After I finished reading "Facing Reality" a few days ago, I wondered aloud to a friend of mine how I had never read anything written by Sienna Atwell before. I immediately went to the author's page to see if I could get my hands on more of her work, so imagine my surprise when I discovered that this was her debut novel. Admittedly, I have been in a bit of a book slump over the past several months, so flying through "Facing Reality" felt like a giant breath of fresh air, since it's not only a five-star read, but also one of the best books that I have finished this year. I am officially a huge fan of Atwell, and I cannot wait to see what else she decides to pen in the future.
The characters in "Facing Reality" are fantastic. Ethan is EVERYTHING you could ever want in a leading man-- smart, protective, hard-working, gorgeous, and kind. Most importantly, he is completely smitten with Elizabeth from the first moment he spots her, to the point where he's willing to risk his job for her. It was wonderful to see the way he brought Elizabeth out of her shell and opened her eyes to what life (and love) could be if she just took a few risks and didn't put walls up around her heart.
As much as I adore Ethan, Elizabeth still manages to steal the show. She's clever, funny, opinionated, guarded, yet compassionate at the same time, plus she doesn't seem to realize how awesome of a person she is, regardless of how many times Ethan (and other people) tell her that. She also tries so hard to take care of everyone else in her life (especially her father), which makes her willingness to lean on Ethan and let her guard down around him even more meaningful. I genuinely believe this couple will remain happily together for "Ever After" (pun totally intended). #Elizabethan
For anyone on the fence about whether they should buy "Facing Reality," I highly recommend that you one-click it today!
Plot: 5/5
Hero: 5/5
Heroine: 5/5
Steam Level: 5/5
Overall Rating: 5/5