“Whether the system works or it doesn’t, it didn’t work for me…”
Having just aged out of foster care, eighteen-year-old Jules finds herself homeless and broke. Shortly after her eighteenth birthday, she’s sent packing with very little money and very few personal belongings. However, with her social worker’s help, she finds a place that she can call home—temporarily. But growing up in foster care has left her emotionally scarred, and opening up to people and letting them in is not something she ever wants to do again.
Until she meets Jake. The attraction is almost instant, and he is someone she can definitely see herself falling for. But Jules quickly discovers that everything is not always as it seems, and people are rarely who they appear to be. After learning the truth about Jake, she wants nothing more to do with him. But Jake is captivated by Jules—not just because of her mesmerizing hazel eyes, but because she has unwavering strength despite the unfortunate life she’s had—and he’s not letting go that easily. He’s determined to win her heart, and with each passing day he shreds more of her resolve. With Jake’s help, Jules soon discovers that—even though she has spent most of her life parentless and homeless—there’s no place like home…
Having just aged out of foster care, eighteen-year-old Jules finds herself homeless and broke. Shortly after her eighteenth birthday, she’s sent packing with very little money and very few personal belongings. However, with her social worker’s help, she finds a place that she can call home—temporarily. But growing up in foster care has left her emotionally scarred, and opening up to people and letting them in is not something she ever wants to do again.
Until she meets Jake. The attraction is almost instant, and he is someone she can definitely see herself falling for. But Jules quickly discovers that everything is not always as it seems, and people are rarely who they appear to be. After learning the truth about Jake, she wants nothing more to do with him. But Jake is captivated by Jules—not just because of her mesmerizing hazel eyes, but because she has unwavering strength despite the unfortunate life she’s had—and he’s not letting go that easily. He’s determined to win her heart, and with each passing day he shreds more of her resolve. With Jake’s help, Jules soon discovers that—even though she has spent most of her life parentless and homeless—there’s no place like home…
I am of the opinion that the story of the orphan is way overdone in NA
stories. However, once in a while come
across stories about foster kids/orphans that are touching in their realism. This is one of those books.
Jules is about to age out of the foster care system at 18 and become
homeless. She is dreading the last visit
to her social worker, but her social worker has a plan. She unofficially wants to place her with a
family who has agreed to help her out until she can find a better
situation. In the midst of these
transitions she meets Jake and there is an instant attraction between
them. They sit together at a pizza
parlor and part never expecting to see each other again. But inevitably, they see each other again,
and this time Jules gets Jake’s phone number, fully intending to call him. She learns, however, a big secret about Jake
that immediately makes her throw up the walls that Jake had started to break
down. However, Jake is determined to be
with Jules no matter the cost. Can Jules
learn to trust?
First off, I applaud the author for tackling a very real issue about
aging out of the foster care. There are
many old children in the system that never get families, and bringing this
issue to light is completely awesome.
Plus, it’s handled well and from my experience accurately. It’s a tough subject matter that could have
gone downhill fast, but I found that it was an element that added to the story
and didn’t detract from it in the least as I’ll admit I was kind of expecting
it to.
The characters were a little tougher for me. I liked Jules, but I felt at times that she
was quick to judge others and not hold everyone to the same standards. I guess I get why she would be that way, but
she is one of those characters that is spunky and has reason to be as guarded
as she is. I had to remember that at 18
she had experienced a lot of heartbreak and had to mature quickly, but she also
was just a girl trying to find her way in the world.
Jake I liked a lot in the beginning, but his secret was a big turn off
for me. I’m not sure I liked how he
handled the situation with Jules and his *ahem* secret well, but there are
parts of him that are redeeming. He
truly cares for Jules and wants to be with her, which I found admirable, even
if his efforts were misguided.
Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot.
It has a great story that sucks you in, even if I did find the
character’s behavior annoying at times.
4 stars.
DeAnna Holland is the pseudonym for Brittany
Holland, writer and mother of two. Brittany currently resides in Middle of
Nowhere, USA (aka Louisa, Virginia), with her family. She’s always had a
passion for romance, and when she’s not reading it, she’s writing it! For more
information, check out her blog at: www.deannaholland.blogspot.com,
and you can find her on Facebook!!!! 
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