Review: Absolutely loved it!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 27, 2014
I really, really loved this story and was hooked from the first moment! It was such a beautiful friends to lovers tale. The book starts off set in the past when Elly and Carter meet. The second chapter then skips to present day so we don't get to see much of the friendship portion of their relationship. However, there are memories and flashbacks scattered throughout so you do get glimpses. Somehow though, it really works for the book.I love that the relationship isn't your normal angst-filled romance. There isn't cheating, people trying to get in on the relationship, or things of that nature. It seemed much more of dealing with life and the curveballs it can throw it us. It's dealing with families and friends. I also seriously adored the nicknames and references that were used! I know some readers prefer no references because it "dates" the book, but using Mickey and Sylvia just seemed so classic and timeless. Dirty Dancing is one of my favorite movies, so it gave me a great reminder of an example of love these characters idolized. I also felt like it helped make the characters more relatable to me because those are things I am interested in and knew about.I also adored each and every single character that I came across in this story! Elly was this beautiful female lead. She had realistic fears that she lived with, and while she attempted to appear strong on the outside, Nuss does a great job of exploring her inner feelings - especially in the conversations with her dad. Carter was so sweet and endearing. With those final few chapters, I think he may be winning over my heart for best book boyfriend. He is definitely top ten swoon-worthy material! I also loved the relationship he had with his sisters. We don't get to see it often, but just those glimpses give you an idea of the type of man he is. The secondary characters were also amazing. I'd love to see books based solely on them. Nuss writes in a way that your interest is definitely piqued, but they don't overtake Elly and Carter's story.My only real issue was that I wanted more information about Carter's family so we could understand his dad's transformation; where did it come from? Was it genuine? Will it last? Was his mom's apology sincere? I'm hoping these will be answered in the next book. Overall, there were times I laughed and times I cried. As I neared the end, I was getting a little worried and anxious that everything would be rushed or it wouldn't be a satisfying ending. However, I was thankfully not disappointed. The flashbacks mixed with current emotions were so perfect. I finished book one less than 24 hours ago, and I'm already dying to get my hands on the next one!