Disclosure: I haven't read anything by Brendan Halpin OR Emily Franklin before, but now that I've read this one, and found out that they live, basically, right in my neighborhood (okay, close: Newton and J.P.), I probably should read more! Also, those are not the real reasons to read more, the real reason is because this book was GREAT!
Most of the time, love does not come easy. And this is certainly the case for Liana, who has a hard time believing that she's not a "slut," as the note in her locker claims. She's done her fair share of kissing and running. And then there's Hank, who's never gotten close enough to a member of his opposite sex that wasn't Mother to even be thinking of love. A chance meeting in a hospital bathroom brings these two characters from disparate places (in social standings, life, though they are from the same town) together for an unforgettable friendship that blooms into something more, a challenge for the both of them.
Franklin and Halpin clearly are a pair to watch (dare we say, the second coming of David Levithan and Rachel Cohn?!?!). In fact, this book, for me, personally, surpassed Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. I found this love story so much more believable, because, let's face it, how rare is it to find love in a moment, in an evening? The best relationship stories take place over a longer period of time, say, a summer, giving both characters plenty of time to completely embarrass themselves in front of each other, because cringe-worthy moments and complete mistakes give way to the most redeeming of apologies and forgiveness.
Music buffs will appreciate the way these two have bonded over a shared love of rock classics.
It seems that I must mention that Hank has Asperger's syndrome, since it is relevant to the story, but I must also then admit that this one of the first stories I've read about someone with Asperger's where that's not their defining feature, nor is it what the story is about. Perhaps that is where the story really succeeds in defying stereotypes. When Liana starts hanging out with Hank, she has no idea he has Asperger's, he's just a little bit strange sometimes (umm... what teenage boy isn't?) and he has an encyclopedic knowledge of rock music (you can say that about pretty much every guy that's worked at a record store). He has to tell her that he has Asperger's, just so she'll understand how some things don't come natural to him (like reading gestures, etc.).
This is the perfect quirky summer romance for anyone that likes to read about real, flawed, kind of hilarious people, finding each other and finding love.
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