Review: Typical NA novel
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 07 15, 2014
*I received an ARC for this via NetGalleyI really like West's Gravity series. I decided to give Pieces of Olivia a shot because of that and the fact that I generally like the NA genre. However, I'm becoming somewhat disenchanted with the NA genre as a whole. I typically read any and all romance - I'll read the same trope over and over and never get sick of it. But the NA genre seems to always have the same plot line:1. Guy and girl have something tragic in their past2. They are struggling to put the pieces back together2. They are closed off and don't let anyone in3. Miraculously, they meet and there's an instant attraction4. BUT they are initially hesitate to get into a relationship5. Add in some obstacles that prevent them from getting together6. Which they finally overcome and their romance can begin7. BUT inevitability something from their past comes back and tears them apart8. Which invariably ends up working out and in the end they get an HEAOh and don't forget that it HAS to be dual POV. At first I really liked dual POV - it was cool to see what was going on in both the guy's and girl's heads. But I quickly became disenchanted with that - faster than the NA genre in fact. I miss the mystery of not knowing what the other character is thinking.Pieces of Olivia had all of the above. I may have liked it more if save fact that I'm slowly but surely getting turned off by the NA genre. I'm sick of the doom and gloom and messed up pasts. I miss my typical tropes that are light and fun because really that's what some of the best romance novels are all about - either that or fantastic sexy times, which this was also lacking.Overall, the writing was solid. I was able to finish the book, so I didn't hate it. But I didn't really like or love it either. Honestly, if it wasn't for the fact that I got this free via NetGalley I probably wouldn't have even purchased it. If you want to give Melissa West a shot and like YA novels, I'd definitely suggest checking out her Gravity series.