Review: A. Meredith Walters hit it out of the park with Perfect Regret.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 15, 2013
I was introduced to A. Meredith Walter's books via a few of my favorite book blogs. They gushed over her Find You in the Dark series. I read the first one and quickly purchased the whole series. Her writing instantly grabs you. Meredith's NA voice is spot on. Even though I'm in my late 30s, she summons up all the feelings I had when I went through this time in my life. And with Perfect Regret, she hits it out of the park!Riley Walker is a self-contained, little firecracker. She is independent, snarky, loyal, and a bit judgmental. OK, a lot judgmental. The late-in-life daughter of two hippy parents, Riley is the polar opposite of them. She has her path in life meticulously mapped out. Anything lying outside that plan, she doesn't have time for. Riley has the perfectly comfortable boyfriend Damien who unceremoniously dumps her. Riley is devastated. So much so that even her "nothing phases me" attitude can shake her funk. During a night of drinking and sulking, Riley drunkenly decides to hook up with townie Garrett Bellows, a guy she despises. He's everything she doesn't want in a guy-not in college, in a band, drinks and does drugs. But she can't deny the underlying attraction she has for him.Riley reminds me of myself when I was her age. I thought I knew exactly what I wanted in life and set about making it happen. I was snarky to the extent that I kept many people away. And I was very judgmental. Because of this I connected with Riley immediately. When Riley experiences her first real heartbreak, I felt so bad for her. When you're that young and you experience such a very first heartbreak, you second guess everything about yourself. We watch Riley seem to slip away from her carefully made plans a bit, only to snap back when she realizes what's happening. It was incredibly frustrating to read. You want to grab her by the shoulders and shake her throughout this book! But that's how I know this is a well written story. You care about Riley. You don't want her to make these mistakes but as Meredith truthfully states, "that's the truest sign that you've passed from the innocence of adolescence to the shitfest of adulthood." Riley does experience many of adulthood's share of shitfests throughout the book. But she also learns from these lessons and realizes that just because you think something is right or wrong, it may not be so.Another character I loved is Garrett Bellows. He's the deliciously hot guy you've seen at the bar. You know, the one playing the guitar in the band? Yes, him! As you get to know him, you begin to notice things about him that aren't quite right. He drinks and smokes way too much. He also loves all groupies that come along with his being a really hot guy who plays in a band. While I'm reading, I thought Garrett was just indulging in the lifestyle. As you get to know him, you realize that he's using this things to mask something deep. What Garrett is hiding is unclear. When Riley eventually gets a glimpse of the real Garrett, he closes himself off again. Again, Meredith shows you how people deal with the process of growing up. Not everyone does it in a healthy way, especially if they are dealing with a deep trauma as well.The sexual tension between Riley and Garrett is slow building. When Riley first notices Garrett, I thought he had no chance in hell of being with her. But as I though on how much she seemed to despise him, the intensity of her feelings told me otherwise. During the dance around their feelings, I wanted to rip my hair out. They tease and pull away from each other so much that I was frustrated for them. So when they finally hook up, you feel satisfied that they finally pull their heads out of the sand and realize they're good together.Meredith's secondary characters did a great job of keeping the story going. I enjoyed seeing Maysie Ardin and Jordan Levitt's characters again in Perfect Regret. Call me a sap, but I like knowing their relationship is still going strong. The story line with Gracie, Riley's party too hard friend, is heartbreaking. Watching her struggle with her demons is painful. You just want to scoop her up and take her away from all this, even while she's kicking and screaming. Meredith did a fantastic job with Damien, Riley's ex-boyfriend. You loathe him as he breaks her heart and then continues to hover around her. You want to smack him! I also have to say that I love that Meredith's gives Riley loving and supportive parents. Often times many YA/NA books have terrible parental story lines. It's refreshing to see a great, loving parents in their kids lives.I've read a lot of YA/NA romance books and I count A. Meredith Walters as one of the top of the genre. She steps into the heads of these characters expertly. Meredith's experience working with at risk teens really shows in this story. It adds a validity to the story and you really invest in these characters. When a book makes me cry twice, I know it's the real deal. I give Perfect Regret by A. Meredith Walters 5 out of 5 stars! Make sure you keep your tissues handy.Written by Dee McGee - Booze, Bookz, and Bad Boyz