Lovin' los libros

A book blog dedicated to young adult and new adult novels

Review: The Truth About You and Me by Amanda Grace

By 7:49 AM , , , , ,

The Truth About You and Me
   by: Amanda Grace

Publication Date: Sept. 8, 2013
Publisher: Flux
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 229 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 3/5 stars


Smart girls aren't supposed to do stupid things.

Madelyn Hawkins is super smart. At sixteen, she's so gifted that she can attend college through a special program at her high school. On her first day, she meets Bennett. He's cute, funny, and kind. He understands Madelyn and what she's endured - and missed out on - in order to excel academically and please her parents. Now, for the first time in her life, she's falling in love.
There's only one problem. Bennett is Madelyn's college professor, and he thinks she's eighteen - because she hasn't told him the truth.
The story of their forbidden romance is told in letters that Madelyn writes to Bennett - both a heart-searing ode to their ill-fated love and an apology.
 

When I first saw this on NetGalley, I was quite intrigued by the premise and I'm all for a case of forbidden love. I also really enjoyed the fact that the book was written in letter form from Madelyn to Bennett. I felt we were able to get a pretty good feel for Madelyn and her reasoning behind why she did what she did. However, because of this, I wasn't able to get that firm of a grasp on Bennett. I realize the point of this was for Madelyn to tell the story from her eyes and also be able to give an apology to him for everything that had happened. Still, I was curious as to his feelings regarding everything and we didn't get that.

Madelyn was not a perfect protagonist. In fact, she was far from it and I can see why people struggled to like her. Madelyn knows the difference between right and wrong. She warred with the fact that she hadn't come clean and told Bennett the truth about her real age. For as much as she stressed over it- and then later researched age of consent- she couldn't claim ignorance about the whole situation. She knew what she was walking into and I think that's why I found her to be so selfish. She is infatuated with Bennett, but really- I think she was infatuated with the idea of him. For so long, her overbearing parents have expected perfection from her. She is incredibly smart and therefore has her entire life mapped out by her parents. She's tired of the high expectations they have set for her. She wants someone to understand- someone to relate to. She finds that in Bennett. He is a good listener and he does care about her.

Don't get me wrong- I feel really bad for Madelyn. I can't imagine the stress and pressure she's been placed under by her parents to be perfect and excel. But for someone as intelligent as her, I just find her moral compass to be very skewed. Surely, she had to know the repercussions for her actions. Not to mention, it's not just her own life here- Bennett, being the older party, will lose everything if their relationship is brought to light.

Oh, Bennett. I felt for him too. He is attracted to this girl, but he is struggling with the fact that she is one of his students. He knows being with her would be wrong and so he tells her they must keep their relationship platonic until she is no longer his student. I just felt like he really got the short end of the stick here. He is attracted to this girl, who happens to be his student and who also happens to be 16 years old. Said girl lies to him for months and then after crossing the point of no return, finds out the truth in a rather crappy way, and then has to deal with the repercussions that come with what has happened.

Just from the tone of Madelyn's letters, you can pretty much deduce that things are not going to end well for Madelyn and Bennett. I can't say I was shocked over the ending, but it definitely wasn't the type of ending I'm used to. However, I found it be fitting and very realistic considering the sequence of events. I did enjoy this story for what it was though and I really did like that it was told in letter format.

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12 comments

  1. I had this one too, but I couldn't get into the writing style, but I'm intrigued now after reading your review. Thanks for sharing your thoughts

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    1. Thanks Heather! I ended up liking the writing style, but I can definitely see how it's not for everyone.

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  2. I don't think we are meant to really get a FEEL for Bennett or his feelings. For me, this book wasn't about Bennett. It was about Madelyn and what she had done. If that makes sense. I agree with you that she was selfish and she knew fell well what was going on. I don't' think she looked at the severity of what could have happened to Bennett and that is where I see her immaturity and just how naive she really is.She is far from stupid, just young and in love with the idea of BEING in love.

    I am conflicted about the ending. I don't know what I wanted but.. Yet, again I agree with you that it was the most realistic ending we could have had.

    Great review Jess!

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    1. I agree- I don't think we were meant to either, but I was so curious as to what he must have been thinking! I was conflicted with the end too, because I need HEA's, but I don't think it was feasible here sadly.

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  3. Great review girl! I have seen this one around and I like forbidden romance too but I don't know if this one is for me. I'm not sure I could get on board with Madelyn and the fact that it may not have a happy ending. I liked that it ends realistically though and the letter format sounds interesting.

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    1. Thanks chica! I probably would skip this one if I were you- if I hadn't requested it from NG and felt obligated to review it, I probably would have skipped it.

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  4. I'm really not a fan of the whole student-teacher romance thing in books. Lots of people think it brings the swoon, but for me it's so damn CREEPY.

    I'm glad this book didn't end in the corny happily-ever-after way though and had a more realistic end. Seems like there were a lot of consequences for them both and I like that (in a non-sadistic way haha)

    - Allie @ Little Birdie Books

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    1. As a teacher myself- I couldn't even fathom it. Not at all. LOL. Now if the girl were 19-20 and he were like a TA or 25-30, I could do that. But otherwise... not so much.

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  5. Oh no, this sounds like it has a realistic ending... I dont like those! I like hearts and rainbows lol this does sound interesting though. Great review!

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    1. Haha! I know! Hearts, rainbows, flowers! That's me too! Yup, we don't get that here.

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  6. I do really want to read this one. I like the sound of the letter format, definitely intriguing! Great review hon!

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    1. Thanks girl! Let me know if you ever read- I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on it!

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