Reviews
3.5/5
This story was so heartbreaking and awful to begin with but it transforms into a beautiful tale of family and friendship and love. Peyton is an amazingly written character. She is still not over her father’s death from an year and a half ago and Reed’s attack just makes her feel more helpless. When even her closest friends don’t believe her, she is very upset but she doesn’t let it all drown her. She picks up the pieces of her life and tries to deal with it all with her head held high and never backs down from the truth. She may have her issues to work through, but she always stands up for herself and takes no bullshit. She is ambitious about her career and despite her injury, is ready to give it all to achieve her dreams. I absolutely adored her family. Her mom is a total badass who is fully supportive but also takes a very no-nonsense approach while dealing with Reed’s stalkery tendencies. Uncle Hawk is very sweet and loving and gives her all the help and space that she needs to recover. Her cousins Cameron and Christian are totally adorable and bring so much humour to the story. They are also very protective and caring, though their attempts usually end up embarrassing her. Owen is definitely a very strong swoon worthy love interest. Though their case was a little like instalove, I enjoyed every interaction between them – the silent stolen glances, the almost touches and kisses, the way Peyton fights their connection but Owen doesn’t let go – I could really feel their bond through the pages and I loved it. The way the author makes us see the similarities as well as differences between Reed and Owen was very well done. This book is definitely about Peyton’s journey to face her fears, come to cherish her father’s memories and learn to trust again, but it is also about how manipulative/abusive partners can happen to anyone and its possible that not everyone will believe the victim. But the truth is the truth and one should always standup for it (as much as one can do so safely) and not let the abusers define the future. The Author’s note was definitely a shock because I didn’t know Kami Garcia’s background and I commend her for finding the strength to tell her story through Peyton. This book is a must read for any YA contemporary lover.
Star soccer player Peyton's boyfriend Reed shoves her down concrete stairs after she confronts about the steroids she found in his gym bag. The fall causes a bad injury to Peyton's knee, requiring a trip to the ER, surgery, and a chance she may never play soccer again. No one but Peyton's mother believes her normally loving, protective boyfriend could do such a thing. Deciding not to press charges after Reed somehow passes a urinalysis test, Peyton's mother sends her to live with her uncle and twin cousins when Reed's scary, stalking behavior continues to increase. A new school means Peyton can hopefully focus on rehabbing her knee without telling anyone about how it actually happened. Too bad she has the awfully distracting Owen, a super hot MMA fighter and fellow student at her new school, helping with her rehab. Owen also has a secret, and while they try their best to be "just friends," their irresistible attraction leads to major drama. I at turns loved this story and got mad at it. I loved Peyton's immediate break up with Reed, her insistence on keeping Reed away from her, and her mother's loyalty. A lot of readers apparently found Peyton whiny and childish, but I found her relatable and even mature beyond her years (for a teen). I was fine with her conflict over desiring Owen's hot body (and come one, his personality) but also of not getting involved with another fighter. Owen toed the line between being perfect and 'unbelievable,' often crossing more into unbelievable territory. I wish there was a little more exploration of his character and backstory, but. But, hubba hubba, I'd want to be with him too. My irritation with this story was the CONSTANT fighting throughout the story. Between Peyton's twin football playing, giant cousins, Owen, Reed, and the other testosterone-filled boys, hell even Peyton threatening a female rival, there was at least the rumbling of a fight every chapter. I found Peyton's "annoyance" with the fighting a bit trite, especially for someone who had just been massively injured by a "fight." I appreciated Owen's moral code, which was explained early on, but found his decision at the end a bit maddening. That said, this is a riveting read and one that does address the domestic violence in an otherwise sensitive way. There is a great author's note at the end detailing Garcia's own experiences and a list of resources for those who need them, or just want to know about their options. You are not in this alone. Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC!
4 stars. I'm conflicted. It was a really good book. I liked Owen. Peyton didn't bug me as much as I was afraid of. But I basically hated Tess. She's a terrible best friend. But I felt bad and I’m glad Peyton forgave her. I hated Reed. That is never gonna change. Her cousins cracked me up. I'm so happy Grace and Cameron got together. Good and heartfelt book, I loved that note by the author at the end. Great message, and I appreciated the author working through the struggle of writing about something so personal to help others.
