Review: The Autumn Review for Beautiful Things Never Last
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 5, 2013
Oh, my heart. It's actually been a while since I read this, but going back through my notes and quotes from the book, made my heart stutter. AGAIN. When I finished Grounding Quinn, I was so happy with how things ended. And, ok, I was excited about this book too, but also a bit apprehensive. What I realized is that the issues that Ben and Quinn face in this book are normal, common problems that couples face. But, I think because Ben and Quinn had come such a long way, I was bracing for the worst. Literally...my gut was clenched the whole book. Now, you may be asking me "And that's a good thing?" And I say to you, YES. I feel so strongly about these characters that I wanted to shield them from all harm. Dramatic, I know.So, how do I review this book without saying what actually happens??? Well, I can tell you that Quinn has grown a lot. She's broken free from her crazy family and is living with Ben in California. They're happy, in love, and are doing well in school. So, when the opportunity comes up for her to go to Italy, she's beyond excited. You could see the change in her. Quinn carries herself with comfort and a confidence now. She still finds strength in Ben, but she doesn't need him to make her happy or keep her safe. So, the challenge they face now, is not really the distance of her trip.Ben is a care-taker and honestly likes the comfort of his life, but Quinn keeps moving forward. And I'm not saying that she leaves him behind in any way, but I just think in this book, Ben had to find his new role within their relationship and find his own success with his career. They've matured and their relationship has gone to a more permanent base. I won't lie, some of the challenges they face were painful to watch at times. I felt more forgiving of Quinn's mistakes in the first book, because it was almost expected. But for Ben to make mistakes in this book, nearly broke my heart. I still loved him even when he was being a bit jerky.Another thing I loved about this book was seeing more of Carter. Carter lives down the hall from Ben and Quinn. Also, Quinn's old high school nemesis, Shayna, has gotten into a relationship with Carter. I saw that coming in Grounding Quinn, but it was fun to see it actually happen. Carter and Shayna will get their own book and I really can't wait to read it. It seems that both Shayna and Carter have made some big changes too. Their story is the only thing making me less sad about saying goodbye to Ben and Quinn. My fingers are crossed that I'll get to see them a bit there.Overall, I loved this book. While it was trying for my heart, I really was happy with the story. Ben and Quinn are such a great couple. Ben's devotion and love for Quinn is so sweet and Quinn new found heart was endearing. Steph Campbell certainly has a talent for creating raw, emotional, and yet strong characters. That's not an easy task to master, but she pulls it off gracefully. I highly recommend this series. Run to get it. Now.Quotes:~"If you've never gone mad, you've never really been in love," she says.-pg 127~"You told me long ago that beautiful things never last. But I think you're wrong. I think they can. If you fight for them. If you let them change, Quinn. They can morph into something even better. If you make it work."-pg 178~"What are your plans for this week?""To win you back. That's it. That's my plan. Every day."-pg 216~I finally understand that life isn't about holding all of the pieces neatly together. Life is about picking up the pieces. And love is about finding a way to make those pieces fit together, even if they're all jaggedy and mismatched. And that's what brought Ben and I to this moment--to this mad, crazy love.To this promise.That beautiful things can last, if you let them bend and change with you.-pg 238