Obsessed with books

This is a hard one for me to review. I hated middle school and high school, so reading about someone's utter humiliation in such a public event as a prom was actually difficult for me to read, and it was right at the beginning. I realize it sets up Sadie's utter hatred of Dylan, but it would have been easier for me if the author had started the story off in the present, then slipped in the reason for hating Dylan later. It still wouldn't have been easy. But this speaks volumes for Sarah Mayberry that she has such an ability to tear at your heartstrings and make you FEEL as the reader. I FELT Sadie's awkwardness and pain as a teenager, and it makes her hatred of Dylan all the more substantial (though my own return to middle school memories was not pleasant).

Loved the chemistry between Dylan and Sadie. I loved that they couldn't help being attracted to each other despite their hatred of the other. I didn't quite believe the first sex scene. I loved the hatred spitting as they were taking their clothes off, but I would have preferred a little more hatred build up. Sadie just wasn't quite believable being the first one to take her clothes off, especially with the past still clearly haunting her.

And again, my favorite part of Mayberry books, other than the crazy emotions she can bring out in the reader, is her ability to not go over the top with the conflict. They are never doing something crazy and out of character when the shit hits the fan with the conflict. No one's screaming and storming off and traveling around the world in ANGER! She also doesn't beat the reader to death with the conflict. She could have continued the anger and resentment, but at a reasonable time she revealed Sadie's reasons for her anger, and Dylan's learning disability, and the characters handled it humanly.

So, not my favorite of the Mayberry books so far, but clearly still worthy of re-reads in the future.