ARC Book Review | The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

Format: e-ARC
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: March 31, 2015
My Rating: 3.5 Stars

Following her pitch-perfect debut Open Road Summer, Emery Lord pens another gorgeous story of best friends, new love, & second chances.

Brimming with heartfelt relationships and authentic high-school dynamics The Start of Me and You proves that it’s never too late for second chances.

It’s been a year since it happened—when Paige Hancock’s first boyfriend died in an accident. After shutting out the world for two years, Paige is finally ready for a second chance at high school . . . and she has a plan. First: Get her old crush, Ryan Chase, to date her—the perfect way to convince everyone she’s back to normal. Next: Join a club—simple, it’s high school after all. But when Ryan’s sweet, nerdy cousin, Max, moves to town and recruits Paige for the Quiz Bowl team (of all things!) her perfect plan is thrown for a serious loop. Will Paige be able to face her fears and finally open herself up to the life she was meant to live?

Review

Something to Note: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Why Did I Want To Read The Start of Me and You: I wanted to read The Start of Me and You because I read and loved Lord's debut, Open Road Summer last year and I couldn't wait to read more of her books.

The Characters: While I really liked most of the characters, I did have a hard time connecting with Paige, the main character.  I get that she has been through a lot with her first boyfriend dying, but she often seemed clueless, especially when it came to Ryan and Max.  If I had been one of her friends, I would have knocked her upside the head and told her to get a clue.  When she finally opens her eyes, I think I actually screamed "Finally!" but of course, other things happened after that, which just added to my frustration because I felt like it was something that could have been resolved if there was a little communication going on.

However, in the end I was really rooting for Paige and I wanted her to be happy, I just wish she would have opened her eyes a little sooner, but I guess we all go at our on pace, and hers was just a little slower than I was hoping for.

Moving on, I actually LOVED Max, he was the sweet nerd that everyone overlooks, but he grabbed my attention from the moment we met.  I also really liked Paige's friends, Tessa, Morgan and Kayleigh, and Ryan wasn't so bad once we got to know him.

My Overall Thoughts: I know it may seem like I didn't enjoy this book at all from my comments on the MC, but that isn't the case at all.  Sure, I would have enjoyed it more if I felt more of a connection with her, but in the end this was a really cute story and I'm glad I read it.

I loved the fact that Paige had such amazing friends, they were the type that were there for each other no matter what, and no questions asked.  They dropped everything if the other was in need of a friend, and I loved that so much. I also loved the fact that there were parents present, and they were good ones at that.
  

One Line Wrap Up: A cute story about friendships, overcoming your fears, and learning to move on in the face of tragedy.

I Would Recommend For Fans Of: Open Road Summer, Golden, and Nantucket Blue