L. B. Bedford

I enjoyed this book. Audrey has a lot of things to worry about, like many her age. While we are not at a perfect place as a society in respecting people regarding sexual preference and identity, the acceptance in this book is not too far off from some tolerant areas today. This is NOT to say that many places do not have a long way to go towards being equal.

However, in response to those reviewers who wrote that the setting was too tolerant and unrealistic, I would say that everyone has had different experiences, and some have been luckier than others. Why wish more obstacles on a character instead of accepting that the society is supportive of who she is (and others are)? This book is not about her struggle for acceptance in that area. She is primarily concerned about her acceptance socio-economically, and her feelings towards Scarlett, like most her age would be during their first infatuation.

That aside, some of the secondary characters in the book do feel a little one-dimensional at times. Audrey and Scarlett are different, but seem to respect each other and have good chemistry. Although the mutual attraction is evident early on, there is a bit of a wait before anything progresses. It is a very sweet book. The ending did throw me a bit, as it seemed like it was tacked on crookedly with old tape.


**eARC etgalley**… (mere)

Audrey Anderson is a bright student from a low income family. Audrey spends most of her time focused on school, with college as her ultimate goal. While she's close to her best friend, she isn't that involved with other kids at her school. However, when one of the most popular (and beautiful) girls in school, Scarlett, asks Audrey to tutor her in English, Audrey finds herself caught up in the typical drama of high school - friendship, prom, etc.

Okay, first of all, I probably bumped up this rating a bit because it was just so refreshing to read a YA LGBT novel with a nice, normal protagonist who seemed real. Most of Audrey's friends and family seem fine with her sexuality and other girls at her school go to prom together. It's wonderful to see a LGBT book where the character's sexuality is just part of her life, versus what drives the entire plot.

The book also does a good job of portraying Audrey and Scarlett's romance - Audrey's unrequited love for Scarlett seemed a bit much at first, but remembering back to the angst of teen love, it seemed right on point.

My problem with this book was some of its odd plot twists, which really didn't seem necessary. I won't spoil the book here, but I think Bedford could have stuck with Audrey and Scarlett's love story and been just fine. That being said, I didn't think they were that crazy or out of left field. I found Audrey to be a compelling and realistic character and it was great to see an author use a YA protagonist from a low income background, even if it did seem a bit overused at times. Too often these books focus on the popular kids, driving their parents' cars and living life without a care in the world. Audrey's life is probably far more realistic for many.

Frankly, the book had some holes and issues, but it was still worth the read for its portrayal of a real YA lesbian relationship and Audrey's overall situation. I enjoyed her character and read the entire book in one day - I'll certainly be recommending it to several of my friends.

(I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.)… (mere)