Release Date: June 24, 2014Published by: Katherine Tegen BooksStandaloneSource: Gifted from Around the World ARC ToursFor fans of: Realistic Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Grief, YA
Bettina Vasilis can hardly believe it when basketball star Brady Cullen asks her out, and she just about faints when her strict father actually approves of him.
But when school starts up again, Brady changes. What happened to the sweet boy she fell in love with? Then she meets a smoldering guy in his twenties, and this “cowboy” is everything Brady is not—gentle, caring, and interested in getting to know the real Bettina.
Bettina knows that breaking up with Brady would mean giving up her freedom—and that it would be inappropriate for anything to happen between her and Cowboy. Still, she can’t help that she longs for the scent of his auto shop whenever she’s anywhere else.
When tragedy strikes, Bettina must tell her family the truth—and kiss goodbye the things she thought she knew about herself and the men in her life.
Leslie Connor has written a lyrical, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful story about family, romance, and the immense power of love.
The thing I liked most about this book was the writing style. The story flowed and because of that it ended up being a quick easy read. It took me only 3 days to read it and lately with my work schedule it's been taking me a lot longer. It was just that every time I sat down and opened it, I was pulled back into Bettina's world."'Oddly I thought about Bampas and his life long instructions for me: Fili antio. Kiss it goodbye."
pg. 55 (ARC)
"'The bad stuff goes away when I'm around you."
pg. 123 (ARC)
"'Nobody's born doing the thing they die doing."
pg. 270 (ARC)
"'I thought it was sweet that he carried a handkerchief when most guys were most likely to be packing a condom."
pg. 322 (ARC)
Labels: Chick-lit, Contemporary Romance, Grief, Realistic Fiction, YA