Sophomore year broke Clementine Williams’ heart. She fell for her best friend’s boyfriend and long story short: he’s excused, but Clem is vilified and she heads into summer with zero social life. Enter her parents’ plan to spend the summer on their sailboat. Normally the idea of being stuck on a tiny boat with her parents and little sister would make Clem break out in hives, but floating away sounds pretty good right now. Then she meets James at one of their first stops along the river. He and his dad are sailing for the summer and he’s just the distraction Clem needs. Can he break down Clem’s walls and heal her broken heart? Told in alternating chapters that chronicle the year that broke Clem’s heart and the summer that healed it, Unbreak My Heart is a wonderful dual love story that fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Susane Colasanti will flock to.
Publishes in US: May 22nd
Source: Netgalley
My Review:
This is such an emotional story, somehow perfectly blended with that summer/beach read, and it was just what I needed. Clem went through something that affected her so much, and it speaks volume towards friendship, and what happens when trust is broken. But I am sympathetic to her, and I toally wanted to root for her and Ethan in that point of view, except for I knew what she knew, and that made it so much harder. Ethan is her best friend's boyfriend. But they go so well together, and I just wish that she would've spoken up before Amanda went after him, but I guess if that happened, then we wouldn't really have a story.
And let me just say that Melissa Walker has a gift of writing chemistry and longing if she can make me understand and want it to work out when it involves cheating. It's such a hard issue, but she tackled it well, and I am glad that there's the back and forth where we see she learned from it and the ramifications. It's more than just about the boy too, its about a lost friendship.
This is also a new way where I've fallen for both boys, but its unique because its in the past and present, because James aka Red is totally awesome too. I love his humor and his understanding.
I also appreciate the ties of family, between Clem and her sister, between her and their parents. I love how her parents push but not too much, how they care without managing to suffocate. It is special to me when parents play a huge role in a book, and Melissa pulls it off well.
How do you feel about cheating in YA novels? Any books you can think of that have dealt with the subject well?
Pin It
Source: Netgalley
My Review:
This is such an emotional story, somehow perfectly blended with that summer/beach read, and it was just what I needed. Clem went through something that affected her so much, and it speaks volume towards friendship, and what happens when trust is broken. But I am sympathetic to her, and I toally wanted to root for her and Ethan in that point of view, except for I knew what she knew, and that made it so much harder. Ethan is her best friend's boyfriend. But they go so well together, and I just wish that she would've spoken up before Amanda went after him, but I guess if that happened, then we wouldn't really have a story.
And let me just say that Melissa Walker has a gift of writing chemistry and longing if she can make me understand and want it to work out when it involves cheating. It's such a hard issue, but she tackled it well, and I am glad that there's the back and forth where we see she learned from it and the ramifications. It's more than just about the boy too, its about a lost friendship.
This is also a new way where I've fallen for both boys, but its unique because its in the past and present, because James aka Red is totally awesome too. I love his humor and his understanding.
I also appreciate the ties of family, between Clem and her sister, between her and their parents. I love how her parents push but not too much, how they care without managing to suffocate. It is special to me when parents play a huge role in a book, and Melissa pulls it off well.
How do you feel about cheating in YA novels? Any books you can think of that have dealt with the subject well?
I normally don't like books with cheating (see Anna and the French Kiss where St. Clair was totally cheating on his gf with Anna-I'm still pissed about that) but I didn't realize that was part of this book. I just thought it looked like a good summer read and I ended up loving it despite that plot point.
ReplyDeleteI managaed to like both despite the cheating.
DeleteI don't like cheating part in any novel - but thee are few books with this kind of a plot that I still liked - Anna is one of them.
ReplyDeleteI love Sarah Dessen, so I'll read this book as soon as I can.
Oh, I'd like to read this one!!! haven't heard much of it, though.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I've read a YA where there was cheating involved. Probably, but I'm blanking at the moment. At any rate, sounds like a very good novel. I like when the family of the MC is a part of the book, when it works of course.
ReplyDeleteGood review, glad you liked it.
-Lauren
Interesting review! I've read a few books with cheating but generally it's the kind of "x is my boyfriend but I'm in love with y". I never agree with cheating, but I think some books deal with it really well. I definitely think I'd like to read this one :)
ReplyDelete