Whatever's Left

by Nikki Archer

Summer knows that her relationship with Chris is over—she’s in her first year of college, and he’s touring with his band. Ten years of friendship, and barely twelve hours of romance are gone. Forgotten. Right. The more Summer tries to move on, the more she’s reminded of Chris. And she’d give just about anything to be the forgetful, instead of the forget-ee. Because Chris had no problem taking off without so much as a backwards glance. As it turns out, one-night stands do an okay job of pushing away unwanted memories. But each new conquest makes her feel cheaper. Each ‘improvement’ takes her farther away from who she used to be. Then she hears it; Chris’s apology to her, verse after painful verse, playing on every radio station. His words bring everything back, and make her take a long, critical look at the life she’s disappeared into. But is he still the same Chris who wrote the song for her? And even if he is, can she find her way back to being the girl he loved?

250 pages, Paperback

First published April 10, 2012

About the author

Nikki Archer lives in New England, where she manages instruction at an alternative high school and spends her free traveling far and often.
Her first novel, “Whatever’s Left,” is a YA romance, and her second, “Exit Wounds” is a YA crime novel. Currently, she is working on a contemporary fiction project and moving out of the YA realm into grittier adult literature.

Reviews

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic debut book. The main character, Summer, is extremely likeable and very deep. The story follows her as she comes to term with breaking up with her long-term boyfriend and best friend, while starting college. Summer goes through an almost 'grieving' process (in the company of her HILARIOUS roommate Julie) of consecutive one-night stands which don't solve her problems, as much as she wants them to. The only way for her to heal is to confront her ex. And after a music career on the road, she can't be sure he's the same guy.