Peyton:The kiss was perfect. The accident that followed was tragic.Eighteen months have passed and I haven’t seen Cameron since that night. My best friend kissed me and then ghosted me.Fifty pounds later and I’m the F word. No, not that F word. This one has three letters that have haunted me my entire life. Now, Cameron Tucker is back. But who am I kidding? Peyton Callahan doesn’t get the guy. … Cameron Tucker is back.
But who am I kidding? Peyton Callahan doesn’t get the guy.
Cameron:
The kiss was a huge mistake.
The accident ruined my life.
I kissed my best friend and then abandoned her. Now I’m back.
I don’t regret loving her. I only wish she’d forgotten me and that incredible kiss.
Because I know her. Peyton pushes buttons and pries into secrets.
And this secret I’ve returned with?
Let’s just say my label has a lot more than three letters.
Book 1 in the Redefining Me series, Dating My Best Friend is a YA romance with all the feels.
The Redefining Me series:
- Dating My Best Friend
- Dating the Boy Next Door
- Dating My Nemesis
more
I just couldn’t get into this story. I think the bullying in addition to the heartbreaking situation that the community was dealing with made this too downtrodden which was no where near what I was expecting. I could have moved pass it as a reflection but not as one of the main drives of the too heavy plot. There should’ve been more balance with happy moments entwined to keep me from disconnecting. After reading into Chapter 7, I skimmed to the end.
I instantly feel in love with the characters in this book. My heart broke for not just the main characters but all of them give or take a couple. What Payton and Cam went through at such a young time in their lives was heartbreaking. I loved the fact that they were able to mend what they had once had ( and make it stronger). The book was mainly about them healing but there were also several life lessons thrown in too. I wouldn’t hesitate to let my daughter read this. So good!
*** 4.5 Stars ***
Dating My Best Friend (Redefining Me Book 1), originally released as The F Word, by Michelle MacQueen and Ann Maree Craven is a small-town, friends to lovers, second chance, young adult romance told in third person dual POV.
Peyton Callahan and Cameron Tucker grew up together as best friends until one night changed everything. It started with a kiss at a party and ended in a tragic car accident that took Peyton’s brother Cooper’s life. After the funeral, Julian, Cooper’s twin, needed some time away, so he left town to live with his uncle. Cam was injured in the accident, and when the hospital released him he also left town. Everyone thought that he was away at an Olympic training camp, but he was really in rehab. Nobody knew that his leg had been amputated as a result of the accident. Cameron lost his leg and his Olympic dream. Peyton lost both her brothers and her best friend.
It’s now eighteen months later and Cameron has returned to Twin Rivers High as a senior. When he was away, Peyton emailed him every day for a year but never received a response. It was a difficult time for her as she dealt with grief, struggled with her weight, and was often made fun of for being “the fat girl.” Julian has also returned to town and will be in school with Peyton repeating his senior year. Some students are unhappy that Cam and Julian have returned because their presence evokes memories of a night that everyone would rather forget.
Cameron wants to win Peyton back, and not just as a best friend, he wants a relationship. But when he left and refused to communicate with her while he was away, he broke her heart. Can Peyton forgive Cam for hurting her? Will he be able to earn back her trust and get a second chance?
I really enjoyed this story. The characters were well-developed, flawed, and relatable. It beautifully tackled subjects of grief, bullying, and identity. Full of depth and emotion, it’s a story of heartbreak, healing, and hope. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
*** I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC. ***
This was my first book by MacQueen and it will not be my last. I usually choose books as an escape, so they typically have paranormal, sci-fi or fantasy elements. This book is totally different from my norm. But this is a needed read for today!
The beginning was a little confusing because so many characters were thrown at me all at once. I finally figured out that Peyton has twin brothers, Julian and Cooper. Avery was Cooper’s best friend and Cameron and Nari were Peyton’s besties. Addison was a friend of Peyton’s also, but after “that night” all of these relationships changed. This book is about Peyton and Cameron and dealing with loss. Loss of family, friends, dreams and finding yourself. But it really isn’t just about those things. It is so much more.
While reading, I stopped to reflect on my high school experience, a mix of good and bad, though usually the bad is easier to recall. The level of hatred and nastiness portrayed by the students had me questioning whether I believed this was just an over the top account of a small town high school. It disturbed me that the adults working at the school didn’t seem aware. But, reflecting on my own experience, and watching and talking to my students now, it is likely that many students are treated and feel the way Peyton does, but will not speak up. They feel the constant bombarding of society’s pressures to label and isolate them because they are different in some way. I liked how the author took all this negativity, and birthed something wonderful from it. Despite the nastiness, heartbreak and struggle, Peyton is shown rising above it over and over again.
This story is fresh, and timely. This book touches on some of the extremes kids (and even adults) take to fit in. I could have done without the language, but I am grateful that it was not overly done. I will be suggesting this as a book study for our teens. 4.5-5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from BookSprout. My review is my own opinion given freely.