Review: Quick and Enjoyable!
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 02 14, 2014
One of my favourite story dynamics to read is when opposites attract. Sebastien and Jess are almost as opposite as two people can get. But love doesn't care for such trivial things as wealth and social standing. It only cares for whats deep in the heart.Jess has lived the life that's been expected of her. Dropping out of school, partying and drinking, drugs and sex. But when she looks around at her family, she is adamant that theirs is not the life she wants. An alcoholic mother, who settles for whatever man she can get, and drug dealing brothers who do a bit of stealing on the side. She wants a career and a better life than the one she has. So she sets out to finish her schooling, work hard and save money to set her dreams in motion. Then she meets Sebastien. And he sees in her the person that she wants to be.Jess wasn't a character that I could instantly like. She seemed to sway between the two different guys that showed interest in her, depending on who she was with at the time. And without giving too much away, she does something that almost instantly turns me off a book. But I kept reading because we had the chance to meet Sebastian. Sebastian was so sweet and dreamy. A gifted musician from a well to do family. Their attraction is immediate, but it also wasn't love at first sight. It was a definite attraction which flowed into deep feelings. But I found myself consistently frustrated with Jess for not being honest with Sebastian. I could understand her reluctance to keep him separate from her dysfunctional family, but without honesty, a relationship just can't grow and flourish. But in saying that, while Sebastien's family seems perfect from the outside, they have their own secrets as well.I also found myself feeling really sad that Jess had such low self esteem. She constantly questioned Sebastien's motives for spending time with her or doing something nice for her, and almost sabotaged things before they had even really begun.I love when an Aussie author sets their book in Australia. This is Now had so many little things peppered throughout that I could relate to and visualise so well. From the mention of places to the different shops that were talked about. Maggie Gilbert's pacing of the story was also spot on for me. It flowed so well. And the secondary characters added a nice layer to the story.This Is Now was a quick read that I found I enjoyed for the most part, although it did fall a little short of my high expectations. Sebastian and the Aussie references and feel to the story are what kept me interested.3/5 Opposites Attract StarsCopy received for review from the publisher via Netgalley.