This was my first Jessica Park book and I freaking loved it. I am kicking myself for waiting so long to pick it up and read it.

I am at a loss for words with this one guys. I am a sucker for romance as you all know by now and I think the romance between Esben and Allison was perfect. I mean they have their ups and downs but that's what makes them seem more real to me.

All of the other characters were amazing especially Simon, Allison's dad, and Steffi, Allison's best friend who was more like family to her.

This book took me on an emotional roller coaster. One minute I would be laughing and then the next thing I know I am crying my eyes out.

When I went into this book I knew the basic premise of it. Jessica Park did an amazing job with a twist that I didn't see coming at all. I was literally a mess while reading it.

If you are up for an extremely emotional read I highly recommend you give this book a chance.

I really enjoyed this book.! Allison has had a lot of challenges that have shaped her world. She does not trust easily. She has a select few, adoptive dad-Simon and bff Steffi that she trusts. Anxiety and worry over social communication keeps her in her dorm room after class and on weekends. Then a chance encounter and 180 seconds change her world. Suddenly Allison is having fun and meeting new people. Will tragedy send her back to hiding from the world? A wonderful story reinforcing the strength of friendship.

Uhhhh.......

I'm not quite sure what happened here. This book was all over the place. It set itself up to be super angsty, the main character, Allison, having had a rough go of it through years of foster care. It set itself up to be new-agey in a way, Allison having a spiritual'esque encounter with future love interest Esben. It set itself up to be a deep journey into self-reflection and healing.

Problem was...it never quite reached any of these things. It felt so flat. I was bored. I didn't believe in or connect with any of the characters. I might've even dislike Allison...if I bothered to care at all.

I feel disappointed because I've really enjoyed this author I'm the past.

I’ve read most of Jessica Park’s work and have been blown away by her writing. With her latest novel, 180 Seconds, this hasn’t changed. I’m not sure this author has a bad book in her.

It’s hard to come up with just one reason why this book made me want to keep reading and reading (even though, because of life, I couldn’t do that). The characters were great. They probably top the list of reasons. They were so real, relatable, and knew they were flawed. I think that last part was what made me like them even more. They knew they weren’t perfect, and that worked into their actions.

I also thought Park, like always, was able to work current trends and culture into the story, while still being able to keep the interest of a reader (me) who might not be up on what characters in college might be into and using the internet for.

This book isn’t all fun and games, though much of it is. Neither Allison nor Esben doesn’t have a great past. Their present has obstacles. But it’s how they get through them and build on where they came from that makes this book a necessary addition to my top reads list.

Whatever this author writes is fantastic.Her writing is beautiful and flawless .This story isn't a simple love story , it's so much more.The characters are complex and you can't stop yourself for falling for them.

I enjoyed the romance of the novel but I didn't like the way every twist was pulled in this book and the plot felt bit all over the place.Nothing really felt unexpected

I’m not going to lie, this book was NOTHING like what I thought we were going to get. I honestly thought this was going to be a fluffy contemporary and quick summer read. Boy, was I wrong. This book went from being light to pretty damn dark really quickly. The only spoiler I’m going to include is a Trigger Warning for sexual assault (discussed twice throughout the book, slightly lengthy discussion in Chapter 19).

This book did a good job of making an extra trope-y plot not overly predictable. Honestly, the entire concept of this book revolves around insta-love, but the romance that blossoms from it is actually pretty nice. Both characters (within the context of the romance) are likable and the romance takes some time to bloom. There is a lot of talk about sex, which was (slightly) concerning at first until I realized this was New Adult not Young Adult. Nothing got graphic (PG-13+) but there was just a lot of dialogue concerning if characters were sleeping together or not. Again, not a problem when you’re in the right genre mindset.

This book was not my favorite. A few things were a bit too far-fetched, even for an insta-love contemporary and the overall plot went on an emotional rollercoaster I did not sign up for. This book was marketed like a fluffy contemporary and that was NOT what we got. Those in the mood for a New Adult contemporary with the emotional roller coaster of The Fault in Our Stars will enjoy this one! This won’t be the next big summer read, but this book will make you feel the gamut of emotions 300 pages.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me a copy of this book.

Those interested in a more in depth review can read my full thoughts here: https://coffeecocktailsandbooks.com/2017/08/01/180-seconds-by-jessica-park-spoiler-free-arc-review/

This was such an electrifying book. I really enjoyed it!

This book shattered my heart and made it whole again.
I was delighted by the romance in this novel, entranced by Allison's story and her personal development, and ripped to shreds by the ending.
I went into this novel blind, for some reason expecting it to be a cute fluffy romance. And I'm not denying that it had cute and fluffy moments, but 180 Seconds was so much more than that. The characters were fleshed out, real and relatable, and Allison's introversion was deftly explored, explained, and eventually overcome.
The main couple in this book is so perfect and amazing, and I'd love to see more of them.
It's the perfect exploration of family, friendship, trust and opening up,
4.25/5 stars.

I’m not sure where to begin with 180 seconds except that I absolutely loved what Jessica Parks has written here. 180 seconds will make you laugh, cry, ponder about life’s problems as a young adult.
This book really hit home for me as it was always difficult for me to make friends, but that doesn’t bother me anymore. At least I try not to let it bother me. I’m an introvert and would much rather be at home reading a book curled up under a nice comfortable blanket. Allison has basically convinced herself that she’s better off alone and it gets to the point where she must choose to keep to herself or open up to people.
I loved this book and I haven’t read one in a while that I fell in love with like this. Jessica, you did one hell of a job on 180 seconds. You had me laughing and crying and really reflecting on my life. I highly recommend 180 seconds and definitely give this one five stars!

Very cute story that I ended up enjoying more and more as it progressed. I could totally relate to the main character and just loved the story that unfolded after the experiment that she accidentally stumbled into. Such a good story that I would definitely read again and recommend to anyone looking for a quick, highly enjoyable read!

I’m going to start off by saying that even though NetGalley classified this book as YA, I would say it fits a lot better in the NA category if only because our main characters are in college. But also, it just feels like an NA book. But anyway, I really appreciated the amount of diversity in this book because it was present without hitting the reader over the head with it. Characters had subtle diverse traits that actually effected who they were as a developed character. I also enjoyed that this book tackled some important topics without trying to take on EVERY important topic (I’m looking at you The Names They Gave Us).

But back to the characters…I absolutely LOVED Allison. My heart really went out to her. I can’t say that I had any of the same experiences in college that she did, but I’ve had my fair share of social anxiety. Obviously what Allison is going through is much bigger than just social anxiety, but I still felt like I could relate to her on some level. Secondary characters were fantastic and had just enough depth in my opinion. My only critique on the character front is that maybe Esben seemed a little too…perfect. There was never any real friction in his and Allison’s relationship and he was super understanding about everything. It’s nice for the story, but I don’t know that it’s necessarily realistic–especially in a boy who’s in his early 20’s. My experience with that age group is that they’re just not that mature.

The plot was great–I loved learning about some of Esben’s social experiments. I liked seeing Allison and even Simon getting involved. However, I’m not totally sure how I feel about the plot twist at the end. Was it necessary? Or not? I’m still on the fence. In the end, though, I feel like even though the plot wasn’t really the focus of the story, it did a good job helping each of the characters to grow and develop.

Overall, I thought this book was another great showing for Jessica Park. I loved Flat-Out Love and this book has definitely convinced me to read everything she writes.

A trigger warning: this book does deal with rape though it isn’t the main focus of the book.

Overall Rating: 5
Language: Mild
Violence: Moderate
Smoking/Drinking: Moderate
Sexual Content: Moderate. They’re in college, they talk about it and do some stuff but nothing is really explicitly described.

Note: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

There were parts of this book that were great! I don't cry often but this book did make me cry at one point. I wanted to like it more. I think there were great characters and a great story but it just seemed to drag on at times.

***4,5 "Life- changing!!!" stars***

"Sometimes, the unexpected happens.
Sometimes, someone makes you break your own rules."

To be totally honest with you, i have almost two months that i have finished this book, but the circumstances didn't allow me to write my review sooner... But I still remember how this book made me feel!!!!
I liked every single moment in it and i couldn't stop reading!!!! It was such a wonderful story and although this was my first story by Mrs. Park, it won't be my last!!!

Can you imagine that your whole life can change in 180 seconds???
This book can prove you that it can happen!!!!

Allison was a very closed and strange girl... but she had her rights to be like that...
She was adopted in the age of sixteen but until that time, it was already too late to place trust to anyone than her best friend...
She preffered to keep others on arm's length and it was better this way...
But this year, everything are changing for her and the cause of that was a social experiment and one guy....

“Those one hundred and eighty seconds with Esben somehow threw me into a whirlwind.
Either I get slammed to the ground by that force or I soar.”

One afternoon, she was forced in a way to participate in a social experience with Esben Baylor, a social media star...
They have to interact with each other for 180 seconds, even though that they are totally strangers and for those two this experiment took an unexpected turn...

“We are engaged in a form of intimacy that scares the absolute hell out of me. It’s as if there is a weight on my chest that I want to shove off, and I’ve never been this terrified before.
Or this whole and hopeful and connected.
My body starts to tremble. I want more of what I’m feeling, and I also want none of it.”

At the beginning, Allison fought this pull toward Esben, but her couldn't let her go...
He had to try and God, he was so sweet with the way that he was coming closer to her and how he was pushing every wall of hers down...
She and he together discovered a new Allisson, an Alisson that she didn't know that was existed inside of her...
No, I won't tell you more... My lips are sealed...

“I like you… I think there’s something between us, and I’m very afraid that I’m going to do the wrong thing again and send you running. And I don’t want that. If you’re going to go running anywhere, I’d prefer that you come running to me.”

To be true with you, I'm not a fan of social media...
Yeah, I know that i belong in minority, but still.... I don't like them!!!
But through Esben, I saw a different side of social media and I loved the way he was using that power... It was so fascinating!!!!

Finally, i have to speak about two people in this book...
Firstly, there was Simon!!!! He was such a wonderful person... I loved him for what he was doing for Allison... He was the best dad, ever!!!!
And secondly, there was Allison's best friend, Steffi!!!
Honeslty, i don't know what to say about her, but her case was... unexpected and very heartbroken...
I loved the way she was loving Allison, but at one point, I'm not sure that I was agreeing with her actions...

That's enough....
Honestly, I can't say more about this story...
This was a heart wrecking but beautiful story about a broken girl, a generous guy and 180 life changing seconds!!!!

“You can't reach what's in front of you until you let go of what's behind you.”

***ARC kindly provided via NetGalley for the exchange of an honest review***

Totally love this book! Its definitely my favourite from this author now.
It's such a cute story, different than most I've read.. there's a chance it could make you cry too..there seems to be a little of everything in it

Love! Love! Love!
I seriously loved this book so much.
I cried. A lot. Happy tears. Sad tears. Faith-in-humanity-restored-tears.

I love books that make me cry, but make me smile while I'm crying.
So good.

Bravo, Jessica Park!

I fell IN LOVE with this story! Jessica Park has written some of my favorite romances and this one was no different. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

180 Seconds by Jessica Park
Standalone New Adult
Holy cow. If you have been following my blog for a while, you know I very rarely read New Adult or Young Adult. You also won’t find me reading overly emotional books very often. I like light and sexy stories usually, but Jessica Park has penned some of my favorite all-time books, so I break my rules for her. Let me tell you, I am SO GLAD I did, because 180 Seconds is a new favorite for me.

A few things I love about Jessica’s writing are her use of social media in her stories, her quirky characters and how every word feels like it was carefully crafted, like she really took her time writing the story and developing the characters. She also uses plenty of humor to balance out the tears you are sure to cry. 180 Seconds had all of that and more.
“You can’t reach what’s in front of you until you let go of what’s behind you.”

Allison has had a really rough life. She grew up in foster care, moving from one bad situation to another. The only bright spot in her life was when she rescued another foster kid, Steffi, from a horrible situation and the two became the best of friends. I just loved their relationship. Lucky for Allison, she was adopted at 16 by Simon, who may be one of my favorite side characters ever in a book.

Allison is a junior in a small Maine college. She is so damaged and closed off, she hasn’t made any friends. She is as anti-social as they come, even pushing away her wonderful adoptive father. Her best friend is all the way in California, so she is truly as alone as she can be as she ignores the world around her.

One day she is literally pulled into a social experiment. 180 seconds staring into a gorgeous guy’s eyes to see what kind of connection may happen…and boy, did it happen!
One hundred and twenty-nine seconds. Yet what Esben is doing cannot be ignored. Even by me. Not for one second has he left me. Despite the horrific energy I am hurling at him, Esben is holding us together emotionally, giving me an unspoken promise that he will not drop me. The traumas that bind me every day, every hour, every minute soften until I barely feel their presence. For reasons I cannot comprehend, I am lost in him. Safe. Right now, I am without a past that I hate. Right now, I am only here with him.

Esben is a social media star. He does all kinds of feel-good social media posts, showing the world that humankind is good; that we have a heart and that everyone wants love. Esben is almost too good to be true. He is the exact opposite of Allison, who hates the world and is happy to stay in her introverted, protective bubble. But their connection just wowed me!
"I just enjoy putting stuff out there. Giving people the opportunity to shine. To feel good about themselves.”

Reading about how this extraordinary guy changed Allison was so compelling. I loved reading about how her walls began to melt and how she grew and changed throughout the story.

While 180 Seconds may be listed as New Adult, it isn’t as sexy as most new adult books, and at times, it was even more Young Adult to me, something I would normally never even think of reading, but it was a wonderful change of pace. I found myself smiling a ridiculous amount, but let me tell you, I also found myself bawling my eyes out. So expect the full range of emotions, and make sure you have tissues.


Likes:

•Jessica really crafted this book. It felt like she took her time writing it and the pacing was just perfect.
•A great mix of smart humor and emotion.
•Fantastic character growth.
•How social media is so integral to the story.
•Her father, Simon, was one of my most favorite side characters ever.
•Her relationship with Steffi was awesome.
•You can’t not love Esben.

Dislikes:

•Esben held on to a secret and I really wish he didn’t know.
•Esben and Simon may both be a little too good to be true.

The Down & Dirty:
Jessica Park has written another book that will go on my all-time favorite list. 180 Seconds is honestly a book I never would have read, but my past experience in loving Jessica Park’s books convinced me to give it a try, and I am so glad I did. 180 Seconds was a mix of laughter, feel-good experiences and emotion. It was heartwarming and heartbreaking, and it breaks you and pieces you back together again. I loved every quirky character, every tweet, every drop of character growth and emotion. I used more tissues reading this book than that I used in the past year together, but that just made it better.

If you are like me and don’t read YA/NA books, please, don’t let that stop you with 180 Seconds, you’ll laugh, swoon, cry, and want to scream your love out to the world, just like me.

Rating 5-5+++ stars, 0-1 Heat

What a beautiful story! It surprised me over and over. And made me cry with sadness and happiness. Loved it and will be buying copies to give to friends.