From the #1 New York Times bestselling author duo of The Royals and When It’s Real comes a sensational new novel about a girl falling for the one boy she should never have met… keep her safe by monitoring her every move. When Beth sneaks out to a party one night and meets the new guy in town, Chase, she’s thrilled to make a secret friend. It seems like a small thing, just for her.
Only Beth doesn’t know how big her secret really is…
Fresh out of juvie and determined to start his life over, Chase has demons to face and much to atone for, including his part in the night Beth’s sister died. Beth, who has more reason than anyone to despise him, is willing to give him a second chance. A forbidden romance is the last thing either of them planned for senior year, but the more time they spend together, the deeper their feelings get.
Now Beth has a choice to make—follow the rules, or risk tearing everything apart…again.
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I’m not sure if it was the cute cover or the fact that this was categorized as a YA novel, but I really wasn’t expecting this to be such an emotional book. It isn’t a light and fluffy read, but rather one that will have you questioning and thinking about it long after you finish. I’m glad I went into this book blind and I actually wish the blurb didn’t give away the main conflict of the story. It made the revelation so much more devastating. The weight and impact of it more profound. One Small Thing isn’t just a contemporary romance. It’s a story of forgiveness, acceptance, grief, and love. It shows how people handle tragedy, for better or for worse, and the lasting ripples these events cause.
I think what captivated me most about the book was that I truly had no idea how a story like this would end. Chase and Beth undergo a huge transformation from the people they once were, the people we meet, and the people they (hopefully) become. Yes, there were times I was frustrated with each of them as well as the people in their lives, but more often than not, I felt their pain, confusion, and anguish over these seemingly impossible obstacles. The secondary characters, though predictable, were perfectly over the top and succeeded in earning my anger and disgust. Mr. Jones and Jeff were quite the pair throughout the book. I honestly only really liked Chase and Beth (though Beth’s mom grew on me). Things did wrap up quickly at the end, but I felt satisfied with the outcome and the maturity our characters displayed. I especially loved how the title tied into the book so wonderfully and that the ending left the reader with a sense of hope and maybe feeling just a little bit lighter.
4.5 stars
*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book*
I spent a lot of the time frustrated while reading this. NOBODY would listen to Beth. Also, everyone is ridiculous when it comes to Chase. He is not a gun toting maniac. What happened was an accident. So I was aggravated. But at the same time, the writing is so good and I knew there was more to the story I had a hard time putting it down.