Review: Beautiful story about real unconditional love
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 16, 2013
5++ starsHarper Kennedy is a very sick girl in a new town. She's about to start a grueling cancer treatment that the doctors are doubtful will work, and she's trying to prepare her broken family for life without her. Her cousin takes her to a party to make her forget for a little while, and she meets Vaun Campbell. Beautiful, troubled, Vaun who doesn't really connect with anyone, but somehow makes an instant connection with Harper.Harper and Vaun have instant, very strong feelings for each other but Harper can't bring herself to purposely make Vaun go through more pain and loss for someone he loves again. Thankfully, Vaun refuses to go away, and their bond becomes deeper and deeper. Even though they are only teenagers, they realize they are true soul mates, and their love gives Harper something to fight - and maybe dare to hope - for.Harper's story broke my heart. Imagine being seventeen and finding the love of your life, and then having to deal with the reality that the rest of your life be a matter of months. Harper knew the closer she got to Vaun the greater the risk she would destroy him if she didn't make it. She also assumed her mother's role in her family for her younger brother and broken father, and she was scared of what they would become without her. At an age where kids are at their most selfish and impulsive, when faced with the fact that she may never get better, Harper had emotional maturity well beyond her years and still always put herself last.Vaun may be the most courageous character in this story. The love he had for Harper was true unconditional love, something that most adults aren't even capable of. When the disease and the treatment were at its worst, he never missed an opportunity to tell her how much he loved her or how beautiful she was. His sweet words had me in tears throughout most of the book. He was determined to give her something to fight for."Will you fight? I need to know you'll fight, Blue. That you'll fight so damn hard so we never say goodbye...God and Heaven can't have you because you're mine, because I loved you first."Through all the sadness in this book, there is also so much hope. Hope that even though you were dealt the worst cards in life, it doesn't mean your life is over. It means you find a way to move on and find happiness, for not only the people you love, but for yourself. Because in the end, whenever that is, that is all that matters.