***NA Novel: Recommended for NA aged readers***
Kindle Edition, 344 pages
Published February 28th 2013 by Mission Bay Publishing
Received for review from Author
Received for review from Author
SYNOPSIS:
Abby Sellers knows what she wants.
Enduring eighteen years in the shadow of her identical twin sister, Annika, she wants a fresh start. A chance to create her own life, separate from her conniving, deceptive twin.
Surprising both her family and friends, Abby ditches her plans for college and enrolls at a new school instead. There, she encounters West Montgomery, a sexy fellow student who immediately disarms her with his good looks and charm. West takes a liking to Abby and she suddenly finds herself walking a thin line, fabricating a fictional life created not by lies but by omission. She soon discovers West has secrets of his own, secrets that he's not altogether interested in sharing.
Out from under the shadow of her twin, Abby's life—and her relationship with West—blossoms. When Abby leaves town one weekend, something unthinkable happens and her relationship with West is shattered. Reeling from the discovery, Abby fears all of her plans have backfired and she's created a mess for both of them, a mess that no one can clean up.
But West isn't willing to let her go that easily. When he forces her to confront secrets they've both been hiding, Abby must decide more than if she's willing to forgive and forget. She must also decide just what kind of life she wants...and who she wants to live it with.
REVIEW:
Abby Sellers knows what she wants.
Enduring eighteen years in the shadow of her identical twin sister, Annika, she wants a fresh start. A chance to create her own life, separate from her conniving, deceptive twin.
Surprising both her family and friends, Abby ditches her plans for college and enrolls at a new school instead. There, she encounters West Montgomery, a sexy fellow student who immediately disarms her with his good looks and charm. West takes a liking to Abby and she suddenly finds herself walking a thin line, fabricating a fictional life created not by lies but by omission. She soon discovers West has secrets of his own, secrets that he's not altogether interested in sharing.
Out from under the shadow of her twin, Abby's life—and her relationship with West—blossoms. When Abby leaves town one weekend, something unthinkable happens and her relationship with West is shattered. Reeling from the discovery, Abby fears all of her plans have backfired and she's created a mess for both of them, a mess that no one can clean up.
But West isn't willing to let her go that easily. When he forces her to confront secrets they've both been hiding, Abby must decide more than if she's willing to forgive and forget. She must also decide just what kind of life she wants...and who she wants to live it with.
REVIEW:
My introduction to the writing of Anna Cruise was not one I will ever look back on with regret. It Was You, Cruise's debut release, is just my debut into the world of her writing as well. She really got me with this novel.
Abby Sellers was great in the role of lead female protagonist. What I liked about her was that she had a voice, and we as readers caught the character in a time where she decided that she was going to start using it, start speaking her mind, and start standing up for herself.
She, of course, has her faults. To some, Anna's choice to change schools in such an impromptu manner could be construed as her running away from her problems. Her steadily budding relationship with the charming West could be construed as another Young Adult/ New Adult insta-love. (You know, those books that we all kind of love and HATE at the same time.) Also, her reaction to the inevitable (which I won't mention in depth because it harbors a spoiler) could be seen as another sign of her running away.
However, the fact that she knows her faults and acknowledges them herself with her reasons for her actions clear and usually rational or understandable disallow you to hold any of these things against her.
West Montgomery was everything girls love in a book boyfriend. He was cocky, yet faithful. He was soft and sweet, while still be infuriatingly charming and flirty. Just how we like it. At first glance, I was sure I was going to hate him. He seemed rude and arrogant and unlike in some novels, the female protagonist (Abby, in this instance) didn't fall for him while he was being a jerk. In fact, she detested him for it.
His redeeming quality is very similar to Abby's. He analyzed his actions and owned up to them, apologizing not long after he was a total douche.
I found comfort in this because it was much more realistic than how many novels dealt with problems. I've become so used to a character in NA novels walking around with blinders, doing foolish things while I cringed, and then, at the end of the novels realizing that they were wrong, and ta-da, the end. The refreshing part of It Was You was that the characters came to realizations quickly and realistically.
Sometimes, it's appropriate to hold out on what you see as a realization and sometimes it's not. Cruise's ability to pick and choose stood out to me in this novel, and inevitably allowed it was me to become a novel I will be proud to mention.
Finally, I applaud the author for her use of sexual scenes in a graceful and non-consuming manner. Sex wasn't the center of Abby and West's relationship and that fact made the rest of the book entirely better. And when it did happen, you knew it was right.
Five stars. I definitely recommend this read, and I'm excited to read the second in this series.
GOODREADS LINK
IT WAS YOU AMAZON LINK
GOODREADS LINK
IT WAS YOU AMAZON LINK
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