Review: 3.5 Second Chance Stars
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 22, 2014
I've never read any of Elizabeth Lee's books, so I wasn't sure what to expect from this one. But I looove that cover, and I also looove stories about second chances and people finding the strength to heal and let go. People who find the strength to forgive.Where There's Smoke is a solid story, albeit a sometimes unbelievable one with characters who grated on my nerves a little bit.Honestly, it took me a long time to get into this book. I thought the characters and the dialogue were much less mature than their ages suggest. I was not hooked on the plot, and I didn't like the MCs' voices. But as the story progressed, I developed a liking to it all.I'm glad this was told in dual POVs, especially since it's a contemporary romance, and there are always two sides to every story. There is a buildup of tension between Piper and Ryland; a rocky relationship full of longing, desire, and even a little bit of hatred. Piper left after promising Ryland forever, and he just can't get over it. Especially since his life was ruined shortly after, all because of her. But Piper knows none of this. She thinks her childhood sweetheart went onto Stanford and became an engineer. Imagine her surprise when she sees him bartending and finds out he took the fall for that fire all those years ago. A fire neither of them had started. As the truth comes out, as the decisions start to make sense, the two of them will have to figure out if going after a second chance is worth it.But they didn't factor in one teeny, tiny problem. And then they're on the run with Piper's little sister, wondering if they'll get away with it, looking over their shoulders. It's not a life for anyone, even if it's easier than dealing with the fallout and consequences of a night gone terribly wrong.This plot was just a little unbelievable, and it all ended too perfectly. Firstly, it didn't take Piper and Ryland long to patch up their differences and let go of six years' worth of pain and anger. They acted like children at first, blaming the other, yelling but not communicating. But they found their way back in bed together, even though they swore they were done with each other. There wasn't any buildup to their relationship, although there was plenty of sexual tension. Secondly, the whole being-on-the-run thing didn't feel very realistic. It was one bad decision after another until everything cleared up all too perfectly. I would have liked a little bit of conflict where that was concerned.All in all, Where There's Smoke was a solid story. It was hard for me to connect with the two characters because it all felt very immature in the beginning. But I liked where the story went, albeit it was a little unrealistic and the ending too textbook.