Rating:Tia and Will’s lives get flipped upside down when they’re voted Yearbook’s Biggest Flirts in this sassy novel from the author of Endless Summer and The One That I Want.
Tia just wants to have fun. She’s worked hard to earn her reputation as the life of the party, and she’s ready for a carefree senior year of hanging out with friends and hooking up with cute boys. And her first order of business? New guy Will. She can’t get enough of his Midwestern accent and laidback swagger.
As the sparks start to fly, Will wants to get serious. Tia’s seen how caring too much has left her sisters heartbroken, and she isn’t interested in commitment. But pushing Will away drives him into the arms of another girl. Tia tells herself it’s no big deal…until the yearbook elections are announced. Getting voted Biggest Flirts with Will is, well, awkward. They may just be friends, but their chemistry is beginning to jeopardize Will’s new relationship—and causing Tia to reconsider her true feelings. What started as a lighthearted fling is about to get very complicated…
So, I fed my book addiction and bought this book on the day of it’s release. I don’t do that too often, unless it’s a part of a series. I don’t like to commit before I know everything about a book, you know?
My initial thoughts
So, I initially adored this book. I loved Tia and her laidback attitude. I loved how she was completely aware of how people viewed her, that she was viewed as a bit easy and a bit loose, but she was happy with that, because she had her own morals about how to act, what she did, and she had some major issues to contend with. I loved how she was a total slacker who was dead intelligent, a mild cliché, and that she didn’t have any plans on life. She was as directionless as I was at 18 and she had actual issues. I loved her dad and how she and her entire family are completely underestimated because of appearances, people just assume things about them without really knowing anything about them.
I loved Tia’s friends, they were all so different, but they complemented each other. Well, they did when they weren’t hating on each other anyway. I also loved that Tia had so many different friends, she didn’t get all cliquey or anything. I liked that she was friends with the head cheerleader but she was in marching band, something which is classed as being terribly geeky, or I assume it is (I’m not American, I don’t know how these things work). I also adored Sawyer, I predicted his whole storyline, but I adored him, even when he was being a typical male. Will was lovely, I love how Tia did the same thing everyone does to her, took him at his appearance and making assumptions about him. Will was such a nice guy, so sweet and lovely, with some typical boy issues, but completely pleasant.
My thoughts after a few days of finishing
So, I loved the characters. I love the premise of these series, that people have formed judgements of folks at school, without necessarily knowing anything about them, and cast voted for senior superlatives. I enjoyed reading how these titles affected other peoples’ view of others and that they formed an opinion based upon them. I think that is like the biggest theme of the book, forming opinions on people based upon appearance.
I wish there had been more to this book, though. I feel like they only scratched the surface of the characters and Echols could have done so much more with them. I mean, we vaguely understand Tia’s mega commitment issues, it was touched on with what happened with her mom, but it was not explored. Her relationship with her dad was touched upon, but not explored. Her relationship with her sisters was touched on but not explored, hell one of them we did not even get to see. And that is just Tia’s family, I mean, do we ever really learn anything about Will. He is touched upon as being a shy guy who sounds pretty awesome, had a conscience and is willing to put up with Tia’s bullshit, but he never gets developed into a fully fledged character. I think we learned more about Sawyer than we did about Will, how ridiculous is that?
Would I recommend this to others
This was a lovely easy light read. It probably doesn’t deserve my four star rating, but I liked it. Despite the lack of depth to this book, I really did enjoy it, because it was a promising read that didn’t disappoint, it just didn’t live up to its full potential, and I don’t think that’s a major flaw. If you want a light easy read set in a high school in Florida then for the love of God, read this book. This is a perfect light read. You will enjoy it. It won’t cause you stress. It is probably a good book palate cleanser.
So, has anyone else read this book? Did you enjoy it and am I completely off base with my view of it not living up to its full potential? Does anyone else have book palate cleanser recommendations, because we always need a good book to refresh us after an intense read?
Posts
Social Icons