I originally rated this book 3 stars, but as I contemplated what it was that I just finished, I don't think I can give it higher than a 2.5 stars, hence the 2 star GR rating.

I've read several Sarah Dessen books in the course of the last year or so. The first I read was Saint Anything, which I really loved. I feel like that is definitely my favorite of hers, and none of them have lived up to that book, even though I have enjoyed some of them quite a bit.

The Synopsis: Ruby Cooper has had to take care of herself for a long time, long before her neglectful mother finally abandoned her for good. Now she's staying with her estranged sister and going to a new school, all while getting to know the hot and sweet (because of course he is) guy next door.

What I liked:

1. The premise. The concept of this book had a lot of promise. Neglect and abuse are topics that are tackled in this book and I was really intrigued by that. Unfortunately...

What I didn't like:
1. Lack of focus. There are just too many things going on in this book. It's kind of all over the place. I wish it had been streamlined a bit. There are so many subplots and threads that she tries to cover that it felt a little jumbled. Broken families, neglect, abuse, drugs and alcohol addiction, teen drug use, infertility issues, duplicitous friends...so many different things going on here, and so many of them have little to no closure.

2. The romance was lackluster. I wish Ruby and Nate had been strictly friends, because I felt zero chemistry between the two of them. There wasn't anything wrong or problematic. It was just bland. Ruby was kind of obnoxious to him and I didn't get why he would like her.

3. Ruby herself is pretty boring, which is too bad, because a character with all of her issues could be very intriguing. Her whiny attitude lasts far too long, and then she pretty much changes on a dime after having a breakdown one day and getting wasted. After that, she pretty much does a 180, personality-wise. Cora went through a similar transformation out of nowhere. At first she's cold and distant, then just turns into a wonderful, caring sister. I get that a lot of that is that we're seeing her through Ruby's biased eyes, but it all seemed a bit too easy.


4. Despite all of the heavy topics being discussed, none of these characters had depth or complexity. The side characters were pointless. They were literally props for the main character's supposed 'growth'. They didn't exist outside of their service to the protagonist. The only side character I thought was interesting (Nate's ex-girlfriend Heather) had two small scenes and again, was literally used as a plot device.

5. The ending. So this book goes on for over 400 pages. Its actually a relatively quick read. However, the end happens so abruptly and somehow is both all tied up and still open-ended. There were so many things I was wanting that I didn't get. Did Ruby and Cora reach out to their mother? I would've liked that story. Did they ever try to find their father? That's another story I would've liked to see. Instead we get a lukewarm, anticlimactic end, filled with cliches and loose ends that are very hastily and sloppily tied up. We are pretty much told about what happens to the characters as a flashback.

Other things:

1. Slut shaming

2. Trigger warnings for abuse


I wanted to like this book, and I read through it pretty easily, but there are definitely too many issues that I didn't like to recommend it.