Leaving Sutter's Bend

by Deanna Madden

Falling in love can be complicated when you’re eighteen and trying to figure out what to do with your life.Growing up in the small town of Sutter’s Bend on the Oregon coast, Alec Morrissey and Jenny Chen have known each other all their lives, but they first really notice each other a week after graduation when Alec wanders out of a noisy party and finds Jenny sitting on the porch steps alone, depressed about the future. All her life she has wanted to be a scientist, but suddenly her parents say they can’t afford college and she sees her lifelong dream slipping away. Alec, on the other hand, doesn’t know what he wants to do, but he knows he doesn’t want to study pre-med, as his parents have planned.On impulse Alec takes Jenny to a secluded spot on the coast where he sometimes goes when he wants to be alone with his thoughts. As waves pound against the nearby rocks, they share a kiss that sparks feelings neither was expecting.But odds are against their budding romance since Alec’s parents won’t approve of Jenny and Jenny’s parents expect her to marry her longtime boyfriend. Meanwhile, Jenny’s parents are harboring a secret that will change everything, and Alec’s world is about to fall apart. As the two teens struggle to overcome the obstacles that stand in their way, their feelings for each other grow. But caught up in their problems, they fail to recognize a far more dangerous threat when a troubled young woman enters their lives who will put all they care about at risk.

283 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 2, 2021

About the author

I write novels that cross genres but frequently involve the past (historical) or the future (speculative). I have taught literature and creative writing as a college teacher, and some of that immersion in literature finds its way into my writing. Originally from the Midwest, I now live in Honolulu, Hawaii, where snow is never an issue but hurricanes are.

Reviews

[Leighton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and Goodreads for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Leaving Sutter's Bend by Deanna Madden is a small-town romance that includes drama, tension-filled relationships, and even some exciting thrills. To be honest, I am nervous to be the first person to write a review for this book. I highly encourage anyone reading this to wait until there are more reviews before making any decisions. First off, as a reader of Asian descent, I was so excited to see that the book features an interracial romance involving a Chinese-American teenager. It's so rare to see characters of Asian descent in romance novels, so I am so happy to support this book.

The story is told from dual first-person perspectives: Alec Morrissey and Jenny Chen, two eighteen year-olds in Oregon who start to fall in love after they graduate high school. They meet at a party that they attend with other people, but after they share a kiss, they realize that they want to be with each other more than with the people they came to the party with.

Here is an excerpt from Chapter 1 from Alec's point of view:

"I have known Jenny my whole life, but not until the party a week after graduation do I really notice her. I'm there with April Evans, who invited me so she wouldn't have to show up without a date, but then soon after we arrive, she decides she'd rather make a play for Tristan Barnett, a linebacker on the football team, and ditches me. Bored and not really in the mood to get high or drunk, I wander out on the porch, thinking maybe I should just go home. Jenny is sitting on the porch steps...
"Why aren't you inside?" I asked, dropping down beside her.
"Why aren't you?" she counters.
"I'm not much of a party person."
"Same here.""

Here is another excerpt that shows the witty banter between the two MC's:

"Since I was ten years old, I've wanted to be like Marie Curie, you know? I want to make a discovery that's important. Something that will make a difference." ...
"She died from it," I remind her. "Or did you miss that part?"
"Better that than dying of boredom while I wait tables and cook chow mein."

Overall, Leaving Sutter's Bend is an interesting blend of NA romance and action. Even though this is a love story, a lot of bad things happen and their lives are filled with problems. For example, jenny's family can't afford to send her to college, because they're already paying tuition for her older brother, who is a junior at the University of Oregon. My favorite subplot was when Jenny goes to visit him. In addition, near the end, the book adds some thrilling elements, and I won't spoil them for you. I did take off 1 star just because I don't typically enjoy romances. That's not the book's fault. I'm just explaining why it wasn't a 5-star read for me. If you're intrigued by the excerpts above or if you're a fan of small-town NA romances, then I highly encourage you to check out this book, which came out in April 2021!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this book starts off as a teenage summer romance, halfway through it becomes a lot more complicated and interesting.
We really get to know the two main characters in this dual perspective book. Some books with two or more points of view tend to be repetitive, but this one is not.

Note: I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

[Stefanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read of a small town romance for young love. I really enjoyed the writing.