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The Stillness Before the Start
I’m Harper Reed. The valedictorian. The scholarship kid. The girl next door. The obsessive planner.
I have big dreams and secrets, but against my better judgment, Dylan Archer is the one I confide in.
He’s the rich kid with the world at his fingertips. The sworn enemy of my best friend. The one who hides behind an arrogant smirk. The track star who wants to run away from reality.
We’re not in the same social circles or even capable of being friends, but when he asks for my help, I agree without considering the consequences. It’s a reckless decision that has the potential to start something neither one of us can stop.
I have big dreams and secrets, but against my better judgment, Dylan Archer is the one I confide in.
He’s the rich kid with the world at his fingertips. The sworn enemy of my best friend. The one who hides behind an arrogant smirk. The track star who wants to run away from reality.
We’re not in the same social circles or even capable of being friends, but when he asks for my help, I agree without considering the consequences. It’s a reckless decision that has the potential to start something neither one of us can stop.
274 pages, Paperback
Published December 1, 2020
120 people are currently reading
2654 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Ann Shore
18 books523 followersJennifer Ann Shore is an award-winning, bestselling author based in Seattle, Washington.
She writes romance stories that go a little deeper than the standard tropes. Her lineup of more than a dozen books includes standalones, a dystopian series, and a vampire series—with titles such as “Perfect Little Flaws,” “Young at Midnight,” and “Metallic Red.”
Prior to publishing, she led an impressive career in New York, first as a journalist and then as a marketing executive, gaining recognition for her work from companies such as Hearst and SIIA.
Be sure to sign up for her newsletter on her website (https://www.jenniferannshore.com) and follow her on Twitter (@JenniferAShore), Instagram (@shorely), and TikTok (@jenniferannshore).
She writes romance stories that go a little deeper than the standard tropes. Her lineup of more than a dozen books includes standalones, a dystopian series, and a vampire series—with titles such as “Perfect Little Flaws,” “Young at Midnight,” and “Metallic Red.”
Prior to publishing, she led an impressive career in New York, first as a journalist and then as a marketing executive, gaining recognition for her work from companies such as Hearst and SIIA.
Be sure to sign up for her newsletter on her website (https://www.jenniferannshore.com) and follow her on Twitter (@JenniferAShore), Instagram (@shorely), and TikTok (@jenniferannshore).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
October 13, 2021
4 meteor shaped scar stars
LOVELY AND SURPRISING CHARACTERS
I had an on-and-off relationship with this novel, but I ended up liking him more than I expected. With its good character development and last minute surprises, it was very enjoyable.
I'm seriousely wondering if this could be considered a slow-burn romance or not. The evolution of Dylan and Harper's relationship was more intricated than I thaught it'd be. From enemies-by-contact-with-a-rival to friends and then more, it was sometimes a step forward and two steps back because of their insecurities. Being a YA, I knew the book wouldn't go in steamy territory - which was perfectly fine for me, like with Perfect Little Flaws - so the progression was directly in a more emotional and reflective level.
Harper was a control freak, stuck with her planning and having already pictured how she wanted to die - it wasn't gore, but a bit creepy to be honest. It just showed how spontaneity and unexpected change weren't in her vocabulary. Agreeing to help Dylan was already a big step for her and probably the best thing that could have happened to her. He accepted her as she was, supported her choices and liked having deeper discussions about the way they approached life through litteratur. At his contact, she grew as an independent person and learned to stand for what she wanted.
Behind his defensive walls, Dylan was warm and a bit insecure. He felt the need to protect himself behind a smirking confident façade that actually rubed me wrong at first. As the story progressed he sporadically let his mask slip off, revealing an endearing character, even if he was still a bit guarded. I loved how he challenged Harper to reflect on the way she lived her life. Despite his poor relationship with James, he never tried to actively come between them. He wasn't this kind of person and it showed how genuine he was.
I honestly thaught this book would have some sort of cliché trope with the guy trading his study lessons against some dating advices, but NO and THANK YOU for that! Don't get me wrong, sometimes I like reading some of those novels, if the writing match, but it was refreshing to have something working on a more reflective level. Plus, just when I thaught I had actually figured everything out, something happened that I didn't expect. It made my heart melt and positively boosted my appreciation of one the character🥰 It was a great way to lead the story to its end and gave a nice closure to the main plot.
I've written this honest review after receiving an advanced reading copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
LOVELY AND SURPRISING CHARACTERS
I had an on-and-off relationship with this novel, but I ended up liking him more than I expected. With its good character development and last minute surprises, it was very enjoyable.
I'm seriousely wondering if this could be considered a slow-burn romance or not. The evolution of Dylan and Harper's relationship was more intricated than I thaught it'd be. From enemies-by-contact-with-a-rival to friends and then more, it was sometimes a step forward and two steps back because of their insecurities. Being a YA, I knew the book wouldn't go in steamy territory - which was perfectly fine for me, like with Perfect Little Flaws - so the progression was directly in a more emotional and reflective level.
Harper was a control freak, stuck with her planning and having already pictured how she wanted to die - it wasn't gore, but a bit creepy to be honest. It just showed how spontaneity and unexpected change weren't in her vocabulary. Agreeing to help Dylan was already a big step for her and probably the best thing that could have happened to her. He accepted her as she was, supported her choices and liked having deeper discussions about the way they approached life through litteratur. At his contact, she grew as an independent person and learned to stand for what she wanted.
Behind his defensive walls, Dylan was warm and a bit insecure. He felt the need to protect himself behind a smirking confident façade that actually rubed me wrong at first. As the story progressed he sporadically let his mask slip off, revealing an endearing character, even if he was still a bit guarded. I loved how he challenged Harper to reflect on the way she lived her life. Despite his poor relationship with James, he never tried to actively come between them. He wasn't this kind of person and it showed how genuine he was.
I honestly thaught this book would have some sort of cliché trope with the guy trading his study lessons against some dating advices, but NO and THANK YOU for that! Don't get me wrong, sometimes I like reading some of those novels, if the writing match, but it was refreshing to have something working on a more reflective level. Plus, just when I thaught I had actually figured everything out, something happened that I didn't expect. It made my heart melt and positively boosted my appreciation of one the character🥰 It was a great way to lead the story to its end and gave a nice closure to the main plot.
I've written this honest review after receiving an advanced reading copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
August 20, 2022
1 star
I feel disappointed, but I can't put my finger on why. I came for something cute and fun, but got the equivalent to what would've been trending on Wattpad in 2015. One of the main gripes I have is that everything about this book is TOLD instead of SHOWN to the reader, which doesn't make for an enjoyable reading experience.
The characters were all pretty bland or unlikable. But I have a little to say about some of them.
Harper-Protagonist:
Harper was...something. I feel the same about her as I do with Bella Swan from Twillight in some ways-it's not that I don't like HER, I just hate the way the people AROUND HER treat her. Dylan is constantly is telling her to become more independent and stand up for herself. He criticizes James for telling her what to do...while telling her what to do. It's a contradiction that honestly makes me laugh. Her little sprouts of self discovery and becoming her own person were only triggered because someone else was telling her to become her own person. Now that's what I call independence! These moments where she finally realizes to be critical of people around her could've been from Dylan actually showing her kindness, and being excited for her and supportive of her, but Dylan is just James 2.0. Her love of writing should've been explored more. We are TOLD she loves books, but all we see of her so called deep love is a few geek outs about one book. She felt exactly like every other valedictorian overachiever character I've seen 100 times over. She was just not interesting enough to believe she was worth all the trouble.
Dylan-The Love Interest:
I couldn't force myself to like Dylan. He had none of the charm, wit, or interesting backstory you see from other love interests from other stories. He was really shitty to Harper, a lot of the time. I disliked the fact that she would give him free passes to be a jackass and be emotionally closed off because of his 'hard childhood' that we don't even get to really dig into. Were TOLD that Dylan's dad sucks because he thinks less of Harper because her parents don't own their own business. Don't get me wrong-that's really shitty, but how does that relate to how he treats his son? From that one interaction, Harper suddenly can the deep inner workings of his childhood trauma out of her ass? Because his dad, a filthy rich man, judged her financial standing? Where the hell did she get that from. He's treated like a victim all the time, and let's not even divulge into his classicist remarks. Spoiler .
James-The Best Friend:
James' behavior was the most unacceptable thing I've ever seen from a so called best friend. It's acknowledged in the book, but completely brushed off. For years he's been a bitch to Harper. Never being supportive, treating her as a fill in girlfriend between the lulls of the 'real' ones, and never considering her feelings. This has been going on for 18 years, and Harper yells at him once and forgives him? Just like that? I really think this book could've benefited from a sit down talk between those two and an analysis of their relationship. Boundaries needed to be set. I would've really liked to see the strain on his and Harper's friendship from the expectation that they would one day end up together from parents and peers. They were getting around college age, and the hints would've only gotten stronger. It would have been a really good conflict and would test the comfortable dynamic that they knew and who they thought they were. So many missed opportunities! James was not only annoying with his awkwardly placed possessiveness, but was just a big letdown.
I nothing much to say about anyone else that warrants an entire section. All the girl side characters were treated like boy crazy shallow monsters always jealous because Harper got all the good ones, if you consider emotionally unavailable and selectively caring winners in the dating pool. The boy side characters were just...there. (Also, hate to be that person , but all the characters seemed to be white? They live in Pennsylvania, surely not the diversity hub, but the private school they go to had to have some POC for their brochures so they could claim to be progressive, right? Brandon seemed to be in a relationship with another guy, but that's all we got for any minority rep)
Some nitpicks:
-Everything seems very outdated. Harper was turning in essays by hand in 2020? And getting college decisions in the mail? As a K-12 student right now, it was really odd for me too see in a story supposedly set in today.
-I wanted to see more of that old couple from the shop more. No real critique, I just liked them.
Short list, but the rest of the problems I had with the story were a bit bigger.
Point blank: I didn't like this book. If you did, great! If you feel the same as me, great! It's not that serious lol.
I feel disappointed, but I can't put my finger on why. I came for something cute and fun, but got the equivalent to what would've been trending on Wattpad in 2015. One of the main gripes I have is that everything about this book is TOLD instead of SHOWN to the reader, which doesn't make for an enjoyable reading experience.
The characters were all pretty bland or unlikable. But I have a little to say about some of them.
Harper-Protagonist:
Harper was...something. I feel the same about her as I do with Bella Swan from Twillight in some ways-it's not that I don't like HER, I just hate the way the people AROUND HER treat her. Dylan is constantly is telling her to become more independent and stand up for herself. He criticizes James for telling her what to do...while telling her what to do. It's a contradiction that honestly makes me laugh. Her little sprouts of self discovery and becoming her own person were only triggered because someone else was telling her to become her own person. Now that's what I call independence! These moments where she finally realizes to be critical of people around her could've been from Dylan actually showing her kindness, and being excited for her and supportive of her, but Dylan is just James 2.0. Her love of writing should've been explored more. We are TOLD she loves books, but all we see of her so called deep love is a few geek outs about one book. She felt exactly like every other valedictorian overachiever character I've seen 100 times over. She was just not interesting enough to believe she was worth all the trouble.
Dylan-The Love Interest:
I couldn't force myself to like Dylan. He had none of the charm, wit, or interesting backstory you see from other love interests from other stories. He was really shitty to Harper, a lot of the time. I disliked the fact that she would give him free passes to be a jackass and be emotionally closed off because of his 'hard childhood' that we don't even get to really dig into. Were TOLD that Dylan's dad sucks because he thinks less of Harper because her parents don't own their own business. Don't get me wrong-that's really shitty, but how does that relate to how he treats his son? From that one interaction, Harper suddenly can the deep inner workings of his childhood trauma out of her ass? Because his dad, a filthy rich man, judged her financial standing? Where the hell did she get that from. He's treated like a victim all the time, and let's not even divulge into his classicist remarks. Spoiler .
James-The Best Friend:
James' behavior was the most unacceptable thing I've ever seen from a so called best friend. It's acknowledged in the book, but completely brushed off. For years he's been a bitch to Harper. Never being supportive, treating her as a fill in girlfriend between the lulls of the 'real' ones, and never considering her feelings. This has been going on for 18 years, and Harper yells at him once and forgives him? Just like that? I really think this book could've benefited from a sit down talk between those two and an analysis of their relationship. Boundaries needed to be set. I would've really liked to see the strain on his and Harper's friendship from the expectation that they would one day end up together from parents and peers. They were getting around college age, and the hints would've only gotten stronger. It would have been a really good conflict and would test the comfortable dynamic that they knew and who they thought they were. So many missed opportunities! James was not only annoying with his awkwardly placed possessiveness, but was just a big letdown.
I nothing much to say about anyone else that warrants an entire section. All the girl side characters were treated like boy crazy shallow monsters always jealous because Harper got all the good ones, if you consider emotionally unavailable and selectively caring winners in the dating pool. The boy side characters were just...there. (Also, hate to be that person , but all the characters seemed to be white? They live in Pennsylvania, surely not the diversity hub, but the private school they go to had to have some POC for their brochures so they could claim to be progressive, right? Brandon seemed to be in a relationship with another guy, but that's all we got for any minority rep)
Some nitpicks:
-Everything seems very outdated. Harper was turning in essays by hand in 2020? And getting college decisions in the mail? As a K-12 student right now, it was really odd for me too see in a story supposedly set in today.
-I wanted to see more of that old couple from the shop more. No real critique, I just liked them.
Short list, but the rest of the problems I had with the story were a bit bigger.
Point blank: I didn't like this book. If you did, great! If you feel the same as me, great! It's not that serious lol.
May 28, 2025
”It’s the stillness before the start. The one final breath before the jump. The serenity before the chaos.”
”Dylan Archer has paid attention to me long enough to get to the root of who I am as a person and the way my mind works. I doubt James, who I’ve known since birth, could articulate that.”
“'I mean, what was I supposed to do? Tell you that even though you hate me, I’ve been watching you since we were kids, and I felt a certain connection to you that you did not reciprocate in any way, shape, or form? That even though we’re both lonely and neurotic, we didn’t have to be so alone? That I’ve spent just as much time being frustrated by your tenacity as I’ve loved every single thought and word that has come from your mouth? That I’ve dreamed of what it would be like to claim you and those curls for my own selfish interest?'”
this took me a minute to get into but once i was in i was IN. i read it in a day. dylan and harper are so beyond perfect for each other. i loved reading about their personal growth and how they grew from each other. as a harper, where is my dylan??? this was overall just a great book and i'm very very happy
the more i let this sit the more i realize this was a 5 start read i can't stop thinking about it
5/5 ⭐️
”Dylan Archer has paid attention to me long enough to get to the root of who I am as a person and the way my mind works. I doubt James, who I’ve known since birth, could articulate that.”
“'I mean, what was I supposed to do? Tell you that even though you hate me, I’ve been watching you since we were kids, and I felt a certain connection to you that you did not reciprocate in any way, shape, or form? That even though we’re both lonely and neurotic, we didn’t have to be so alone? That I’ve spent just as much time being frustrated by your tenacity as I’ve loved every single thought and word that has come from your mouth? That I’ve dreamed of what it would be like to claim you and those curls for my own selfish interest?'”
this took me a minute to get into but once i was in i was IN. i read it in a day. dylan and harper are so beyond perfect for each other. i loved reading about their personal growth and how they grew from each other. as a harper, where is my dylan??? this was overall just a great book and i'm very very happy
the more i let this sit the more i realize this was a 5 start read i can't stop thinking about it
5/5 ⭐️
May 29, 2022
2/5
Bland characters.
The story overall felt very monotone and practically nothing happened in the first 3/4 of it.
Bland characters.
The story overall felt very monotone and practically nothing happened in the first 3/4 of it.
March 10, 2023
The stillness before the start is a YA book about a girl who controls her life to the point of imagining what her death will look like, but her perspective begins to change when she starts helping Dylan Archer, her best friend's archnemesis, with a class at school.
Lately I am reading several books by the author and I always find myself enjoying them. While this was not my favorite, it delivered on the promise.
The story features Harper, a control freak who plans absolutely everything in her life and has a crush on her lifelong best friend, James. When Dylan Archer, James' mortal enemy and wealthy school owner, asks for her help with school, she finds herself in a situation she never thought possible, but might not be all bad.
The truth is that I liked Harper a lot. I felt identified with her in some ways, it must be because I'm a Virgo, and I think her development throughout history was well done. From the beginning she looks quite influenceable, doing what her best friend wants all the time, but she also changes to overcome James's authoritarian attitudes.
Dylan, on the other hand... I had mixed feelings with his character. I think the idea was for him to help showing Harper that she was worth it on her own and that she didn't have to be guided by James, but in the end he ended up doing exactly the same as him. Sometimes I even felt that he was too intrusive in her life, but I suppose that in the end it helped her to get rid of the pressure from the other boy.
I don't think there was a romance too present this time, but I appreciate it, even though I'm a fan of it, it was good that it wasn't a change in Harper's life because of "finding love", but because of realizing that she is her own person and that her decisions about her life are the most important.
As always I love the author's light writing, it makes the story not uncomfortable and can be read calmly.
Recommended to start in the young adult genre.
Lately I am reading several books by the author and I always find myself enjoying them. While this was not my favorite, it delivered on the promise.
The story features Harper, a control freak who plans absolutely everything in her life and has a crush on her lifelong best friend, James. When Dylan Archer, James' mortal enemy and wealthy school owner, asks for her help with school, she finds herself in a situation she never thought possible, but might not be all bad.
The truth is that I liked Harper a lot. I felt identified with her in some ways, it must be because I'm a Virgo, and I think her development throughout history was well done. From the beginning she looks quite influenceable, doing what her best friend wants all the time, but she also changes to overcome James's authoritarian attitudes.
Dylan, on the other hand... I had mixed feelings with his character. I think the idea was for him to help showing Harper that she was worth it on her own and that she didn't have to be guided by James, but in the end he ended up doing exactly the same as him. Sometimes I even felt that he was too intrusive in her life, but I suppose that in the end it helped her to get rid of the pressure from the other boy.
I don't think there was a romance too present this time, but I appreciate it, even though I'm a fan of it, it was good that it wasn't a change in Harper's life because of "finding love", but because of realizing that she is her own person and that her decisions about her life are the most important.
As always I love the author's light writing, it makes the story not uncomfortable and can be read calmly.
Recommended to start in the young adult genre.
March 22, 2021
I was totally captivated by these characters. Harper was the studious girl, her life planned out to the tee, with feelings for her best friend and neighbor, James. Enter Dylan Archer, James's track rival, who asks Harper to tutor him in English. Dylan is my new book boyfriend! I loved the banter between him and Harper, and the way Harper opened up to him. A great read which I didn't want to end!
September 24, 2022
3,5/5
The stillness before the start es un enemies to lovers juvenil que nos cuenta una historia de amor que se va forjando poco a poco a pesar de los malentendidos.
Harper es una chica de lógica, de buenas notas, que lo planea todo. Dylan es el chico rico, que con una sonrisa y pocas palabras consigue lo que quiere, y enemigo del mejor amigo de Harper. Desde niños se llevan mal y casi ni se dirigen la palabra, hasta que un día Dylan se acerca a Harper y le pide que le ayude con una asignatura a cambio de no revelar el mayor secreto de Harper, que le gusta su mejor amigo. Poco a poco, con sus más y sus menos, el amor nace entre ambos.
La historia me ha gustado, pero le he dado menos de 4 estrellas porque al principio la narración de Harper se me ha hecho un poco pesada, aunque todo cambia en cuanto hay más interacciones entre ella y Dylan. Un enemies to lovers, con un slow burn romance, que se lee en muy poco tiempo y te deja con buen sabor de boca.
En cuanto a los personajes, Harper es una chica que poco a poco cambia su forma de ser y ver el mundo. Ha vivido toda su vida siguiendo un plan, hasta que se da cuenta que eso no es lo que realmente quiere. Dylan lleva la máscara de chico guay, chulo, pero solo es un muro para esconder la realidad, un chico dulce con miedo a ser rechazado. Creo que de todos los personajes el que no me ha gustado es el mejor amigo de Harper, es la típica persona que da por hecho que las demás van a estar a su lado y por eso no las valora como se merecen.
En resumen, un libro de amor cortito que os hará pasar un buen rato :)
*Muchas gracias a la autora por la copia avanzada. Esta reseña es honesta y voluntaria.*
-----------------------------
The stillness before the start is a young adult enemies to lovers that tells us a love story that is being forged little by little despite the misunderstandings.
Harper is a girl of logic, with good grades, who plans everything. Dylan is the rich boy, who with a smile and few words gets what he wants, and the enemy of Harper's best friend. Since they were children they get along badly and hardly speak to each other, until one day Dylan approaches Harper and asks her to help him with a school subject in exchange for not revealing Harper's biggest secret, that she likes her best friend. Little by little, with its pluses and minuses, love is born between them.
I liked the story, but I gave it less than 4 stars because Harper's narration was a bit heavy at first, although everything changes as soon as there are more interactions between her and Dylan. An enemies to lovers, with a slow burn romance, which can be read in a very short time and leaves you with a good taste in your mouth.
As for the characters, Harper is a girl who little by little changes her way of being and seeing the world. She has lived her whole life following a plan, until she realizes that is not what she really wants. Dylan wears the cool guy mask, but that's just a wall to hide his reality, a sweet guy afraid of being rejected. I think that of all the characters the one I didn't like was Harper's best friend, he is the typical person who assumes that the others will be always by his side and that is why he doesn't value them as they deserve.
In summary, a short love story that will make you have a good time :)
*This is my honest and voluntary review. Thanks so much to the author for this ARC.*
The stillness before the start es un enemies to lovers juvenil que nos cuenta una historia de amor que se va forjando poco a poco a pesar de los malentendidos.
Harper es una chica de lógica, de buenas notas, que lo planea todo. Dylan es el chico rico, que con una sonrisa y pocas palabras consigue lo que quiere, y enemigo del mejor amigo de Harper. Desde niños se llevan mal y casi ni se dirigen la palabra, hasta que un día Dylan se acerca a Harper y le pide que le ayude con una asignatura a cambio de no revelar el mayor secreto de Harper, que le gusta su mejor amigo. Poco a poco, con sus más y sus menos, el amor nace entre ambos.
La historia me ha gustado, pero le he dado menos de 4 estrellas porque al principio la narración de Harper se me ha hecho un poco pesada, aunque todo cambia en cuanto hay más interacciones entre ella y Dylan. Un enemies to lovers, con un slow burn romance, que se lee en muy poco tiempo y te deja con buen sabor de boca.
En cuanto a los personajes, Harper es una chica que poco a poco cambia su forma de ser y ver el mundo. Ha vivido toda su vida siguiendo un plan, hasta que se da cuenta que eso no es lo que realmente quiere. Dylan lleva la máscara de chico guay, chulo, pero solo es un muro para esconder la realidad, un chico dulce con miedo a ser rechazado. Creo que de todos los personajes el que no me ha gustado es el mejor amigo de Harper, es la típica persona que da por hecho que las demás van a estar a su lado y por eso no las valora como se merecen.
En resumen, un libro de amor cortito que os hará pasar un buen rato :)
*Muchas gracias a la autora por la copia avanzada. Esta reseña es honesta y voluntaria.*
-----------------------------
The stillness before the start is a young adult enemies to lovers that tells us a love story that is being forged little by little despite the misunderstandings.
Harper is a girl of logic, with good grades, who plans everything. Dylan is the rich boy, who with a smile and few words gets what he wants, and the enemy of Harper's best friend. Since they were children they get along badly and hardly speak to each other, until one day Dylan approaches Harper and asks her to help him with a school subject in exchange for not revealing Harper's biggest secret, that she likes her best friend. Little by little, with its pluses and minuses, love is born between them.
I liked the story, but I gave it less than 4 stars because Harper's narration was a bit heavy at first, although everything changes as soon as there are more interactions between her and Dylan. An enemies to lovers, with a slow burn romance, which can be read in a very short time and leaves you with a good taste in your mouth.
As for the characters, Harper is a girl who little by little changes her way of being and seeing the world. She has lived her whole life following a plan, until she realizes that is not what she really wants. Dylan wears the cool guy mask, but that's just a wall to hide his reality, a sweet guy afraid of being rejected. I think that of all the characters the one I didn't like was Harper's best friend, he is the typical person who assumes that the others will be always by his side and that is why he doesn't value them as they deserve.
In summary, a short love story that will make you have a good time :)
*This is my honest and voluntary review. Thanks so much to the author for this ARC.*
March 12, 2021
What a wonderful Young Adult Romance!
I enjoyed the book very much, easy 5 stars from me!
The main character is relatable and very well-developed. Harper is a sweet witty ordinary girl. I like her.
I like the guy too - Dylan. I loved how the author described him and how they both evolved through the story and finally became their better versions.
I recommend.
Julie,
BooksShelf Reviewer
I enjoyed the book very much, easy 5 stars from me!
The main character is relatable and very well-developed. Harper is a sweet witty ordinary girl. I like her.
I like the guy too - Dylan. I loved how the author described him and how they both evolved through the story and finally became their better versions.
I recommend.
Julie,
BooksShelf Reviewer
October 27, 2021
I loveeeed this read! Get ready to be transported right back into the halls of your high school. Lovely, warm and captivating story and characters. The twist at the end fills my heart with happiness. I’d also love to mention that Shore always finds a way to incorporate queer characters in a way that is natural and doesn’t need explanation. Chefs kiss **
November 26, 2023
This is the second book I've read by Jennifer Ann Shore, and her writing already feels like a good friend. Her books just make me happy - lovable, relatable characters (especially Harper in this book for me, being an obsessive planner myself), fun and witty banter, and emotionally satisfying story arcs. I'm very excited that there are many more books to read.
December 27, 2021
(3.5) i liked this book! it was sweet and i loved harper’s character development. the beginning started out kind of slow imo, but once dylan and harper really started talking it got a lot better!
December 23, 2022
4.5 kind of actually adorable
January 22, 2023
‘’I have nothing to wish for or plot out because I’m excited to live in the present’’.
The progress of the character’s journey in truly growing up was so beautifully laid out.
The progress of the character’s journey in truly growing up was so beautifully laid out.
Read
January 26, 2024On pause
July 6, 2024
feels like it was published in 2004. i wanted more payoff. best friends enemy is a fun trope.
August 9, 2023
Books & Beans and Marie! Love the connection between this, and Just For You.
I adored Dylan but I wish there’d been more of him and less of James.
I liked Harper’s planning and her willingness to side step from them. Youth is to be lived after all.
I enjoyed reading Harper grow a backbone and make decisions against her grain.
As with everything else I’ve read of Jennifer’s, this was terrific. It was a little passive emotionally, when compared to her recent books. But still enjoyable if you’re looking for a quick YA read.
I adored Dylan but I wish there’d been more of him and less of James.
I liked Harper’s planning and her willingness to side step from them. Youth is to be lived after all.
I enjoyed reading Harper grow a backbone and make decisions against her grain.
As with everything else I’ve read of Jennifer’s, this was terrific. It was a little passive emotionally, when compared to her recent books. But still enjoyable if you’re looking for a quick YA read.
December 8, 2020
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed this book. I found Harper very relatable, and it was nice to see a main character (especially a teenage girl) who has flaws and insecurities but still likes who she is and is reasonably comfortable in her own skin. I also appreciated the fact that she wasn't the typical one-dimensional uptight valedictorian type of character, despite that being how she sees herself. She had a variety of traits and interests that all felt fitting and natural.
The writing itself drew me in immediately. It managed to be descriptive and witty while still mostly coming across as how people actually think and talk. It does help that the book is in first person and Harper wants to be a writer, so it makes sense that she would sometimes describe things in a more poetic way, but she still sounds like a seventeen year old girl when she does so. The dialogue was a bit hit or miss, especially at the beginning. There were several occasions I found myself rereading a couple paragraphs because someone's response felt so out of nowhere that I assumed I must have missed something, but no. This gets better as the book goes on, and looking back, the over-the-top responses do actually make sense for the characters, but the delivery could stand to be less awkward. If unnatural dialogue is a pet peeve for you, you may find those first few chapters a bit annoying. Personally, I felt the rest of the writing was good enough to look past it, but it did make me hesitant to give it a full 4 stars.
I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the other characters. Maybe it's because of the dialogue issues, or Harper's perspective, but most of them never really came together for me. I genuinely don't know what I'm supposed to make of Harper's best friend, James, for example. I never felt like I understood him well enough to anticipate his actions. That's the only one I felt noticeably affected the story, and even then only a little. Dylan especially came through more clearly. He's a little irritating at the beginning, and I felt his "playful" insults were a little too mean, but as the book went on, I found myself really interested in him, his life, and his feelings. Everything he says and does makes sense in context, even if it isn't obvious right away, and the author does a good job at having Harper make these connections clear to us as she begins to understand him better. The connections Harper makes with characters who only show up once or twice are surprisingly charming, though I suppose that's more about how personable she is than who they are.
The plot is light and pretty much exactly what you'd expect from this sort of book, basically just the ordinary life of an ordinary girl over the last few months of senior year. The only thing that really stood out to me was the depiction of Harper being genuinely immersed in parts of her life that aren't directly plot-related, which we don't normally see (and which writers are often flat-out told to avoid). It made her feel vividly real, and it makes it clear that she is growing into her self, not becoming another person--the Harper we see at the end was there the whole time, especially when she wasn't actively thinking about things, it just hadn't all quite come together yet. It also makes it easier to root for the romance, because it highlights how much he genuinely cares about Harper as a person.
There are a few eyebrow-raisers, the biggest one involving an extravagant, very expensive gift that I find it hard to believe the recipient's parents never seemed to notice and insist on returning. There are also a couple really minor inconsistencies and typos that probably should've been caught by the editor, but it's only a few lines. All in all, I'd rank this solidly above most of the similar books I've read, and would even go so far as to say it could potentially be a 5-star book with a little more work. Considering how simple and vague the description is, it far exceeded my expectations, and I'd be happy to read more from this author, especially if they work out the dialogue issues.
I really enjoyed this book. I found Harper very relatable, and it was nice to see a main character (especially a teenage girl) who has flaws and insecurities but still likes who she is and is reasonably comfortable in her own skin. I also appreciated the fact that she wasn't the typical one-dimensional uptight valedictorian type of character, despite that being how she sees herself. She had a variety of traits and interests that all felt fitting and natural.
The writing itself drew me in immediately. It managed to be descriptive and witty while still mostly coming across as how people actually think and talk. It does help that the book is in first person and Harper wants to be a writer, so it makes sense that she would sometimes describe things in a more poetic way, but she still sounds like a seventeen year old girl when she does so. The dialogue was a bit hit or miss, especially at the beginning. There were several occasions I found myself rereading a couple paragraphs because someone's response felt so out of nowhere that I assumed I must have missed something, but no. This gets better as the book goes on, and looking back, the over-the-top responses do actually make sense for the characters, but the delivery could stand to be less awkward. If unnatural dialogue is a pet peeve for you, you may find those first few chapters a bit annoying. Personally, I felt the rest of the writing was good enough to look past it, but it did make me hesitant to give it a full 4 stars.
I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the other characters. Maybe it's because of the dialogue issues, or Harper's perspective, but most of them never really came together for me. I genuinely don't know what I'm supposed to make of Harper's best friend, James, for example. I never felt like I understood him well enough to anticipate his actions. That's the only one I felt noticeably affected the story, and even then only a little. Dylan especially came through more clearly. He's a little irritating at the beginning, and I felt his "playful" insults were a little too mean, but as the book went on, I found myself really interested in him, his life, and his feelings. Everything he says and does makes sense in context, even if it isn't obvious right away, and the author does a good job at having Harper make these connections clear to us as she begins to understand him better. The connections Harper makes with characters who only show up once or twice are surprisingly charming, though I suppose that's more about how personable she is than who they are.
The plot is light and pretty much exactly what you'd expect from this sort of book, basically just the ordinary life of an ordinary girl over the last few months of senior year. The only thing that really stood out to me was the depiction of Harper being genuinely immersed in parts of her life that aren't directly plot-related, which we don't normally see (and which writers are often flat-out told to avoid). It made her feel vividly real, and it makes it clear that she is growing into her self, not becoming another person--the Harper we see at the end was there the whole time, especially when she wasn't actively thinking about things, it just hadn't all quite come together yet. It also makes it easier to root for the romance, because it highlights how much he genuinely cares about Harper as a person.
There are a few eyebrow-raisers, the biggest one involving an extravagant, very expensive gift that I find it hard to believe the recipient's parents never seemed to notice and insist on returning. There are also a couple really minor inconsistencies and typos that probably should've been caught by the editor, but it's only a few lines. All in all, I'd rank this solidly above most of the similar books I've read, and would even go so far as to say it could potentially be a 5-star book with a little more work. Considering how simple and vague the description is, it far exceeded my expectations, and I'd be happy to read more from this author, especially if they work out the dialogue issues.
May 30, 2021
Many thanks to Jennifer Ann Shore for providing me with a paperback copy of The Stillness Before the Start with a request for an honest review.
The Stillness Before the Start is a captivating teenage romance that makes me want to relive my teenage years. Jennifer Ann Shore knows how to write great young adult fiction. This title is my third Shore novel, and each one gets better than the last.
Harper and James are best friends. They were born on the same day, in the same hospital, and have been neighbors from the womb. Harper lives for James until Dylan comes along and shakes up her whole world. Dylan shows Harper how to be independent and to live for herself instead of James.
I loved Harper. She is the kind of person I wanted to be in high school, had I to do it again. She is bright and kind. Yet, she has no idea of the impact she has on others. In the beginning, she lives too much inside her own head. Dylan, on the other hand, is cocky and a bit of a jerk. Their connection grows day by day, slowly building. All the while, James is off on the side for the first time, and he doesn’t handle things well.
This book is the epitome of everything I love about cheesy 80’s movies starring Molly Ringwald. To this day, I get gooey-eyed over those movies, and I got that same look as I read this novel. Once I finished, I wanted to keep picking it back up in case these characters added more to the book in my absence. I am still sad that it is over. I want more.
I’ve seen a meme running through social media about the feeling you get when you realize the title’s meaning. Well, when I got to the part where I understood how this book got its title, I cried. That moment grabbed me by the feels. I had to stop for a bit until I could control my emotions enough to get past it. This moment clenched it for me. It was that moment that I knew this story would live with me far longer than any other book. It is one I will reread many times just to relive that moment.
It is with a happy heart that I award The Stillness Before the Start a full 5 out of 5 stars. I know I should feel silly being as old as I am and falling in love with a teenage romance, but this one is brilliant. I recommend this novel to those of you young or young at heart readers who enjoy a bit of teenage romance. If you do pick it up, I hope you love it as much as I do.
The Stillness Before the Start is a captivating teenage romance that makes me want to relive my teenage years. Jennifer Ann Shore knows how to write great young adult fiction. This title is my third Shore novel, and each one gets better than the last.
Harper and James are best friends. They were born on the same day, in the same hospital, and have been neighbors from the womb. Harper lives for James until Dylan comes along and shakes up her whole world. Dylan shows Harper how to be independent and to live for herself instead of James.
I loved Harper. She is the kind of person I wanted to be in high school, had I to do it again. She is bright and kind. Yet, she has no idea of the impact she has on others. In the beginning, she lives too much inside her own head. Dylan, on the other hand, is cocky and a bit of a jerk. Their connection grows day by day, slowly building. All the while, James is off on the side for the first time, and he doesn’t handle things well.
This book is the epitome of everything I love about cheesy 80’s movies starring Molly Ringwald. To this day, I get gooey-eyed over those movies, and I got that same look as I read this novel. Once I finished, I wanted to keep picking it back up in case these characters added more to the book in my absence. I am still sad that it is over. I want more.
I’ve seen a meme running through social media about the feeling you get when you realize the title’s meaning. Well, when I got to the part where I understood how this book got its title, I cried. That moment grabbed me by the feels. I had to stop for a bit until I could control my emotions enough to get past it. This moment clenched it for me. It was that moment that I knew this story would live with me far longer than any other book. It is one I will reread many times just to relive that moment.
It is with a happy heart that I award The Stillness Before the Start a full 5 out of 5 stars. I know I should feel silly being as old as I am and falling in love with a teenage romance, but this one is brilliant. I recommend this novel to those of you young or young at heart readers who enjoy a bit of teenage romance. If you do pick it up, I hope you love it as much as I do.
November 5, 2025
This book was a bit of a challenge to get through, and I took a large break in between reading the first 70% and finishing the last 30%. By the fourth chapter I already didn't enjoy it much, but I wasn't about to quit a book only a few chapters in. It's the all too common reserved academic smart
girl X Popular bad boy with millionaire parents, with an added love triangle as the main character must choose between the plan she's had for a long time to marry her best friend and die old together, or change her plan and choose the bad boy.
The character development isn't great throughout the story. The main character, Harper Read, experiences a significant amount of character development. However, this development did not feel natural in its progression. All it took was for Dylan Archer (the aforementioned 'bad boy') to say a few things to her in a rude manner for her to realize where she was flawed and to branch out a bit. Meanwhile, none of the other characters had any significant character development, excepting few instances toward the end of the book. However, despite any intended character arcs, I still found Dylan Archer to be such a jerk even toward the end of the book. Harper's best friend, James, also didn't have much of a character arc, despite an attempted one near the end of the book.
The personality of Harper was often not very likable. At times the way she acted really rubbed me the wrong way, and she gave off a, "I'm not like other girls, I use a daily planner for everything and have my whole life mapped out" kind of energy.
The plot twist at the end of the book didn't have the impact it was meant to, as honestly, it just seemed like it was put in there to attempt to enrich the plot, and not because it fit the story really well. It surprised me, but not in a "Wow, such a good twist!" kind of way, but in a more, "wow, of course this was where this plot was going, how did I not see it?" kind of way. It seemed more to just be there to show that despite Dylan having a rough and guarded exterior, he secretly has a soft side deep down inside.
One thing I did like though was the writing style, and how the author connects the book to the title. I originally got interested in this book due to the title. The way the author writes was the reason I gave this book 2 stars instead of 1.
I had read a few of the reviews and felt good going into this book, but it wasn't for me. I'm sure there are lots of people who would enjoy this book, but I will not be reading it, or any other books from this author, again.
girl X Popular bad boy with millionaire parents, with an added love triangle as the main character must choose between the plan she's had for a long time to marry her best friend and die old together, or change her plan and choose the bad boy.
The character development isn't great throughout the story. The main character, Harper Read, experiences a significant amount of character development. However, this development did not feel natural in its progression. All it took was for Dylan Archer (the aforementioned 'bad boy') to say a few things to her in a rude manner for her to realize where she was flawed and to branch out a bit. Meanwhile, none of the other characters had any significant character development, excepting few instances toward the end of the book. However, despite any intended character arcs, I still found Dylan Archer to be such a jerk even toward the end of the book. Harper's best friend, James, also didn't have much of a character arc, despite an attempted one near the end of the book.
The personality of Harper was often not very likable. At times the way she acted really rubbed me the wrong way, and she gave off a, "I'm not like other girls, I use a daily planner for everything and have my whole life mapped out" kind of energy.
The plot twist at the end of the book didn't have the impact it was meant to, as honestly, it just seemed like it was put in there to attempt to enrich the plot, and not because it fit the story really well. It surprised me, but not in a "Wow, such a good twist!" kind of way, but in a more, "wow, of course this was where this plot was going, how did I not see it?" kind of way. It seemed more to just be there to show that despite Dylan having a rough and guarded exterior, he secretly has a soft side deep down inside.
One thing I did like though was the writing style, and how the author connects the book to the title. I originally got interested in this book due to the title. The way the author writes was the reason I gave this book 2 stars instead of 1.
I had read a few of the reviews and felt good going into this book, but it wasn't for me. I'm sure there are lots of people who would enjoy this book, but I will not be reading it, or any other books from this author, again.
December 4, 2020
“The Stillness Before the Start” is about Harper Reed, a senior in high school who seems to have the entirety of her life planned out, and likes it to be that way. She seems to enjoy having every aspect of her life scribbled on the pages of her planner, but what she did not account for was for Dylan Archer to ask for her help, since he has been the enemy and rival of her best friend, James, for as long as she could remember. Dylan, however, proves to be an unexpected force that helps bring Harper out of her shell and break her routines, and essentially guides her to the realization between what she truly wants and what others expect of her. Although I’m a few years older than Harper, I still absolutely loved reading her journey and I rooted for her to do what was in her best interest, rather than what her family wished for. I found Harper and myself to have similar qualities, like the need to overanalyze and have everything planned to the t.
This story had everything I love: witty banter, romance, and a little bit of an enemies to lovers plotline. The dialogue, especially between Dylan and Harper, was a shining star in this narrative--it was funny but it also illustrated the chemistry between the two.
This book also explored the idea of not knowing what other people’s lives are really like--never knowing what a person really goes through or might be going through. Specifically with Dylan, Harper mostly thought of him as rich and superficial but wasn’t aware of the pressures his father imposed. Not to mention, this story also had a couple revelations that I did not see coming that I thoroughly enjoyed reading through, and they certainly changed the perspective of a few characters (Yarra DeLinch, if you read it you’ll get it!).
*The author did send me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, these are purely my thoughts and first impressions.*
I cannot recommend this young adult coming of age story enough! It captures so many elements of being an adolescent, attempting to figure out who you are and who people expect you to be as well navigating a first love. This is a perfect short romance read, that I will certainly revisit and reread.
This story had everything I love: witty banter, romance, and a little bit of an enemies to lovers plotline. The dialogue, especially between Dylan and Harper, was a shining star in this narrative--it was funny but it also illustrated the chemistry between the two.
This book also explored the idea of not knowing what other people’s lives are really like--never knowing what a person really goes through or might be going through. Specifically with Dylan, Harper mostly thought of him as rich and superficial but wasn’t aware of the pressures his father imposed. Not to mention, this story also had a couple revelations that I did not see coming that I thoroughly enjoyed reading through, and they certainly changed the perspective of a few characters (Yarra DeLinch, if you read it you’ll get it!).
*The author did send me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, these are purely my thoughts and first impressions.*
I cannot recommend this young adult coming of age story enough! It captures so many elements of being an adolescent, attempting to figure out who you are and who people expect you to be as well navigating a first love. This is a perfect short romance read, that I will certainly revisit and reread.
December 4, 2020
What a deft and delightful story! I was hooked from the beginning and couldn’t put it down.
So much to love here. As a geekish girl myself, I loved Harper Reed, an engaging, bookish MC who relishes her schoolwork and her systems for maintaining academic order. The balance of her insecurity and confidence was on point and made for some sparkling conversations with my other favorite character, Dylan Archer. Like Harper, he is more than he seems and just the sort of unpredictability Harper needs to shake things up.
Their dynamic is fraught with tension from the moment he looks at her, and that tension carries throughout the book without losing its edge or repeating itself. With each layer they reluctantly peel away from each other, they also discover some accidental truths about their pasts, possible futures, and themselves. The best part? They don't become completely different people -- just more of who they've always wanted to be.
There’s another person in this triad: James Lawson, Harper’s best friend and Dylan’s sworn enemy. I won’t spoil his role, but suffice it to say he’s not what I expected either, and that, too, is to Shore’s credit.
“The Stillness Before the Start” is my first Jennifer Ann Shore novel but will not be my last. Her engaging writing style, dynamic characters, and unique plot development represent the very best of YA romance, and I am a new fan.
*** SPOILER AHEAD ***
My favorite part of this story is how Harper’s “makeover” for Brandon’s party does not suit her. She gets all dolled up for this party, wanting to do something different, but when she finishes getting dressed, she doesn’t like it. She says of her clothes, “... the problem is that I don’t look like myself. And I like myself.”
I LOVED that line.
Moreover, while James thinks she looks great, Dylan doesn’t think the ensemble suits her because it’s not her. That simple juxtaposition highlights how differently they see and understand Harper, and I smiled when I read it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
So much to love here. As a geekish girl myself, I loved Harper Reed, an engaging, bookish MC who relishes her schoolwork and her systems for maintaining academic order. The balance of her insecurity and confidence was on point and made for some sparkling conversations with my other favorite character, Dylan Archer. Like Harper, he is more than he seems and just the sort of unpredictability Harper needs to shake things up.
Their dynamic is fraught with tension from the moment he looks at her, and that tension carries throughout the book without losing its edge or repeating itself. With each layer they reluctantly peel away from each other, they also discover some accidental truths about their pasts, possible futures, and themselves. The best part? They don't become completely different people -- just more of who they've always wanted to be.
There’s another person in this triad: James Lawson, Harper’s best friend and Dylan’s sworn enemy. I won’t spoil his role, but suffice it to say he’s not what I expected either, and that, too, is to Shore’s credit.
“The Stillness Before the Start” is my first Jennifer Ann Shore novel but will not be my last. Her engaging writing style, dynamic characters, and unique plot development represent the very best of YA romance, and I am a new fan.
*** SPOILER AHEAD ***
My favorite part of this story is how Harper’s “makeover” for Brandon’s party does not suit her. She gets all dolled up for this party, wanting to do something different, but when she finishes getting dressed, she doesn’t like it. She says of her clothes, “... the problem is that I don’t look like myself. And I like myself.”
I LOVED that line.
Moreover, while James thinks she looks great, Dylan doesn’t think the ensemble suits her because it’s not her. That simple juxtaposition highlights how differently they see and understand Harper, and I smiled when I read it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 10, 2022
This was a cute YA romance that caught me off guard at some parts despite its basic tropes.
What shocked me:
-Dylan lying about the tutoring: I didn’t expect it because I had already forgotten that tutoring was the way things got started
-Dylan being the mystery artist: I guess I suspected for the mystery artist to be relevant since it got a few pages of attention, but I didn’t think it would come full circle
-Dylan going to Pratt Institute: honestly good for you king
What I didn’t like:
-Dylan lying about the tutoring. His excuse for lying does not justify him adding a layer of stress to her schedule
-The valedictorian trope where she’s working harder and not smarter. There’s a part of the book that says Harper wrote double the amount of the word limit for an essay… I guarantee you no valedictorian is trying to one up anyone regarding the amount of work they put. They are just efficient, and dedicate more time to their weakest subjects.
-The lack of talk for some psychological disorder that Harper could be facing for being so obsessed with micromanaging her life
-The hypocrisy of Dylan telling Harper she’s following James like a little puppy while he (Dylan) is out here thinking he’s the only one that can change her people pleasing attitude
-The portrayal of rich people as overly proper and regal and showing Dylan as unknowledgeable in candy brands. Impossible he’s lived this under the rock.
-Secondary characters were weak
-wish Dylan and James would’ve become friends
-what happened to athletic scholarships? We’re both gonna stop running after high school?
What I liked:
-writing
-witty dialogue
-The romance is cute
-I like the nuanced relationship between James and Harper
-good length
-unexpected plot surprises at the end
-the fact that Harper chose Columbia
-Dylan choosing Pratt Institute
Overall: quick read, very easy to digest, low angst, interesting love triangle. Not memorable but not bad
What shocked me:
-Dylan lying about the tutoring: I didn’t expect it because I had already forgotten that tutoring was the way things got started
-Dylan being the mystery artist: I guess I suspected for the mystery artist to be relevant since it got a few pages of attention, but I didn’t think it would come full circle
-Dylan going to Pratt Institute: honestly good for you king
What I didn’t like:
-Dylan lying about the tutoring. His excuse for lying does not justify him adding a layer of stress to her schedule
-The valedictorian trope where she’s working harder and not smarter. There’s a part of the book that says Harper wrote double the amount of the word limit for an essay… I guarantee you no valedictorian is trying to one up anyone regarding the amount of work they put. They are just efficient, and dedicate more time to their weakest subjects.
-The lack of talk for some psychological disorder that Harper could be facing for being so obsessed with micromanaging her life
-The hypocrisy of Dylan telling Harper she’s following James like a little puppy while he (Dylan) is out here thinking he’s the only one that can change her people pleasing attitude
-The portrayal of rich people as overly proper and regal and showing Dylan as unknowledgeable in candy brands. Impossible he’s lived this under the rock.
-Secondary characters were weak
-wish Dylan and James would’ve become friends
-what happened to athletic scholarships? We’re both gonna stop running after high school?
What I liked:
-writing
-witty dialogue
-The romance is cute
-I like the nuanced relationship between James and Harper
-good length
-unexpected plot surprises at the end
-the fact that Harper chose Columbia
-Dylan choosing Pratt Institute
Overall: quick read, very easy to digest, low angst, interesting love triangle. Not memorable but not bad
January 13, 2021
Harper Reed has her senior year all planned out. That is, until her best friend James' arch rival, Dylan Archer, asks for her help in AP English. Harper's convinced Dylan is trapping her in some high school prank so she's cautious. Is he using her to get back at James or is she reading too much into it? She agrees to tutor Dylan with unexpected consequences. She opens herself up to new feelings, new experiences and a whole new Harper. Can she reconcile her past with James and embrace today with Dylan or will it all come crashing down?
The Stillness Before the Start is a breathtaking YA novel I couldn't stop reading. I connected with the characters right away, especially Harper. There's such authenticity to the characters, especially Harper's thoughts and feelings. Jennifer Ann Shore takes on the moody, mysterious teenaged boy (Dylan) and captures him perfectly. The plot moves at just the right pace, with intricate descriptive narration. For a long time, I didn't understand the title's significance, but when it was revealed, I appreciated the poetic explanation. If you're a fan of young adult, you'll love The Stillness Before the Start. If you want to relive your senior year in high school, you'll be captivated by this story. A brilliant modern coming of age story, The Stillness Before the Start is a must-read. Highly recommend!
Disclaimer: I read it on Kindle Unlimited.
My Rating: 5+ stars
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...
The Stillness Before the Start is a breathtaking YA novel I couldn't stop reading. I connected with the characters right away, especially Harper. There's such authenticity to the characters, especially Harper's thoughts and feelings. Jennifer Ann Shore takes on the moody, mysterious teenaged boy (Dylan) and captures him perfectly. The plot moves at just the right pace, with intricate descriptive narration. For a long time, I didn't understand the title's significance, but when it was revealed, I appreciated the poetic explanation. If you're a fan of young adult, you'll love The Stillness Before the Start. If you want to relive your senior year in high school, you'll be captivated by this story. A brilliant modern coming of age story, The Stillness Before the Start is a must-read. Highly recommend!
Disclaimer: I read it on Kindle Unlimited.
My Rating: 5+ stars
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...
October 8, 2021
Jennifer Ann Shore, ’The Stillness Before the Start’.
Young Adult Romance.
As an Hidden Gems ARC reader I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily wrote an honest review. Here it is.
Rating: 3,5 (of 5 stars).
In general: First Steps to Adulthood.
Main characters:
- Harper Reed.
She’s in her last year of college. A very intelligent, ambitious student: valedictorian, super planner and sometimes a bit overanxious.
- James Lawson.
He’s the boy of Harper’s neighbors who she knows almost since they were born. The parents of both kids hope that they will become a couple. During their whole youth they were best friends.
- Dylan Archer.
He’s the son from a very wealthy family and James’ sport rival during their college period. They hated each other and for a long time Harper showed solidarity with James.
Then, completely unexpected, the arrogant, wealthy Dylan asks the nerdy, middle class Harper to help him with his assignments for English. A challenge for her she can’t resist. So, with some reluctance Harper agrees to do so.
The author, Jennifer Ann Shore, describes in detail with feeling and insight how step by step Harper discovers the real character of Dylan and that she, growing up, has to discover her own values and ideas about other people and her relationships.
For me the author perhaps gives a bit too many details and analysis of this process and too little action, but - all in all - the book was interesting and a pleasure to read.
R. Huiszoon.
Young Adult Romance.
As an Hidden Gems ARC reader I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily wrote an honest review. Here it is.
Rating: 3,5 (of 5 stars).
In general: First Steps to Adulthood.
Main characters:
- Harper Reed.
She’s in her last year of college. A very intelligent, ambitious student: valedictorian, super planner and sometimes a bit overanxious.
- James Lawson.
He’s the boy of Harper’s neighbors who she knows almost since they were born. The parents of both kids hope that they will become a couple. During their whole youth they were best friends.
- Dylan Archer.
He’s the son from a very wealthy family and James’ sport rival during their college period. They hated each other and for a long time Harper showed solidarity with James.
Then, completely unexpected, the arrogant, wealthy Dylan asks the nerdy, middle class Harper to help him with his assignments for English. A challenge for her she can’t resist. So, with some reluctance Harper agrees to do so.
The author, Jennifer Ann Shore, describes in detail with feeling and insight how step by step Harper discovers the real character of Dylan and that she, growing up, has to discover her own values and ideas about other people and her relationships.
For me the author perhaps gives a bit too many details and analysis of this process and too little action, but - all in all - the book was interesting and a pleasure to read.
R. Huiszoon.
March 29, 2022
2.5 stars
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of this, in exchange for an honest review.
This was an overall enjoyable read, especially since I'd been looking for something relatively light and easy. It really begins to pick up around halfway through, and there are some unexpected turns near the end which I loved.
I do feel like a lot of my problems with this simply come down to the characters. The FMC isn't completely without personality or development. Her arc is essentially a journey from being codependent/basing her decisions upon others, to becoming more independent and living for herself. Yet, she only makes these changes when the people around her suggest them. Most of her moments of introspection are born from something someone else says or does, which is generally fine, but seems a counterproductive choice in the context of this story. As for the two other characters, they consistently treat her so badly, yet she forgives them for reasons I still don't fully understand. This is one of those where the characters' actions are excused because of their trauma/past. For the most part, it is left up to the main character to psychoanalyze them and find things out for herself, rather than her best friend/love interest actually being vulnerable and honest with her. Yes, these things help explain why people do things, but it doesn't automatically excuse someone's actions.
This is yet another book where I would've much preferred to see the main character ditch the love interests and work on herself, and it actually would be an easy and natural change to this story. This would've been so much better if the characters actually proved that they were worthy of forgiveness and making the changes they say they are. I do enjoy how the author approaches relationships are something which will never be perfect or easy, but there is a middle-ground where they are still healthy and worth rooting for.
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of this, in exchange for an honest review.
This was an overall enjoyable read, especially since I'd been looking for something relatively light and easy. It really begins to pick up around halfway through, and there are some unexpected turns near the end which I loved.
I do feel like a lot of my problems with this simply come down to the characters. The FMC isn't completely without personality or development. Her arc is essentially a journey from being codependent/basing her decisions upon others, to becoming more independent and living for herself. Yet, she only makes these changes when the people around her suggest them. Most of her moments of introspection are born from something someone else says or does, which is generally fine, but seems a counterproductive choice in the context of this story. As for the two other characters, they consistently treat her so badly, yet she forgives them for reasons I still don't fully understand. This is one of those where the characters' actions are excused because of their trauma/past. For the most part, it is left up to the main character to psychoanalyze them and find things out for herself, rather than her best friend/love interest actually being vulnerable and honest with her. Yes, these things help explain why people do things, but it doesn't automatically excuse someone's actions.
This is yet another book where I would've much preferred to see the main character ditch the love interests and work on herself, and it actually would be an easy and natural change to this story. This would've been so much better if the characters actually proved that they were worthy of forgiveness and making the changes they say they are. I do enjoy how the author approaches relationships are something which will never be perfect or easy, but there is a middle-ground where they are still healthy and worth rooting for.
March 31, 2021
Spanish & English Opinion
ESP ::
Acabo de descubrir a esta autora y estoy devorando sus libros. Este libro es un amor inteligente. El diálogo es excelente, la interacción entre la pareja principal es encantadora y el mensaje es aún mejor.
Dylan es un nuevo book boyfriend para mí y estoy disfrutando enormemente la sensación de tranquilidad y gusto que estoy experimentando después de haber leído este libro.
Inesperado, divertido, original y excelente. En serio que la mejor descripción que puedo tener es “un encantador amor inteligente”.
ENG ::
I literally discovered this author yesterday and I have been devouring her books. And I loved this one! Is about an intelligent and incredible love. The dialogue is fantastic, the banter between Dylan and Harper is the best and the message is even better.
I love this peaceful feeling that I’m experiencing after reading this book and how I got a new book boyfriend (Dylan ❤️). Unexpected, entertaining and original are the best three adjectives to describe this coming-to-age book.
In one phrase to describe it: a charming intelligent love story.
ESP ::
Acabo de descubrir a esta autora y estoy devorando sus libros. Este libro es un amor inteligente. El diálogo es excelente, la interacción entre la pareja principal es encantadora y el mensaje es aún mejor.
Dylan es un nuevo book boyfriend para mí y estoy disfrutando enormemente la sensación de tranquilidad y gusto que estoy experimentando después de haber leído este libro.
Inesperado, divertido, original y excelente. En serio que la mejor descripción que puedo tener es “un encantador amor inteligente”.
ENG ::
I literally discovered this author yesterday and I have been devouring her books. And I loved this one! Is about an intelligent and incredible love. The dialogue is fantastic, the banter between Dylan and Harper is the best and the message is even better.
I love this peaceful feeling that I’m experiencing after reading this book and how I got a new book boyfriend (Dylan ❤️). Unexpected, entertaining and original are the best three adjectives to describe this coming-to-age book.
In one phrase to describe it: a charming intelligent love story.
October 12, 2021
gosh this book was so adorable it reminded me of "today, tonight, tomorrow" which was one of the best books i read while on vacation this summer. i have a soft spot for the romance boos involving the nerdy girl finding love with the unexpected boy character, it's like the ending i wish i got after graduating high school :(
harper and dylan were so cute & the fact that he lied about needing help with late assignments just to spend time with her like UGHHH MY HEART!!
i hated james in the end because he completely consumed the identity of harper and i'm so glad dylan helped her realized that james was holding her back!
the epilogue was the perfect length for the story and i'm glad it continued while they were in high school, rather than fast forwarding to college.
this is a good comfort read for sure!
harper and dylan were so cute & the fact that he lied about needing help with late assignments just to spend time with her like UGHHH MY HEART!!
i hated james in the end because he completely consumed the identity of harper and i'm so glad dylan helped her realized that james was holding her back!
the epilogue was the perfect length for the story and i'm glad it continued while they were in high school, rather than fast forwarding to college.
this is a good comfort read for sure!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2023
Nice story
It wasn't wholly romantic. Alot of it was coming of age stuff. Fairly clean as in no sex or really erotic scenes, but I didn't like the drunken party scene. I always hate that YA books have to mention parties, drunkenness and drugs like it's okay and normal. It lost a star because of that. Someone complained about the dialogue. I felt it was fine. Author did a great job showing the personalities of Harper and Dylan. I think James could have used more depth and or clarity. Did he really like Harper? Was he just selfish and oblivious? Why does he suggest he wants to be with her then just drop it without them really talking about it? I guess I just like stories and characters to be really fleshed out, and loose ends tied. I guess I really didn't understand James.
It wasn't wholly romantic. Alot of it was coming of age stuff. Fairly clean as in no sex or really erotic scenes, but I didn't like the drunken party scene. I always hate that YA books have to mention parties, drunkenness and drugs like it's okay and normal. It lost a star because of that. Someone complained about the dialogue. I felt it was fine. Author did a great job showing the personalities of Harper and Dylan. I think James could have used more depth and or clarity. Did he really like Harper? Was he just selfish and oblivious? Why does he suggest he wants to be with her then just drop it without them really talking about it? I guess I just like stories and characters to be really fleshed out, and loose ends tied. I guess I really didn't understand James.
June 24, 2021
Jennifer Ann Shore does it again!
I read one of her books earlier this year that really smacked me in the face in of the best ways a book can. Have you ever read a couple books by an author determine in another life you must have been best friends? That’s how all of Jennifer Ann Shore’s books feel to me. They’re incredibly realistic of a middle class life in the Midwest and the desire to remove yourself from it.
This story centers around a young love triangle, where the heroes and villains are not so immediately defined. I loved the push and pull of your very first friendships in life hanging on to define you. Alas, Harper And Dyaln’s story pulled me in from the first page.
I read one of her books earlier this year that really smacked me in the face in of the best ways a book can. Have you ever read a couple books by an author determine in another life you must have been best friends? That’s how all of Jennifer Ann Shore’s books feel to me. They’re incredibly realistic of a middle class life in the Midwest and the desire to remove yourself from it.
This story centers around a young love triangle, where the heroes and villains are not so immediately defined. I loved the push and pull of your very first friendships in life hanging on to define you. Alas, Harper And Dyaln’s story pulled me in from the first page.
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