Welcome to my stop on The Unloved blog tour by Jennifer Snyder hosted by YA Bound. Click here to see the rest of the blog tour schedule!
Sometimes the love our heart needs to heal can be found in the familiar eyes of a childhood friend...Julie Porter learned the hard way that trust is something which must be earned and not something to be given out lightly, those who say they love you are those who hold the power to hurt you most, and best friends can help you survive anything—until they move away.Nick Owen knows a thing or two about a hard life. At a young age Nick learned how to take a hit and to make lemonade out of the lemons life tossed his way. Returning home after nearly two years of being away, all Nick cares about now is protecting his mom from the abusive hands of his father and catching up with his best friend—the girl who lived across the street, the girl he can’t seem to stop thinking about.Finally reunited after two years apart, Nick and Julie are about to learn that age does nothing to protect you from life’s trials and tribulations, heartache and loss, but maybe together they’ll find a way to survive.(Mature Young Adult, contains violence, language, and sexual situations.)
A review copy was given to me
by the author in exchange for an honest review.
This book is full of heartbreak and sorrow,
but it is also brimming with hope. It shows a dark side of how the world can
be, and I really enjoyed it!
Julie Porter has lived with a stripper
mother and a string of her loser boyfriends for as long as she can remember.
Nick Owen has been beaten by his alcoholic father since he was little. They
became each other’s saviors and hope, finding solace in a small shed in Nick’s
backyard. When Nick moves away, Julie is lost. But when he returns 2 years
later, her life is at an all time low. Can they borrow strength from each other
in their hardest times, or…
My heart broke in many pieces for both
Julie and Nick. Julie lives with a horrible mother who spends all of her money on drugs and alcohol. She is
very self-sufficient, which is very impressive. She takes care of her little
brother. She doesn’t let many people in, and I definitely don’t blame her for
keeping people at arms length. My favorite thing about her is her resilience.
She doesn’t let her horrible life stop her from loving fully.
Nick has had an equally horrible life. He’s
a total sweetheart. He would do anything for the 2 women in his life, his
mother and Jules. He is uber protective and adorable. When he left for those
two years, he bulked up in order to protect himself and his mother from his
disgusting father. He is beyond sweet, and like Julie, he is full of strength.
Their group of friends were funny and
supportive. They brought a comical light to an otherwise very dark book. I
hated Jule’s mother for the blatant neglect she showed to her children. Anyone
who spends all their money on drugs and alcohol while not being able to afford
food for their kids is not okay in my book. Same with Nick’s alcoholic
father who beat him. Unacceptable.
The plot was great, despite the sad topics.
It moved very fast and was a fairly speedy read. It was full of some miserable
and very intense things, but it has a hopeful message. The writing has both
Jules and Nick’s POV, which was really nice. The chapters were a bit too short
for my liking. They kept switching between Nick and Julie pretty quickly, and
it was a bit hard to keep up. The romance was long developing. It was so cute
hearing about how they kept each other grounded when they were younger. Their
present romance was adorable. They always had each other’s back, which was
crucial with their messed-up home life. They were darling, although they were
rough around the edges, but they were so perfect for each other.
Even though this book was filled with some
melancholy topics, it brought to light a really hopeful meaning. I definitely
recommend this contemporary for anyone looking for real-life situations with a
delightful romance.
Favorite Swoon-worthy
Quote: My heart stopped and my breath caught in my
throat as Nick continued to brush his lips across mine, urging me to react. To
kiss him back.
Warmth spilled through my stomach and I closed my eyes, allowing
myself to become lost in the moment. My lips moved beneath his skilled ones
with ease. His hands cupped my face and his kisses grew slower, softer, before
he pulled away.
Rating: 4/5 Tar
Heels!
About the Author:
I live in a small town nestled in the mountains of Western North Carolina with my husband and two small children. Growing up, I was always an avid reader. My mother spent way too much money on R. L. Stine and Christopher Pike books!Writing a novel of my own wasn't something I'd ever given much thought to. It seemed like an unobtainable, far-fetched dream. Then, in late 2007, I attempted to put pen to paper for the first time. What came out wasn't pure gold. And what came out next wasn't either. Things didn't work that way for me. I had to write and rewrite and learn more about my 'voice' as an author first.It took me a while to find that. Roughly about two years.I did make a stab at going the traditional route to getting a novel of mine published, but it didn't work out. Some might say I gave up too quickly, some might not. You can look on the 'For Writers' tab to read my post on why I went the way I did to hear the full story.I will say, I don't regret my decision to Self-Publish. It was right for me. I'm loving that fact that I am able to still be a stay-at-home-mom even though my kids are both now in elementary school. I thank my readers for that. Seriously, a million times over I thank you! SHATTERED SOUL was my debut novel and no, you haven't seen the end of me yet...Find Jennifer on:
Make sure to enter the giveaway to win one e-copy of The Unloved!
Thanks so much for taking part in the tour. Love your review!
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