What a wonderful book! Seriously, I loved this. I adored Hope & Mason, I adored the supporting characters. It was sweet, funny and sexy but it also dealt with a serious issue - self harm.
Hope is 17 (almost 18). She had an appalling childhood thanks to her useless, neglectful, alcholic mother who died in a car crash a few years before the book begins. As a result of her mothers neglect (and sexual abuse at the hands of one of her mothers boyfriends) Hope has issues and she uses self-harm as a coping mechanism.
I liked Hope in general. She is snarky (okay,
bitchy) she's funny, she cares deeply about people (even if she doesn't want to) but she is also a bit self-absorbed (and as a result a bit selfish).
Mason has just turned 18. His father died 6 years before the book begins and ever since his death his mother has moved him, and his younger brother, from town to town, state to state with alarming frequency. Mason is a generally a happy guy. He cares about people and is pretty together (except for wanting to hit things when something pisses him off).
It's pretty much love at first sight for Mason when he meets Hope. Normally
insta-love bugs my nut something fierce but it didn't in this book. Mason is instantly drawn to Hope but they don't get instantly together. They come together slowly. Hope has a (sort of) boyfriend (Park) that has to be removed from the picture. (Poor Park, I felt so bad for him...) She has issues that Mason has to work around but he is persistent. He is sweet. He is gorgeous and he wins you over along with Hope.
It's not smooth sailing for them. Hope is self-destructive but due to the support and kindness of Mason and her amazing collection of friends and foster-siblings she reaches a point where she wants help and seeks help to overcome her self-harm. This book is real in that there is no quick fix for Hope's self-harming, you know the road will be long but you're left confident that she will - eventually - reach a point where she no longer needs it.
There is also an epilogue to finish it off... Man, I
LOVE epilogues!! This epilogue is set 4/5 years in the future and I love the glimpse into their lives. I love how everything works out and they get a - realistic - Happy Ever After.
I demolished this book in under a day, I couldn't stop reading it so I definitely recommend for all New Adult fans, or (older) Young Adult fans!
4 out of 5 stars!