Review: Adorable, romantic, suspenseful!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 22, 2014
I whole-heartedly adored Dearest Clementine by Lex Martin!!! This was one of the most refreshing New Adult titles I have read in a while and once I started reading it, I couldn't stop!At the start of the book, Clementine Avery is a character who, to me, could be likened to Julia Stiles' character in the movie 10 Things I Hate About You. Having been cheated on by her high school sweetheart, basically abandoned by her rich, self-absorbed parents, and stalked by a professor her freshmen year, Clem takes on a very "approach with caution" attitude towards newcomers in her life and throws a bullet proof wall at any guy that comes within a mile of her. Hiding behind her defense mechanisms is her way of surviving the hardships that her life has thrown at her. Lex Martin painted a perfect picture of a once happy, whole girl, now living a half life of broken parts..."There is something so safe about being wrapped up in Gavin Murphy, like I can forget everything when I'm with him, the past, the hurt, the humiliation."When Clementine meets Gavin Murphy, a sexy dorm RA I wish I could say the sparks fly. However, she immediately brushes him off like she does with everyone else. Through interactions with their mutual friends, Gavin and Clementine start hanging out and he slowly breaks down her defenses in a one step forward but two steps back manner. At first it starts off as a fun friendship but as he starts giving her very realistic "tips" for the romance novel she is writing, their relationship progresses further. I truly enjoy when authors drag out the sexual tension between heroine and hero and there was no shortage of that in this book!For the most part I felt very fond of Clementine. She was the perfect depiction of an insecure and very vulnerable college girl who was just trying to get by. There were times that her insecurities and constant self doubt drove me insane, however considering her high school boyfriend's betrayal and nearly being assaulted by someone who she considered a mentor, I could understand why her character was the way she was. From start to finish though, I could really appreciate the change I saw in her.I fell head over heels for Gavin Murphy. He is literary boyfriend perfection. Sexy, charming, good looking, confident, understanding, in a band...I could go on all day. He was the perfect dose of reality to make Clementine open her eyes to feelings and start living again. The progression of their relationship wasn't always easy but I really felt for Gavin and I may have swooned a few times here and there.As I said about, this was a refreshing and enjoyable New Adult read. The interactions between Clementine and her best friends Jenna and Harper were hilarious! And I think I may need to try the "Out-Skank" texting game with my friends (you'll see what I'm talking about when you read it)! The character development was wonderfully done and Lex Martin did scare the crap out of me a few times with a healthy dose of suspense and angst! Dearest Clementine is a fantastic book and would absolutely recommend it! The "Dearest" series has two more standalone novels centered around supporting characters in Dearest Clementine. Even though this book was about Clementine and Gavin's journey, Lex Martin built up a family of characters for me that I will definitely need more of in the future! I can't wait to see what happens next!