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heyjudy's review against another edition
4.0
Review here: http://geekyreading.blogspot.com/2011/10/review-return-to-paradise-by-simone.html
clrwht's review against another edition
3.0
So much better than 'Leaving Paradise', the first book in the series. Fantastic storyline! Very funny scenes and characters. A little predictable but overall a great book!
nbwalks's review against another edition
4.0
Sooooo, I still can't stand Maggie :/ Buuuuut, I loved everyone else!
You know, I really do feel bad about not liking one of the main characters, but I just don't like her personality. I was hoping she would get better in this book since she supposedly "became stronger" and "accepted what has happened to her," but the reality is that she didn't. Not really. She still claimed the ownership of being the victim and said that Caleb wasn't one. EVEN THOUGH SHE KNEW THE TRUTH AND SHOULD HAVE UNDERSTOOD THAT HE WAS TOO!!!! Ugh! I hated her at that moment! Absolutely HATED her. Then the way she forced Caleb into admitting the truth? I wanted to slap her so hard. Caleb needed the time to deal with it but she wouldn't have it. She only cared about herself. I really don't see how Caleb can think that Maggie is "strong, selfless," and all of this other crap that I didn't see based on her actions. I must've been reading about the wrong girl.
Anyway, I loved reading about Caleb. I'm glad he finally faced his problems and stood up for himself. He has the right to be angry and he most definitely is a victim! Can't take that away from him Maggie, you just can't. -_-
I also loved meeting the new kids from the Re-START program. Their stories broke my heart, and even though they first came off as shallow, they were so much more than that. Especially Lenny. Oh. My. Goodness. His story brought me to tears! I just wanted to bawl my eyes out and pull him out of the pages that way I could hug him forever. *sigh*
Other than Maggie, this turned out to be a flawless story as to be expected from Elkeles. The ending was once again the best part especially since the Becker's finally have hope. I also have hope for Lenny and Julio. They deserve to have a chance at a better life. And I really, really hope that Caleb ends up with his HEA even if it's with Maggie. He deserves it :) (I know that there aren't going to be any more books so it's up to my imagination but that's beside the point)
Overall Series Rating: 8/10 stars
You know, I really do feel bad about not liking one of the main characters, but I just don't like her personality. I was hoping she would get better in this book since she supposedly "became stronger" and "accepted what has happened to her," but the reality is that she didn't. Not really. She still claimed the ownership of being the victim and said that Caleb wasn't one. EVEN THOUGH SHE KNEW THE TRUTH AND SHOULD HAVE UNDERSTOOD THAT HE WAS TOO!!!! Ugh! I hated her at that moment! Absolutely HATED her. Then the way she forced Caleb into admitting the truth? I wanted to slap her so hard. Caleb needed the time to deal with it but she wouldn't have it. She only cared about herself. I really don't see how Caleb can think that Maggie is "strong, selfless," and all of this other crap that I didn't see based on her actions. I must've been reading about the wrong girl.
Anyway, I loved reading about Caleb. I'm glad he finally faced his problems and stood up for himself. He has the right to be angry and he most definitely is a victim! Can't take that away from him Maggie, you just can't. -_-
I also loved meeting the new kids from the Re-START program. Their stories broke my heart, and even though they first came off as shallow, they were so much more than that. Especially Lenny. Oh. My. Goodness. His story brought me to tears! I just wanted to bawl my eyes out and pull him out of the pages that way I could hug him forever. *sigh*
Other than Maggie, this turned out to be a flawless story as to be expected from Elkeles. The ending was once again the best part especially since the Becker's finally have hope. I also have hope for Lenny and Julio. They deserve to have a chance at a better life. And I really, really hope that Caleb ends up with his HEA even if it's with Maggie. He deserves it :) (I know that there aren't going to be any more books so it's up to my imagination but that's beside the point)
Overall Series Rating: 8/10 stars
nighteyes82's review against another edition
3.0
I liked to reunite with the characters and finally know how it "ends" for them. but the story missed in intensity like in the first book.
jen286's review against another edition
4.0
I was a little hesitant to start this book, but super excited at the same time. The first book I loved, so I was worried that this second one would not be as good. I am glad I had nothing to worry about, I loved this second book even more than the first. While I was yelling at Caleb to stop being so stupid and stop with the tough guy act I still liked him and wanted everything to work out for him. Really I wish I could get even more story from these two - I just love them. Now to look for some more of the authors work and hope it is as good.
missgrangerr's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
jillwrigley's review against another edition
3.0
Holy angsty teens Batman! I get that the book was about dealing with tough stuff, but when it's the same thing over and over again, it gets old fast. Both Maggie and Caleb pissed me off frequently in this book.
papalbina's review against another edition
4.0
I cannot be impartial with this book. Caleb and Maggie are two of my favourite characters in books and I was so happy I could read the rest of their story that I didn't really care about how it was written.
But I sure realize one thing: it's present tense and it's first-person narrative and it's very well done, because you don't notice it the whole time (like in the book I read before that one). The rhythm is fluent, doesn't get stuck in details you don't need. It's sometimes repetitive, but without being annoying. The whole story is very strong in feelings, you feel like the characters. That was nice *___* The plot, the premise for the book is perhaps a bit weak, I think plots for second parts is Elkeles' weak spot and the secondary characters, as well, even if she did a good job with Lenny, the rest were a little bit blurred.
I read somewhere that Caleb was mean in this book. Hmm! I didn't see him that way. I saw him tormented, trapped in the past. That made him sour and tough. That and the life he chose to live at the end of "Leaving paradise". But it was beautiful to see him recovering thank to Maggie and it was nice to see that Maggie grew stronger and more secure. And it was pretty to see them together again *____*
All the story lines are closed at the end of the book, but one. When Maggie returns from Spain, she tells the reader about everybody, but Leah, or did I miss that? fO.o
You liked/loved "Perfect Chemistry"? You need to read "Leaving paradise" and "Return to paradise".
blumenstadtkind's review against another edition
5.0
Was that it? It´s over?
Oh boy, I could read about these two all my live... *sigh*
Even though this book had a lot of flaws I couldn´t put it down and I couldn´t help but finish it as soon as possible.
It´s just so addictive and well written and I´m really sad now that this series is over. It is, right? I´m not sure. But yeah, I guess it is because it had a really lovely ending.
Ok, of course I was totally frustrated with Caleb and Maggie, because you hear all the time and basically everywhere you go to "seize the day" and "live in the moment", "enjoy your life"... But apparantely neither of them ever heard of that or didn´t unterstand until it was almost too late.
I´m really really glad everything turned out right and we got a kinda geezy ending. But after all this struggle I am sooo glad, because they deserve an happy cheesy ending.
I could read Simones books for ever and ever... Such a wonderful art of writing and discribing characters. :)
Oh boy, I could read about these two all my live... *sigh*
Even though this book had a lot of flaws I couldn´t put it down and I couldn´t help but finish it as soon as possible.
It´s just so addictive and well written and I´m really sad now that this series is over. It is, right? I´m not sure. But yeah, I guess it is because it had a really lovely ending.
Ok, of course I was totally frustrated with Caleb and Maggie, because you hear all the time and basically everywhere you go to "seize the day" and "live in the moment", "enjoy your life"... But apparantely neither of them ever heard of that or didn´t unterstand until it was almost too late.
I´m really really glad everything turned out right and we got a kinda geezy ending. But after all this struggle I am sooo glad, because they deserve an happy cheesy ending.
I could read Simones books for ever and ever... Such a wonderful art of writing and discribing characters. :)
penandpencil's review against another edition
2.0
This author has potential, but this one has too much 90210-style melodrama and a story that has been unnecessarily stretched out to two books.