Format: ebook provided by Tribute Books for purpose of reviewing for tour
Girl I’ve loved, girl I’m falling for. Now that they’re both in view, the problem is clear.
After losing Sarah, the friend he’s loved, to some other guy, Jameson meets Sky. Her Native American roots, fluid movements, and need for brutal honesty become addictive fast. This is good. Jameson needs distraction – his dad leaves for another woman, his mom’s walking around like a zombie, and Sarah’s new boyfriend can’t keep his hands off of her.
As he spends time with Sky and learns about her village, her totems, and her friends with drums - she's way more than distraction. Jameson's falling for her fast.
But Sky’s need for honesty somehow doesn’t extend to her life story – and Jameson just may need more than his new girl to keep him distracted from the disaster of his senior year.
Right away when I start this book I get a giggle, and then an “omg I’m how old now?” when the main character, Jameson, listens to Nirvana’s “Nevermind” and says it’s “...really old, at least as old as he is”. I was in high school.
Ok, on with my review. I don’t read YA much. Even less from the POV of a male. And even less still when the POV of a teen male. With all of that said, I can only say one thing: I love this story, with multiple exclamation points. I devoured it as fast as I could and I was captured right from the first page. I want to buy the print copy and display it on my shelf and read and re-read it until the pages are worn and old, and I can quote it from memory. Yes, it’s that good. And that’s coming from me, an (apparently) old woman (not really!!) who loves to read paranormal romance, naughty erotica, thrilling horror and things that have an edge sharp enough to spill demon’s blood. This story took me back to my teen years, made me sigh like a dreamer, and gave me a crush on 18 year old Jameson.
Jameson is in his senior year of high school in good ol’ Las Vegas. He is just about to graduate. His parents both work in a casino, and everything is going well. And then suddenly, everything goes to hell in the blink of an eye. Jameson, or Jay as his friends call him, watched the girl he believes he loves (Sarah) get a new boyfriend (of the jerk variety, for sure), his parents separate, and everything feels like it’s coming apart.
“I’m sorry that kissing me is so torturous for you.” I step closer. She’s so beautiful I feel it in my chest.
Then a chance meeting with someone who lives surprisingly close changes everything. Let’s all say hello to Sky. Sky is nineteen and in college. She seems to be everything that Sarah is not, and so much more. She is Native American and a gorgeous enigma. She demands honesty. She forces him to keep a slow pace and actually think about his actions. I just love her. She is wise beyond her years and is such a good thing for this boy trying to become a man.
Jay is… I’m not sure how to describe him. He is athletic and sensitive, funny and caring… he is multidimensional and easy to relate to. I love how quickly talking with Sky brings positive change to him. He becomes more confident and more direct. He takes the time to realize there is actually a big picture, and finding romance is not about a warm body but rather a warm heart. The energy between Jameson and Sky is kinetic. Their first date is something of beauty and wonder, and yet it is light and fun. It is a date that any woman would love. Do you remember when just holding someone’s hand set your heart in motion? It’s like when you get those first flutters of infatuation when you are getting to know a new person in a possibly romantic way. In a very short period of time I became proud of Jay, and quickly realized I cared about him as a character. I want him to be successful in his healing process, and in winning Sky’s heart.
“One thing I know is- everyone has impulses, but you don’t have to act on them. At some point, you make a decision and that decision means you meant to do something.”
But not everything in this story is romance and roses. While Jay is discovering this new romance the rest of his life is buckling. His dad leaves and that creates a wealth of unbridled resentment. His mother is trying her best to keep it together and I just want to hug the woman. Sarah is not the friend she is supposed to be and she very nearly disgusts me in her trivial ways. I surprised myself at how protective I felt of Jay, and of Jay and Sky together.
This story easily turned into one of those books that I just didn’t want to end. The flirtatious nature of Jay, the blunt honesty of Sky… it was all perfect, and nothing at all of what I expected. There are mountains of highs and lows. Deception rears its ugly head and tramples over my perfect fantasy. I kept my fingers crossed that this story would head in the direction I hoped. And of course I can’t tell you what happens. I can only hope I’ve piqued your interest enough to read this story yourself. So please let me know if you do, and we can dish on it together!!
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“One thing I know is- everyone has impulses, but you don’t have to act on them. At some point, you make a decision and that decision means you meant to do something.”
But not everything in this story is romance and roses. While Jay is discovering this new romance the rest of his life is buckling. His dad leaves and that creates a wealth of unbridled resentment. His mother is trying her best to keep it together and I just want to hug the woman. Sarah is not the friend she is supposed to be and she very nearly disgusts me in her trivial ways. I surprised myself at how protective I felt of Jay, and of Jay and Sky together.
This story easily turned into one of those books that I just didn’t want to end. The flirtatious nature of Jay, the blunt honesty of Sky… it was all perfect, and nothing at all of what I expected. There are mountains of highs and lows. Deception rears its ugly head and tramples over my perfect fantasy. I kept my fingers crossed that this story would head in the direction I hoped. And of course I can’t tell you what happens. I can only hope I’ve piqued your interest enough to read this story yourself. So please let me know if you do, and we can dish on it together!!
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