Penn shatters a glass on their first date in a fit of rage. No, I don’t think it’s romantic that Penn seems to have a sordid and unhappy sexual history with every single female character he comes into contact with. No, I don’t think it’s romantic that Harper is constantly worried about saying the wrong thing, for fear that Penn will leave her behind or display one of his frequent, mercurial and often volatile mood swings. I refuse to accept Barnholdt’s attempts to make this ‘love affair’ appear to be anything other than what it is: Abusive, dangerous, and unhealthy. This is not the sort of relationship we should be modelling for young girls and portraying as romantic, exhilarating or remotely desirable.
“That’s how it is with the best journeys, I decide. You never know where you’re going to end up until you’re there.
I roll down the window and let the warm summer breeze blow through my hair. Our journey might just be beginning, but I’m already right where I’m supposed to be.”
These were, hands down, the longest 288 pages of my life. I can’t count the number of times I picked up this novel only to put it down again out of frustration and disgust. Were a lack of originality, charisma and chemistry Through To You’s only faults, I would have simply dismissed it as not being the right novel for me and moved on. What upsets me most, however, is my concern that this book is potentially dangerous for young, impressionable readers. It romanticizes and excuses behaviour that is unacceptable and undesirable in a romantic partner at best and potentially abusive at worst. Harper’s lack of sense of self and her willingness to compromise her interests, her feelings, and her morals in order to pursue a relationship with Penn is equally troubling. I could not in good conscience recommend Through To You to anyone and now can only wish I could have saved myself from a similar fate.
May 5, 2015
When I first read the synopsis of Through to You, my attention was immediately captured. I wanted to read it despite the not-so-high rating on Goodreads. When I read the book though, I was quite disappointed.
Harper is the good girl type, while Penn, who is the resident heartbreaker, is the total opposite. It all started out with Penn complimenting Harper's tinsel. And when the two ditched school together, they surprised each other and themselves, which started their attraction towards each other.
Through to You started as a very interesting and promising read, but I soon became annoyed at the way the characters acted and how the story became over-dramatic. Penn's problem had a lot of hype surrounding it, yet when it came to the time that it was revealed, I was disappointed to find that it was just that. The way Penn acted, it might have been a huge mystery, but it really wasn't.
I enjoyed it a bit, because I was able to finish reading it after all. I would not go as far to that it was a waste of my time or anything remotely close to that, but it could have been so much better because I really saw potential at the start of the book. This book was not for me, but I hope others would be able to enjoy it more than I did.
Harper is the good girl type, while Penn, who is the resident heartbreaker, is the total opposite. It all started out with Penn complimenting Harper's tinsel. And when the two ditched school together, they surprised each other and themselves, which started their attraction towards each other.
Through to You started as a very interesting and promising read, but I soon became annoyed at the way the characters acted and how the story became over-dramatic. Penn's problem had a lot of hype surrounding it, yet when it came to the time that it was revealed, I was disappointed to find that it was just that. The way Penn acted, it might have been a huge mystery, but it really wasn't.
I enjoyed it a bit, because I was able to finish reading it after all. I would not go as far to that it was a waste of my time or anything remotely close to that, but it could have been so much better because I really saw potential at the start of the book. This book was not for me, but I hope others would be able to enjoy it more than I did.
November 22, 2014
*2.5*
I just could not connect with the characters, their actions aggravated me. They were also pretty plain. I did not feel any depth from the story and overall it did not make me feel any emotions other than some frustration.
It did keep my attention, but the writing is so simplistic and rushed. I almost feel like this is an outline of a story and isn't fleshed out.
The characters would do things and say things that just didn't make sense.
I also didn't get the point..
It's not horrid writing, it just seemed slapped together and random.
I received this book as an e-ARC from the website Edelweiss.
I just could not connect with the characters, their actions aggravated me. They were also pretty plain. I did not feel any depth from the story and overall it did not make me feel any emotions other than some frustration.
It did keep my attention, but the writing is so simplistic and rushed. I almost feel like this is an outline of a story and isn't fleshed out.
The characters would do things and say things that just didn't make sense.
I also didn't get the point..
It's not horrid writing, it just seemed slapped together and random.
I received this book as an e-ARC from the website Edelweiss.
July 23, 2014
Judging from the description of this book, I thought it was going to be a light and fun contemporary read that I could get through fast. However my assumptions were wrong. The story starts off introducing Harper as a girl who has been under the radar until Penn starts to notice her. He leaves her a flirty note on her desk and even though it didn't really mean anything, their relationship unexpectedly develops from there.
Even though mature content is brought up in the book such as hooking up, swearing, and underage drinking, the topics seemed to be too watered down.
The characters lacked depth and oozed clichés. Penn is the popular bad boy who can't open up to anyone and has been with multiple girls but for some reason Harper is different. Harper is the intelligent innocent girl who is never spontaneous. Innocent girl and bad boy, those characters were nothing special. Instead of showing through actions or letting the reader figure these things out themselves, the characters would straight up think "I'm not spontaneous" and add in a short random story afterwards backing up that characterization. This would create a disconnect in the present moment. The side characters' stories were also explored but not in depth. Inevitably, I found myself not caring whenever the story focused on the side characters' plots.
Key information was brought up but the details never were, only the general information was revealed. The family problems involving both of the characters never truly got resolved those issues were kind of just pushed aside for the romance. Speaking of romance, the relationship had a few problems. I'm not even sure how the characters developed strong feelings for one another. Penn and Harper would always note how attracted they were to another and nothing else. This made the relationship seem shallow. They argued, wouldn't speak to each other for weeks at a time, played games with their feelings, and then claim to really like each other after all of that.
Overall, I would not recommend this book.
Even though mature content is brought up in the book such as hooking up, swearing, and underage drinking, the topics seemed to be too watered down.
The characters lacked depth and oozed clichés. Penn is the popular bad boy who can't open up to anyone and has been with multiple girls but for some reason Harper is different. Harper is the intelligent innocent girl who is never spontaneous. Innocent girl and bad boy, those characters were nothing special. Instead of showing through actions or letting the reader figure these things out themselves, the characters would straight up think "I'm not spontaneous" and add in a short random story afterwards backing up that characterization. This would create a disconnect in the present moment. The side characters' stories were also explored but not in depth. Inevitably, I found myself not caring whenever the story focused on the side characters' plots.
Key information was brought up but the details never were, only the general information was revealed. The family problems involving both of the characters never truly got resolved those issues were kind of just pushed aside for the romance. Speaking of romance, the relationship had a few problems. I'm not even sure how the characters developed strong feelings for one another. Penn and Harper would always note how attracted they were to another and nothing else. This made the relationship seem shallow. They argued, wouldn't speak to each other for weeks at a time, played games with their feelings, and then claim to really like each other after all of that.
Overall, I would not recommend this book.
August 9, 2016
Provided by the Publisher via Edelweiss
The story starts with Harper gets her heart broken and then it goes back to the beginning, showing us how it comes to this point. It is told from both Penn's and Harper's point of view.
I have read a few of books written by Lauren Barnholdt and I absolutely loved each one of them. Likewise, I enjoyed reading this one greatly.
Relationship between Harper and Penn moved a little too fast in my opinion. Well, it wasn't like an inst love or anything, still it progressed too quickly. It was a complicated relationship, and the fact that Penn was hot and cold time and time again didn't help either. I liked Harper and Penn characters, though. Harper was sweet, witty, but a tad pushy. Penn was charming, to say the least.
As for the storyline, I think it had a nice flow and very compelling. Due to how the book started, I was curious to find out what had happened that made them arrived this point. Some scenes did raise a few questions , though, as I still don't believe how that made sense. Nevertheless, it was a cute teenage love story.
Overall, it was such a sweet and romantic book. I enjoyed reading it a lot.
Thanks Simon Pulse for the eGalley.
Blog: YA Obsession
August 26, 2014
It was difficult for me to hate this book. From the first page I already liked the story and it didn't help that I giggled like an idiot during the sweet parts.
The story is about two unlikely people who fall in love amidst the problems and pain of the past.
Harper is an aspiring choreographer. She's sweet and cute and shy. She works as a receptionist at her mom's dance studio and has a singer best friend named Anna. She gets a note in class from Penn, the ex-baseball star turned bad boy with the heart-melting smile and their love story takes off.
Penn's busted shoulder, alcoholic father, and insecurities make it hard for him to open up to Harper. But that doesn’t stop him from trying. The two of them fight and make up like crazy. But you just know that in the end they will be together.
I thought Harper's trusting, witty, and genuine attitude was adorable. I could not dislike her for being persistent in trying to get Penn to open up. She made a difference in his life after all. But I wish that the book talked about Penn's family life more. That was never resolved. And I can't help but wonder where Penn gets the money for his appointments.
But never mind that. Overall, it was a sweet book. The kind that makes you want to swoon and listen to cheesy ballads all afternoon. I definitely recommend this book to romance lovers.
The story is about two unlikely people who fall in love amidst the problems and pain of the past.
Harper is an aspiring choreographer. She's sweet and cute and shy. She works as a receptionist at her mom's dance studio and has a singer best friend named Anna. She gets a note in class from Penn, the ex-baseball star turned bad boy with the heart-melting smile and their love story takes off.
Penn's busted shoulder, alcoholic father, and insecurities make it hard for him to open up to Harper. But that doesn’t stop him from trying. The two of them fight and make up like crazy. But you just know that in the end they will be together.
I thought Harper's trusting, witty, and genuine attitude was adorable. I could not dislike her for being persistent in trying to get Penn to open up. She made a difference in his life after all. But I wish that the book talked about Penn's family life more. That was never resolved. And I can't help but wonder where Penn gets the money for his appointments.
But never mind that. Overall, it was a sweet book. The kind that makes you want to swoon and listen to cheesy ballads all afternoon. I definitely recommend this book to romance lovers.
June 23, 2014
This book was sent to me for review from Simon and Schuster.
I hate giving books bad reviews, I respect the amount of work put into writing a book, but I also need to be honest in my reviews.
When going into this book I was expecting a really cute contemporary, something light and fun. Unfortunately this is probably the biggest disappointment of a book that I have read so far this year. I couldn't get into the story at all, it felt very plain and boring and the characters were horrible. I felt like the romance had zero chemistry, I'm not even sure how the main characters fell for each other, all they ever did was fight, then they wouldn't speak for weeks, then they were back together as if nothing happened. I read this book in one day, and this happens to be an instance where I just kept reading so I could finish it. :(
I unfortunately would not recommend this book.
I hate giving books bad reviews, I respect the amount of work put into writing a book, but I also need to be honest in my reviews.
When going into this book I was expecting a really cute contemporary, something light and fun. Unfortunately this is probably the biggest disappointment of a book that I have read so far this year. I couldn't get into the story at all, it felt very plain and boring and the characters were horrible. I felt like the romance had zero chemistry, I'm not even sure how the main characters fell for each other, all they ever did was fight, then they wouldn't speak for weeks, then they were back together as if nothing happened. I read this book in one day, and this happens to be an instance where I just kept reading so I could finish it. :(
I unfortunately would not recommend this book.
February 26, 2016
At the start of the book you find Harper in the bathroom crying over Penn. Then you jump back to the start to find out what led up to it. Honestly I did not enjoy this that much. I only kept reading because I wanted to know why Harper ended up in the bathroom crying. The relationship between Harper and Penn seemed very rushed to me. There two hardly knew each other and then all of a sudden they couldn't stay away from one another. Harper was pretty push, which I could understand to a point, but I think she was a bit over the top. Penn was so hot and cold that I didn't know how to take him. At times I found him more irritating than charming.
I have read another book by Barnholdt that I enjoyed and was looking forward to trying this one out. Unfortunately, I couldn't really get into this. I do plan on trying more of this authors work at some point.
I have read another book by Barnholdt that I enjoyed and was looking forward to trying this one out. Unfortunately, I couldn't really get into this. I do plan on trying more of this authors work at some point.
September 23, 2014
Through to You bored me unfortunately.
I didn't like Harper. She annoyed me at the start, and she got worse as the book progressed. Penn wasn't much better, but he didn't annoy me as much as her.
I felt bored for the majority of the book unfortunately. I didn't care about anything that happened, and i didn't care for the characters.
The ending was okay, but i was just glad to finish it!
Overall, Boring, with unlikeable characters.
I didn't like Harper. She annoyed me at the start, and she got worse as the book progressed. Penn wasn't much better, but he didn't annoy me as much as her.
I felt bored for the majority of the book unfortunately. I didn't care about anything that happened, and i didn't care for the characters.
The ending was okay, but i was just glad to finish it!
Overall, Boring, with unlikeable characters.
September 27, 2024
1.5 stars
Novel provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
Opening Thoughts
I went into this book expecting a light, fun contemporary, but I didn't get that with this book. I had heard some pretty negative things from several people that I trust, so I went into this books with expectations at rock bottom. However, the first thirty pages seemed promising. The seemingly beginning of Penn and Harper's relationship was cute and I their characters were cute, if a bit annoying. Sadly, it quickly went downhill, and this book ended up with a 1.5 star rating from me.
Characters
I did not like either Harper or Penn. They are such stereotypical characters, and I've read quite a few books with characters like them recently and I'm so sick of them, though I believe I would have hated them despite that.
Harper is the classic good girl, who doesn't ever do anything wrong, and is essentially the perfect person, and lets everyone she knows down by dating Penn. She was so naive and annoying, and she kept going back to Penn over and over and over again, even as he continued to push her away and hurt her. I didn't understand why she didn't just dump him, she became a character that had no backbone, and let a guy become the center of her world.
Penn is the typical resident bad boy with the troubled past and bad home life, nothing I haven't seen, oh say, five million times. I didn't really find him attractive so I couldn't relate to Harper's attraction to him. He was so hot and cold, more cold than hot, though he was charming at times, he wasn't more often than not. He used his injured shoulder as an excuse so many times, and the first or even second time he used it, I could kind of sympathize with him, but by the tenth time, I was just done with him.
Plot
This book isn't very long, but it's still almost 300 pages and I felt like pretty much nothing happened. I was really bored for a lot of it, but I kept on reading because it's a review book and I like to at least try to get them finished. But this book was really, really boring. The kind of beginning for Penn and Harper's relationship was when Penn convinces Harper to ditch school and they kiss and BOOM! Harper is in love. I don't know that Penn thought that he was in love but he started getting all possessive and crap over Harper, so it was definitely more than someone should have felt after one kiss a couple of hours after you meet a person. So, yes there was insta-love, and yes it was horrid. I didn't feel any chemistry between Harper and Penn, they claimed to be in love with each other but I didn't believe it. I thought that the writing was overly simplistic, and better suited for a younger audience.
Overall, I did not enjoy this book. The writing was subpar, the plot was unoriginal, and I didn't like the characters. I would recommend it to people who really enjoy this kind of plot line, or people who are fans of Lauren Barnholdt, though I wouldn't get your hopes up too much because I've heard that this is one of her worst books. This was my first Lauren Barnholdt book and I do think I'll pick up one of her other, more loved books in the future.
Novel provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
Opening Thoughts
I went into this book expecting a light, fun contemporary, but I didn't get that with this book. I had heard some pretty negative things from several people that I trust, so I went into this books with expectations at rock bottom. However, the first thirty pages seemed promising. The seemingly beginning of Penn and Harper's relationship was cute and I their characters were cute, if a bit annoying. Sadly, it quickly went downhill, and this book ended up with a 1.5 star rating from me.
Characters
I did not like either Harper or Penn. They are such stereotypical characters, and I've read quite a few books with characters like them recently and I'm so sick of them, though I believe I would have hated them despite that.
Harper is the classic good girl, who doesn't ever do anything wrong, and is essentially the perfect person, and lets everyone she knows down by dating Penn. She was so naive and annoying, and she kept going back to Penn over and over and over again, even as he continued to push her away and hurt her. I didn't understand why she didn't just dump him, she became a character that had no backbone, and let a guy become the center of her world.
Penn is the typical resident bad boy with the troubled past and bad home life, nothing I haven't seen, oh say, five million times. I didn't really find him attractive so I couldn't relate to Harper's attraction to him. He was so hot and cold, more cold than hot, though he was charming at times, he wasn't more often than not. He used his injured shoulder as an excuse so many times, and the first or even second time he used it, I could kind of sympathize with him, but by the tenth time, I was just done with him.
Plot
This book isn't very long, but it's still almost 300 pages and I felt like pretty much nothing happened. I was really bored for a lot of it, but I kept on reading because it's a review book and I like to at least try to get them finished. But this book was really, really boring. The kind of beginning for Penn and Harper's relationship was when Penn convinces Harper to ditch school and they kiss and BOOM! Harper is in love. I don't know that Penn thought that he was in love but he started getting all possessive and crap over Harper, so it was definitely more than someone should have felt after one kiss a couple of hours after you meet a person. So, yes there was insta-love, and yes it was horrid. I didn't feel any chemistry between Harper and Penn, they claimed to be in love with each other but I didn't believe it. I thought that the writing was overly simplistic, and better suited for a younger audience.
Overall, I did not enjoy this book. The writing was subpar, the plot was unoriginal, and I didn't like the characters. I would recommend it to people who really enjoy this kind of plot line, or people who are fans of Lauren Barnholdt, though I wouldn't get your hopes up too much because I've heard that this is one of her worst books. This was my first Lauren Barnholdt book and I do think I'll pick up one of her other, more loved books in the future.
March 24, 2015
I received this ARC for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
2.5 stars
I've read most of Lauren Barnholdt's books and I've always enjoyed them, so imagine my surprise at not being able to connect with this book at all. Truth be told, I wanted to give up on it after a couple of chapters, but I decided to keep going and see where Barnholdt would take me with her story.
To be honest, there isn't much of a story in the first place. No, scratch that. There is a story--it just wasn't developed or explored, really. Harper and Penn have seen each other around school, but they've never actually talked, until Penn leaves Harper a note. They spend the day together, they kiss, and then not a word is exchanged in the next two weeks. I'm sorry, but how am I supposed to become invested in that? After those two weeks, they once again spend a whole day together, and this time their relationship--if you could even call it that--lasts three weeks. After that there's drama, more drama, they stop talking (do you see a pattern here?), they miss each other greatly, they get back together. The end. And that's it folks.
I really wanted to connect with Harper, but I just couldn't find her that likable. She had some funny, stubborn moments where I wanted to high-five her, but other than those few moments in between, I was just uninterested. There's not much of a background story with her, and while Barnholdt does give us a bit of depth in relation to Harper's dreams of being a choreographer, it's not enough to set her up as a fully, developed character. Penn, on the other hand, had a lot of potential that was just waiting to be tapped into. His family home, his injury, his buildup anger and resentment--it all made for a really great three-dimensional character. However, most of those issues were just given a cursory glance.
It seemed like the book focused more on Harper and Penn's romance than in anything else, and even that wasn't that great. I really couldn't see why Harper would be so invested in Penn after spending a couple of hours with him, when all he basically does in sulk. Where's the swooning? Where's the romance? Penn did have his charming moments, but it wasn't enough to make me actually care for him. Also, his increasingly irritating mood swings? Nope. It just made me want to bash my head in. Honestly, I didn't know how Harper was able to get past that.
As much as it pains me to say it, I would skip Through to You. While I think the cover is adorable and sweet, there's nothing in the way of depth to hold on to. I can tell that Barnholdt tried, but I just couldn't connect with either characters, no matter how much I wanted to. Hopefully, her next book will be an improvement from this one.
For more reviews, visit my blog at Bittersweet Reads.
2.5 stars
I've read most of Lauren Barnholdt's books and I've always enjoyed them, so imagine my surprise at not being able to connect with this book at all. Truth be told, I wanted to give up on it after a couple of chapters, but I decided to keep going and see where Barnholdt would take me with her story.
To be honest, there isn't much of a story in the first place. No, scratch that. There is a story--it just wasn't developed or explored, really. Harper and Penn have seen each other around school, but they've never actually talked, until Penn leaves Harper a note. They spend the day together, they kiss, and then not a word is exchanged in the next two weeks. I'm sorry, but how am I supposed to become invested in that? After those two weeks, they once again spend a whole day together, and this time their relationship--if you could even call it that--lasts three weeks. After that there's drama, more drama, they stop talking (do you see a pattern here?), they miss each other greatly, they get back together. The end. And that's it folks.
I really wanted to connect with Harper, but I just couldn't find her that likable. She had some funny, stubborn moments where I wanted to high-five her, but other than those few moments in between, I was just uninterested. There's not much of a background story with her, and while Barnholdt does give us a bit of depth in relation to Harper's dreams of being a choreographer, it's not enough to set her up as a fully, developed character. Penn, on the other hand, had a lot of potential that was just waiting to be tapped into. His family home, his injury, his buildup anger and resentment--it all made for a really great three-dimensional character. However, most of those issues were just given a cursory glance.
It seemed like the book focused more on Harper and Penn's romance than in anything else, and even that wasn't that great. I really couldn't see why Harper would be so invested in Penn after spending a couple of hours with him, when all he basically does in sulk. Where's the swooning? Where's the romance? Penn did have his charming moments, but it wasn't enough to make me actually care for him. Also, his increasingly irritating mood swings? Nope. It just made me want to bash my head in. Honestly, I didn't know how Harper was able to get past that.
As much as it pains me to say it, I would skip Through to You. While I think the cover is adorable and sweet, there's nothing in the way of depth to hold on to. I can tell that Barnholdt tried, but I just couldn't connect with either characters, no matter how much I wanted to. Hopefully, her next book will be an improvement from this one.
For more reviews, visit my blog at Bittersweet Reads.
June 16, 2014
This is only my second Lauren Barnholdt book and I thoroughly enjoyed my first… I may have gone in with my expectations a bit high though. That doesn’t mean I didn’t like this book… on the contrary. I enjoyed it for the most part, I just didn’t love it.
We start at the end with this story, and we know that Harper has had her heart broken and that she completely blames Penn but what we don’t know is the why or the build up to that. And that story starts with a simple note “I like your sparkle” dropped on Harper’s desk by none other than Penn.
Did I mention that Penn is the resident Senior class heartbreaker – he’s most definitely NOT looking for a girlfriend but he finds that he’s a bit intrigued by Harper and he can’t resist pursuing her. And Harper is most definitely NOT looking for a boyfriend like Penn. But that doesn’t keep them from hanging out and getting to know a little bit about each other and hanging out eventually leads to making out… and then well… they’re both in a spot that neither expected.
Here’s why I struggled with this story… First and foremost, I went in kind of thinking this was going to be a lighthearted, sweet, summer romance. And while there was a bit of romance, it just wasn’t all that light-hearted or sweet. Don’t get me wrong… there were some moments But that wasn’t all… I just couldn’t click with the characters. Harper for as smart and strong as she is continually forgives this bad-boy behavior, brushing it off and putting it in the past. I’m a strong believer in forgiveness, but there comes a point when you just have to say enough and realize that people aren’t going to change for you. By the time it mattered, I was well past being a fan of Penn. Which brings me to his issues. I get it. He’s a teen boy. He doesn’t open up about his feelings and he doesn’t communicate well. But some of the things that happened between them… again, I just found I wasn’t really cheering for them when it mattered.
All that said, I will admit this… I really enjoyed the end, and while I didn’t really find myself emotionally attached to any of these characters, they were well-developed and the story was paced well. In fact, it was a pretty quick read for me with nothing too angsty or heavy to weigh the story down.
If you’re a fan of contemporary and like a majorly flawed character, definitely check this one out for yourself! I’ll be waiting for the next from Lauren Barnholdt while you do!
Thank you to Simon Pulse for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts
We start at the end with this story, and we know that Harper has had her heart broken and that she completely blames Penn but what we don’t know is the why or the build up to that. And that story starts with a simple note “I like your sparkle” dropped on Harper’s desk by none other than Penn.
Did I mention that Penn is the resident Senior class heartbreaker – he’s most definitely NOT looking for a girlfriend but he finds that he’s a bit intrigued by Harper and he can’t resist pursuing her. And Harper is most definitely NOT looking for a boyfriend like Penn. But that doesn’t keep them from hanging out and getting to know a little bit about each other and hanging out eventually leads to making out… and then well… they’re both in a spot that neither expected.
Here’s why I struggled with this story… First and foremost, I went in kind of thinking this was going to be a lighthearted, sweet, summer romance. And while there was a bit of romance, it just wasn’t all that light-hearted or sweet. Don’t get me wrong… there were some moments But that wasn’t all… I just couldn’t click with the characters. Harper for as smart and strong as she is continually forgives this bad-boy behavior, brushing it off and putting it in the past. I’m a strong believer in forgiveness, but there comes a point when you just have to say enough and realize that people aren’t going to change for you. By the time it mattered, I was well past being a fan of Penn. Which brings me to his issues. I get it. He’s a teen boy. He doesn’t open up about his feelings and he doesn’t communicate well. But some of the things that happened between them… again, I just found I wasn’t really cheering for them when it mattered.
All that said, I will admit this… I really enjoyed the end, and while I didn’t really find myself emotionally attached to any of these characters, they were well-developed and the story was paced well. In fact, it was a pretty quick read for me with nothing too angsty or heavy to weigh the story down.
If you’re a fan of contemporary and like a majorly flawed character, definitely check this one out for yourself! I’ll be waiting for the next from Lauren Barnholdt while you do!
Thank you to Simon Pulse for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts
January 28, 2015
Through to You can be summed up in one word - CUTE. Every now again (not often) I love to read a book that is cute, short and simple. I really feel like I read this at the perfect time.
Penn and Harper could not be more different. Penn is confident, cocky and of course has a reputation. He has a rough home life - and ever since his injury has had one heck of a chip on his shoulder. He doesn't "do" relationships and is often questioning himself when it came to Harper. Harper is sweet, shy and your typical "good girl." She is a very laid back person. She is striving to get into a prestigious dance school (for choreography) and works at her mothers dance studio.
Other than that - there isn't much to say about the two. Everything about this book (to me) was simple and to the point - no depth. But again, it was cute. I loved watching Harper and Penn get to know each other. There were no raw angst-y moments, no over the top swoon moments either.
Overall - I liked it. It's short, to the point and super cute. I recommend for the more... younger crowd, over us adults that love us some YA. Either way, if you like short & sweet contemporary this for it!
*I received this book for free from The Publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*
Penn and Harper could not be more different. Penn is confident, cocky and of course has a reputation. He has a rough home life - and ever since his injury has had one heck of a chip on his shoulder. He doesn't "do" relationships and is often questioning himself when it came to Harper. Harper is sweet, shy and your typical "good girl." She is a very laid back person. She is striving to get into a prestigious dance school (for choreography) and works at her mothers dance studio.
Other than that - there isn't much to say about the two. Everything about this book (to me) was simple and to the point - no depth. But again, it was cute. I loved watching Harper and Penn get to know each other. There were no raw angst-y moments, no over the top swoon moments either.
Overall - I liked it. It's short, to the point and super cute. I recommend for the more... younger crowd, over us adults that love us some YA. Either way, if you like short & sweet contemporary this for it!
*I received this book for free from The Publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*
June 15, 2014
The main reason I didn't rate this higher is because the entire story is OMG I CANT LIVE WITHOUT HER/HIM to OMG SHE/HE MADE ME ANGRY AND IM GOING TO IGNORE HER/HIM FOR WEEKS. It got really old really fast.
I could have been okay with it if there would have been something else to it. Yes, Penn is going through some shitty things and has a crappy family life, but it didn't seem like he was trying to deal with anything. He just wanted to wallow.
I liked Harper, but she always went back to him as soon as he smiled or winked at her. Their individual plot lines and other characters were just secondary to the fighting/making up and seemed to be filler.
I can definitely see how some readers will enjoy this story, but it just wasn't for me.
**Huge thanks to Simon Pulse and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
I could have been okay with it if there would have been something else to it. Yes, Penn is going through some shitty things and has a crappy family life, but it didn't seem like he was trying to deal with anything. He just wanted to wallow.
I liked Harper, but she always went back to him as soon as he smiled or winked at her. Their individual plot lines and other characters were just secondary to the fighting/making up and seemed to be filler.
I can definitely see how some readers will enjoy this story, but it just wasn't for me.
**Huge thanks to Simon Pulse and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
November 2, 2018
2.5. Stars
Honestly? This book was average but with zero redeeming qualities. Like Harper said, this book is just the surface. There is no depth, no complexity and nothing to hold your interest. Even the side plot of Harper's best friend and her crush on her best guy friend was completely pointless in the end since nothing changed. And don't get me started on Harper and Penn's "romance", nothing happened except the cliché of the hero constantly pushing away and shutting out the heroine while she tries to help but also runs away. Even clichés can still be interesting with decent ideas and characters but this was just follow the dots. There was no sparks, no proper development, not to mention the relationship is so fragile, Harper freaks out and thinks Penn is cheating when he is just talking to another classmate. This shouldn't have been a full length novel, It felt more like a simple but underdeveloped story you'd read in a compilation: pointless but something to pass the time with. I was hoping Barnholdt would be a substitute for Elizabeth Scott to me in the Chick lit department but if all her books are like this, I think I might pass.
Also, I WANT HARPER TO TAKE HER STUPID PHYSICAL ALREADY, DANG IT!
Honestly? This book was average but with zero redeeming qualities. Like Harper said, this book is just the surface. There is no depth, no complexity and nothing to hold your interest. Even the side plot of Harper's best friend and her crush on her best guy friend was completely pointless in the end since nothing changed. And don't get me started on Harper and Penn's "romance", nothing happened except the cliché of the hero constantly pushing away and shutting out the heroine while she tries to help but also runs away. Even clichés can still be interesting with decent ideas and characters but this was just follow the dots. There was no sparks, no proper development, not to mention the relationship is so fragile, Harper freaks out and thinks Penn is cheating when he is just talking to another classmate. This shouldn't have been a full length novel, It felt more like a simple but underdeveloped story you'd read in a compilation: pointless but something to pass the time with. I was hoping Barnholdt would be a substitute for Elizabeth Scott to me in the Chick lit department but if all her books are like this, I think I might pass.
Also, I WANT HARPER TO TAKE HER STUPID PHYSICAL ALREADY, DANG IT!
February 23, 2024
This book is interesting to say the least, really easy to read but that might just be because it feels like it was written for 12 year olds, I used to love this authors books but after reading this one for the first time in years I think it’s safe to say that I don’t think I wanna read another one of hers, the plot moved way to fast I mean they’d known each other for all of like a week (and that’s being generous it was more like 3 days) and then they start talking about how they can’t live without each other all the time like come on even real high school relationships don’t move that fast. Penn and Harper are so cringy certain parts of the story actually hurt to read. Don’t even get me started on some of the grammar in this book. 2/5 stars is the best I can give this book.
August 31, 2021
Por libros como éste es que estoy cómo estoy XD
Resumen general: Chicos adolescentes en su último año de prepa. Chica buena y con metas. Chico malo con una familia turbulenta y un trauma personal. Se enamoran. (Ya te puedes imaginar lo que pasa). Y si, es una historia cliché.
Para pasar el rato, esta entretenida. Pero gente, no aspiren a este tipo de relaciones; no son sanas.
Resumen general: Chicos adolescentes en su último año de prepa. Chica buena y con metas. Chico malo con una familia turbulenta y un trauma personal. Se enamoran. (Ya te puedes imaginar lo que pasa). Y si, es una historia cliché.
Para pasar el rato, esta entretenida. Pero gente, no aspiren a este tipo de relaciones; no son sanas.
July 29, 2019
I liked this in the way I’ve liked all the Lauren Barnholdt books I’ve read so far. It’s definitely not a serious read, or something I’d actively recommend, but they’re quick, easy reads. I usually do her books in a single day, like I did with this one. I didn’t love this, but there was nothing about it that made me mad or gave me any reason to dislike it.
Currently reading
January 4, 2019I like this book because it is romantic and makes you guessing. I love Harper because she is like me she is afraid of boys and goes dancing class. I hate Penn because he is a bad boy and wants to make a move on Harper. Penn is sweet and a bad boy at the same time which is weird. I think the author did a good job writing this book because it is a mystery. I like that Harper and Penn date and be in a great relationship. I love that they got into their relationship and then they didn't feel anything between them anymore. I think that the author should have made the date for a long time. Then make them get engaged than when the wedding was here she breaks up with him. I think that would be really funny.
July 15, 2023
Penn is bbg. Jackson and Penn would’ve been a better couple. Anna can fuck off!!
July 25, 2024
Such a good read. Kind of disappointing how long it took for Penn to tell Harper he liked her though.
June 27, 2023
Penn is lowkey fine but... This couple made no sense and the plot was questionable at best.
October 22, 2015
Often people with trauma don't always face their fears and sadness by themselves. In the book Through To You by Lauren Barnholdt, a teenager struggles with finding the correct path through his life. The protagonist, Penn, has a hard time opening up to anyone including his family about his tragic accident. Penn was a baseball player and had dream was to become an all star baseball player, because of his accident he is unable to play baseball anymore. He needs a scholarship to go to college and there are disadvantages that stop him from moving on with his life; that is until he meets a girl that changes his life forever, Harper.
Penn goes through major character changes. He was a person who felt miserable and lost hope of having a baseball career. To make matters worse his alcoholic father makes him feel worse by talking about a sensitive topic, his accident, “ Baseball is over for you, Son. And the quicker you accept that, the better off you’ll be.” (Barnholdt, 67). Readers felt sympathetic towards Penn. Although his dad's words are the harsh truth, a parent's job is to encourage their kid and push them towards their dreams no matter what the circumstances are. Instead his dad's blunt words make Penn feel like a failure. Penn feels even worse because he realizes that his dad is telling the truth which makes him believe that there is no hope for his career. However, Harper makes him believe that there is hope and he can still pursue his dreams, that's if he has faith in himself, “If they can’t help you, you haven’t lost anything.” I say softly. “You know if you go to the doctor, it doesn’t mean anything. It’s just an appointment. If they can’t help you you haven’t lost anything. Don't you think you owe it to yourself to explore every possibility?”(Barnholdt, 136). Her words make Penn believe that there's hope for him. Penn gets a different doctor's appointment with a specialist. When the doctor tells him that he can fix his shoulder, the first thing he thinks about is telling Harper. The author portrays the character change; instead of keeping to himself and bottling his emotions, he's opening up and having faith in himself.
One of the best aspect of the book is how Barnholdt uses a different perspectives throughout the story (Harper and Penn’s point of view). Instead of using chapters she uses point of views to separate the story into parts. Barnholdt also uses detailed description to describe the characters. She uses the other characters point of view and have the characters thoughts describe the other character. Also she gives the story an unpredictable twist for example, towards the end of the story readers expect the story to have somewhat of an epilogue. Instead the story ends romantically and as a cliffhanger. Readers question whether Penn’s surgery went well or if Harper tells him that she loves him, nevertheless the story was simply perfect.
Penn goes through major character changes. He was a person who felt miserable and lost hope of having a baseball career. To make matters worse his alcoholic father makes him feel worse by talking about a sensitive topic, his accident, “ Baseball is over for you, Son. And the quicker you accept that, the better off you’ll be.” (Barnholdt, 67). Readers felt sympathetic towards Penn. Although his dad's words are the harsh truth, a parent's job is to encourage their kid and push them towards their dreams no matter what the circumstances are. Instead his dad's blunt words make Penn feel like a failure. Penn feels even worse because he realizes that his dad is telling the truth which makes him believe that there is no hope for his career. However, Harper makes him believe that there is hope and he can still pursue his dreams, that's if he has faith in himself, “If they can’t help you, you haven’t lost anything.” I say softly. “You know if you go to the doctor, it doesn’t mean anything. It’s just an appointment. If they can’t help you you haven’t lost anything. Don't you think you owe it to yourself to explore every possibility?”(Barnholdt, 136). Her words make Penn believe that there's hope for him. Penn gets a different doctor's appointment with a specialist. When the doctor tells him that he can fix his shoulder, the first thing he thinks about is telling Harper. The author portrays the character change; instead of keeping to himself and bottling his emotions, he's opening up and having faith in himself.
One of the best aspect of the book is how Barnholdt uses a different perspectives throughout the story (Harper and Penn’s point of view). Instead of using chapters she uses point of views to separate the story into parts. Barnholdt also uses detailed description to describe the characters. She uses the other characters point of view and have the characters thoughts describe the other character. Also she gives the story an unpredictable twist for example, towards the end of the story readers expect the story to have somewhat of an epilogue. Instead the story ends romantically and as a cliffhanger. Readers question whether Penn’s surgery went well or if Harper tells him that she loves him, nevertheless the story was simply perfect.
July 7, 2014
This is my first book by Lauren Barnholdt and I’m not gonna lie, I added it to my TBR based on the cover alone. Yes, I’m vain. But, once I read the summary, this book was something I really wanted to read. I’ve heard good things about Barnholdt’s books and this was a good book to start me off. It’s like and it’s exactly what I was hoping it would be!
The beginning really hooked me in with a sneak peek at the end of the book. It warns us that things betwen Harper and Penn won’t be easy and I was nervous but excited in a way to see how they get to that point. A silly note from Penn starts things off between him and Harper. Penn didn’t mean for anything to come out of that note. He’s kind of a womanizer, in that almost harmless high school way, and a serious relationship is the last thing he needs right now. Especially since things at home aren’t great and he just lost his chance to go to college on a scholarship because of an injury. But, he did like Harper’s reaction to his note. So much that he looks for more ways to spend time with her. The more time they spend together, the deeper their feelings become. They shouldn’t work but they somehow do…most of the time anyway.
My favorite part of the book was getting to see Penn and Harper’s friendship grow slowly. These two have nothing in common, yet they just click. The attraction between them is strong and I loved seeing their cute and flirty moments become something more. The complications start when they finally kiss and Penn reacts like a dumb guy and blows her off for 2 weeks. Penn kind of scares off easily, but I also understood his side of things. He’s never had anything serious with a girl and he really likes Harper. That fact alone scares the hell out of him. Throw in his bleak and unsure future and a drunk dad and delusional mom and pothead brother and I got why things with Harper were sometimes too much for him. His POV scenes helped me ‘get’ him. I loved how Harper slowly started to get through his layers though.
This was such a sweet book! I breezed through it and finished it before I even knew I had reached the end. It was kind of on the short side and while I do feel like the ending was a little bit rushed and I would have loved to seen more, I liked the way it ended. I hope this one is released on audio (with two narrators please!) because this would be so good on audio. Through To You is a perfect summer read. It’s light and cute and filled with heartwarming moments and great chemistry.
4 out of 5 stars!
***
Read full review & more of my reviews at Mostly YA Book Obsessed
The beginning really hooked me in with a sneak peek at the end of the book. It warns us that things betwen Harper and Penn won’t be easy and I was nervous but excited in a way to see how they get to that point. A silly note from Penn starts things off between him and Harper. Penn didn’t mean for anything to come out of that note. He’s kind of a womanizer, in that almost harmless high school way, and a serious relationship is the last thing he needs right now. Especially since things at home aren’t great and he just lost his chance to go to college on a scholarship because of an injury. But, he did like Harper’s reaction to his note. So much that he looks for more ways to spend time with her. The more time they spend together, the deeper their feelings become. They shouldn’t work but they somehow do…most of the time anyway.
My favorite part of the book was getting to see Penn and Harper’s friendship grow slowly. These two have nothing in common, yet they just click. The attraction between them is strong and I loved seeing their cute and flirty moments become something more. The complications start when they finally kiss and Penn reacts like a dumb guy and blows her off for 2 weeks. Penn kind of scares off easily, but I also understood his side of things. He’s never had anything serious with a girl and he really likes Harper. That fact alone scares the hell out of him. Throw in his bleak and unsure future and a drunk dad and delusional mom and pothead brother and I got why things with Harper were sometimes too much for him. His POV scenes helped me ‘get’ him. I loved how Harper slowly started to get through his layers though.
This was such a sweet book! I breezed through it and finished it before I even knew I had reached the end. It was kind of on the short side and while I do feel like the ending was a little bit rushed and I would have loved to seen more, I liked the way it ended. I hope this one is released on audio (with two narrators please!) because this would be so good on audio. Through To You is a perfect summer read. It’s light and cute and filled with heartwarming moments and great chemistry.
4 out of 5 stars!
***
Read full review & more of my reviews at Mostly YA Book Obsessed
June 30, 2014
Original review here
Through to You, a book about Penn and Harper falling for each other though they are the complete opposite - but opposites attract right? Penn and Harper are the definition of opposite. Loud, playful jock versus shy, quiet, keep to yourself type. But a little "sparkle" is enough to flick into something else.
The idea of the book, while not necessarily original had some hope to it. But I was disappointed. The characters were all over the place, and I found it frustrating. It was off to a good start (both the book and the relationship) but it quickly went down from there. Penn and Harper would be happy and having fun, then Penn would put up a wall and a fight would begin. They would go a while without talking, and then all of a sudden they were back on. Just like that, and it would happen again and again. Something was missing in between all of this fighting. I needed more, and I just didn't get it.
I couldn't relate to the characters and I didn't find them dimensional or even interesting. There was potential in the overall story - Harpers dancing, the injury Penn is dealing with - but it felt too focused on the push and pull of the actual relationship.
I was hoping for a fun little summer romance read, and unfortunately Through to You wasn't it.
Through to You, a book about Penn and Harper falling for each other though they are the complete opposite - but opposites attract right? Penn and Harper are the definition of opposite. Loud, playful jock versus shy, quiet, keep to yourself type. But a little "sparkle" is enough to flick into something else.
The idea of the book, while not necessarily original had some hope to it. But I was disappointed. The characters were all over the place, and I found it frustrating. It was off to a good start (both the book and the relationship) but it quickly went down from there. Penn and Harper would be happy and having fun, then Penn would put up a wall and a fight would begin. They would go a while without talking, and then all of a sudden they were back on. Just like that, and it would happen again and again. Something was missing in between all of this fighting. I needed more, and I just didn't get it.
I couldn't relate to the characters and I didn't find them dimensional or even interesting. There was potential in the overall story - Harpers dancing, the injury Penn is dealing with - but it felt too focused on the push and pull of the actual relationship.
I was hoping for a fun little summer romance read, and unfortunately Through to You wasn't it.
December 4, 2014
I choose to read this book because I've read other books by this author, and I really liked it. What I really loved about this book is the characters. This book is based on two people's perspectives. I noticed the even though the two characters are male and female, they still have similar characteristics. Fear. "' She wants me to have a physical,' Harper says,' and I have a phobia'"(Barnholdt 19). Harper apparently has a fear of anything physical for some reason that's not stated in the book. "Otherwise it's just one of those things that happen, one of those things you have no control over. And that's too hard. It's too painful. I need someone to blame. So even though I know he's telling the truth, I shut it down. I close my feelings off, and it's the ugliest, dirtiest part of me that decides to refuse to believe him"(Barnholdt 234). I think that this quote tell us that Penn has a fear of being disappointed. He's scared to find out that he will never be able to use his shoulder to it full potential anymore. I think that he is afriad to be disappointed because maybe he already had so much disappointment in his life. That if he gets his hope up bit is disappoint at the end; it's going to hurt.
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