Review: A perfect combination of raw angst and humor, fun characters, and a beautiful happily ever after!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 14, 2014
Finding Dandelion can be read as a stand-alone novel, but I'm going to do you a favor right now. My advice? Please, read Dearest Clementine first. It's not about filling in any plot holes or details, because author Lex Martin repeats bits and pieces when necessary, and you never have to worry about getting lost somewhere in the middle. But...she also did such an amazing job breathing life into her characters in the first book that it really sets up the vibe for Finding Dandelion. And it would almost be a crime for you to skip it ;) You get a feel for who they are, can just imagine how they'd deliver each line, and picture their reactions. These characters will be living in your head as if they were your own best friends!--When I see my sister in the stands, I jog over, but I almost stumble when I realize who she brought. Dani is wearing the letter X across her snug-fitting shirt.--The girls are wearing the letters that spell my name, but I'm only drawn to one. "X marks the spot."Dearest Clementine made me fall in love with its personality, humor, and heart, and I definitely got all of that again in Finding Dandelion. Roommates Jenna and Clem make appearances, along with small cameos from their boyfriends Ryan and Gavin. *pauses to super-dreamy sigh* New characters are also brought in, like Dani's fabulous best friend Travis! The easy familiarity, the witty banter, and the laugh-out-loud moments definitely brighten up the whole book, and it's just fun to be in their little circle.--"I should probably warn you...I'm no knight. More like the big bad wolf." He looks away for a moment. "Maybe you should run while you can."--"Maybe I'm looking for a wolf...And maybe I can handle bad."Dani Hart is the kind of heroine that I love to root for. She's kind, smart, and artistic, with a bit of a wild streak ready to burst out. She likes sports and beer, and she references Star Wars...my kind of girl! Jax Avery definitely got his fill of surprises with this one. ;) Yet, as much as I was charmed by her, I was just as fascinated by her journey. In this book, Dani is caught between two lives: majoring in business or art. It's that easier-said-than-done choice between what's "nice and safe" and what her heart truly wants. I've been there before...Oh, how I've been in those shoes. Literally, business degree or art school...and I love when I can relate to the main character in a big way.--I don't want to set myself up for heartbreak, and that boy has disaster written all over him like the S.S. Titanic.As for our hero, Jax?...Ah, Jackson Avery *fans self*...This time around, the story is told through dual point of view, so we also get what Jax is thinking and going through. He is very different from Gavin. I felt like Gavin and Ryan were so confident and comfortable with their girls in book one, so it was significant to be in Jax's head for parts of book two. Both hero and heroine had a long way to go to find their happy ending.The romance was the slow, sweet burning kind. I swooned and melted. It ached so good. There were parts that were hot and holy $&%@ sexy, and parts that were cute and adorable. It all kept building up to that fantastic point of "I can't take this anymore, PLEASE BE A COUPLE NOW."--He inhales deeply. "I should stop or I'm going to f*** you on the kitchen table."--I don't think. I don't hesitate. "Who says we should stop? We'll call it breakfast."I definitely reached a critical boiling point in this book, as well. I was pissed at certain decisions, whipping out the Gretchen Weiners voice and the Phoebe Buffay 'Oh no...' reactions. These were things that made me want to *keysmash*. Then, somehow, I was throwing my Hallelujah!-hands in the air. Emotions. I had a lot of them. Twists. Yeah, there were a few. I can honestly say that I was more of a wreck while reading Finding Dandelion.--I swear I see sadness behind his eyes...and part of me wants to do what I can to make it go away.At first, Jax and Dani seem so different, and only bonded by a physical attraction, but as the story continues, there is a very real connection between these two. Jax and Dani deal with a lot of pressure, regarding school and their future careers, that bring doubt and uncertainty bubbling to the surface. It isn't always about changing, though. Jax and Dani are far from boring when they start out...in fact, they're completely interesting individuals...They don't need to change, just stop hiding. For this couple, it's about finding out who you really are, owning it, and being brave enough to let the truest part of you shine brightest.--"I could get used to you, Dandelion," he whispers, leaning down to brush his nose against mine in the kind of sweet gesture usually reserved for couples in love. Jesus. If this is part of his game, I'm lost, hook, line and sinker.Due to a painful past, Jax retreats to what is easy: playing the part of an a**hole player that never settles. Deep down, though, you'll see that he's buried a great heart and a caring soul, capable of genuine love and affection. There are surprises when it comes to Jax, too! And when you see why he's kept that part of him hidden for so long? Why he's protected himself from being in a serious relationship? Wow. I felt knocked on my a** when that truth was revealed. (There was something in Dearest Clementine that I really wanted explored, but it didn't quite get into...Here, in this book, I finally got it!)Dani, in one of the most heartbreaking ways, also gets a reminder that life is too short to live quietly. You just have to live for you, not for anyone else. Take risks, fall in love...It's the scary things that often make life worth it.--I feel like I've wasted time hiding.--I'm ready to just be me.And that, a simple message, is how the author makes every misunderstanding and angry moment in this book worth it. Jax and Dani were each other's wake up calls. Once you see the whole picture, everything they've been through, I guarantee it will make you a little teary-eyed and make your heart fill with butterflies and squees! Lex Martin gives us another story about growing up and figuring life out, and she does it in her signature style..with the perfect combination of raw angst and humor, fun characters, and a beautiful happily ever after! It's everything wonderful about the New Adult genre, yet somehow unique to Lex Martin and her Dearest series. I need more, now please! ;)--"Jax," I whisper, "thanks for coming...to find me."--"Dandelion, I'm starting to think you're the one who found me."