A breathtaking journey cover to cover, this story was unlike any other I’ve ever read, and not what I expected at all. A captivating tale of second chances, nothing about this book felt formulaic or predictable, and the subtle supernatural undercurrent gently trickling through its pages only made this story even more compelling and novel. I was blown away by its striking prose and unique storyline from the get-go, and in no time at all, I became so emotionally invested in its two leading characters, that their every high and low became my own. A beautiful read, one I will forever cherish and recommend unreservedly.
“All this moving, from place to place, town to town. It felt like running away when I really wanted to plant myself somewhere solid and recover. Heal.”
Josephine “Jo” Clark might be only a few months shy of her eighteenth birthday, but she has overcome more loss and suffering in her young life than most people will experience in their entire lifetime. Left an orphan at the age of thirteen, she has lived with her only known relative ever since then, mostly left to her own devices as they move from one town to the next, never putting down roots or making any place a true home. From the moment the tiny town of Planerville, Iowa appears on the horizon, Jo knows it would be no different from the many towns that came before it—her appearance setting her apart from her peers and their small-mindedness ensuring she’d never be accepted by any of them. But while hiding from the world behind a façade of indifference and remoteness, Jo realises that there is someone in that small town who might be even more marginalized than she is.
“Why are you here? Why are you hanging out with the town freak at a waterpark in the middle of the night? Tell me the truth, please. Please.”
“This. How you’re looking at me right now. This is why I’m here. I thought…if you saw me, you wouldn’t care that I’m ugly. You might not think I was ruined.”
Evan Salinger has felt unwanted every single day of his life. Abandoned by his birth parents as a toddler and adopted into a family that never felt as his own, Evan counts down the days until he graduates high school and leaves Planerville behind, dreaming of a new life where he would never feel hated, rejected, or judged by anyone ever again.
“Let’s do something really f*cking crazy and trust each other.”
From the moment Jo and Evan meet, their very peculiarities are what draws them to one another in the first place. In each other’s arms, they find the escape they so desperately crave in order to cope with their harsh reality, and soon, their bond becomes unbreakable. They dream of forging a future together, of moving to a place where they would not feel trapped or labelled, but as quickly as their bleak reality is replaced by hope and happiness, it is all just as quickly stolen from them.
Four years go by, four years of living apart and enduring the cruel hand of fate that life has served them both, but their extraordinary connection has not even dwindled. As we find Jo in desperate need of help, and Evan rushing to save her, the young lovers are given a second chance at happiness, and this time around, they are willing to fight tooth and nail to seize it. Even if they end up paying the ultimate price for it.
“Thanks, Evan,” she whispered.
I would die for you, Jo.
“Any time.”
This is a truly delightful tale of a love written in the stars, of an unconditional, selfless bond between two people who find hope and peace in each other, and I fell in love with every single word. Ms Scott is a tremendous storyteller, adept in perfectly pacing the story to suit the storyline and its characters, and for the hours it took me to read this book, I was completely lost in its world. This is a story that celebrates the ‘underdogs’, the very people who are expected to lose all their battles in life, and it is not only a story that acknowledges their struggles, but also one that rewards them with the ending they always deserved. I felt compelled to love them, cheer for them, cry with them, and it is not a story I’ll easily forget. I recommend this book with all my heart to anyone seeking to feed theirs.
“You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen.”
Excerpt
“I didn’t do that so I could get something in exchange. You don’t owe me anything. That’s not how this works.”
“How what works?” I asked in a small voice.
“Us.”
I felt shy and unsure and completely exposed. More than even when he was between my thighs, kissing me to oblivion and back again.
“So this is us?” I asked.
“Yeah,” Evan said, cupping my jaw. He swallowed hard. “This is us.”
I felt something break open in me. I wanted to cry. I laughed instead, and threw my arms around his neck, driving us both under the surface. I kissed him and tasted myself on his lips, and his own sweetness before the chlorine water washed it away.
We came up laughing and sputtering, my hair in my eyes. Evan raised both hands and brushed the long, dark locks from my face…and from my scar. I held still, letting him do this, letting him see me, and he smiled.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, and kissed me long and hard, and I sighed into that kiss, into his body, into him. I wasn’t beautiful, not anymore, but it was still nice to hear.
“I know you don’t believe me,” Evan said, his words echoing my thoughts with uncanny precision. “But it’s true.”
I felt myself turn rigid, ready to pull away, but Evan wouldn’t let me. His arms slipped under mine and around my back, drawing me toward him. He raised one hand to my scar, his fingers soft and gentle, and warm over the lightning crack that marred my cheek.
“The Grand Canyon was carved by a river. It sliced through the rock, revealing layer upon layer of beauty, and a depth that couldn’t be seen until it was cut open. One little sliver of water…”
“Evan…”
“One little sliver.” He traced the ragged seam down to my chin. “The majesty of the Canyon is that depth; layer upon layer of beauty, buried for years, until the river cut it open, revealing everything.”
I felt tears sting my eyes and pressed my cheek into his hand. “Don’t,” I whispered. “I can’t take it.”
“It’s okay, Jo.” Evan smiled gently and pulled me to him. “It’s okay.”
No, it wasn’t okay, but he didn’t fight me or try to force it on me. Years of feeling ugly couldn’t be erased with a few poetic similes. But he was here in my arms and I was in his, and the way he looked at me…I could almost believe what he was saying was true, and that was good enough for me.
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A beautiful review for a beautiful story!
This story really touched me. :)