Guest Reviews: The Bet by Rachel Van Dyken and Come Back to Me by Coleen Patrick

Jessica is reviewing two more books on the blog today: The Bet and Come Back to Me.

Goodreads Summary:

"I have a proposition for you." Kacey should have run the minute those words left Seattle millionaire Jake Titus's mouth. It's been years since Kacey's seen her childhood friend Jake, but the minute Jake mentions his ill grandmother, Kacey is ready to do anything for the sweet old woman. And if that means pretending they're engaged for her sake-so be it.

But Kacey wasn't counting on Jake's older brother Travis still being there. She calls him "Satan" for a reason: she's never forgotten the way he teased and taunted her. Yet when they meet again, Travis's gorgeous smile is a direct hit to her heart . . . and Kacey's more confused than ever. As the days pass, only one thing starts to become alarmingly clear-she never should have accepted Jake's deal . .

Publication Date: March 26, 2013

Jessica's Review:

The writing is solid and the book is entertaining, but I really didn't like Kace. She allows herself to repeatedly get used by Jake and puts up with so much shit, sorry, that you slowly lose respect for her. I liked Travis, but even lost some respect for him for allowing Kace to put up with Jake and for not growing a pair sooner and saying how he felt. Kind of wimpy in my opinion.

3.5/5 Stars

Goodreads Summary:

Whitney Denison can’t wait to start over.

She thought she had everything under control, that her future would always include her best friend Katie… Until everything changed.

Now her life in Bloom is one big morning after hangover, filled with regret, grief, and tiny pinpricks of reminders that she was once happy. A happy she ruined. A happy she can’t fix.

So, she is counting down the days until she leaves home for Colson University, cramming her summer with busywork she didn’t finish her senior year, and taking on new hobbies that involve glue and glitter, and dodging anyone who reminds her of her old life.

When she runs into the stranger who drove her home on graduation night, after she’d passed out next to a ditch, she feels herself sinking again. The key to surviving the summer in Bloom is unraveling whatever good memories she can from that night.

But in searching for answers, she’ll have to ask for help and that means turning to Evan, the stranger, and Kyle, Katie’s ex-boyfriend. Suddenly, life flips again, and Whitney finds herself on not only the precipice of happy but love, too, causing her to question whether she can trust her feelings, or if she is falling into her old patterns of extremes.

As she uncovers the truth about her memories, Whitney sees that life isn’t all or nothing, and that happy isn’t something to wait for, that instead, happy might just be a choice.

Publication Date: April 10, 2013

Jessica's Review:

The writing was good, but the story was too predictable and it just doesn't stand out. I've read a few books dealing with this same topic, but this one didn't capture and hold my attention like some. Also, the only character worth anything or worth liking in the story is Evan. It should be the main character, the one whose voice is telling the story, but that didn't happen for me.

3/5 Stars

Thanks to the publishers for copies of these books for review!