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paigejenkins's review against another edition
3.0
All they have in common is that they're less than perfect. And all they're looking for is the perfect distraction.
Kate's dream boyfriend has just broken up with her and she's still reeling from her diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Aidan planned on being a lifer in the army and went to Afghanistan straight out of high school. Now he's a disabled young veteran struggling to embrace his new life. When Kate and Aidan find each other neither one wants to get attached. But could they be right for each other after all?
I know, it's kind of funny reading a book with summer in the title in the middle of autumn/almost winter, but I was really anticipating Jolene Perry's The Summer I Found You so I jumped at the opportunity when offered it by the publisher via Netgalley. I've always been a big supporter of those serving our country, and on both my mother and father's side of the family are many veterans that have proudly served our country since long before I was even thought of. So, I on a personal level understand the hardships that are faced with coming back home to us, whether physically injured or not. My family also has a history of diabetes(both type one and two), including my own father. So, because of all this, I felt I was in for a really great read. However, though I did enjoy the novel overall, I found myself to be a bit disappointed in places.
To start, I found Kate to be pretty childish. I know this may sound harsh consider what she was going through, but, personally, this is the impression I got. I mean, after a year of taking shots she still has to lie on the floor to do it? Not to mention, she should have definitely had the hang of keeping her blood sugar under control by then and not have those major highs and lows. Quite frankly, if it had been me(and I'm seventeen, as well) my parents would have forced me to have the insulin pump a long time ago. The thing is though, they wouldn't have to, because if I was that irresponsible I would want what is best for my health. Throughout the book, though, you see her change a bit and I feel that she sort of redeems herself, but not totally. She still has some growing up to do, but I think it will come(hypothetically, of course, there's no sequel that I know of).
Then there's Aidan/Aiden(spelling changed throughout, a bit bothersome but it's an ARC so acceptable). He was really the saving grace from this being a one or two star book for me. Whereas I wasn't a fan of the way Kate was written, Aidan was truly likable and I found myself rooting for him to find out what he wanted to do with the rest of his life post-Army and to see if he'd finally begin to heal by visiting Pilot's(the man killed in the same accident he lost his arm in)wife-or if he even would. You could also really see the inner turmoil as he fought himself on whether or not pursuing a relationship with Kate was the right idea. I applaud him on wanting to semi-get his own life in order first, at least at the start. The only thing I saw in Aidan that was annoying was his constantly not wanting to be with Kate or hang out with her because he thought all high school girls are overly dramatic and that they are clingy. This seemed rather stereotypical to me as I know this is not true, and also know that these traits can occur in people of all ages and in both men and women.
Like I said, though, overall I did like reading this book, it just wasn't the new favorite it had the potential to be. I did enjoy the little bits of suspense throughout, but I just didn't feel that any of the side characters were developed too well, with the exception of maybe Kate's sister, but just one little moment when Kate was on house arrest. Other than that it was basically the Kate and Aidan show. I do feel, however, that some people might really enjoy this, especially teens that can overlook the teenage girl bias within.
Looking at the moments of The Summer I Found You that I found particularly enjoyable, I feel that I'd be willing to give Jolene Perry another chance before writing her off as she at times has a way of writing that really pulled me in.
**I received this book in exchange for an honest review from the publisher via Netgalley, but this in no way affected my opinion.**
Kate's dream boyfriend has just broken up with her and she's still reeling from her diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Aidan planned on being a lifer in the army and went to Afghanistan straight out of high school. Now he's a disabled young veteran struggling to embrace his new life. When Kate and Aidan find each other neither one wants to get attached. But could they be right for each other after all?
I know, it's kind of funny reading a book with summer in the title in the middle of autumn/almost winter, but I was really anticipating Jolene Perry's The Summer I Found You so I jumped at the opportunity when offered it by the publisher via Netgalley. I've always been a big supporter of those serving our country, and on both my mother and father's side of the family are many veterans that have proudly served our country since long before I was even thought of. So, I on a personal level understand the hardships that are faced with coming back home to us, whether physically injured or not. My family also has a history of diabetes(both type one and two), including my own father. So, because of all this, I felt I was in for a really great read. However, though I did enjoy the novel overall, I found myself to be a bit disappointed in places.
To start, I found Kate to be pretty childish. I know this may sound harsh consider what she was going through, but, personally, this is the impression I got. I mean, after a year of taking shots she still has to lie on the floor to do it? Not to mention, she should have definitely had the hang of keeping her blood sugar under control by then and not have those major highs and lows. Quite frankly, if it had been me(and I'm seventeen, as well) my parents would have forced me to have the insulin pump a long time ago. The thing is though, they wouldn't have to, because if I was that irresponsible I would want what is best for my health. Throughout the book, though, you see her change a bit and I feel that she sort of redeems herself, but not totally. She still has some growing up to do, but I think it will come(hypothetically, of course, there's no sequel that I know of).
Then there's Aidan/Aiden(spelling changed throughout, a bit bothersome but it's an ARC so acceptable). He was really the saving grace from this being a one or two star book for me. Whereas I wasn't a fan of the way Kate was written, Aidan was truly likable and I found myself rooting for him to find out what he wanted to do with the rest of his life post-Army and to see if he'd finally begin to heal by visiting Pilot's(the man killed in the same accident he lost his arm in)wife-or if he even would. You could also really see the inner turmoil as he fought himself on whether or not pursuing a relationship with Kate was the right idea. I applaud him on wanting to semi-get his own life in order first, at least at the start. The only thing I saw in Aidan that was annoying was his constantly not wanting to be with Kate or hang out with her because he thought all high school girls are overly dramatic and that they are clingy. This seemed rather stereotypical to me as I know this is not true, and also know that these traits can occur in people of all ages and in both men and women.
Like I said, though, overall I did like reading this book, it just wasn't the new favorite it had the potential to be. I did enjoy the little bits of suspense throughout, but I just didn't feel that any of the side characters were developed too well, with the exception of maybe Kate's sister, but just one little moment when Kate was on house arrest. Other than that it was basically the Kate and Aidan show. I do feel, however, that some people might really enjoy this, especially teens that can overlook the teenage girl bias within.
Looking at the moments of The Summer I Found You that I found particularly enjoyable, I feel that I'd be willing to give Jolene Perry another chance before writing her off as she at times has a way of writing that really pulled me in.
**I received this book in exchange for an honest review from the publisher via Netgalley, but this in no way affected my opinion.**
phishbowlreads's review against another edition
4.0
Kate's going through some rough patches. Her perfect boyfriend dumped her out of the blue, she's having one hell of a time dealing with the recent diagnosis of her diabetes. Along comes her bff's cousin, Aidan--a veteran back home from Afghanistan dealing with the loss of his arm. Older, good looking, seemingly interested in her--the perfect distraction from her problems, right?
I think Jolene hit Kate's character spot on. She's your typical seventeen year old who thinks she's invincible. Diabetes can't keep her down--if she ignores it, it'll just go away, right? She does NOT have the time or energy to devote to maintaining this disease. She's self-absorbed, she's blunt and to the point--I love it. She reminds me of me when I her age. I was totally right there with her while she was dealing with her feelings post-break-up with Shelton. I, too, hit a breaking point when my perfect highschool boyfriend broke up with me :|
Aidan is a war veteran at the young age of nineteen. He's got his whole life ahead of him but he cannot feel anymore lost after returning home (less an arm) from Afghanistan. He's going through the usual frustration of trying to figure out what to do with himself for the rest of his life. On top of the usual problems, he's got the added stress of dealing with the affects war has had on him--both physically and mentally. He's a strong fellow and it was nice to see him work things out--it doesn't always work out so well for everyone.
I definitely enjoyed The Summer I Found You. It was not too deep but it had enough of an interesting/different kind of story to keep a reader interested. The story hosts relatable characters (hi, Kate is living my seventeenth year of life, I swear!!) and focusses on real life problems (dealing with diabetes). Kate and Aidan are two young and fresh teens and they're falling in love--and who can hate on that?
I think Jolene hit Kate's character spot on. She's your typical seventeen year old who thinks she's invincible. Diabetes can't keep her down--if she ignores it, it'll just go away, right? She does NOT have the time or energy to devote to maintaining this disease. She's self-absorbed, she's blunt and to the point--I love it. She reminds me of me when I her age. I was totally right there with her while she was dealing with her feelings post-break-up with Shelton. I, too, hit a breaking point when my perfect highschool boyfriend broke up with me :|
Aidan is a war veteran at the young age of nineteen. He's got his whole life ahead of him but he cannot feel anymore lost after returning home (less an arm) from Afghanistan. He's going through the usual frustration of trying to figure out what to do with himself for the rest of his life. On top of the usual problems, he's got the added stress of dealing with the affects war has had on him--both physically and mentally. He's a strong fellow and it was nice to see him work things out--it doesn't always work out so well for everyone.
I definitely enjoyed The Summer I Found You. It was not too deep but it had enough of an interesting/different kind of story to keep a reader interested. The story hosts relatable characters (hi, Kate is living my seventeenth year of life, I swear!!) and focusses on real life problems (dealing with diabetes). Kate and Aidan are two young and fresh teens and they're falling in love--and who can hate on that?
readsbymelinda's review against another edition
5.0
The Summer I Found You is a beautiful love story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Kate and Aidan are both such unique characters struggling through some major problems. Kate has Type 1 Diabetes and Aidan lost an arm fighting in war in Afghanistan. There were many times throughout the book I just felt like yelling at Kate to honestly take her diabetes seriously but I still love her as a character anyway. Overall I thought this book was great and I would highly recommend it.
kimberlyfaye_reads's review against another edition
2.0
Find this review and more at kimberlyfaye reads.
The first thing I noticed about this book was, admittedly, the cover. It grabbed my attention immediately when I saw it on NetGalley. When I read the blurb, I loved the idea of two less-than-perfect characters, neither of which are looking for something real, finding it together. Sadly, it just wound up being "ok" for me.
I think my biggest problem with this book was that the characters felt flat. Kate wasn't very likable. I did feel bad that her boyfriend had left her and that she was obviously struggling with her Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis, but I just found her whiny and weak. She refused to take control of her illness and do the things that she needed to for her health. She lied and withheld information about it. It was irresponsible and immature and I had a difficult time with her because of it. I will say I enjoyed her sense of humor and general awkwardness. I can't say Aidan was unlikable, but that I just didn't connect with him that much. I liked him more than Kate. His struggle felt real and, unlike her, he was trying to do things to improve himself.
As flat as the characters felt separately, the relationship between the two was a little better. They were sweet together. I didn't feel a ton of chemistry between them, but that may have been because I didn't really connect with either of them. Their relationship truly felt like more of a really good friendship to me, right up until the end of the book. Several of their interactions were quite cute and charming, but I just felt like the feels were lacking.
I appreciate what the author was trying to do here with two imperfect characters. The story had a lot of potential and a younger audience might appreciate it more than I did. It wasn't that it was bad, it was just that it didn't really grab me or hold my attention. This story had the potential to be unforgettable, but I fear it will be just the opposite for me.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
The first thing I noticed about this book was, admittedly, the cover. It grabbed my attention immediately when I saw it on NetGalley. When I read the blurb, I loved the idea of two less-than-perfect characters, neither of which are looking for something real, finding it together. Sadly, it just wound up being "ok" for me.
I think my biggest problem with this book was that the characters felt flat. Kate wasn't very likable. I did feel bad that her boyfriend had left her and that she was obviously struggling with her Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis, but I just found her whiny and weak. She refused to take control of her illness and do the things that she needed to for her health. She lied and withheld information about it. It was irresponsible and immature and I had a difficult time with her because of it. I will say I enjoyed her sense of humor and general awkwardness. I can't say Aidan was unlikable, but that I just didn't connect with him that much. I liked him more than Kate. His struggle felt real and, unlike her, he was trying to do things to improve himself.
As flat as the characters felt separately, the relationship between the two was a little better. They were sweet together. I didn't feel a ton of chemistry between them, but that may have been because I didn't really connect with either of them. Their relationship truly felt like more of a really good friendship to me, right up until the end of the book. Several of their interactions were quite cute and charming, but I just felt like the feels were lacking.
I appreciate what the author was trying to do here with two imperfect characters. The story had a lot of potential and a younger audience might appreciate it more than I did. It wasn't that it was bad, it was just that it didn't really grab me or hold my attention. This story had the potential to be unforgettable, but I fear it will be just the opposite for me.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
an_eccentric_wildflower's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
- Strong character development? Yes
3.0
emilyjean33's review against another edition
1.0
Normally giving a book the shame of a one-star rating is enough to pacify me, but this book was such complete nonsense, I have to share.
First of all, two big complaints that no amount of quality writing could have made up for: the author fails to remember if her main character's name is Aiden or Aidan (at the very least the editor should have caught that?) and this novel, named "The Summer I Found You" does not, at any point of the story, take place during summer. Not even sure how to react to that oversight. It's so ridiculous I want to laugh. Why name it that?
Now, onto the actual characters and plot of the story. The back cover tells a promising enough tale: a 17-year-old Kate is struggling with the changes in her life resulting from her recent diagnosis of type one diabetes when she meets Aidan (Aiden?) a 19-year-old veteran sent home after suffering an injury. Offering the potential of great character development, in-depth discussions on mental and physical health, and two characters who understand what the other is going through in a way no one else seems to, the book fails to deliver on all of the above.
Kate "struggling" to accept her diagnosis should be read as, "Kate ignores her illness completely despite her parents, sister, and friends literally begging her to eat on a regular basis and take her shots so she doesn't die. She simply blows them off, throws tantrums about how unfair it all is, and continues to lie to her doctor and suffer a series of incidents from shaking, passing out, and hospitalization."
Kate forces herself to be a victim, and I'm not sure if this is meant to be an aspect of her character or a reflection of how the author views teenage girls (she never fails to miss an opportunity to lement on how annoying high school girls are). I'm actually half convinced her diagnosis was simply a plot device used to drive her and Aidan apart, considering she spent the whole book lying to him about it and the climax of the story involved her secret being revealed in the worst way possible (who would have guessed?) and Aidan breaking things off. In the end, Kate was one of the most annoying and incredibly bland main characters who had no real personality traits beyond a disease that was simply used as a bad plot device.
Aidan himself is not without his own sins, however. While his chapters come as a nice breath of fresh air after having to read from Kate's POV, he is still in no way, enjoyable. His whole storyline is such a tragedy, not because he lost his arm, but because it had the real potential to tackle something meaningful and instead, it chose to use his injury as another bad plot device. In the beginning of the story, we see Aidan struggling from PTSD, nightmares, flashbacks, and the difficulties of having lost not only an arm but a close friend thanks to a bomb. He also struggles with the fact that everyone in his life now treats him differently, and he can't seem to sit through a single therapy session.
But do we seem him deal with or overcome any of this? No. Halfway through the book, he walks out of therapy while angry, and never returns. We never mention his therapy again, nor does he consider going back. His PTSD seems to vanish overnight, never having been actually dealt with, he never gets the chance to sit down and talk to the people in his life about what he's going through, but hey, at least he got the chance to talk to his friend's widow, for about two pages. Aidan's "happy ending" is getting back together with Kate without having dealt with any of his own problems.
Aidan and Kate together are almost worse than they are on their own. Aidan constantly whines about how annoying teenage and high school girls are, how much drama they have, how young they are, how stupid high school relationships are, and how frustrating it is to be dating a high school girl (so...why are you?). He spends the whole book second-guessing his relationship with Kate, and we never truly seem him actually enjoy being with Kate...sure he compliments her looks and talks about how great it is to make out with her, but he genuinely never talks about any part of HER that he enjoys beyond her looks. That's okay though because Kate is the same way. She never reflects on why she likes Aiden or his personality, it's always the looks. And after getting over her ex, she always compares how he dresses vs how Aidan dresses as a measure of which is better and more mature. Apparently anything beyond and t-shirt and jeans is "trying too hard" and she can't believe she liked that before. Their relationship is almost entirely physical, which is fine, but I'm not sure why it's being sold to me as love.
The two also never get to the point the WHOLE book was based on: two people going through similar life changes connecting and sharing their experiences with someone who understands them. Kate lies about her illness the whole time while demanding more and more information from Aidan about his arm and making jokes about it so often it becomes ridiculous. We get it, she doesn't hide from his injury like everyone else, move on. But don't be confused, Aidan's version of "sharing" is a sentence or so every hundred pages. Certainly not the in-depth conversations and discussions about mental health I expected. We don't even get a satisfying conversation when they reconcile. Kate writes a letter and Aidan shows up later to get back with her, we never see a real dialogue between the two on their issues.
In the end, Kate ends up in the hospital because she put off eating, again. Aidan learns her secret, and despite lying in a hospital bed with an IV, she claims her disease is still no big deal. Finally, after a verbal lashing from Aidan, who breaks up with her and takes off for days (still not dealing with his own issues or going back to therapy), Kate decides she should probably try to eat every now and again. She's gonna live now, and it's all thanks to her boyfriend! Forget her parents sobbing in the doctor's offices, that does nothing for this girl, it's all about the boy angst. Aidan and Kate reunite, with Kate's whole life looking wonderful, and Aidan will probably go to bed and have nightmares because he never got the therapy he needed.
Skip this one, guys.
First of all, two big complaints that no amount of quality writing could have made up for: the author fails to remember if her main character's name is Aiden or Aidan (at the very least the editor should have caught that?) and this novel, named "The Summer I Found You" does not, at any point of the story, take place during summer. Not even sure how to react to that oversight. It's so ridiculous I want to laugh. Why name it that?
Now, onto the actual characters and plot of the story. The back cover tells a promising enough tale: a 17-year-old Kate is struggling with the changes in her life resulting from her recent diagnosis of type one diabetes when she meets Aidan (Aiden?) a 19-year-old veteran sent home after suffering an injury. Offering the potential of great character development, in-depth discussions on mental and physical health, and two characters who understand what the other is going through in a way no one else seems to, the book fails to deliver on all of the above.
Kate "struggling" to accept her diagnosis should be read as, "Kate ignores her illness completely despite her parents, sister, and friends literally begging her to eat on a regular basis and take her shots so she doesn't die. She simply blows them off, throws tantrums about how unfair it all is, and continues to lie to her doctor and suffer a series of incidents from shaking, passing out, and hospitalization."
Kate forces herself to be a victim, and I'm not sure if this is meant to be an aspect of her character or a reflection of how the author views teenage girls (she never fails to miss an opportunity to lement on how annoying high school girls are). I'm actually half convinced her diagnosis was simply a plot device used to drive her and Aidan apart, considering she spent the whole book lying to him about it and the climax of the story involved her secret being revealed in the worst way possible (who would have guessed?) and Aidan breaking things off. In the end, Kate was one of the most annoying and incredibly bland main characters who had no real personality traits beyond a disease that was simply used as a bad plot device.
Aidan himself is not without his own sins, however. While his chapters come as a nice breath of fresh air after having to read from Kate's POV, he is still in no way, enjoyable. His whole storyline is such a tragedy, not because he lost his arm, but because it had the real potential to tackle something meaningful and instead, it chose to use his injury as another bad plot device. In the beginning of the story, we see Aidan struggling from PTSD, nightmares, flashbacks, and the difficulties of having lost not only an arm but a close friend thanks to a bomb. He also struggles with the fact that everyone in his life now treats him differently, and he can't seem to sit through a single therapy session.
But do we seem him deal with or overcome any of this? No. Halfway through the book, he walks out of therapy while angry, and never returns. We never mention his therapy again, nor does he consider going back. His PTSD seems to vanish overnight, never having been actually dealt with, he never gets the chance to sit down and talk to the people in his life about what he's going through, but hey, at least he got the chance to talk to his friend's widow, for about two pages. Aidan's "happy ending" is getting back together with Kate without having dealt with any of his own problems.
Aidan and Kate together are almost worse than they are on their own. Aidan constantly whines about how annoying teenage and high school girls are, how much drama they have, how young they are, how stupid high school relationships are, and how frustrating it is to be dating a high school girl (so...why are you?). He spends the whole book second-guessing his relationship with Kate, and we never truly seem him actually enjoy being with Kate...sure he compliments her looks and talks about how great it is to make out with her, but he genuinely never talks about any part of HER that he enjoys beyond her looks. That's okay though because Kate is the same way. She never reflects on why she likes Aiden or his personality, it's always the looks. And after getting over her ex, she always compares how he dresses vs how Aidan dresses as a measure of which is better and more mature. Apparently anything beyond and t-shirt and jeans is "trying too hard" and she can't believe she liked that before. Their relationship is almost entirely physical, which is fine, but I'm not sure why it's being sold to me as love.
The two also never get to the point the WHOLE book was based on: two people going through similar life changes connecting and sharing their experiences with someone who understands them. Kate lies about her illness the whole time while demanding more and more information from Aidan about his arm and making jokes about it so often it becomes ridiculous. We get it, she doesn't hide from his injury like everyone else, move on. But don't be confused, Aidan's version of "sharing" is a sentence or so every hundred pages. Certainly not the in-depth conversations and discussions about mental health I expected. We don't even get a satisfying conversation when they reconcile. Kate writes a letter and Aidan shows up later to get back with her, we never see a real dialogue between the two on their issues.
In the end, Kate ends up in the hospital because she put off eating, again. Aidan learns her secret, and despite lying in a hospital bed with an IV, she claims her disease is still no big deal. Finally, after a verbal lashing from Aidan, who breaks up with her and takes off for days (still not dealing with his own issues or going back to therapy), Kate decides she should probably try to eat every now and again. She's gonna live now, and it's all thanks to her boyfriend! Forget her parents sobbing in the doctor's offices, that does nothing for this girl, it's all about the boy angst. Aidan and Kate reunite, with Kate's whole life looking wonderful, and Aidan will probably go to bed and have nightmares because he never got the therapy he needed.
Skip this one, guys.
nataliew823's review against another edition
5.0
** ARC GRANTED BY NETGALLEY FOR HONEST REVIEW**
The Summer I Found You by Jolene Perry
I was stuck on this book after the first couple pages. This was an amazing book with such diverse issues.
Kate Walker is a normal crazy female teen that has her own little quirks like most teens. After her passing out in school and being taken away in an ambulance things got real. She woke up in the hospital to found out she has diabetes. That in its self changes life for her period.
Aidan Connelly is the 19yr old cousin of Kate's best friend Jen. Aidan is an Army Veteran that was hurt in Afghanistan that left him losing his right arm. Aidan was going to be a lifer in the Army but things are now changed forever. He is now living with his cousins, aunt and uncle until he can get back on his feet.
After Kate's boyfriend Shelton breaks up with her, Jen tries everything to cheer her up but it seems nothing will work. There's a party coming up so, Jen invited Aidan to come out with her, her boyfriend and Kate.
I really loved this book. Kate is your normal teenager and the way she handles the sudden news of her having diabetes is so normal and reminds me of myself. When anyone finds this out you either deny it or try to fix it but at that age oh my gosh that has got to be rough.
I enjoyed reading how Aidan is so conflicted and everything is far from his mind except the incident that caused him to lose his arm.
This story is of love, loss, angst, teen hormones and life changing events. I encourage anyone 16yrs old or older to read this due to the language. It was such a great book and five stars have been granted :)
The Summer I Found You by Jolene Perry
I was stuck on this book after the first couple pages. This was an amazing book with such diverse issues.
Kate Walker is a normal crazy female teen that has her own little quirks like most teens. After her passing out in school and being taken away in an ambulance things got real. She woke up in the hospital to found out she has diabetes. That in its self changes life for her period.
Aidan Connelly is the 19yr old cousin of Kate's best friend Jen. Aidan is an Army Veteran that was hurt in Afghanistan that left him losing his right arm. Aidan was going to be a lifer in the Army but things are now changed forever. He is now living with his cousins, aunt and uncle until he can get back on his feet.
After Kate's boyfriend Shelton breaks up with her, Jen tries everything to cheer her up but it seems nothing will work. There's a party coming up so, Jen invited Aidan to come out with her, her boyfriend and Kate.
I really loved this book. Kate is your normal teenager and the way she handles the sudden news of her having diabetes is so normal and reminds me of myself. When anyone finds this out you either deny it or try to fix it but at that age oh my gosh that has got to be rough.
I enjoyed reading how Aidan is so conflicted and everything is far from his mind except the incident that caused him to lose his arm.
This story is of love, loss, angst, teen hormones and life changing events. I encourage anyone 16yrs old or older to read this due to the language. It was such a great book and five stars have been granted :)
trishagreenie's review against another edition
4.0
I really loved this read, even if sometimes Kate was a teeny bit annoying. She had a good reason to be a bit whiny - and I love how she acted around Aidan, compared with how most people acted.
It was fun to read about two characters dealing with physical imperfections that you don't often find in fiction, particularly in works of romantic fiction. A girl with diabetes and a guy with one arm. Not your everyday 'fluffy romance' read. :)
I can't wait to read my next Jolene Perry book.
I'm also guessing about the 'read' date as I forgot to update at the time I finished.
It was fun to read about two characters dealing with physical imperfections that you don't often find in fiction, particularly in works of romantic fiction. A girl with diabetes and a guy with one arm. Not your everyday 'fluffy romance' read. :)
I can't wait to read my next Jolene Perry book.
I'm also guessing about the 'read' date as I forgot to update at the time I finished.
svreads's review against another edition
2.0
I have very mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I thought the idea was great. Girl with diabetes is struggling after being diagnosed and going through a breakup when she meets a guy who lost a limb while fighting overseas. Guy turns out to be a genuinely nice guy but she doesn't tell him about the diabetes because they just met and she doesn't know when the timing is right. So far so good.
And then....we do a 180 and are all of a sudden finding the girl in the hospital because she took her insulin before eating on one of their dates and the guy freaks out after taking her to the hospital and realizing she never told him about her diabetes, and for some reason, everyone apparently feels that they have the right to be pissed off at her for that. What??
I almost gave this book a two-star rating because as someone who has had type 1 diabetes for 15 years, I can honestly say it's not a very fair or realistic interpretation of life with this condition (I hate the word disease). I just want to make something clear. When you have diabetes, taking your medicine and eating right DO NOT guarantee good blood sugars. It appears that not only the author, but quite a few reviewers do not seem to understand this concept. I was INFURIATED that there are parts of this book in which the diabetic character is actually treated like she's being irresponsible because her blood sugars are not perfect or for not telling people. Are diabetics just supposed to go out into the world screaming "I HAVE DIABETES. I MIGHT DIE IF I EAT A COOKIE." Please.
I am LIVID that people who have reviewed this book actually had the audacity to ask "if you have supportive parents and take your medicine, how hard can it be to live with diabetes?"
I'm so glad you asked. Here's a basic rundown.
• When I was a child, my friends would tell me that their parents didn't want them to invite me to their birthday parties because they didn't want to have to deal with what I could and could not eat.
• In middle school, I was made fun of for having to go to the bathroom to take shots after lunch.
• When I was in 8th grade, a diabetic 6th grader (A SIXTH GRADER) killed himself because his classmates made fun of him for having to pack his own lunch because what the school board mandated cafeteria served wasn't even close to healthy.
• I have a very hard time finding clothing that conceals my insulin pump and does not make me feel self-conscious about it.
• I have people ask me why I'm wearing a beeper on a weekly basis.
• I have anxiety about passing out at the wheel even when my blood sugars are doing great.
• If I had a dollar for every time someone found out about my diabetes told me they knew exactly what I was going through because their grandmother, uncle, cousin, cousin's first wife's husband's daughter's friend had it, I would be able to buy a mansion.
• If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me if I could eat that, I could retire today.
• If I am sad, upset, angry, lonely, or scared, my blood sugar will not be perfect.
• I can eat lettuce all day, and that does not mean my blood sugar will be perfect.
• Two things diabetics cannot eat: poison, and cookies with poison. Are you paying attention, because this one is really important.
• I do not have diabetes because I sat around eating Oreos my entire life.
• I am not skinny, but I am not overweight. My weight has nothing, I repeat NOTHING do to with the fact that I have diabetes. Please see below.
• There is more than one type of diabetes. Please educate yourself on all of the above before making rude or ignorant comments.
• I can eat sugar.
• No, really. Fruit has sugar people.
• If you have to ask me if I can eat something because I have diabetes, chances are no one should be eating it, because diabetics aren't the only people who should watch what they eat if they don't want to die of heart disease and high cholesterol.
• DID I MENTION I SPEND HALF MY LIFE STABBING MYSELF WITH NEEDLES?
Now that I've gotten that out of the way, I just can't help but notice what a stark contrast there was between these two characters. There's the wounded and broody veteran that we are obviously supposed to have compassion for. He doesn't like speaking about what happened (understandable) and he doesn't let people in easily. Then we have the teenage girl who was diagnosed with a disease and is having a hard time feeling "normal" again because of her medical condition. But god forbid she not tell anyone about what she's been going through. For some reason, the tone of this book seemed to be this:
• Being pregnant is a very hard thing to deal with. Throwing up is much worse than giving yourself injections multiple times a day. And it's especially worse when your husband isn't happy about it.
• A veteran who loses a limb while fighting for his country is a very sad thing, and living with one harm is unimaginably hard and difficult. (This one I agree with.)
• Having diabetes is not a hard or sad thing. If you eat healthy and take medicine, you will never have problems ever. If you don't have perfect blood sugars, you are irresponsible. Furthermore, my body works on autopilot, and yours does not, and yet I seem to feel that you are making yourself a victim by having a hard time dealing with that, and I know exactly what you're going through because my grandma and my cousin's ex-girlfriend's sister had it.
Excuse my language, but that is bullshit. Please do not read this book if you want to know what it's actually like to have diabetes.
*sigh* Rant over.
And then....we do a 180 and are all of a sudden finding the girl in the hospital because she took her insulin before eating on one of their dates and the guy freaks out after taking her to the hospital and realizing she never told him about her diabetes, and for some reason, everyone apparently feels that they have the right to be pissed off at her for that. What??
I almost gave this book a two-star rating because as someone who has had type 1 diabetes for 15 years, I can honestly say it's not a very fair or realistic interpretation of life with this condition (I hate the word disease). I just want to make something clear. When you have diabetes, taking your medicine and eating right DO NOT guarantee good blood sugars. It appears that not only the author, but quite a few reviewers do not seem to understand this concept. I was INFURIATED that there are parts of this book in which the diabetic character is actually treated like she's being irresponsible because her blood sugars are not perfect or for not telling people. Are diabetics just supposed to go out into the world screaming "I HAVE DIABETES. I MIGHT DIE IF I EAT A COOKIE." Please.
I am LIVID that people who have reviewed this book actually had the audacity to ask "if you have supportive parents and take your medicine, how hard can it be to live with diabetes?"
I'm so glad you asked. Here's a basic rundown.
• When I was a child, my friends would tell me that their parents didn't want them to invite me to their birthday parties because they didn't want to have to deal with what I could and could not eat.
• In middle school, I was made fun of for having to go to the bathroom to take shots after lunch.
• When I was in 8th grade, a diabetic 6th grader (A SIXTH GRADER) killed himself because his classmates made fun of him for having to pack his own lunch because what the school board mandated cafeteria served wasn't even close to healthy.
• I have a very hard time finding clothing that conceals my insulin pump and does not make me feel self-conscious about it.
• I have people ask me why I'm wearing a beeper on a weekly basis.
• I have anxiety about passing out at the wheel even when my blood sugars are doing great.
• If I had a dollar for every time someone found out about my diabetes told me they knew exactly what I was going through because their grandmother, uncle, cousin, cousin's first wife's husband's daughter's friend had it, I would be able to buy a mansion.
• If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me if I could eat that, I could retire today.
• If I am sad, upset, angry, lonely, or scared, my blood sugar will not be perfect.
• I can eat lettuce all day, and that does not mean my blood sugar will be perfect.
• Two things diabetics cannot eat: poison, and cookies with poison. Are you paying attention, because this one is really important.
• I do not have diabetes because I sat around eating Oreos my entire life.
• I am not skinny, but I am not overweight. My weight has nothing, I repeat NOTHING do to with the fact that I have diabetes. Please see below.
• There is more than one type of diabetes. Please educate yourself on all of the above before making rude or ignorant comments.
• I can eat sugar.
• No, really. Fruit has sugar people.
• If you have to ask me if I can eat something because I have diabetes, chances are no one should be eating it, because diabetics aren't the only people who should watch what they eat if they don't want to die of heart disease and high cholesterol.
• DID I MENTION I SPEND HALF MY LIFE STABBING MYSELF WITH NEEDLES?
Now that I've gotten that out of the way, I just can't help but notice what a stark contrast there was between these two characters. There's the wounded and broody veteran that we are obviously supposed to have compassion for. He doesn't like speaking about what happened (understandable) and he doesn't let people in easily. Then we have the teenage girl who was diagnosed with a disease and is having a hard time feeling "normal" again because of her medical condition. But god forbid she not tell anyone about what she's been going through. For some reason, the tone of this book seemed to be this:
• Being pregnant is a very hard thing to deal with. Throwing up is much worse than giving yourself injections multiple times a day. And it's especially worse when your husband isn't happy about it.
• A veteran who loses a limb while fighting for his country is a very sad thing, and living with one harm is unimaginably hard and difficult. (This one I agree with.)
• Having diabetes is not a hard or sad thing. If you eat healthy and take medicine, you will never have problems ever. If you don't have perfect blood sugars, you are irresponsible. Furthermore, my body works on autopilot, and yours does not, and yet I seem to feel that you are making yourself a victim by having a hard time dealing with that, and I know exactly what you're going through because my grandma and my cousin's ex-girlfriend's sister had it.
Excuse my language, but that is bullshit. Please do not read this book if you want to know what it's actually like to have diabetes.
*sigh* Rant over.
kimelsalvador's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoy reading books where I learn about things other people have to deal which I would otherwise be ignorant to. Reading about Kate's diabetes and about Aiden's difficulties it opened my eyes to what some other people have to go through. One thing I disliked about the book was how it kept referring to Kate being so young and not old enough to date Aiden, they're only a few years apart and it made her seem like a young teenager not someone who's practically an adult.