Review of One Moment by Kristina McBride

I received One Moment by Kristina McBride through the publisher on NetGalley and this was the first novel I read by the author.

Goodreads Summary:

This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie’s life. Now it’s the one she’d do anything to forget.

Maggie Reynolds remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party the night before. She remembers climbing the trail hand in hand with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can’t she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below—dead?

As Maggie’s memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?

The latest novel from the author of The Tension of Opposites, One Moment is a mysterious, searing look at how an instant can change everything you believe about the world around you.

What I Liked: One Moment is a great beach read. You can kind of turn off your brain and go with it. I liked the writing style of the author and felt she depicted teenagers in a realistic and honest way. The first few chapters were really good and kept me reading. I also liked how we went through the phases of grief with Maggie as she came to terms with not only the death of her boyfriend, but finding out he wasn't exactly the person she thought he was.

What I Didn't Like: I kept waiting for MORE to happen. During 272 pages nothing much happens. The big reveal about Joey's secret can easily be guessed from the get-go. I think there was plenty of potential for a big twist to surprise the reader. I also felt the story lacked character development. I would've liked to know more about Maggie and her life outside of Joey.

Star Rating: Three out of Five Stars