Review: Inspiring, realistic contemporary drama
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 21, 2012
I feel there are two strong emotional arcs in this story that make up the heart of the narrative. The first is the loss of Lucy's sister in a car accident and the devastating effects on her family. The emotional realism of Lucy's deteriorating family is vivid and well-realized, and made me choke up multiple times. I felt like the author brilliantly captured the emotion of this family trauma and Lucy's efforts to cope drove the first part of the story.In comparison, the second emotional arc - the romantic attachment between Lucy and Chris, the secret musician felt less well-built. It's insta-love on a certain level, although Lucy and Chris's emotional damage does explain their strong connection. I did feel that this part of the story could have been more effective dramatically if more time was spent on Lucy and Chris getting to know each other. And with Chris I would have liked to know more about his character - his history and what drives his behavior.  The tension over Chris's volatile personality was perfectly pitched however, as I was very intrigued by his character.This book was a quick read for me, because the author did a great job building the characters of Lucy and her family and I wanted to know more about how her relationship with Chris and her friends would help heal her. This is an inspiring story with realistic, contemporary drama and characters.(a copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review)