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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
Dani's story shows that life can change in an instant and sometimes it is something little that can have a major effect. It is nice to see that even though Dani lives with a selection of Hollywood's elite they are all really down to earth people.
Relationships are a little too instantaneous
Ok first of all, this is listed as a stand alone but every time I was introduced to a new character I felt like there was a book explaining how they became to be friends with Dani or about their relationships which was the focus is the movie everyone in the book was working on, so reading this feels like you are jumping into a series 10 books in. If you weave the characters from your other books into your new books in a time line that is further down the road the book isn't really a stand alone and you should have a reading order posted at the top of the description. Also, this sets up the story of a second character and is titled Seaside Pictures #1, indicating it is the first book in a series, so you know, not a stand alone.
Second, this is basically a love at first sight with everyone acting like they are in their late 20s/early 30s when they are actually 17-25. They meet and it is instant obsession that happens in you or late teens/early 20s with everyone married by 25. Massive eye roll. (Not a spoiler, don't worry I did t just for anything away. All of the supporting characters are introduced as married). Then there is the wanting to have a forbidden romance but not actually because statutory rape isn't cool, so you have a 17 year old with a guy who starts out 22 but is 21 by the end of the book, and the girl is a month away from turning 18 with everyone focused on how she is a minor and it's illegal for them to be together, it isnt, but the fact you have no less than 20 conversations or internal monologue about her being a minor and this being illegal doesn't really help to avoid that cringey statutory rape feel Van Dyken was trying to avoid with the month to 18. The. And what is up with all the don't you dare her unless you plan to marry her? She is 17! She is totally going to end up in teen mom, something she explicitly says she doesn't want, with that kind.of attitude around her. There is also very little development of when she starts speaking again. She starts and it's like.It was never a thing and there is no slide back or discussion of anything because she doesn't want to talk about it but after a year of being.mute that wouldn't happen.
These things aside is isn't a bad story and im interested in reading the next book to find out about Zane.
Ok first of all, this is listed as a stand alone but every time I was introduced to a new character I felt like there was a book explaining how they became to be friends with Dani or about their relationships which was the focus is the movie everyone in the book was working on, so reading this feels like you are jumping into a series 10 books in. If you weave the characters from your other books into your new books in a time line that is further down the road the book isn't really a stand alone and you should have a reading order posted at the top of the description. Also, this sets up the story of a second character and is titled Seaside Pictures #1, indicating it is the first book in a series, so you know, not a stand alone.
Second, this is basically a love at first sight with everyone acting like they are in their late 20s/early 30s when they are actually 17-25. They meet and it is instant obsession that happens in you or late teens/early 20s with everyone married by 25. Massive eye roll. (Not a spoiler, don't worry I did t just for anything away. All of the supporting characters are introduced as married). Then there is the wanting to have a forbidden romance but not actually because statutory rape isn't cool, so you have a 17 year old with a guy who starts out 22 but is 21 by the end of the book, and the girl is a month away from turning 18 with everyone focused on how she is a minor and it's illegal for them to be together, it isnt, but the fact you have no less than 20 conversations or internal monologue about her being a minor and this being illegal doesn't really help to avoid that cringey statutory rape feel Van Dyken was trying to avoid with the month to 18. The. And what is up with all the don't you dare her unless you plan to marry her? She is 17! She is totally going to end up in teen mom, something she explicitly says she doesn't want, with that kind.of attitude around her. There is also very little development of when she starts speaking again. She starts and it's like.It was never a thing and there is no slide back or discussion of anything because she doesn't want to talk about it but after a year of being.mute that wouldn't happen.
These things aside is isn't a bad story and im interested in reading the next book to find out about Zane.
This book started off really good, but then I just started to find problems with it. I understand these New Adult novels arent deep thought novels and can get a little carried away in realism, but I just had too many issues. Not that it was a horrible book. I dont feel like it was a waste of time, just glad I got to read it for free.
Pros: I liked that the girl was mute and she initially only spoke via text. Thought that was a refreshing take. The dialogue and interactions between the characters was pretty funny.
Cons: The fact that she was seventeen and the male was 22 and it kept being brought up and how he even knew technically she was jail bait and yet they still slept together. I understand age is just a number and this age gap does happen in real life, but when the book puts so much emphasis on it, it kind of bothers me.
Next issue: the fact that she basically has an eating disorder and yet its not fully addressed. The book briefly mentions that she doesnt really eat and that she has a really skinny/ unhealthy frame, but no one in the books talks to her about this. She's still seen as being "beautiful". I'm sorry but I would think your family/ friends would address this issue and try to get you some help for this issue as well, Plus, it sends me the message that barely eating is ok.
Pros: I liked that the girl was mute and she initially only spoke via text. Thought that was a refreshing take. The dialogue and interactions between the characters was pretty funny.
Cons: The fact that she was seventeen and the male was 22 and it kept being brought up and how he even knew technically she was jail bait and yet they still slept together. I understand age is just a number and this age gap does happen in real life, but when the book puts so much emphasis on it, it kind of bothers me.
Next issue: the fact that she basically has an eating disorder and yet its not fully addressed. The book briefly mentions that she doesnt really eat and that she has a really skinny/ unhealthy frame, but no one in the books talks to her about this. She's still seen as being "beautiful". I'm sorry but I would think your family/ friends would address this issue and try to get you some help for this issue as well, Plus, it sends me the message that barely eating is ok.
This review was originally posted on Cocktails and Books
This was a cute YA/NA book. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this one, but it was surprisingly fun.
Seventeen year old Dani had her share of tragedy. Mute due to the after effects of her parents death, she's surrounded by family and best friends who are determined to keep her in their own version of a protective bubble. It's not until she meets Lincoln Green, one of the hot Hollywood stars working on her brother-in-laws latest film, that she finds someone who doesn't treat her with kidd gloves.
Lincoln isn't looking for romantic entanglements, but when he meets Dani there was someone about her that he was drawn too. She was sassy, sarcastic and didn't bow to his Hollywood greatness. She made him feel normal, which he liked. Even more, the liked that out of everyone that looks out for Dani, it was with him that she finally found her voice.
These two were cute together. Their banter, whether over text or in person, was fun. She was awed by his fame and he treated her like she was normal. They each appreciated how the other treated them, even when they were shooting nasty barbs at each other, because they say past what everyone else saw to the real person. It made them fight for their relationship. To understand what they have and know it was something to grasp onto.
My first Rachel VanDyken book was fun. I look forward to more in this series.
Reviewer information can be found under the Tags section of the post on our site.
This was a cute YA/NA book. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this one, but it was surprisingly fun.
Seventeen year old Dani had her share of tragedy. Mute due to the after effects of her parents death, she's surrounded by family and best friends who are determined to keep her in their own version of a protective bubble. It's not until she meets Lincoln Green, one of the hot Hollywood stars working on her brother-in-laws latest film, that she finds someone who doesn't treat her with kidd gloves.
Lincoln isn't looking for romantic entanglements, but when he meets Dani there was someone about her that he was drawn too. She was sassy, sarcastic and didn't bow to his Hollywood greatness. She made him feel normal, which he liked. Even more, the liked that out of everyone that looks out for Dani, it was with him that she finally found her voice.
These two were cute together. Their banter, whether over text or in person, was fun. She was awed by his fame and he treated her like she was normal. They each appreciated how the other treated them, even when they were shooting nasty barbs at each other, because they say past what everyone else saw to the real person. It made them fight for their relationship. To understand what they have and know it was something to grasp onto.
My first Rachel VanDyken book was fun. I look forward to more in this series.
Reviewer information can be found under the Tags section of the post on our site.
I know I would have liked this book if Dani was just a smidge older. Just a little. Otherwise it was a good read but more than anything it made me want to read about everyone else in Dani's life and how they hooked up with their significant others. So it's off to track down the rest of the Seaside story...
Not only was this book a really cute and enjoyable read, it introduced me to my future husband, Zane Andrews! I can't remember the last time I wanted to jump in a book so I could be a character's love interest. So grateful his story is next! I'm going to need a release date sooner rather than later, Ms. Van Dyken! PLEASE! I NEED MORE ZANE!
I'll start with the good......really well written with lots of LOL moments. The bad....the romance is SO VERY slow. It was too hard to believe a 22 year old guy would keep turning a really hot 17 year old girl down so often. It felt a bit juvenile. I don't need graphic descriptions but felt they were both portrayed as being very mature which didn't coincide with the story line. The texting in the beginning got old fast. I was so glad when things turned around on that part.
Had potential.
Just kind of meh. So many missed opportunities. There was no major breakthrough or epiphany for Dani. She just kissed Lincoln and suddenly she could talk? I wish they had connected more first. Also some dubious references to trauma and therapy that I wish had been better researched.
Just kind of meh. So many missed opportunities. There was no major breakthrough or epiphany for Dani. She just kissed Lincoln and suddenly she could talk? I wish they had connected more first. Also some dubious references to trauma and therapy that I wish had been better researched.