Review: If cheating is a hard limit for you, you'll probably want to pass on this one.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 09 12, 2013
First reviewed at Red Hot BooksWarning: If cheating is a hard limit for you, you'll probably want to pass on this one.Lia Smart has been living in the shadow of her perfect older sister Alex for as long as she can remember.  Growing up, Alex had been the gorgeous leggy popular girl in school, whereas Lia was the awkward quirky girl who wanted to be a comic book artist.  One night a 14 year old Lia goes to a party to save Alex from parental punishment and meets the boy of her dreams, Grayson Walker.  The only hitch is, he immediately falls for her beautiful older sister.All throughout high school Lia quietly nurses her unrequited love for Grayson while watching him couple up with Alex.  Lia feels saved from ever having to face him again when Alex & Grayson break up during college.  Fast forward, Lia is 22 and is barely treading water.  After Lia's mother runs off with the bartender from her bistro and Alex writes off the family, Lia is left taking care of her heartbroken father and a business that can barely keep its lights on.  When Alex suddenly deigns a visit, Lia is shocked to see Grayson back on her arm!  Lia realizes the flame never died out and Grayson begins to see Lia in a whole new light.Through flashbacks, it is revealed that everyone is not who they seem.  Alex, with all her perfection, is a narcissistic bitch who expects life to cater to her demands.  Grayson is the besotted doormat that just survives Alex.  Lia is the insecure little sister who doesn't feel a whole lot of guilt when she and Grayson finally hook up.  I enjoy books with imperfect characters because it adds a little levity to the over-the-top dramatics that usually come with New Adult books.  The story is told in alternating POV which usually I like, but in this case, it just made Grayson seem like a dirt bag for not growing a pair and  breaking it off with Alex when it was clear that his feelings were with Lia.All credit goes to the author because even though I wasn't a fan of Grayson, I believed in their feelings for each other.  Lia is sweet, snarky and maybe a little slutty - my kind of girl - even when she was annoying me with her self-doubt.  Though there are some clichéd situations that aggravated me, I really did root for the couple.  Surprisingly, towards the end, I even started to feel some empathy for Alex as some of her behavior was a result of her mother's abandonment.  I think she'll make for an interesting read in another book.Even with a few misgivings, I liked the author's voice and writing style.  If you liked Emily Giffin's Something Borrowed, then you will probably like this one too.Rating: C*Review copy provided by author