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Seeking Perfect
Jesse learned early not to trust a soul, but what if he was her soulmate?
Senior year of high school should be about friendship, boyfriends, and graduation, but for seventeen-year-old Jesse Barnes it’s about escaping the shame of life with an alcoholic mother.
Jesse’s goals are keep a roof over her head, avoid the revolving door of leering men her mother brings home, graduate from high school, and do everything possible to keep her home life secret. Friends, not an option. Who would understand?
Then perfect, popular Derek Aames sits with Jesse at lunch. How can she discourage him? How can she keep him from intruding on her life and discovering her secret? And most of all, how can she keep him out of her heart?
Will his persistence finally break down her walls, or just break her?
Senior year of high school should be about friendship, boyfriends, and graduation, but for seventeen-year-old Jesse Barnes it’s about escaping the shame of life with an alcoholic mother.
Jesse’s goals are keep a roof over her head, avoid the revolving door of leering men her mother brings home, graduate from high school, and do everything possible to keep her home life secret. Friends, not an option. Who would understand?
Then perfect, popular Derek Aames sits with Jesse at lunch. How can she discourage him? How can she keep him from intruding on her life and discovering her secret? And most of all, how can she keep him out of her heart?
Will his persistence finally break down her walls, or just break her?
204 pages, Paperback
Published July 25, 2018
About the author
Jeri Bronson
3 books9 followersJeri Bronson was originally from Southern California. She now lives in Texas with her Coroner Investigator husband, who is the perfect resource for suspense novels. They have two grown children and two feisty part Siamese cats. Jeri enjoys outdoor hiking and exploring her new state. She takes long walks in the forest trails near her home for inspiration. In her spare time Jeri is a tennis fanatic sometimes watching matches when she should be writing.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 23, 2018
Jesse and Derek
What a lovely Cinderella story!
Jesse Barnes' life was a portrait of struggle and subsistence survival. She lived an invisible life on the fringes of society. Each day for her was a trial of moving through life as unobtrusively as possible. To be truly seen by anyone was to court pain. She only needed to stay in survival mode for six months more. She could see sweet freedom just ahead on the horizon.
Derek Aames was the perfect, handsome prince of this tale. Why would the gloriously handsome, athletic, big man on campus turn his attention to the mousy girl from the trailer park and how can she divert his attention away from her before disaster strikes? Is it a dream, a trap even?
The story is populated with some wonderful secondary characters - the Aames family (Curtis, Claire and Darin), Charlotte, Russ and Jeremy. The villains (Sheila and Roy) were shadowy and ever ominous.
In her debut novel, Jeri Bronson paints a heartbreaking portrait of despair and eventual triumph. She drags the reader into Jesse's desperate situation and forces the reader to recognize her heroine's strength and human dignity in spite of her harrowing circumstances.
What a lovely Cinderella story!
Jesse Barnes' life was a portrait of struggle and subsistence survival. She lived an invisible life on the fringes of society. Each day for her was a trial of moving through life as unobtrusively as possible. To be truly seen by anyone was to court pain. She only needed to stay in survival mode for six months more. She could see sweet freedom just ahead on the horizon.
Derek Aames was the perfect, handsome prince of this tale. Why would the gloriously handsome, athletic, big man on campus turn his attention to the mousy girl from the trailer park and how can she divert his attention away from her before disaster strikes? Is it a dream, a trap even?
The story is populated with some wonderful secondary characters - the Aames family (Curtis, Claire and Darin), Charlotte, Russ and Jeremy. The villains (Sheila and Roy) were shadowy and ever ominous.
In her debut novel, Jeri Bronson paints a heartbreaking portrait of despair and eventual triumph. She drags the reader into Jesse's desperate situation and forces the reader to recognize her heroine's strength and human dignity in spite of her harrowing circumstances.
June 18, 2020
Seeking Perfect was interesting, but the hero and heroine were a bit annoying. Other than that, I liked it.
January 8, 2021
This book was a sweet, yet angsty read. It’s engaging, if somewhat predictable. There are a lot of tropes featured in this novel, but they’re presented in a sweet and enjoyable way.
It’s rare to read a book written in the third person in this genre, and I think that this was both a strength and a weakness. I felt like I couldn’t get deep enough into the protagonist’s head this way, BUT we did get POVs from characters other than the hero and heroine. That said, it can be a little jarring to suddenly read what Charlotte (her boss/surrogate mother) is thinking about Jesse, since the author flipped back and forth. As a reader, I can infer that Charlotte cares for Jesse a lot, even if the heroine doesn’t know it. It doesn’t necessarily need to be spoon fed to me. That said, I really appreciated reading some of the scenes from other POVs, particularly when Jeremy is giving Derek an older-brother-like talking-to.
To recap, this is a sweet and angsty YA novel, but it doesn’t have much new to present to the genre.
It’s rare to read a book written in the third person in this genre, and I think that this was both a strength and a weakness. I felt like I couldn’t get deep enough into the protagonist’s head this way, BUT we did get POVs from characters other than the hero and heroine. That said, it can be a little jarring to suddenly read what Charlotte (her boss/surrogate mother) is thinking about Jesse, since the author flipped back and forth. As a reader, I can infer that Charlotte cares for Jesse a lot, even if the heroine doesn’t know it. It doesn’t necessarily need to be spoon fed to me. That said, I really appreciated reading some of the scenes from other POVs, particularly when Jeremy is giving Derek an older-brother-like talking-to.
To recap, this is a sweet and angsty YA novel, but it doesn’t have much new to present to the genre.
May 18, 2020
Seeking Perfect was such a great find on Kindle Unlimited. We all know that KU is like the Winners of Amazon - you go to the big store and scour the sales racks hoping to find the real gems among the rhinestones. Sometimes you get lucky. Other times, not so much. But in this case, I was pleasantly surprised at finding and loving Bronson's debut novel. It handles tough topics with maturity and tact, and shows the consequences and effects that they can have on people. It's a sweet Cinderella-esque story, but it doesn't fall into the tired category. I really enjoyed this book, and I hope to see more from this author soon.
Seeking Perfect tells the story of 17 year old Jesse who lives a rather horrible existence with her alcoholic mother, and her mother's latest boyfriend, in a rundown trailer park on the outskirts of a small town. Jesse does her best to stay invisible in life. She doesn't make friends and doesn't do any type of relationship because she's so afraid of people finding out about her tragic home life. The only exception is her boss Charlotte and Charlotte's family - and they are only close to Jesse because they kind of wore her down over time. Jesse has some serious trust issues and baggage - she knows it, and everyone else does too. But one boy, popular basketball star Derek, can't seem to stay away from Jesse. He is drawn to her, and he wants to know more about her. He starts sitting with her at lunch and very slowly, he starts to break down the walls she has erected. Jesse and Derek embark on a sweet romance - but they have a lot of obstacles that stand in their way. Jesse's mom, rivals at high school, and even Jesse herself are determined to prove that their love story can't have a happy ending.
What I liked about this story was that Jesse's insecurities and trust issues truly plague her throughout the book - they aren't just brushed aside because the handsome boy pays attention to her. The reader is as frustrated with Jesse at times as Derek is. Derek is a realistic character. He has doubts as to how much he can handle from Jesse. While the romantic in me didn't want him to have any doubts, the realist appreciated the fact that a 17 year old boy probably would have a lot of worries and questions. I appreciated that Bronson did not shy away from this, even though it took a bit away from his Prince Charming pedigree.
All in all I was very satisfied with this book and the story that Bronson told. I read it quickly because I just couldn't put it down - which is the ultimate compliment I can give to a new author. Keep writing, Ms. Bronson because I really look forward to the next story you have to tell.
Seeking Perfect tells the story of 17 year old Jesse who lives a rather horrible existence with her alcoholic mother, and her mother's latest boyfriend, in a rundown trailer park on the outskirts of a small town. Jesse does her best to stay invisible in life. She doesn't make friends and doesn't do any type of relationship because she's so afraid of people finding out about her tragic home life. The only exception is her boss Charlotte and Charlotte's family - and they are only close to Jesse because they kind of wore her down over time. Jesse has some serious trust issues and baggage - she knows it, and everyone else does too. But one boy, popular basketball star Derek, can't seem to stay away from Jesse. He is drawn to her, and he wants to know more about her. He starts sitting with her at lunch and very slowly, he starts to break down the walls she has erected. Jesse and Derek embark on a sweet romance - but they have a lot of obstacles that stand in their way. Jesse's mom, rivals at high school, and even Jesse herself are determined to prove that their love story can't have a happy ending.
What I liked about this story was that Jesse's insecurities and trust issues truly plague her throughout the book - they aren't just brushed aside because the handsome boy pays attention to her. The reader is as frustrated with Jesse at times as Derek is. Derek is a realistic character. He has doubts as to how much he can handle from Jesse. While the romantic in me didn't want him to have any doubts, the realist appreciated the fact that a 17 year old boy probably would have a lot of worries and questions. I appreciated that Bronson did not shy away from this, even though it took a bit away from his Prince Charming pedigree.
All in all I was very satisfied with this book and the story that Bronson told. I read it quickly because I just couldn't put it down - which is the ultimate compliment I can give to a new author. Keep writing, Ms. Bronson because I really look forward to the next story you have to tell.
March 22, 2018
3.5/5
This book deals with a lot of heavy issues, but it has the perfect balance of fluff to make up for it. Seeking Perfect is a romance novel following Jesse, a girl on her senior year of high school. Her home life is a daily struggle, with a drunk, neglectful mother who steals all her money, and her mom's awful boyfriends tagging along. Jesse is set on going to college and leaving her life behind, and she wants nothing to get in the way, but then she meets Derek.
I went into this book expecting a lot of terrible scenes with Jesse's mom, but I was surprised by the amount of great people Jesse had in her life. Jesse worked at a bookstore, whose owner, Charlotte, was like a mom to her. She got to have a home away from home, and it made her life a little easier. Not only did she have Charlotte, but also Russ, Charlotte's husband, and Jeremy, Charlotte's son. These were all wonderfully sweet characters who offered Jesse nothing but love and support, and I was so grateful for them.
Derek was also really nice. I had a few issues with him wanting to "fix" Jesse. I didn't like the way he kept saying that. He said the same thing about his ex-girlfriend, Missy. He was always upset about not being able to "fix" Missy, making her a better person. I don't think it's ever a guy's job to fix a girl. I also didn't like the way Missy's character was very stereotypical and mean. I understand she was the villain of the story, but a villain should be complex. Those were my main issues.
The romance was sweet. I thought the bond between Jesse and Derek was believable, if a bit too rushed. I was happy with the way things wrapped up, and the epilogue was great. I should mention trigger warnings for attempted rape and violence. Those were big things that suddenly happened and had me kind of queasy.
If you're into contemporary romance with warm characters, you should definitely check this one out.
This book deals with a lot of heavy issues, but it has the perfect balance of fluff to make up for it. Seeking Perfect is a romance novel following Jesse, a girl on her senior year of high school. Her home life is a daily struggle, with a drunk, neglectful mother who steals all her money, and her mom's awful boyfriends tagging along. Jesse is set on going to college and leaving her life behind, and she wants nothing to get in the way, but then she meets Derek.
I went into this book expecting a lot of terrible scenes with Jesse's mom, but I was surprised by the amount of great people Jesse had in her life. Jesse worked at a bookstore, whose owner, Charlotte, was like a mom to her. She got to have a home away from home, and it made her life a little easier. Not only did she have Charlotte, but also Russ, Charlotte's husband, and Jeremy, Charlotte's son. These were all wonderfully sweet characters who offered Jesse nothing but love and support, and I was so grateful for them.
Derek was also really nice. I had a few issues with him wanting to "fix" Jesse. I didn't like the way he kept saying that. He said the same thing about his ex-girlfriend, Missy. He was always upset about not being able to "fix" Missy, making her a better person. I don't think it's ever a guy's job to fix a girl. I also didn't like the way Missy's character was very stereotypical and mean. I understand she was the villain of the story, but a villain should be complex. Those were my main issues.
The romance was sweet. I thought the bond between Jesse and Derek was believable, if a bit too rushed. I was happy with the way things wrapped up, and the epilogue was great. I should mention trigger warnings for attempted rape and violence. Those were big things that suddenly happened and had me kind of queasy.
If you're into contemporary romance with warm characters, you should definitely check this one out.
April 3, 2018
Jesse just wants to make it through high school and get as far away from her current life as possible. She is a good student and works part time at a bookstore so hopes to go to college as her means of escape. Her mantra much of the book is "stay under the radar." It's a defense mechanism to help her cope but it also keeps her from recognizing some of the things in her life that are good and decent, like her relationship with her boss and her boss's family. Derek helps Jesse to stop adhering so tightly to her mantra, to take some risks, and to embrace the good relationships in her life. But in so doing she risks ruining her carefully laid plans.
A few things I really liked about the book: First, it's a book about relationships. Not just between Jesse and Derek, but also between Jesse and Charlotte (her boss), Jesse and her mother, and Jesse and other people in general. Not all of these relationships are healthy, but they all play hugely important roles in her life and her choices.
Jesse is another protagonist who loves books. She reads Jane Austen and Wuthering Heights and tutors a man in reading (which goes against her mantra but which shows that there are definite cracks in the façade she puts up for the world).
In some ways the character of Derek is almost too perfect, but I liked that Jeri didn't write him strictly from a stereotypical viewpoint of a teenage boy. Derek doesn't simply come off as a jock or a sullen, angsty teen, but as a composite of many teenagers that I have known in my life.
This is a very sweet story about 2 teens who find and help each other come of age.
A few things I really liked about the book: First, it's a book about relationships. Not just between Jesse and Derek, but also between Jesse and Charlotte (her boss), Jesse and her mother, and Jesse and other people in general. Not all of these relationships are healthy, but they all play hugely important roles in her life and her choices.
Jesse is another protagonist who loves books. She reads Jane Austen and Wuthering Heights and tutors a man in reading (which goes against her mantra but which shows that there are definite cracks in the façade she puts up for the world).
In some ways the character of Derek is almost too perfect, but I liked that Jeri didn't write him strictly from a stereotypical viewpoint of a teenage boy. Derek doesn't simply come off as a jock or a sullen, angsty teen, but as a composite of many teenagers that I have known in my life.
This is a very sweet story about 2 teens who find and help each other come of age.
January 4, 2021
My favorite part of this book was the relationship between Jesse and her honorary brother, Jeremy. I absolutely loved how close they were and their interactions held so much emotion. I enjoyed seeing Jesse come out of her shell, opening up to Derek, his twin sister, and the families who loved her, constantly showing their support. My only complaint would be how sometimes, all of a sudden, the story changed points of view. While I love stories told from different perspectives, It was kind of a surprise when, all of a sudden, the point of view changed in the middle of a chapter, switching back just as suddenly to Jesse. I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a story that would send anyone on an emotional journey.
March 21, 2018
I don't usually read YA romance. YA mystery, YA fantasy, YA steampunk, yeah, but not romance. I am SO GLAD I read this one, though.
Okay, so going into this, I'm not a big romance reader (did you get that? LOL) but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was nostalgic in the best way - reminding me of some of the great reading I did as a teenager, and some of those plots have stuck with me for 35 years, so you know that's high praise. I'm not going to summarize the plot here, but will just say that if you have a chance to grab this and read it, don't be scared off by any labels (either YA or romance). A very entertaining read that has some deeper currents for the critical thinker.
Okay, so going into this, I'm not a big romance reader (did you get that? LOL) but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was nostalgic in the best way - reminding me of some of the great reading I did as a teenager, and some of those plots have stuck with me for 35 years, so you know that's high praise. I'm not going to summarize the plot here, but will just say that if you have a chance to grab this and read it, don't be scared off by any labels (either YA or romance). A very entertaining read that has some deeper currents for the critical thinker.
December 12, 2018
Worth the read!
I gave this book a 4 out of 5 because I felt like the writing was a bit stilted in the beginning. It took a while to really emotionally connect with the characters because of this and to get out if my head. You know when you pick up a good book and it becomes like a movie in your head.
That's what I mean by getting out of my head and not just reading it like words.
I really like Jesse and could understand her trust issues, bit really like how even though she was skeptical she still allowed herself to try. Dereck was cool patient, but sometimes.his inner thoughts did not flow with his behavior and that was a little annoying. Overall a good read..
I gave this book a 4 out of 5 because I felt like the writing was a bit stilted in the beginning. It took a while to really emotionally connect with the characters because of this and to get out if my head. You know when you pick up a good book and it becomes like a movie in your head.
That's what I mean by getting out of my head and not just reading it like words.
I really like Jesse and could understand her trust issues, bit really like how even though she was skeptical she still allowed herself to try. Dereck was cool patient, but sometimes.his inner thoughts did not flow with his behavior and that was a little annoying. Overall a good read..
April 30, 2019
Jeri Bronson tells a beautiful and heartbreaking story of a young girl's life as she struggles to find her own place in the world amidst the chaos of her mother's substance abuse, string of loser boyfriends, and instability. She's determined to have a different life, a better life, but first she has to learn to trust that there are good people in the world. I cried for Jesse, I loved Charlotte and hoped I might be a little bit like her, and I rooted for Derek. Can't wait to read more from this new author!
August 9, 2018
There is nothing like the journey of young innocent love to make your heart smile! Jesse has lived a life no young girl should and the only thing she’s ever truly known is how to survive! Derek has had the world at his feet but was always missing something or yet someone! When they finally take a chance on each other they both see the beauty and love that the world has to offer!
Amazing story and I can’t wait for more!
Amazing story and I can’t wait for more!
January 2, 2019
Uncaged Review: The main character in this book Jesse has a lot to deal with. Just making it through the rest of high school for starters. Something in me felt sadness for Jesse reading this and I just wanted to hug her and tell her everything would be okay. This is a very drama orientated book focusing on a young adult concept. One I’m very happy I read. Looking forward to reading other books by this author. Reviewed by Jennifer
August 15, 2021
Skimmed most of it.
This book was full of contradictions.
The romance was told, rather than shown (not believable at all).
They fell in love almost instantly.
Jesse wasn't the worst heroin, but she was written inconsistently.
I did not like Derek. He played with her emotions while he sat on the fence deciding if he was going to go for it with Jesse or abandon her like everyone else. There were actually parts where he would manipulate her to spend time with her while simultaneously debating if he wanted to continue being with her - all while her feelings started to be invested despite her best efforts.
I cannot respect heroes who have no backbone and are selfish enough to dangle the heroin along while they figure things out. It's too close to real life for my taste.
Content
Rating: 1 star
Romance: Clean with kisses
Violence: An attempted rape - lots of domestic violence
Ending: Rushed but happy
This book was full of contradictions.
The romance was told, rather than shown (not believable at all).
They fell in love almost instantly.
Jesse wasn't the worst heroin, but she was written inconsistently.
I did not like Derek. He played with her emotions while he sat on the fence deciding if he was going to go for it with Jesse or abandon her like everyone else. There were actually parts where he would manipulate her to spend time with her while simultaneously debating if he wanted to continue being with her - all while her feelings started to be invested despite her best efforts.
I cannot respect heroes who have no backbone and are selfish enough to dangle the heroin along while they figure things out. It's too close to real life for my taste.
Content
Rating: 1 star
Romance: Clean with kisses
Violence: An attempted rape - lots of domestic violence
Ending: Rushed but happy
April 9, 2018
Beautiful story, well-written, and so hard to put down!! I love YA romance, but this book was so much more---part coming-of-age, part drama---with a wonderful love story. I will definitely be reading more from this author.
May 27, 2018
Beautifully written story. The voice of this book carried me through to the end. Smart. Poignant. Funny. Very well written. The pacing was perfect to carry me along with Jesse's journey. Highly recommended!
January 26, 2023
Wonderful book
Charlotte was a amazing boss & friend . Sheila was awful & should have never had children. It is so sad to think this happens in life more than we know . Jesse got to go to the ball with her prince & gained a family along the way.
Charlotte was a amazing boss & friend . Sheila was awful & should have never had children. It is so sad to think this happens in life more than we know . Jesse got to go to the ball with her prince & gained a family along the way.
March 27, 2018
Lovely emotional read.
Great start for this author. I am hooked hoping we find out what happens to Jeremy and Darin next. As love stories go this one is believable.
Great start for this author. I am hooked hoping we find out what happens to Jeremy and Darin next. As love stories go this one is believable.
July 15, 2021
Great quick love story
A story about a girl who was ashamed about her family and always trying to hide. And a guy who loved her enough to see past her situation.
A story about a girl who was ashamed about her family and always trying to hide. And a guy who loved her enough to see past her situation.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews