Monday 25 April 2016

Review: Suffer Love by Ashley Herring Blake


Hadley St. Clair's life changed the day she came home to a front door covered in slips of paper, each of them revealing the ugly truth about her father. Now as her family falls apart in the wake of his year-long affair, Hadley wants everyone-her dad most of all-to leave her alone.

Then she meets Sam Bennett, a cute new boy who inexplicably "feels like home" to Hadley. Hadley and Sam's connection is undeniable, but Sam has a secret about his family that could ruin everything.

Funny and passionate, Suffer Love is a story about first love, family dysfunction, and the fickle hand of fate.

Expected publication: May 3rd 2016 by HMH Books for Young Readers      

Terri's Thoughts

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  The expected publication date is May 3rd, 2016.

The tagline on the cover of this book tells it all, "Their story got complicated before they even met".

Written for the YA audience, this story covers the gamut from broken families, parental affairs and the aftermath, anger, first love and forgiveness. 

I really feel like the teenage emotion was captured accurately for the situations that Sam and Hadley were in. Written from both of their perspectives, it was clear that they were struggling with all of the conflicting emotions due to their circumstances.  Then add in the new feelings of young love and you have yourself a roller coaster.

What I had a hard time identifying with was the parents in this story.  Yes adult mistakes were made by the adults but the way they handled the aftermath just seems wrong.  Both mothers pulled away from their children when the natural instinct should be opposite.  As a result I could never warm to either of them as I found them selfish.  It is ironic that I found Hadley's father as the one with the most redeeming qualities.

I think that this is a story that will do well with the teenage audience.  There is just enough of everything to keep them interested.



About the Author


Ashley Herring Blake is a poet, teacher, and YA novelist. Her debut novel, SUFFER LOVE, follows two teens as they attempt to wade through an intense relationship complicated by their parents' infidelities. Ashley lives in Nashville, TN.
   



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