Calmer Girls

76961e40-e004-4877-8670-b483c7a7185f.jpeg
Publisher Name
Take The Plunge Publishing
Age Range
14+
Release Date
August 30, 2016
ISBN13
978-0995308503
ISBN10 or ASIN
      

First love and family turmoil in a meaningful YA story. Sixteen-year-old introvert Samantha Cross is falling in love for the first time. There’s only one problem: she’s falling for her older sister’s boyfriend, Ben Swift. Her sister Veronica is beautiful, outgoing, and confident. Samantha is used to her sister getting all of the attention and everything she wants, even if she doesn’t like it. But now they’re being torn apart by love for the same boy, their parents’ separation and mother’s declining emotional state, and their move away from Calmer Cove into city life in St. John's. As her life crumbles apart around her, Samantha’s feelings for Ben only grow stronger. Then she finds out the boy driving the vintage Thunderbird has mysterious issues of his own. Will Samantha let Veronica keep the only boy she’s ever loved, or will she end up ruining her sister’s happiness to take control of her own? Tensions between the siblings escalate, and Samantha is torn between doing what she thinks is right and acting on her heart’s desire. One thing becomes clear: one of the Cross sisters is in for a broken heart.

First love and family turmoil in a meaningful YA story. Sixteen-year-old introvert Samantha Cross is falling in love for the first time. There’s only one problem: she’s falling for her older sister’s boyfriend, Ben Swift. Her sister Veronica is beautiful, outgoing, and confident. Samantha is used to her sister getting all of the attention and everything she wants, even if she doesn’t like it. But now they’re being torn apart by love for the same boy, their parents’ separation and mother’s declining emotional state, and their move away from Calmer Cove into city life in St. John's. As her life crumbles apart around her, Samantha’s feelings for Ben only grow stronger. Then she finds out the boy driving the vintage Thunderbird has mysterious issues of his own. Will Samantha let Veronica keep the only boy she’s ever loved, or will she end up ruining her sister’s happiness to take control of her own? Tensions between the siblings escalate, and Samantha is torn between doing what she thinks is right and acting on her heart’s desire. One thing becomes clear: one of the Cross sisters is in for a broken heart.

Editor reviews

2 reviews
Being Young
Overall rating
 
3.3
Writing Style
 
N/A
Plot
 
N/A
Characters
 
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
Reviewed for YA Books Central

Young love makes one foolish.

The story:
Samantha is not the girl people are drawn to. Being quiet, studious, and artsy makes moving to a new town difficult. After her parents painful separation and her mothers subsequent issues, all Sam has is her sister Veronica. Veronica is the kind of person she wishes she could be. Carefree. Fun.
So when the boy Sam likes falls for her sister, she isn't surprised. But the match isn't one made in heaven. The sisters aren't the only people with an ocean of differences between them. As Sam and Ben grow closer, one thing becomes clear. She's in love with her sister's boyfriend.

What I liked:
Sam is a likable enough character. Despite her desperation, she's easy to root for. I truly wanted her to be happy. To get away from her family and have everything she wanted.
The writing is smooth and easy to keep turning pages.

What was just okay:
The story line was a bit ridiculous. The teens acted in extreme ways that we highly unbelievable and unstable. Love makes you do stupid things, but not THAT stupid of things. Ben had a lot of issues, but none of them excused his actions. Maybe if more time was spent delving into his depression, I wouldn't have disliked him so much. Sam deserved so much better. Frankly, so did Veronica.

Final Verdict:
A heartbreaking story about what it means to be young, in love, and a little bit broken. A well-written story that won't soon be forgotten.
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