Thursday, December 15, 2011

Review of Return to Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Title: Return to Paradise
Author: Simone Elkeles
Published by: Flux
Pages: 302
Source: Bought
Format: Paperback
Rating: ★★★★★

Summary from Goodreads: Caleb Becker left Paradise eight months ago, taking with him the secret he promised to take to his grave. If the truth got out, it would ruin everything.

Maggie Armstrong tried to be strong after Caleb broke her heart and disappeared. Somehow, she managed to move on. She's determined to make a new life for herself.

But then Caleb and Maggie are forced together on a summer trip. They try ignoring their passion for each other, but buried feelings resurface. Caleb must face the truth about the night of Maggie's accident, or the secret that destroyed their relationship will forever stand between them.

Some people like ambiguity.  I am not one of those people, so when Leaving Paradise ended the way it did I was heart broken.  I needed to know more about Caleb and Maggie so I quickly went out and bought Return to Paradise.

This novel was so raw and full of emotions that I was laughing one second and crying the other.  Simone Elkeles is one of the most amazing writers I've met.  I love her characters to pieces because they are not perfect, in fact, they are far from it, but they are real.  She always gives us a bad boy, who may not actually be a bad boy at all.  Isn't that the perfect combination! 

Caleb is quite a bit rougher in this novel.  He's definitely been through some hard times and not really sure how to control the  roller coaster of his life.  I really fell hard for Caleb in this novel.  I'm not sure if I can really explain it besides saying he became real to me.  He was no longer a character in a book, instead he represented something bigger.  I know I'm probably not making sense right now, so you'll just have to trust me and read the novel yourself.

Maggie is a girl I admire and look up to.  I love that she really found her inner strength and confidence.  She's definitely got some fire in her and she is one pissed off girl.  She wants one thing from Caleb...the one thing he is not willing to give her...and she's going to fight until he gives in.  I'm going to miss this girl something fierce!

Simone Elkeles is my hero...Read some of her books and she'll be your hero too!

4 comments:

  1. Great review! Sounds like a good book. =D I like the cover. He reminds me of Taylor Lautner. lol

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  2. That's it! I'm buying these books right now! I want to know imperfect but perfect Caleb! Awesome review. You gave me the chills! :)

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  3. I've never read these books, almost did to help a book nominee list for my state this year. They just don't sound like what I want to read. But your review makes it sound good.

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  4. Haha! I'm one of those who loved the ambiguity of the ending of the first book. This one was very raw and emotional - powerful, but I was a little disappointed because I loved the ending of the first one so much.

    I do love Simone Elkeles - she is really fantastic.

    Megan @ Read It, See It

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