What do you think?
Rate this book
The Opposite of Love
Rose is the wild girl nobody really knows. Chase is haunted by his past. Both are self-proclaimed "disappointments," attracted to each other enough to let down their defenses. When Rose's strict, adoptive parents forbid the relationship, it only makes things more intense. But Chase can’t hide from his own personal demons, and Rose has secrets of her own. After they’re wrenched apart, a cryptic email arrives in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve, beginning a desperate pursuit and a look back over their tumultuous romance. Will they find each other before the night is over, or will they be torn apart forever?
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
14 people are currently reading
584 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Lynn Scheerger
12 books57 followersSarah Lynn Scheerger is also known as Sarah Lynn and Sarah Scheerger.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
October 3, 2014
First let me start this review out by saying "OH MY GOD"!
I have never ever laughed and cried so hard at the same time. Lord this is not your typical love story. This is a story of a broken boy and a broken girl and how together they are good but apart they are bad. I loved Rose character right away. She was a spitfire and no matter what came her way she still kept her head up and did everything she could. Her parents were a little on the crazy radical side and lord knows I would not want them for parents. Her parents tried to control everything in Rose's life and when Rose decided she had had enough they decided to call the police for reinforcement.
Chase I loved his character because he was hurting and broken and never ever stopped loving Rose. He had his issues with his parents but Chase learned to deal with them. He had his best friend Stein and he and Stein would hang out and go to school together and when things got real bad for Rose and Chase he stayed friends with both of them and helped them through their rough patch.
The only thing I did not like and I almost took a star for it was the ending. I needed more and closure and I needed to see where Rose and Chase ended up. I guess it does say some but the ending needed more for me. As I am a picky reader I wanted more and I hope there is going to be a second book.
I have never ever laughed and cried so hard at the same time. Lord this is not your typical love story. This is a story of a broken boy and a broken girl and how together they are good but apart they are bad. I loved Rose character right away. She was a spitfire and no matter what came her way she still kept her head up and did everything she could. Her parents were a little on the crazy radical side and lord knows I would not want them for parents. Her parents tried to control everything in Rose's life and when Rose decided she had had enough they decided to call the police for reinforcement.
Chase I loved his character because he was hurting and broken and never ever stopped loving Rose. He had his issues with his parents but Chase learned to deal with them. He had his best friend Stein and he and Stein would hang out and go to school together and when things got real bad for Rose and Chase he stayed friends with both of them and helped them through their rough patch.
The only thing I did not like and I almost took a star for it was the ending. I needed more and closure and I needed to see where Rose and Chase ended up. I guess it does say some but the ending needed more for me. As I am a picky reader I wanted more and I hope there is going to be a second book.
October 4, 2014
Rose has been with her parents since she was really young and they adopted her. But she remembers her "real" mother and refuses to be the obedient, docile daughter that these people want her to be - she's going to do things her way. Chase's father was a violent, abusive bastard. His mother is not very maternal, to say the least, and he pretty much takes care of running their lives (and making sure his sister is taken care of). When the two of them actually meet one another, sparks fly and trouble seems to be on the horizon. After they are forbidden to see one another things come to a head with a mysterious email Cahse receives on Christmas Eve. Can Chase and Rose find their way back to one another? Or are both of their self-destructive tendencies too much to handle?
I could not stand Rose. She was a complete and utter, spoiled brat. Yes, she has reasons to be upset with the strict and over-the-top way that her adoptive parents treat her all the time. But she definitely invites it, with her completely outrageous behavior. And yeah, it's sad that she lost her real mother, but her real mother had apparently been a down on her luck prostitute. So, as much as she loved Rose, she had no business trying to take care of a child when she couldn't take care of herself. Plus, it's obvious to see that her adoptive parents love her (even if I don't agree with their methods - the police? Really?!). Chase on the other hand, while being from the wrong side of the tracks, was a fairly sweet boy. I didn't mind him quite so much. I did think that him deciding to pursue Rose, who obviously was in self-destruct mode, was a dumb-ass thing to do. Not to mention, it could ruin his life right alongside hers, which would just be a waste.
It's kind of hard to truly like a book though, when you feel like the author is cramming issues down your throat. I also had a hard time with the "romance," seeing as I hate one half of the romantic couple. Then the author had that so-called "twist" happen near the end of the book. Really? That's how she chooses to end this book, and make the two dumb teenagers grow up? Cliched and overall, I've seen it so many times as a reader that it just makes me tired. Overall, nit my cup of tea and not something I'd recommend. I was skimming near the end, cause I just frankly didn't care.
VERDICT: 2/5 Stars
**I reviewed this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published September 1st, 2014.*
I could not stand Rose. She was a complete and utter, spoiled brat. Yes, she has reasons to be upset with the strict and over-the-top way that her adoptive parents treat her all the time. But she definitely invites it, with her completely outrageous behavior. And yeah, it's sad that she lost her real mother, but her real mother had apparently been a down on her luck prostitute. So, as much as she loved Rose, she had no business trying to take care of a child when she couldn't take care of herself. Plus, it's obvious to see that her adoptive parents love her (even if I don't agree with their methods - the police? Really?!). Chase on the other hand, while being from the wrong side of the tracks, was a fairly sweet boy. I didn't mind him quite so much. I did think that him deciding to pursue Rose, who obviously was in self-destruct mode, was a dumb-ass thing to do. Not to mention, it could ruin his life right alongside hers, which would just be a waste.
It's kind of hard to truly like a book though, when you feel like the author is cramming issues down your throat. I also had a hard time with the "romance," seeing as I hate one half of the romantic couple. Then the author had that so-called "twist" happen near the end of the book. Really? That's how she chooses to end this book, and make the two dumb teenagers grow up? Cliched and overall, I've seen it so many times as a reader that it just makes me tired. Overall, nit my cup of tea and not something I'd recommend. I was skimming near the end, cause I just frankly didn't care.
VERDICT: 2/5 Stars
**I reviewed this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published September 1st, 2014.*
August 9, 2015
Grade: B-
When Rose and Chance, two troubled teens, meet through their best friends, she pushes him away. Adopted after living the first six years with her prostitute mother, Rose defies her obsessively strict parents, refusing to get close to anyone. Chance has his father's temper, even though he hasn't seem him in three years. He parents his little sister than either his mom or dad ever did. Roses parents go to great lengths to keep them apart, and the consequences may be tragic.
THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE isn't hate, but apathy, according to Rose, and apathy is pretty much how I feel about Sarah Lynn Scheerer's debut. Her sophomore effort, ARE YOU STILL THERE? is a much better written novel. Told in both Rose and Chance's third person POVs without distinction between the voices. The story skipped back and forth between 16 months, which was at times confusing and would have been a better read if written linearly.
Scheerer did a great job creating two main characters with unique and interesting backstories. Rose's issues of trust, rebellion and control would be typical for children adopted from a biological parent at age six. While I didn't always like her, I understood her. Chance was mostly sympathetic, except one situation with his mother. I wished she would have been more of a mother and I wish she had gotten some help for herself and the family.
I didn't like the ending, and there were several questions left unanswered.
THEMES: romance, adoption, alcoholism, domestic violence, parents
When Rose and Chance, two troubled teens, meet through their best friends, she pushes him away. Adopted after living the first six years with her prostitute mother, Rose defies her obsessively strict parents, refusing to get close to anyone. Chance has his father's temper, even though he hasn't seem him in three years. He parents his little sister than either his mom or dad ever did. Roses parents go to great lengths to keep them apart, and the consequences may be tragic.
THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE isn't hate, but apathy, according to Rose, and apathy is pretty much how I feel about Sarah Lynn Scheerer's debut. Her sophomore effort, ARE YOU STILL THERE? is a much better written novel. Told in both Rose and Chance's third person POVs without distinction between the voices. The story skipped back and forth between 16 months, which was at times confusing and would have been a better read if written linearly.
Scheerer did a great job creating two main characters with unique and interesting backstories. Rose's issues of trust, rebellion and control would be typical for children adopted from a biological parent at age six. While I didn't always like her, I understood her. Chance was mostly sympathetic, except one situation with his mother. I wished she would have been more of a mother and I wish she had gotten some help for herself and the family.
I didn't like the ending, and there were several questions left unanswered.
THEMES: romance, adoption, alcoholism, domestic violence, parents
November 27, 2021
Little to no development in a book that attempts to deal with serious issues. It really is the opposite of love considering there was next to no genuine romance between the flat cookie-cutter characters.
3 stars instead of 1 though, because at least the main female character had brown hair and brown eyes instead of being some “beautiful fiery redhead with emerald green eyes.”
3 stars instead of 1 though, because at least the main female character had brown hair and brown eyes instead of being some “beautiful fiery redhead with emerald green eyes.”
April 16, 2016
This review was originally posted on my blog on 12th September 2014. You can find it here.
I saw this book at BEA and picked it up because it looked interesting but I had no actual expectations of the book. Unfortunately this book was not a very good book. I very nearly DNF’d (Did not Finish) this book but essentially decided to continue so that I could have my questions answered. However, irritatingly, the ending was just as disappointing and horrific as the rest of the book had been and my questions were not answered. Needless to say, I really struggled to read this book and would struggle to recommend it.
The biggest problem I had with this book was how unrealistic it was. There were certain things that felt just right and so many other things that were so incredibly wrong. One of the biggest issues for me though was the use of a cat. One of the characters finds a stray and carries it home… under her top. She then keeps the cat in her room… without her parents realising because cats are easy, dumb, and quiet… aha… yeah… or not! As a cat owner and lover this really pulled me out of the story and I found it too difficult not to notice all of the other flaws layering this book. I feel a little more research could really have benefited this book.
Possibly the only redeeming feature of this book were the characters. They were all in-depth and well thought-out. This is due to the author’s background as a pschyologist. I didn’t really connect with any of the characters properly but I did like Daniel. He had a lot of pressures going on at home and I liked how protective he was of his sister. I also liked how he eventually was around his dad. All the characters were very different and I think they worked well together.
This book was not an enjoyable book for me. While there was an addictive and curious feel to the book, it simply wasn’t good enough to make this book good. It was a book that did have potential but it simply flopped, in my opinion. The only interesting part of this story was the characters but they didn’t make up for the terrible plot and unrealistic situations, unfortunately. I really wouldn’t be able to recommend this book but I would be curious to hear from anyone else who has read it?
I saw this book at BEA and picked it up because it looked interesting but I had no actual expectations of the book. Unfortunately this book was not a very good book. I very nearly DNF’d (Did not Finish) this book but essentially decided to continue so that I could have my questions answered. However, irritatingly, the ending was just as disappointing and horrific as the rest of the book had been and my questions were not answered. Needless to say, I really struggled to read this book and would struggle to recommend it.
The biggest problem I had with this book was how unrealistic it was. There were certain things that felt just right and so many other things that were so incredibly wrong. One of the biggest issues for me though was the use of a cat. One of the characters finds a stray and carries it home… under her top. She then keeps the cat in her room… without her parents realising because cats are easy, dumb, and quiet… aha… yeah… or not! As a cat owner and lover this really pulled me out of the story and I found it too difficult not to notice all of the other flaws layering this book. I feel a little more research could really have benefited this book.
Possibly the only redeeming feature of this book were the characters. They were all in-depth and well thought-out. This is due to the author’s background as a pschyologist. I didn’t really connect with any of the characters properly but I did like Daniel. He had a lot of pressures going on at home and I liked how protective he was of his sister. I also liked how he eventually was around his dad. All the characters were very different and I think they worked well together.
This book was not an enjoyable book for me. While there was an addictive and curious feel to the book, it simply wasn’t good enough to make this book good. It was a book that did have potential but it simply flopped, in my opinion. The only interesting part of this story was the characters but they didn’t make up for the terrible plot and unrealistic situations, unfortunately. I really wouldn’t be able to recommend this book but I would be curious to hear from anyone else who has read it?
June 14, 2020
I couldn’t stand Rose. She came off as a total spoiled brat. She couldn’t stand her adoptive parents but it seemed like she didn’t want the situation to get better. Rather than talking to her adoptive mom, she didn’t say anything about what she was thinking or feeling but then got mad that her mother wasn’t there for her in the way she needed. How was she supposed to know? Is she a mind reader?
Totally called the twist, and the way it was resolved was way too simplistic and easy.
A fast read, but not a particularly enjoyable one.
Totally called the twist, and the way it was resolved was way too simplistic and easy.
A fast read, but not a particularly enjoyable one.
August 25, 2016
2.5 Stars
Rose doesn't have many memories of her biological mother other than that last moment when a very young Rose witnessed the woman being arrested and hauled off for something. She always figured she would see her mother again soon, but after a short stint in the foster care system Rose is taken in the Parsimmons, or Mr and Mrs P. as Rose calls them. Now years later, Rose is a teen testing their patience on a daily basis. The Parsimmons are an older couple, very strict and conservative in their beliefs and parenting methods. So much so that with each infraction of the rules Rose has more and more freedoms taken away from her until she is basically under extreme house arrest, only being allowed to attend school and an after-school job without Mrs. P's supervision. Rose finds ways around the restrictions though and it's not long before she's befriended & soon dating troubled teen boy Chase.
Chase has his own family struggles, what with his mother trying to rebuild her life with him and his younger sister after leaving an abusive marriage. But now said abusive father is trying to work his way back into Chase's life. Chase also struggles with his mother's questionable taste in equally disappointing new boyfriends. It takes all the teen's strength and mental focus to protect his baby sister while also keeping his own temper in check.
When Chase and Rose get together, it's not always smooth sailing between them but they do find comfort in sharing similar miseries. This budding relationship is put to the test though when Mrs. P discovers what's going on between them and puts Rose on an even stricter lockdown, one that silences Rose for 8 months straight, until Rose is finally compelled to send a cryptic message to Chase and her best friends that mysteriously reads, "I'm writing to say goodbye... please don't hate me for doing this..." Not knowing what to think, Rose's friends frantically search all over town trying to find her, scared to discover what she has in mind / what she meant exactly by that message.
I hate to say it, but this was one of those books where the back cover blurb seemed to contain more mystery than the whole rest of the book. This is the second of Scheerger's books I've read and I'm not sure what it is exactly, but something about her writing style is just not quite hitting the mark with me. I get pulled in by the plot synopses because they sound like they'll be a bit thriller-ish, but the execution just falls flat. Both of the novels that I read were under 300 pages but it just felt like I had to really push myself to finish them.
What irked me about this one in particular was the pointlessly heavy-handed profanity right from page one. It's constant and it's just crammed in there in awkward places in the dialogue. A trend I see in YA books that I just do not understand. Sure, teens like to curse, as do a lot of adults, but it's got to feel natural! Don't just shove it in there to try to spice up an otherwise slow, uneventful plot!
Also, what was with the persistent referencing to Chase's bulky size? Just say he's got a stocky build once when introducing him and I got it. But nope, instead I have to be reminded every other chapter or so of him being "a teddy bear on steroids", "his polar bear bulk", "he's not fat huge, just so totally solid". Ugh.
Can't say I was Team Rose either. I could understand some of her anger and emotional distress over feeling some abandonment from her birth mom, and yeah, maybe Mrs. P did go a little extreme with the discipline at times, but I didn't see where the Parsimmons' behavior would warrant Rose's extreme hate of them. Like Mrs P pointed out: they spent money they didn't always have to get her nice clothes and the best medical care, they tried to stock up on certain foods they'd noticed she liked... heck, even Mr P. goes out and buys her a laptop even after they ground her. She takes it as them trying to buy her off but doesn't really go out of her way to explain her viewpoint, maybe tell them something along the lines of "hey, maybe we could go out and do something as a family." Nope, she prefers to take whatever they give her in the way of food, shelter, and niceties but continue to seethe at them from afar. Even her friends at times try to tell her, "maybe it's a little bit you!"
I liked the character of Chase individually -- him trying to be a good brother to his sister, give her a good male example and such -- but him with Rose didn't do anything for me and it bugged me that she was always calling him "idiot", "moron", etc and he never called her out on it, instead swooning over his "exotic Indian princess".
I grew to like Mr. P. I wish there could have been more character growth written in for him before the story ended. Near the end of the story there he seemed like he really wanted to make things right with Rose.
I gave Scheerger two attempts close together and they both fell kinda flat for me. Not sure I'll be in any big rush to check out any more of her stuff for awhile.
Rose doesn't have many memories of her biological mother other than that last moment when a very young Rose witnessed the woman being arrested and hauled off for something. She always figured she would see her mother again soon, but after a short stint in the foster care system Rose is taken in the Parsimmons, or Mr and Mrs P. as Rose calls them. Now years later, Rose is a teen testing their patience on a daily basis. The Parsimmons are an older couple, very strict and conservative in their beliefs and parenting methods. So much so that with each infraction of the rules Rose has more and more freedoms taken away from her until she is basically under extreme house arrest, only being allowed to attend school and an after-school job without Mrs. P's supervision. Rose finds ways around the restrictions though and it's not long before she's befriended & soon dating troubled teen boy Chase.
Chase has his own family struggles, what with his mother trying to rebuild her life with him and his younger sister after leaving an abusive marriage. But now said abusive father is trying to work his way back into Chase's life. Chase also struggles with his mother's questionable taste in equally disappointing new boyfriends. It takes all the teen's strength and mental focus to protect his baby sister while also keeping his own temper in check.
When Chase and Rose get together, it's not always smooth sailing between them but they do find comfort in sharing similar miseries. This budding relationship is put to the test though when Mrs. P discovers what's going on between them and puts Rose on an even stricter lockdown, one that silences Rose for 8 months straight, until Rose is finally compelled to send a cryptic message to Chase and her best friends that mysteriously reads, "I'm writing to say goodbye... please don't hate me for doing this..." Not knowing what to think, Rose's friends frantically search all over town trying to find her, scared to discover what she has in mind / what she meant exactly by that message.
I hate to say it, but this was one of those books where the back cover blurb seemed to contain more mystery than the whole rest of the book. This is the second of Scheerger's books I've read and I'm not sure what it is exactly, but something about her writing style is just not quite hitting the mark with me. I get pulled in by the plot synopses because they sound like they'll be a bit thriller-ish, but the execution just falls flat. Both of the novels that I read were under 300 pages but it just felt like I had to really push myself to finish them.
What irked me about this one in particular was the pointlessly heavy-handed profanity right from page one. It's constant and it's just crammed in there in awkward places in the dialogue. A trend I see in YA books that I just do not understand. Sure, teens like to curse, as do a lot of adults, but it's got to feel natural! Don't just shove it in there to try to spice up an otherwise slow, uneventful plot!
Also, what was with the persistent referencing to Chase's bulky size? Just say he's got a stocky build once when introducing him and I got it. But nope, instead I have to be reminded every other chapter or so of him being "a teddy bear on steroids", "his polar bear bulk", "he's not fat huge, just so totally solid". Ugh.
Can't say I was Team Rose either. I could understand some of her anger and emotional distress over feeling some abandonment from her birth mom, and yeah, maybe Mrs. P did go a little extreme with the discipline at times, but I didn't see where the Parsimmons' behavior would warrant Rose's extreme hate of them. Like Mrs P pointed out: they spent money they didn't always have to get her nice clothes and the best medical care, they tried to stock up on certain foods they'd noticed she liked... heck, even Mr P. goes out and buys her a laptop even after they ground her. She takes it as them trying to buy her off but doesn't really go out of her way to explain her viewpoint, maybe tell them something along the lines of "hey, maybe we could go out and do something as a family." Nope, she prefers to take whatever they give her in the way of food, shelter, and niceties but continue to seethe at them from afar. Even her friends at times try to tell her, "maybe it's a little bit you!"
I liked the character of Chase individually -- him trying to be a good brother to his sister, give her a good male example and such -- but him with Rose didn't do anything for me and it bugged me that she was always calling him "idiot", "moron", etc and he never called her out on it, instead swooning over his "exotic Indian princess".
I grew to like Mr. P. I wish there could have been more character growth written in for him before the story ended. Near the end of the story there he seemed like he really wanted to make things right with Rose.
I gave Scheerger two attempts close together and they both fell kinda flat for me. Not sure I'll be in any big rush to check out any more of her stuff for awhile.
June 26, 2014
I headed into Sarah Lynn Scheeger’s The Opposite of Love, as I usually do, without reading the blurb. I’d pretty much been sold on the title and the cover and thought I already had a clear idea of what the book would be about. Well, I did … and I didn’t.
Because yes, it was a book about teen love and lust and relationships, and dealing with family and life in general—but it was also so much more than that, a tale of heartbreak and unfortunate circumstances and being strong enough to push forth.
From the off I connected with Chase. I loved his voice. Loved his character. And that didn’t change as the book progressed. Yes, he came from a not-great background, and yes his home life was violently bad growing up, but for the most, that didn’t really affect who he was. Deep down, although he often worried about having the same violent tendencies he’d seen from his now absent dad, he fought them every step of the way. And even the time when he snaps and fails to hold his temper in check, the remorse he feels over it and the disgust he feels toward himself kind of redeem him—because he wants to be better and his actions and inner turmoil prove that he more than willing to make that happen. Especially when he reconnects with his father, whom he hasn’t seen since he walked out on them, and gets a surprise wakeup call of how everything could be. This aspect of the story, I found very refreshing. I love when authors don’t take the typical route with absent parents or divorced families, and Ms Scheeger definitely did this.
Opposite Chase we have Rose. Whilst I wasn’t so keen on her ‘as a person’, because I smelled trouble all over her and worried about some of her intentions, I couldn’t help but emphasise with her, feel for her situation. Sure, she probably could’ve given her foster parents more of a chance, but kids and teens don’t have the same thought processes as adults, and they’re often more selfish, as well as seeing most things in shades of grey with little clarity. However, despite my rocky opening relationship with this character she surprised me once, and then continued to surprise me time and again, right the way up to the very end of the book.
I don’t want to touch too much on the heart of what this book is about and what it’s leading up to because I, personally, didn’t catch on, I didn’t call it, and the Aha! moment was a pretty pivotal point in the book for me, so I refuse to take that away from other potential readers by shouting it out here. However, I will say that this book is about dealing with a very real circumstance and very real relationships, and the entire way in which it is written—two different timelines (then and now) interwoven in a paralleled kind of way—drags the reader forth trying to solve the mystery of the opening, and I didn’t want to stop right up until the very end.
And the ending? It was so bittersweet it was almost painful—which really wasn’t helped by the fact that everything was pertained to more than outright stated. Decisions were hummed over, but weren’t absolute on the ends of all parties involved, and so the reader is left to assume that X/Y/Z must have happened after they turned the last page. That being said, it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book too much, and this is certainly still a decent read worth checking out.
Because yes, it was a book about teen love and lust and relationships, and dealing with family and life in general—but it was also so much more than that, a tale of heartbreak and unfortunate circumstances and being strong enough to push forth.
From the off I connected with Chase. I loved his voice. Loved his character. And that didn’t change as the book progressed. Yes, he came from a not-great background, and yes his home life was violently bad growing up, but for the most, that didn’t really affect who he was. Deep down, although he often worried about having the same violent tendencies he’d seen from his now absent dad, he fought them every step of the way. And even the time when he snaps and fails to hold his temper in check, the remorse he feels over it and the disgust he feels toward himself kind of redeem him—because he wants to be better and his actions and inner turmoil prove that he more than willing to make that happen. Especially when he reconnects with his father, whom he hasn’t seen since he walked out on them, and gets a surprise wakeup call of how everything could be. This aspect of the story, I found very refreshing. I love when authors don’t take the typical route with absent parents or divorced families, and Ms Scheeger definitely did this.
Opposite Chase we have Rose. Whilst I wasn’t so keen on her ‘as a person’, because I smelled trouble all over her and worried about some of her intentions, I couldn’t help but emphasise with her, feel for her situation. Sure, she probably could’ve given her foster parents more of a chance, but kids and teens don’t have the same thought processes as adults, and they’re often more selfish, as well as seeing most things in shades of grey with little clarity. However, despite my rocky opening relationship with this character she surprised me once, and then continued to surprise me time and again, right the way up to the very end of the book.
I don’t want to touch too much on the heart of what this book is about and what it’s leading up to because I, personally, didn’t catch on, I didn’t call it, and the Aha! moment was a pretty pivotal point in the book for me, so I refuse to take that away from other potential readers by shouting it out here. However, I will say that this book is about dealing with a very real circumstance and very real relationships, and the entire way in which it is written—two different timelines (then and now) interwoven in a paralleled kind of way—drags the reader forth trying to solve the mystery of the opening, and I didn’t want to stop right up until the very end.
And the ending? It was so bittersweet it was almost painful—which really wasn’t helped by the fact that everything was pertained to more than outright stated. Decisions were hummed over, but weren’t absolute on the ends of all parties involved, and so the reader is left to assume that X/Y/Z must have happened after they turned the last page. That being said, it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book too much, and this is certainly still a decent read worth checking out.
March 23, 2015
Chase comes from a family that includes an abusive, alcoholic father. Thankfully, his mom and dad are now divorced. Chase hasn't seen his dad in three years. Mom got pregnant with Chase at 16, so she is young but dresses like she's still 16. She dates losers and is mostly unavailable to Chase and his little sister both emotionally and physically. Rose's mom was a prostitute who used to leave her alone at night while she "worked". One night, Mom didn't come home. Rose was sent to a foster family and is eventually adopted by that same family. She has struggled with her adoption and the lack of closure with her mother all these years. And her adoptive family is weird, mistrusting, and overprotective. Chase and Rose are naturally drawn to each other and fall in love. This is their story. If that was it, The Opposite of Love would be a fine story. But it begins with “NOW” where Rose emails Chase and two of their friends with what sounds like a suicide note. The mad dash begins to find her and save her. The story then switches to “BEFORE” where we flash back to learn how Rose and Chase fall in love. Eventually, the two stories merge and what was going on with Rose is supposed to be a big shocker but it totally is NOT. This book would have been a 3 star for me if it would have just told the story from beginning to end without the premise of the big (nonexistent) reveal.
November 25, 2017
Well shit. Ok...I hafta admit this book kinda pissed me off. First of all I really hate books written in the third person...but the beginning of this story caught my attention and so I continued on. It wasn't bad overall...it kept my interest for a while. I absolutely adored Chase...Rose on the other hand was a little irritating. She was simply immature and her personality was just kinda bitchy. Her issues with her parents were over the top and unfounded. Also her choice to not communicate her feelings with her family made no sense. Nobody keeps that much to themselves.
Now apart from that...I was making it through this story...enjoying the slow romance between Rose and Chase when I just got to a point where I started skimming to finish this. It just seemed to wander and get repetitive and I just wanted to get to the end. And I did. And it sucked. I'm sorry but all that build up to leave the story unfinished. Disappointing. Too many unanswered questions. 3 stars for Chase who saved this story.
Fave quote...
"Then with her ear against Rose's beating chest, the baby closes her eyes again. Like she knows she's home. That part Rose knows she'll remember every day for the rest of her life."
Now apart from that...I was making it through this story...enjoying the slow romance between Rose and Chase when I just got to a point where I started skimming to finish this. It just seemed to wander and get repetitive and I just wanted to get to the end. And I did. And it sucked. I'm sorry but all that build up to leave the story unfinished. Disappointing. Too many unanswered questions. 3 stars for Chase who saved this story.
Fave quote...
"Then with her ear against Rose's beating chest, the baby closes her eyes again. Like she knows she's home. That part Rose knows she'll remember every day for the rest of her life."
August 11, 2019
What a lovely romance. It started out reminding me of Ryan and Marissa on The O.C., until I got a better visual on the characters and then they quickly came into their own. Chase is the sweetest guy, with an adorable little sister he loves and extreme caution about pushing physical boundaries in his relationship. I also love that he has a temper that he fights SO hard to control, because he doesn't want to be like his drunk and violently abusive dad, but sometimes the rage builds until he's ready to take a swing at whoever is pissing him off to make them stop. I get that. I too am an Angry, I just have a strong enough fear of arrest to keep it in check.
Rose is an interesting case because while internally, she has excellent motivations for lashing out -- she misses her mother, and no one apparently bothered to ask a 5-year-old how she felt about being legally adopted and also decided to assume she would eventually forget her real mother if they just never mentioned her -- it also looks like at no point in the last 10 years did she decide to, I dunno, sit down and have a mature and rational conversation about why she hates her "perfect life," preferring to go with "if they think I'm bad then I'll just be as bad as possible," and otherwise being the living embodiment of why so many people are averse to adopting kids older than 1 or 2 years of age. It should be hard to sympathize with her, and to some extent it is, but somehow...I did anyway. She's also ethnically Chumash, at least in part, which is a rarity both in YA and the general populace, so that was a really cool bit of diversity.
Another thing I like about Rose is that she says things I've been thinking for years -- like "the problem with [sex] was that if you did it with a guy once, he was no longer satisfied with just rolling around and kissing. ... It was like once you passed through that door, there was no going back." I ALWAYS WONDERED why it was like that in books, even those with the steamiest makeout sessions. It seemed like such a sad thing to lose in favor of something that is a lot messier and not automatically more fun.
(Which is why I love that even after she and Chase do hook up, Rose controls whether they will or will not go all the way in their subsequent late-night meetings, which is only a yes about 1 out of every 3 or 4 times; mostly they "cuddle and talk." She's so cautious of letting him in, so determined not to feel anything for anyone, but that little bit of control is one way she can prove to herself that he's trustworthy enough to let herself love.
Also, did I mention that this is such a good romance that I somehow didn't even mind that it involved teens in a physical relationship?? She's just had so little warmth in her life, it was actually about intimacy. And she picked a good guy who genuinely loved and cared about her. I couldn't find fault. I can always find fault.)
She also says outright that being on birth control since she was 12 was one of the things that made her decide to lose her virginity. "She already had to take a tiny pill every morning. She might as well get the fun out of it too, right?" People online are always stamping their feet about how that's NOT how it works, that has Absolutely No Bearing on whether teens will risk hooking up or not, but fear of pregnancy + aversion to voluntarily signing up for effective birth control due to fear of its possible side effects was a pretty solid deterrent to me, stronger than my fear of the act itself, and kept me in check past the point where I was otherwise ready. Love to see representation like that in fiction.
Two things I didn't like:
-The interruptions to the extended flashback chapters, so I skipped the handful of "now" chapters until the "before" caught up to them. NO SPOILERS, AUTHOR!! I wanted to go on this journey WITH them, and while I admit the first chapter is an attention-getter, I think it's so much stronger going chronologically.
-I wish we'd gotten a solid explanation about what happened to Rose's biological mother...but I guess we do get enough for a plausible theory, which I've chosen to believe.
Lots of other things I did:
* The bromance with Daniel, whose house "feels like home - well, not his home, but the way he always imagined home should feel" - and whose sister is Rose's best friend.
* Rose secretly adopts a kitten that she names Nala, hides in her room and also brings over to Chase's apartment for his little sister to cat-sit while they're in his room. Rose pays her in Jelly Belly jelly beans, which I too would accept as payment because, much like Daisy says, "Are you kidding? I'll pay HER to let me watch the cat!"
* The conflict that arises between Rose and Chase HURTS SO GOOD.
* Rose resorts to silence as her only method of control when everything else has been taken from her. I empathized with her so, so much during those months. They can't upset you if you're nothing. Say nothing, feel nothing, be nothing. The opposite of love (isn't hate, it's indifference).
* This isn't marketed as a Christian book yet characters, unprompted, mention God and/or their worries about sinning; Chase even has a few conversations with a youth pastor. It comes across the way kids who believe in God, or are agnostic and questioning whether they might, actually think about Him outside of Sunday mornings. It stood out to me precisely because it made me realize how devoid of presence God is in mainstream YA, unless the book is specifically a Christian Book, or the central plot is about finding/losing faith. It's like when people say they notice when there's a(n in their opinion unrealistic) lack of swearing in a broadcast network TV show or teen book. That IS realistic to me, so I never notice and am far more surprised when I hear it in a show than when I don't.
* Chase's dad re-enters the picture and there is a really well done story here about what it looks like to forgive a recovering alcoholic who was honestly horrific to you, but also has a sincere desire to change and has been making good progress in his sobriety.
* I suspected what Rose's plan involved after a while, but I did not expect how it would end, and I am totally pleased with it.
Rose is an interesting case because while internally, she has excellent motivations for lashing out -- she misses her mother, and no one apparently bothered to ask a 5-year-old how she felt about being legally adopted and also decided to assume she would eventually forget her real mother if they just never mentioned her -- it also looks like at no point in the last 10 years did she decide to, I dunno, sit down and have a mature and rational conversation about why she hates her "perfect life," preferring to go with "if they think I'm bad then I'll just be as bad as possible," and otherwise being the living embodiment of why so many people are averse to adopting kids older than 1 or 2 years of age. It should be hard to sympathize with her, and to some extent it is, but somehow...I did anyway. She's also ethnically Chumash, at least in part, which is a rarity both in YA and the general populace, so that was a really cool bit of diversity.
Another thing I like about Rose is that she says things I've been thinking for years -- like "the problem with [sex] was that if you did it with a guy once, he was no longer satisfied with just rolling around and kissing. ... It was like once you passed through that door, there was no going back." I ALWAYS WONDERED why it was like that in books, even those with the steamiest makeout sessions. It seemed like such a sad thing to lose in favor of something that is a lot messier and not automatically more fun.
(Which is why I love that even after she and Chase do hook up, Rose controls whether they will or will not go all the way in their subsequent late-night meetings, which is only a yes about 1 out of every 3 or 4 times; mostly they "cuddle and talk." She's so cautious of letting him in, so determined not to feel anything for anyone, but that little bit of control is one way she can prove to herself that he's trustworthy enough to let herself love.
Also, did I mention that this is such a good romance that I somehow didn't even mind that it involved teens in a physical relationship?? She's just had so little warmth in her life, it was actually about intimacy. And she picked a good guy who genuinely loved and cared about her. I couldn't find fault. I can always find fault.)
She also says outright that being on birth control since she was 12 was one of the things that made her decide to lose her virginity. "She already had to take a tiny pill every morning. She might as well get the fun out of it too, right?" People online are always stamping their feet about how that's NOT how it works, that has Absolutely No Bearing on whether teens will risk hooking up or not, but fear of pregnancy + aversion to voluntarily signing up for effective birth control due to fear of its possible side effects was a pretty solid deterrent to me, stronger than my fear of the act itself, and kept me in check past the point where I was otherwise ready. Love to see representation like that in fiction.
Two things I didn't like:
-The interruptions to the extended flashback chapters, so I skipped the handful of "now" chapters until the "before" caught up to them. NO SPOILERS, AUTHOR!! I wanted to go on this journey WITH them, and while I admit the first chapter is an attention-getter, I think it's so much stronger going chronologically.
-I wish we'd gotten a solid explanation about what happened to Rose's biological mother...but I guess we do get enough for a plausible theory, which I've chosen to believe.
Lots of other things I did:
* The bromance with Daniel, whose house "feels like home - well, not his home, but the way he always imagined home should feel" - and whose sister is Rose's best friend.
* Rose secretly adopts a kitten that she names Nala, hides in her room and also brings over to Chase's apartment for his little sister to cat-sit while they're in his room. Rose pays her in Jelly Belly jelly beans, which I too would accept as payment because, much like Daisy says, "Are you kidding? I'll pay HER to let me watch the cat!"
* The conflict that arises between Rose and Chase HURTS SO GOOD.
* Rose resorts to silence as her only method of control when everything else has been taken from her. I empathized with her so, so much during those months. They can't upset you if you're nothing. Say nothing, feel nothing, be nothing. The opposite of love (isn't hate, it's indifference).
* This isn't marketed as a Christian book yet characters, unprompted, mention God and/or their worries about sinning; Chase even has a few conversations with a youth pastor. It comes across the way kids who believe in God, or are agnostic and questioning whether they might, actually think about Him outside of Sunday mornings. It stood out to me precisely because it made me realize how devoid of presence God is in mainstream YA, unless the book is specifically a Christian Book, or the central plot is about finding/losing faith. It's like when people say they notice when there's a(n in their opinion unrealistic) lack of swearing in a broadcast network TV show or teen book. That IS realistic to me, so I never notice and am far more surprised when I hear it in a show than when I don't.
* Chase's dad re-enters the picture and there is a really well done story here about what it looks like to forgive a recovering alcoholic who was honestly horrific to you, but also has a sincere desire to change and has been making good progress in his sobriety.
* I suspected what Rose's plan involved after a while, but I did not expect how it would end, and I am totally pleased with it.
September 2, 2016
When I started this book I thought it was going to be awesome, and it was for the first three quarters of the book, but the last quarter just put a damper on it for me. I figured out what the big surprise was, and I was disappointed; I don't understand why so many books are beginning to have this. I realize that it is something that does happen, but I don't like reading about it.
For full review check out Books, books, and more books at:
http://deerereadergirl.wordpress.com/...
This book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For full review check out Books, books, and more books at:
http://deerereadergirl.wordpress.com/...
This book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 10, 2015
I gave this book a solid three out of five stars for mainly the reason that it didn’t exceed any expectations. The book didn’t tell anything beyond the title. Also, when reading the book many parts got slow and then become very confusing when going back and forth between the past and the present. Other than that, I really enjoyed the premise of the book and the idea that teen loves never really last, however, that doesn’t mean that they aren’t worth it. Both of the main characters were also very dynamic and true to life. My favorite thing about Rose was her undying and stubborn self-control.
dnf
September 9, 2014I just couldn't connect with the characters or the writing style. I dnfed at page 30 or so, which is a little premature for me (I usually give at least 50 pages), but I just didn't want to read anymore. Maybe Rose has good reason for hating her adoptive parents, but I don't care. Although I thought the very beginning was promising, it just didn't pan out for me.
May 29, 2017
Not my style, but I read it with a student of mine. I like that it doesn't give easy answers, and I hate the religious undertones.
January 18, 2021
"The Opposite of Love" is an earnest, tender YA novel that hits all the big issues: domestic violence, child abuse, adoption, teen pregnancy, sex, divorce, alcoholism, religious diversity, and more. It's a simple story told between the perspectives of Rose and Chase, the young love at the center of the story. I found myself caring and rooting for all of the characters, even the "bad guys." Scheerger has a way of writing for both parents and kids, even though this is clearly a YA book. My 10yo is not quite ready for this content, but I'm looking forward to talking about it when he is.
I discovered this author after reading her middle-grade book "The Frog Project," which my 5th-grader had read and LOVED. I also appreciate how Scheerger involves Jewish themes and characters in her stories without it being a focus or a special issue.
Five stars, will enthusiastically recommend.
I discovered this author after reading her middle-grade book "The Frog Project," which my 5th-grader had read and LOVED. I also appreciate how Scheerger involves Jewish themes and characters in her stories without it being a focus or a special issue.
Five stars, will enthusiastically recommend.
April 7, 2020
Okay first i really really love the book from the first page to the middle part. The writer used easy language, funny and passionate. I love how the writer describe the profound depression Rose felt. But I don’t really like the end of this book. Kinda confusing and i’m like “hm ok”.
July 16, 2020
This is a resonant, multi-layered, wonderful book. I rooted for the characters from start to finish. Sarah is a gifted author! My teenage daughter has been reluctant to read lately, and she eagerly read this book from cover to cover. I can't recommend this beautiful story highly enough!
October 15, 2021
Great book the entire way throughout. Quite a few twists that I was not expecting.
The ending for me was not my preferred ending, due to the fact that it is inferred what happens in the end.
Very good though
The ending for me was not my preferred ending, due to the fact that it is inferred what happens in the end.
Very good though
May 24, 2021
The best romance book I’ve ever read. Book changed my life frfr
January 10, 2023
The whole story is magnificent, but the ending is really bad
January 5, 2024
I don't knowww 4.8???
October 30, 2014
I don’t have children, and it’s been a long time since I was a teenager, but this book somehow caught my attention. Maybe it was the title. What is “the opposite of love”? According to the female protagonist, Rose, age 15, it’s not “hate,” as one would think, but “not giving a damn.” She has plenty of experience with this. Her biological mother abandoned her (through no fault of her own, it turns out) and her adoptive parents seem totally clueless and uninterested in her. But there’s definitely more to Rose than meets the eye. She is hiding something, and she is torn between maintaining her tough façade and opening herself up to love and risking yet another rejection. Her new friend Chase is in a similar situation. He has a mother who seems loving, when she’s around, which isn’t often. His father, an abusive alcoholic, has thankfully disappeared from the scene. But, as dysfunctional as it is, it is the only family he’s got, and he is determined to protect it at any cost. But as much as they need each other, their budding relationship does not proceed smoothly. Like most relationships in the real world, it’s bumpy, as both parties struggle to balance the polar pulls of intimacy and independence.
Although this book is classified as young adult fiction, it really rang true to this old lady. The characters seemed consistent and believable, complicated and layered, tough and achingly vulnerable. In other words, like typical teenagers. The dialogue seemed authentic. The story line is fast-paced and propels you along. There are enough twists and turns in the plot line to keep you guessing. And the ending strikes just the right balance between tying up the loose ends and leaving a few strands open to the imagination. Bottom line: I loved this book!
Although this book is classified as young adult fiction, it really rang true to this old lady. The characters seemed consistent and believable, complicated and layered, tough and achingly vulnerable. In other words, like typical teenagers. The dialogue seemed authentic. The story line is fast-paced and propels you along. There are enough twists and turns in the plot line to keep you guessing. And the ending strikes just the right balance between tying up the loose ends and leaving a few strands open to the imagination. Bottom line: I loved this book!
August 7, 2016
I have to say this book was more 3.5 stars....
I got this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review...
This book could have been very very good. I felt that it was too prolonged and also predictable. This book goes from past to present and I felt at points it has hard to follow...
Chase is generally a good kid. He comes from an abusive home. His mother is to caught up on doing her that she is not a mother and chase is left to take care of his sister. They barley make ends meet, but he is o.k with it. He feels like an outsider and is in love with the hottest girl in tenth grade.
Rose feel alone. Her mother was a prostitute and she was adopted at a young age. All she ever wanted was to feel loved. She didn't talk when she was little because she always thought if she was good that her mother would come back her here. She tried little things for her new parents to love her, but everything she did was wrong. She only pushed them away. She never got cuddled when she had a nightmare and never was told how pretty she was by her father. It was her life long mission to make her new parents miserable. She was winning that part. Her parents just holed her up in her home like some kid of criminal. She didn't care because she was finally loved.
Rose feel in love with chase. She took his virginity. everything was going great until her mom put a stop to it. IT was Christmas and she sent everyone a email saying to forgive her and they can have her stuff. They had to find her before it was to late.. But would it be to late?
I got this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review...
This book could have been very very good. I felt that it was too prolonged and also predictable. This book goes from past to present and I felt at points it has hard to follow...
Chase is generally a good kid. He comes from an abusive home. His mother is to caught up on doing her that she is not a mother and chase is left to take care of his sister. They barley make ends meet, but he is o.k with it. He feels like an outsider and is in love with the hottest girl in tenth grade.
Rose feel alone. Her mother was a prostitute and she was adopted at a young age. All she ever wanted was to feel loved. She didn't talk when she was little because she always thought if she was good that her mother would come back her here. She tried little things for her new parents to love her, but everything she did was wrong. She only pushed them away. She never got cuddled when she had a nightmare and never was told how pretty she was by her father. It was her life long mission to make her new parents miserable. She was winning that part. Her parents just holed her up in her home like some kid of criminal. She didn't care because she was finally loved.
Rose feel in love with chase. She took his virginity. everything was going great until her mom put a stop to it. IT was Christmas and she sent everyone a email saying to forgive her and they can have her stuff. They had to find her before it was to late.. But would it be to late?
October 27, 2014
The Opposite of Love by Sarah Scheerger is a sensitive, caring, deeply insightful story of Rose and Chase, two damaged, but resilient and unexpectedly endearing, teenagers struggling with circumstances beyond their control. The author examines their evolving trust with clarity and depth that is impressive. Through her characters she exposes the essential and complicated emotional human connections that save us all from our pasts and give us reason to go on.
I love the way the author helps us understand the characters bit by bit, with chapters devoted to each character and alternating between “before” and “now”. I love that I wanted to read on and on, compelled to understand the characters’ motivations and appreciate their anxieties. I love that the story surprised me and that by the end of the book I understood troubled teenagers in a whole new way.
This novel targets the young adult reader, but is compelling and powerful enough to have kept this adult reader engaged from start to finish. The story is gripping, the writing style is creative and authentic, and the author exhibits a great deal of maturity and clarity. I cannot wait to see what this author writes next!
I love the way the author helps us understand the characters bit by bit, with chapters devoted to each character and alternating between “before” and “now”. I love that I wanted to read on and on, compelled to understand the characters’ motivations and appreciate their anxieties. I love that the story surprised me and that by the end of the book I understood troubled teenagers in a whole new way.
This novel targets the young adult reader, but is compelling and powerful enough to have kept this adult reader engaged from start to finish. The story is gripping, the writing style is creative and authentic, and the author exhibits a great deal of maturity and clarity. I cannot wait to see what this author writes next!
February 19, 2016
I honestly really didn't care for this book at all. The synopsis on the back intrigued me, and a small part of the text caught my attention when I flipped it open, but it may have been a mistake to purchase it. The only thing I liked was that it goes from "Before" to "Now." I hated the main characters. Though Rose seemed promising for a moment at the beginning, she was a huge snob and a complete asshat to her parents. I hated her adoptive mother, too, for being so emotionally abusive and ridiculous. I didn't like Becca and thought she was annoying, or Chase for a great portion of the book (but I did like that the book showed that a child from an abusive relationship may become abusive themselves but they have a choice in how they handle their anger). The only characters I really liked were Daniel (for being level headed and always striving to be better), and Mr. P for attempting to love his adopted daughter even though she never loved him. I hated that religion randomly became a central part of Chase's thoughts and feelings for the last half of the book, because it just did not fit his character; I really just felt like the author was trying too hard to shove that theme where it did not belong. This book will be going in my "to donate" box.
October 23, 2015
The Opposite of Love is the story of Chase and Rose, two deeply troubled teenagers that turn to each other for comfort and understanding. The constantly changing viewpoints are an effective tool in this book, as it especially shows how Rose lives a very separate life from everyone. The only part of the story that really does not ring true for me is regarding the circumstances in which Rose came to be at her new home. She would have had a court appointed advocate and would have been apprised of the situation as it unfolded. Rose was old enough to know what was happening and it just does not seem possible that she would have been kept in the dark. My favorite part of The Opposite of Love is the ending, as it shows how life does not always turn out as you plan. In fact, it is most important how you learn and grow from your experience. I would recommend this book to teenage readers and their parents, as this realistic look into some very serious situations would be a great way to open a dialogue.
November 23, 2014
Ostensibly told from the perspectives of both Chase and Rose, The Opposite of Love feels more like Chase's story than Rose's. Chase fully lets readers in and like her character, Rose only lets readers in in bits and pieces. Chase has had to grow up too early and be the on-the-scene parent for his younger sister but he wants to be a normal teen. Readers are told that Rose is a wild-child with overly-strict parents - and they see the strict parents but not the wild-child. Rose does have a lot of thorns around her shell and just as Chase feels he's beginning to break through, Rose's parents force her to retreat. After months of silence Rose and Chase reconnect in a plot twist that seems forced if not predictable. But, that point aside, a well-written book about two broken teens trying to put the pieces of their lives together.
June 29, 2016
Rose was put in foster care at age 5 when her mother was arrested for prostitution and then adopted by her foster parents when she was 6. However, she never really bonded with her new parents and continued to dream of her bio mom. She gets in lots of trouble and can be selectively mute. She meets Chase who grew up with an abusive, alcoholic father. The two of them "get" each other and things start to look up for both of them. But of course, when something seems to good to be true, it probably is.
I like the Rose and Chase characters as they are fairly well-developed. However, others are very flat and stereotypical. I think teens will appreciate all the angst, though, and those looking for something gritty will enjoy this one.
I like the Rose and Chase characters as they are fairly well-developed. However, others are very flat and stereotypical. I think teens will appreciate all the angst, though, and those looking for something gritty will enjoy this one.
July 27, 2014
Rose and Chase are disappointments. Rose isn't the perfect adopted daughter her parents hoped for, instead she's rebellious and withdrawn. Chase fights - and sometimes loses - his battle to separate himself from the legacy of his abusive and alcoholic father. Labeled troubled and hopeless cases, they find someone to depend on in each other. After months apart, Chase receives a cryptic and worrisome email from Rose, which launches an introspective journey to determine not only where but when he lost her. The Opposite of Love is an intensely written story of two broken teens and the forces that shape us, but that, ultimately, cannot define us.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews