Review: Delivered much more than expected
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 8, 2014
When I received the ARC for “Where You’ll Find Me” by Erin Fletcher I was curious about the book. To be completely honest, I wasn’t expecting much. I mean, how many people willingly let someone they don’t know live in their garage? Even a teenager would most likely have an issue with this. So I was curious about how the author told the story rather than excited by the prospect of reading a good manuscript.I have to admit, I was more than surprised by, not only how much I liked the story, but how much depth there was to it. Ms. Fletcher didn’t write a fluffy, teenager insta-love story about a homeless boy living in a garage of a girl who immediately falls in love with him. Nope. She wrote a story with depth of emotion.  One that explores the ugly side of guilt, blame, shame and all-encompassing love.Yes, Nate lives in Hanley’s garage. And, yes, she lets him. But she has her reasons, and they don’t center around an insta-love connection. Although, they do build a relationship throughout the book, but it’s real and relatable. Sounds odd, I know, but it worked.Nate’s character was wonderfully written. He had just enough mystery surrounding him that kept me interested in him, but he wasn’t a dark and brooding lead. He was caring, understanding, and funny. I liked him a great deal. In fact, I probably would have let him live in my garage!  But while he was open and caring with Hanely, he was guarded when it came to information about himself. He kept his secret hidden away, although it was somewhat easy to guess what the secret revolved around, even if the reader didn’t know exactly what it was. And it’s pretty obvious that this huge secret hanging over Nate’s head is the reason he’s running.Hanley has her own secret. And while she doesn’t physically run like Nate, she runs from life by drowning herself in booze and partying. I liked her just as much as I did Nate. She was just as caring as Nate (hence letting him live in her family’s garage). They were both great characters. Broken, flawed, seemingly unrepairable, this is what made them relatable and loveable.Secondary characters were developed fairly well. I would have liked more development, however, especially between Hanley and her sister. But I loved how their relationship morphed toward the end of the booked.The plot was excellent and well thought out. The pace of the book was excellent. It kept my attention throughout. I didn’t feel my mind wandering. The writing style was one I liked and it was easy to let myself get drawn into Nate and Hanley’s world.BOTTOM LINE: Erin Fletcher has written an incredible book that is not only a sweet romance between two teens, but also explores the dynamics of familial flaws. How easily it is for parents and children to blame each other for situations, how hurtful it can be and what the consequences of that blame can be. It touches on forgiveness, building stronger relationships, and learning to forgive yourself and let go of misplaced blame…because you can’t grab onto life if you’re holding on to the past.Five stars all the way. So many layers to this book. It’s definitely worth the time to delve into them head first.ARC received in exchange for honest review.