Book Review: Return to Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Title: Return to Paradise (Leaving Paradise #2)

Author: Simone Elkeles

Pages: 291

Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction

Published: September 1st 2010 by Flux

Source:  Library Book

Synopsis: 

Caleb Becker left Paradise eight months ago, taking with him the secret he promised to take to his grave. If the truth got out, it would ruin everything.

Maggie Armstrong tried to be strong after Caleb broke her heart and disappeared. Somehow, she managed to move on. She's determined to make a new life for herself.

But then Caleb and Maggie are forced together on a summer trip. They try ignoring their passion for each other, but buried feelings resurface. Caleb must face the truth about the night of Maggie's accident, or the secret that destroyed their relationship will forever stand between them. 

Review:

I really really really wanted this book to redeem Leaving Paradise, and to have made reading this duology worthwhile.  It wasn't worthwhile, or at least it wasn't for me. 

Okay, the same issues from the first book are what continued to bug me here. 

CALEB. he is the most annoying male character (for me) that Elkeles has written. He is just rude, I dislike his attitude with a PASSION. The way he works with problems, and tries to resolve them is just ugh. 

Maggie maggie maggie. Girl you should have let that loser loose. He treated you so badly until like the last 70 pages, that was not OKAY. 

The way the last 70 pages just seemed to rush Caleb and Maggie back into a couple was a tad annoying. But the whole book was annoying. 

This book just really pissed me off, because time after time Caleb treated Maggie shittly, she STILL went back to him, she still loved him. 

I just, maybe I read this at the wrong time of night? 

But I am SO HAPPY this series is OVER.  And the cover is really ugly. Sorry. 
P.S: 1.5 stars, cause this book really bugged me.

Rating: ★ 1.5

Book Review: Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Title: Leaving Paradise (Leaving Paradise #1)

Author: Simone Elkeles

Pages: 303

Genre: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Romance

Published: April 8th 2007 by Flux

Source:  Library Book

Synopsis: 

Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

Review:

I gave this book a shot, because I enjoyed Simone Elkeles writing in the Perfect Chemistry series .

I wasn't too sure how i'd feel about this book after reading the blurb. I just couldn't see how Elkeles would make this an Elkeles book. 

Basically the story follows Caleb and Maggie. It alternates POV's throughout the book, between the two characters. The issue here (as well as her other novels) is how long each chapter is. Some seem way too short, because then when you turn the page BAM its a completely different POV. 

The pace of the book too, can seem a tad off beat. That's because, sometimes the next chapter is like a week later. And that is an okay thing, just not when you spend lots of chapters on one event or a day. Because personally that can be confusing, and make you lose your pace with the story. 

Maggie. How do I start? Why do you still like Caleb, like he almost KILLED YOU, and you still like/love him. I don't understand, i'd personally get really angry at him. 

Caleb, hmm. I'm not too sure what I thought about him, I wasn't too fond of his attitude and his mannerisms. Plus that massive secret. Um okay. Didn't see that ever happening, and why would Caleb still act like that? 

This story was really well written, I love Elkeles writing style and her ability to write teens as they are. 

I didn't like the ending. I thought it could have been a stand alone book (if you added like 30ish pages). But that ending. I laughed. Why. Like really?
WAS ALL THE PROGRESS IN THE BOOK FOR NOTHING?

I'm also over these "romantic" scenes in Elkeles books. I don't think that happens to every single couple. 

Overall i'm giving this 2 stars. And now I have to wait like ages for the second (and hopefully last book) so the series will be complete (cause my library is slow with getting new books)!!!

Rating: ★★