180 Seconds attempts to celebrate what’s good and positive about social media. While it also shows its ugly and vicious side, it tries to say most people are good, and if when given a chance, they will show kindness and care.

Esben Baylor is a social media celebrity. His social experiments reach out to strangers and exposes life in its grimness and glory. He doesn’t seem to gain any financial rewards, but Park is evasive about that. We see him through the eyes of the protagonist Allison, an anxious college student who spends most of her days alone and lonely. She faces the world by placing impenetrable walls around herself. Apart from her fierce best friend Steffi, who lives on the other side of the country, and her adoptive father Simon, Allison keeps everyone else at a distance. Then she meets Esben, and everything changes for her.

While we watch Esben and Allison fall for each other, there is a sense of inevitable disaster. There is too much happy, too much going right. Allison realises her boyfriend is a social media superhero, someone who embraces all that’s good in the world. She has never been on these networks, so her naivety is romantic and a novelty. The trope of the love interest showing the innocent new and wonderful ways to experience the world is strong in romance novels. Esben is thoughtful and humble, and exactly what a lot of readers want in their love interests. He does hide some secrets which have impacted on his life choices, but the author sets him up as the ideal antidote for Allison's wariness and regimented life.

Their relationship is portrayed as strong and unbending. Which means of course, it will break. In the meantime, it is excellent to see Allison be brave and reach out to Esben’s sister Kerry, and a college roommate, Carmen. She is rewarded with two new strong friendships. Another positive element is Allison’s realisation of how much fatherly love Simon provides, and by just acknowledging his efforts and finally calling him ‘dad’, she can return his affection. Sometimes it’s that simple.

But the disaster, when it finally arrives, is predictable yet jarring. I found Steffi’s demands unrealistic. I understand the reasons why the author takes this route, and I was moved by the subsequent scenes, but I also felt a bit manipulated. Despite this, I cried a lot. Some of it is quite powerful. It’s hard to talk about what happens without giving away spoilers, but many readers will work it out themselves, and maybe save themselves tissues.

My copy was provided by publisher via Netgalley and read with thanks. Recommended to readers who have previously enjoyed Park's other novels, and to romantics who like their stories full of perfect relationships, and drama that is explained and resolved. I would argue this is New Adult because the characters are in college. There are references to sex and a rape that occurred in the past, and the characters drink (underage by American standards).

180 Seconds is out on April 25th.

I liked this book. I did. I just did not love it. And I so badly wanted to.

For me to love a book, I need to care. I need to care about the plot. I need to care about the characters. Sadly, I couldn’t. I don’t know what it was, but I did not relate to any of them, even though I know I should have.

What I am going to say will sound contradicting. You should read this book. I recommend it, despite my not loving it, don’t let it discourage you.

This book is about love. Obviously. But, it is about friendship and family. It is about the things that bring people together, about the connections we form and the goodness that lies in every person.

While the focus of the story is the love between Allison, a girl who spent 16 years in foster care before finally being adopted, and Esben, a guy who has dedicated his life to doing good deeds, it also shows us the relationships between all the other characters and the love they all have towards one another.

Due to a life of moving through the foster care system, Allison has built some very high walls, letting no one in, not even her extremely kind and loving adoptive father. She does not allow herself to love or be loved by anyone other than Steffi, her childhood best friend. She is dealing with anxiety and self-hatred. She is broken, and desperately wanting to fix herself.

Then she meets Esben Baylor, a guy who spends his time doing good deeds and inciting social change. When they accidently meet one day and have to spend 180 seconds staring at each other for a social experiment, something very strange happens between them: both their walls break and it sets a series of events in motion.

But as I said, it’s not just about them falling in love. It’s about them changing the lives of all around them in the process. It’s about all of the relationships and unbreakable bonds they form with people.

I loved Allison’s relationship with her adoptive father, Simon. It was heartwarming and beautiful. He was so kind, so understanding and loving and just so good. There was none of that whole, absentee parent crap that YA loved to pull on us. No, here was Simon ready to love, support, and fight for his daughter and I loved every second of it.

Then there was Steffi. She was Allison’s rock, and never asked for anything in return. Unlike most YA, the friendship these two share runs deep. It is heartbreaking and tragic, and lovely, and all those things I love. I love seeing female friendships in YA and this one is definitely well written and emotional. More importantly, this one seemed real.

Then there is Kerry and her tragic story and how she has not let it define her. There are all the other people who refused to give up and made a difference in the world. There were the ones who went through ups and downs and did not give up.

The book deals with very serious topics including cancer, rape, assault, and the sad realities of being a foster child, so be warned if these are sensitive issues for you. But, know that it deals with all of these things in a beautiful and careful way.

So, why three stars? I don’t know. In spite of it all, despite loving how the book was written and all the subjects it touched on, I simply did not connect. Hopefully, you all enjoy this much more, because, despite the rating, I think it’s a book that deserves a chance to be read.



**I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.**

Allison began her life as a throw-away. She was a safe harbor baby, who spent almost her entire life in the foster care system. Finally, at the age of 16, she was adopted, but by then, she had erected these impenetrable walls around her heart. Then, on a day when Allison was feeling rather lonely, she was pulled from the crowd to participate in a social experiment. She was challenged to maintain eye contact with a stranger for 180 seconds. Something amazing happens during those 180 seconds. Something that changes Allison's life.

This book really hit me in the feels, and even now as I am thinking of what to write, I am doing so with a rather sweet little smile on my face and a few tears in my eyes.

For those of you, who love broken MCs, we have Allison. I acknowledge, that she had been through a lot, but in an effort to protect herself, she had in fact limited her happiness. She had this amazing dad, who would move mountains for her, but she held him at arm's length in order to avoid an attachment. He seemed too good to be true, and she thought he would abandon her at any moment. She spent two years of college holed up in her room, avoiding any social interactions, and rebuffing those who wanted to become friends. But after 180 seconds with Esben, she wanted to make connections and explore being more open with people. I loved being there with her during her metamorphosis, but it was not an immediate change. Allison took baby steps, and with each step she took, I was cheering for her with my chest proudly puffed out.

She had a slew of pretty awesome people in her life too. First and foremost, Simon. This man melted my heart. He was so sweet and loving and generous and patient. He had all the best dad qualities that are out there. Then, there was Steffi. Steffi was a positive force, in that she supported Allison during her time in foster care. She encouraged her to work hard in school and to be brave. They really had a beautiful friendship. And, Park outdid herself with this book boyfriend, because Esben is as close to perfect as it gets.

When Esben was first introduced, I got this BMOC vibe. So, I expected him to be a jock or a party boy, but his popularity actually came from the social experiments he conducted and spread through social media. Esben had been a party to a traumatic event, which left him thinking the worst of people. In an effort to battle these feelings, he started looking for the good in people and wanted to spread joy to those around him. I adored that Park featured the good that can be done with social media, because I also believe it has value, and sometimes forget that when the ugly hits the internet. Park had Esben orchestrate some really lovely moments with us readers. Aside from that, he was a wonderful brother and friend, and he was amazing to Allison. This guy's heart was HUGE, and he was super swoony too.

I love that Park touches upon some real issues, but they don't overpower the story. Rape, adoption, coming out, cancer -- these are all incorporated into the story at some point. The way they are integrated is rather organic, but I still picked up on it, and appreciated its presence in the story.

Most of this book is filled with feel good moments, but somewhere around the 70% mark, it gets sad, and then around the 90% mark, there were buckets of tears. I was sobbing on the train, people! Those of us, who have had the privilege of reading Park's other books know that she can bring the feels, but what she does is balance them out. Yes, it was sad. Yes, there were tears, many tears, but she tempered it with so much happiness and joy and hope.

This was a beautiful journey I got to share with Allison, and it left me with some of my hope in humanity slightly restored.

If y'all loved Flat Out Celeste and Left Drowning, then you will LOVE this book. Emotional and real with just the right amount of humor. This is pure Jessica magic.

I LOVED this book. Esben and Allison were perfect! This was such a beautiful and emotional story, I felt so many emotions while reading this. The writing was amazing, the characters complex and the story at times heartbreaking and heartwarming. This is a top pick of 2017 for me and going on my all-time favorites list. This book touched my heart and will stay with me forever! Highly recommend!

4.5 Stars for a super sweet romance novel that will give you all the feels!

Jessica Park is always reliable for developing sweet characters who tug at your heartstrings. The heroine, Allison fits the bill perfectly. After struggling as a foster child most of her life, she really has trouble being social and doesn't really want to get close to anyone, except her very best friend. She's even a little stand-offish to the man who adopted her even though she does love him.

Our hero is Esben and he's pretty darn perfect. Except his name. I won't lie, I tried to think of him as 'E' while I read because I had trouble as I found his name to be awkward. But that really doesn't matter because like I said, he's almost perfect. He's cute, sweet, one of the most genuinely kind hearted male heros you will read about. He truly tries to make the world around him a better place.

The 180 second scene with Allison and Esben threw me off initially. I was shocked at their reaction to each other and I won't lie... I had to talk to a friend who'd read the book already to make sure all was going to be explained. And thankfully, the more I read, the more it made sense how these two characters come together. They have a truly beautiful relationship whether each makes the other a better person.

Watching Allison change as the story goes on gave me butterflies. Her strength when Esben needed it truly warmed by heart and gah... this is just a tooth-achingly sweet romance. Just as wonderful as the whole falling in love piece is Allison's growing relationship with her adoptive father. This might be the first book I've ever read where I wouldn't mind a spin-off about a character's parent!

Now lest you think this book is all rainbows and puppies, let me warn you. You WILL cry. There is heartbreak in more than one instance but each time, the characters pull through as stronger people.

This is a single POV (Allison) stand alone, New Adult and pretty clean. Sex is mentioned and there's lots of tension but no details.

Another big recommendation for anyone who enjoys sweet romances. Can't wait to see what Jessica will give us next. Her books are always worth the wait.

A 2.5 book.

I confess I had problems giving a genre to this book, and I'm sure this summary won't be any good either.

Basically, Allison was a late adoption, and so many years in foster care brought her too heavy a baggage. She'll only open up to her best friend, Steffi, who is also all the way in California. Things change when she meets Esben and ends up in a social experiment with him—staring each other for 180 seconds.

It's hard to pinpoint the plotline because the romance develops very quickly. So here is my first warning, if you don't like stories on relationships, as opposed to getting together, this may not be for you. I say this because it was what I liked the least about the book. It was a cute relationship, I took long but I did buy the couple eventually. Still, the book lost its shine for me.

And then there is the point that once they were together, I was unsure of the purpose. Yes, there was a lot twist, and I'll be honest, I had predicted it. Even so, it didn't get me turning pages. Perhaps, this needed restructure? Perhaps, it's just not my thing? I'm really fond of knowing what we're going about.

My other problem was Allison. Esben wasn't that interesting a character, either. But Allison was made so you wouldn't like her. At least, thanks to the speed the story took, her development worked well. Not that I fell in love. To be honest, the only character I really liked was Allison's father, Simon. He's unbelievably sweet but he still got to my heart. I'm glad we got a lot of scenes with him.

I was very excited for Park's new work because I loved Flat-out Love. Even though you do notice her style in this book, this had almost nothing of what I liked in the latter. And it did have things I didn't like at all, like the sudden psychological conflicts just there for the heck of it, a savior-of-all just like the main character in Flat-out Love, easy-to-write and even-easier-to-guess plot twists.

But it deserved being rounded up to three stars because this book has depth. It's not very enjoyable—in my opinion, obviously—but I do see why others liked it so much. I wish the use of social medias had been a little less of a wish fulfillment from the author but it was still exciting how it turned out, as surreal as it may be. Also, even though some themes were just thrown in there, most of the ones used were very well connected and developed, especially on late adoptions. Book clubs could make use of this book, for sure.

If you're just discovering Jessica Park's writing with 180 SECONDS, THIS is the story that will make you fall in love with her books.

After having read just a few chapters, I messaged a friend told her "It's already amazing. I'm just going to hand over my heart to Jessica Park. Seriously, just take it." I felt this way early on and that emotion continued throughout.

There is a tone and pacing to her writing that makes everything else fall away and I became immersed in the lives of the characters. I love the college setting and depiction of college life and the combination of social media. I work on college a campus and I could imagine walking up and seeing some of the scenes playing out.

180 Seconds has a lot of the Flat-Out Love vibes, but the Left Drowning feelings. Left Drowning is the book that means everything to me, and 180 SECONDS makes my heart feel just as full.

My favorite quote:
"There's no sorry here, only love."

180 SECONDS exudes the power of human kindness and compassion, and everything you want to believe in love and trust and friendship. It's a book that you'll want to put into the hands of those most dear to you. It's the book that you'll want to share with a stranger.

5 Stars are not enough. So I give it my heart.

I was excited to read this book because I think Jessica Park is one of the best YA writers out there. I was very happy with the realism and emotional first half of the book; I thought Allison was a strong character and I really loved that she was not the cliche” college student”: too much drinking etc. I was wrong, the character changed totally in approximately 180 seconds!. The second half of the book was a little boring and I actually skipped a few pages. I missed the writing from her first book: Flat-out-Love.

Jessica Park never disappoints. I love how unique her books are and this one wasn't the exception.
180 seconds reminded me of a experiment I saw a few months back on Facebook about family members that had to look at each other's eyes and not say anything. That video had me crying my eyes out, I couldn't contain myself from feeling everything they were feeling. How can a mother and daughter say so much with out saying words. This was something like that.
I loved the male character and his adorable heart. I loved our lead girl, she wasn't whiny even if she had things to whiny about, yes she had close her heart from felling anything but who wouldn't. I love that she didn't used her bad experiences in life so our male lead would feel bad about her. Our at least how JP wrote it it didn't feel that way for me.
I love our lead girl's friendship, they had an amazing bond. But I predict what was going to happen after. I knew when she visit out female lead.
I loved everything about this book just like I have loved her previous books.
Thank you Jessica For writing this amazing unique books.

Empowering and humbling Allison and Ebsen's story is truly magical. The way she overcomes her past and changes her thinking is not instaneous but slow and strong. It just took looking into the soul of the most glorious young man for 180 seconds. To overcome a life in foster care with few human connections to deconstruct her walls happened because of a random event with Ebsen Baylor. Ebsen approaches the world much differently than the rest of us, he sees the good and wants to show the world. His online presence is captivating and inspiring, who would have thought some college kid could have such an impact on the world. This is a story that will remain with me forever and has touched my heart with more impact than any other book. I only made the huge mistake of reading while on the elliptical at the gym, thankfully I had sweat to mask my tears - and you will have tears, most good healthy tears and some sad and heartbreaking. Thank you Jessica for my advanced copy through Netgalley, I have voluntarily written this review to support this life altering book.

Wow. Wow. God save the Queen. God save the Queen wow. Whatever that was I was not expecting that. That!!! That mess of human emotions that was so achingly, amazingly, indulgently perfect. I want to read it again. Indulge and fall in love and feel it all again. I melted and laughed and overheated and cried buckets. This review may not be coherent because of reasons. Many reasons.

Allison is starting her junior years of college. She is happy her roommate never shows and is content to spend her college experience as she always has - hiding in her room, studying and blocking out the world. Her sixteen years in foster care taught her to never expect anything, to protect herself and build the walls around her heart as high and thick as she can. It's safer to keep everyone out, even her adoptive father. Everyone except her best friend Steffi. And then, Allison finds herself pulled into a social experiment, where she unwittingly spends 180 seconds with (unbeknownst to her) social media celebrity Ebsen Baylor. 180 torturous, amazing, emotional-roller-coaster seconds. Her reaction: run. Steffi encourages her to chase after what could be and to be brave, but Allison isn't sure if it could ever be worth the risk.

Okay, I realise that I should have picked up on the fact that the characters form a relationship after just 180 seconds. Should I have suspected insta-love? Well, actually, it was good I didn't because this is so much more than insta-love. Yes, Allison and Esben have a connection during their 180 seconds. Yes, it gets intense. But that is only the very start of their story. Allison reacts to the whole thing by running. Never once does she deviate from her character. She is shy, unassuming, emotionally distant and remains that way even after first meeting Esben. I have to admit my heart was pounding, both during their 180 seconds and after as Allison reflects, freaks out, stresses, and tries to forget the whole thing even happened. She hates the attention she receives as the video of the experiment goes viral. Hates how it makes her feel. Thank goodness for Steffi otherwise the whole thing would have ended with those 180 seconds. Instead, the reader is treated to the romance of the century. Okay, maybe a slight exaggeration, but still.

I loved how it takes those things like insta love that often trigger an immediate reaction and assumption from readers (guilty), and tackles them head on. Esben and Allison even discuss insta-love. I love Esben's comments about it. Why can't it exist? And this book does the same thing with other topics just like that. Allison and Esben slowly and carefully build a relationship. But as well as the romance, there is so much going on in this story. Like the issues of foster care. I am a moth to flame for stories that contain characters who have experienced or are in foster care. Allison deals with so many issues around belonging, trust, commitment, and celebration. I thought Allison was a hugely authentic character, especially in her social anxiety. So many times I was thinking, "yes, it's just like that" or "I do that too!!". And Esben. Wow. Perfection? But just before I thought he was too perfect we learn he is just as human and loveable as Allison. And then there is Allison's best friend, Steffi, and her adoptive father Simon and Esben's sister. I loved how multifaceted and wonderful this story was.

180 Seconds is a fantastic crossover between young adult and new adult. The main characters are a few years into college, but the tone and content of the book retains that young adult delicacy and innocence that I love.

And yes, sometimes this book seemed impossible or incredulous or crazy but it turns out I kind of love impossible and crazy. I highly recommend this book for readers who love romance, stories of overcoming hardship and learning to trust again.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

Allison doesn't trust people. Well, she trusts one person-- her best friend and one time foster sister, Steffi. The rest of the world, she is convinced, is not to be trusted. She goes through life quietly, not wanting to be seen or bothered. She is jaded to the idea of friends and even to the idea of trusting her adopted father, Simon.

During a chance encounter, one she tried to avoid completely, she rises to the occasion to complete a social experiment--one that will require her to maintain eye contact with a complete stranger for 180 seconds. That shouldn't be so bad, 3 minutes. During that time though, staring into Esben's eyes some part of the walls surrounding herself cracks. That cracks bursts completely as she is pulled into social networking celebrity status overnight.

Her walls continue to dissolve as a relationship with Esben begins. Is she really as broken as she imagines herself to be? Can she love others and allow them to love her back?

This book is amazing. This book is also heartbreaking. Though it is a work of fiction there are so many parts that feel like real emotions--the brokenness of feeling unlovable and rejected; the tentative motions of trying to be brave because you want more for yourself; the feelings of finding yourself.

Allison comes into herself over the course of the book and you root for her the entire time. She deserves the freedom that she finds. I applaud Esben's character-- he loves other people well and his patience is sweet.

Something to note, this book will make you cry--well, it made me cry.

I've been sitting here staring at my computer screen for a while now trying to put together this review. It's been hard because I don't think I can adequately write about how 180 Seconds made me feel. Just thinking about this book makes me so emotional.

Jessica Park has been one of my auto-buy authors since I stumbled upon her novel Left Drowning. I've read every one of her books because they always manage to touch me in ways I'm not expecting. She has me wanting to know her characters and everything about them from the first sentence, chapter and page. I'm always surprised by what I find, but never by how much I enjoy the journey. And I loved the journey I took in 180 Seconds. There was so much raw emotion in it. I couldn't help being swallowed up by all of the feelings. So many things touched me deeply. I tried to hold back tears so many times unsuccessfully. 180 Seconds made me feel more than a book has made me feel in a long time.

Allison was such a vulnerable character. Everything about her life had been and was hard. She wasn't your typical college student. She craved privacy and anonymity. Allison was afraid to let people in. That made being pulled into a social experiment with the famous Ebsen Baylor all the more nerve-wracking. Spending 180 seconds with him did something to her, something big. It was exciting and stressful to be in her mind.

Ebsen's point of view wasn't included in this book, but I didn't need it. His character was so open that his thoughts and feelings came across well. I loved his part in Allison's awakening. Their connection was so raw. I could feel it. He was an exceptionally amazing guy, and learning what experiences made him who he was made me believe Ebsen could actually be as amazing as he was.

All of the secondary characters in this book were incredibly important to the story. I adored them all, and I would love to read future books about their stories. I do have to rave about one particular character, though: Steffi. Steffi was Allison's best friend. She was a tough cookie and the only person Allison could rely on for a long time. I loved how they got each other as only best friends can. The way Steffi pushed Allison out of her comfort zone was very special. Their friendship was truly touching.

One of my favorite things about 180 Seconds was how it portrayed social media. It showed the good and bad of being so connected in this day and age. It also showed how easy it is to be happy about the positive recognition received and how hard it is to deal with the negative.

This is where I'm going to stop my review. I know I haven't told you much about the story itself, but I don't want to give anything away. 180 Seconds was such a beautifully written journey. It's one that should be experienced for yourself. What I will say is that I absolutely adored this book. I didn't put it down once I started it. I couldn't. It was just too special to take a break from. 180 Seconds is going on the list of books I recommend to friends, and will be one I give often as a gift.

3.5 Stars
I am having a hard time rating this one. I love Jessica Park, and I really liked the story of this book, but parts just totally rubbed me,the wrong way. I felt like there was some character inconsistency, and like some plot points were brought in solely to add more drama. So while I loved lots of it, it just didn't totally do it for me.

So I shall start with saying that the story was totally cheesy and sentimental at times. However I don't really care because I loved this heartbreaking and heartwarming story of friendship, romance and family.

The book is full of fabulous characters that you just want to read more about, in particular Simon (her dad) who I adored.
Reading Allison grow as a person and open up to the people around her was beautiful to read and I especially liked that the romance was relatively drama free.

The book tackles some serious subjects but through it all was a wonderful feeling of happiness. Despite some rough emotional parts which had me crying the book left me with an overall feeling of contentment.

If I could, I would give this book a big hug.

This book is outstanding! But I don't expect any less from Jessica Park. Shes a master story teller! This story is much more then I expected I guessed a few things and was close on others but I'm sitting here with tears running down my face first in sorrow then in love. The message in this book is beautiful as well in this world it becomes hard to see the good this book reminds me there still is so much. The main characters I adored the side characters would just as fabulous. I wish Simon was my dad. Steffi was my bestie and I want my own Esben badly! I finished this book in one sitting and will recommend it to everyone.

4.5/5 stars


180 Seconds is a standalone New Adult contemporary romance.

The narrator is Allison Dennis. The book is told in 1st person POV. Allison is in her junior year at Andrews College in Maine.

I would categorize the book as NA because it takes place in college and deals with some difficult topics. But it's not steamy like most NA books.

I was very impressed with how Allison was written. She is not your average happy go lucky girl who wants to party at college. But rather she has had a very tough life. She grew up in foster care and was only adopted when she was 16 years old. She is damaged and does not trust people. She has anxiety. She is extremely closed off, very fragile and fearful about a lot of situations that most people would be able to easily handle. She is such a unique and amazing character. I really liked her.

This book is about so much. It is Allison's journey. The story features a lot of difficult topics. But at its core it is about the relationship between a father and daughter, the relationship between best friends, and a girl wanting to actually live vs closing herself off to the world.

180 Seconds is a very good title for this story. And it refers to a 180 second social experiment that is featured prominently in this story.

Social media is a very important aspect of this story. One of the main characters is Esben Baylor, who is a social media icon. I really enjoyed Esben, especially his relationship with his sister and what he did online. I was very impressed with his character and loved everything to do with the social experiments.

There were a few secondary characters that I loved. My favorite was Allison's adopted father Simon. He is is my favorite father character ever. I absolutely loved everything about him, especially his cooking, his care packages, and how he dealt with Allison and her issues.

I also really enjoyed Allison's friendship with Steffi. This was a very powerful friendship and I thought that it was written very well.

I read this book in one day. I could not put the book down. The characters were interesting and original. I wanted to see what would happen next. This is Allison's story. We see if she can learn to trust people. When the book begins she is arriving for her third year at college in a dark place. It was fascinating to see how she dealt with everyday things.

I really enjoyed this book. I was especially impressed by a very interesting development late in the story that I did not see coming. I love being surprised!

The story is emotional. At times it is heartbreaking. This book will make you feel. Some of it was difficult to read. And at times I had tears in my eyes. But overall it was touching, moving, and very beautiful.

I really enjoyed this book. I did not know what to expect. But I was very pleasantly surprised. This book was really good!

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I will revel in the opportunity to find rebirth and rejuvenation. To find myself completely ...

Wow.

That was how I felt at the end of this book. A book, mind you, that I almost failed to finish--even though I was better than 70% done.

My desire to quit had zero to do with the writing or the story. Both were absolutely stunning and, when I tell you I was emotionally spent by the end, It's not an exaggeration.

No, my issue was the presence of cancer.

It was introduced early on and I wasn't sure I would be emotionally capable of seeing where the story would lead after it was clear it wasn't going away. It was a personal thing, but I managed to continue, and I was glad I did.

The story itself is about growth, acceptance, and love.

Allison (the main character) isn't sure how to let down the walls she's so carefully built. She wants to, but she's not sure if she is ready to open her heart to a world that--to that point--has been such a disappointment.

She spent 16-years in foster care before she was adopted. The experience, understandably, left her broken.

While she has taken subtle steps towards building a life, it's clear she's not trying as hard as she can to be pro-active about her happiness.

Enter Steffi.

When I say Steffi may be the most amazing best friend ever. It's not hyperbole. Everyone needs a friend like Steffi. Every. One.

Steffi gives Allison the strength to finally take chances, and she does so unselfishly. The two girls bonded while in foster care and Allison considers Steffi to be her lifeline.

After Allison meets Esben--by happenstance--she tries to pull back into her shell. Steffi shows up to implore her to step away from her fears.
...tell me from now on, you will be brave. Take more risks. And mean it. It's time. You can't live in this room forever and never go out. You're going to miss too much. So tell me.

...I'll be brave, Steffi. From now on, I'll be brave.

That one declaration is the start of something beautiful for Allison.

Esben Baylor.

Sweet mercy, when I tell you that boy was perfection ...*fans self*.

Esben is what most dream about when they say they want a "Prince Charming". He is all that and then some, and I expected him to be nothing short of awesome.

The way the two meet--during a 180 second experiment in which they sit and stare into each other's souls--was as unusual as it gets. However, the experience causes an immediate connection.

Reading how these two fall into each other was gorgeous to devour. I don't care how storybook (and cliche) it was, it was needed in a story where there is so much pain running under the surface--in both Esben and Allison's case.

Every character in this book was purposeful and well placed in Allison's life. Simon, her father, was perfection.

He doesn't appear often but, every time he does, he does so with just the right amount of love and support for his daughter.

Kerry and Carmen offer a friendship that happens organically, but comes at just the right time.

And the stories that appear--due to Esben's humanity experiments--are subtle nods to how we can be better people: more tolerant, less judgmental, more accepting, more forgiving, and less hateful people.

Even better, NONE of the above happens in a preachy way.

In the end, it was a bittersweet story, but it was a good story.

It touched me and offered a few needed lessons about truly living life unscripted.
It's an interesting world, with interesting people. You just have to keep your eyes open.

And you should keep your eyes (and mind) open for this one.

You really have to read it for yourself to understand how heart-warming it truly was to experience.