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| (New Adult Romance) Can a big city girl go country? Jenna’s life grinds to a halt after her brother’s suicide. With her college funds non-existent and her future plans put on hold, she’s forced to relocate to a sleepy town. Just when her entire world is crumbling, she meets Benji Preston, a local guy she doesn't expect to fall for. He's not even her type! A harmless flirtation quickly escalates into something more. The only catch? He’s the same guy her cousin has been harboring a crush on for ages. With tongues wagging and jealousy dogging her every step, Jenna has to decide what's more important; her heart or her family ties? Expected publication: June 19th 2013 by Ava Catori Books |
After the loss of her brother, Jenna Birch finds herself being sent halfway across the country to live with her aunt, uncle, and cousin.
With no college funds, no boyfriend, and the growing estrangement between her and her parents, Jenna feels her world crumbling around her.
Feeling bitter over her new circumstances, Jenna goes through many mixed feelings: of abandonment, despair, and feeling lost and out of place.
“It’s just,” she hesitated again, “I’m still alive, and Mom and Dad didn’t seem to notice. I’m hurting too, Derek was my brother. It’s like I stopped existing. And what about school, now that my plans are ruined, how will I afford college?”
She later peaks the interest of local boy Benji Preston and although she might not have been interested in him at first like he with her……
"This Benji guy that Grace [Jenna's cousin] was drooling over did nothing for her. He was probably the kind of guy that that took a second and third glance when he passed a mirror and believed all the lies he told himself, by the way he came into the parking lot like he owned it. Smiling, waving like he had fans, he strutted like a damn peacock making sure everyone saw him before finally making it their way." lol
BENJI OF COURSE, grows on her and the two fall in love.
*Now throw in Benji's annoying ex gf and a pesky cousin who harbors a long time crush on Benji and you got some drama. Haha.*
…………………
“Shady Cove” is simply about love, forgiveness, learning to heal, and finding yourself.
Although the story seemed like a typical New Adult kind of book, I did appreciated Catori’s push to not make Jenna some kind of fumbling weak character who puts aside her aspirations just for love. Instead, Jenna strives to make her dreams happen while also inspiring her cousin Grace and Benji to put into perspective of what they want too in life.
I also liked the “raw characterization” that I felt from Jenna. I too, lost my brother to suicide in November and a lot of the pent up feelings and emotions she goes through I could relate to in many ways. Coping with death is a sensitive topic and expressing it into words even for me is really hard to do so I commend Catori for doing so and in a delicate and realistic manner. :)
*Shady Cove: New Girl in Town” ARC was provided to me via Ava Catori Books on NetGallery for an honest review.*
“Sometimes when you struggle and have to work for something, it helps you appreciate it more.”
My Rating:
-Overall : 8
-Plot : 8
-Writing : 9
-Characters : 9
-Cover : 8
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