Review: The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine

The Promise of Amazing

by Robin Constantine

Publisher- Balzer + Bray

Released- Dec 31st 2013

Pre-Order- Amazon / B & N

Wren Caswell is average. Ranked in the middle of her class at Sacred Heart, she’s not popular, but not a social misfit. Wren is the quiet, “good” girl who's always done what she's supposed to—only now in her junior year, this passive strategy is backfiring. She wants to change, but doesn’t know how.Grayson Barrett was the king of St. Gabe’s. Star of the lacrosse team, top of his class, on a fast track to a brilliant future—until he was expelled for being a “term paper pimp.” Now Gray is in a downward spiral and needs to change, but doesn’t know how.
One fateful night their paths cross when Wren, working at her family’s Arthurian-themed catering hall, performs the Heimlich on Gray as he chokes on a cocktail weenie, saving his life literally and figuratively. What follows is the complicated, awkward, hilarious, and tender tale of two teens shedding their pasts, figuring out who they are—and falling in love.

My Thoughts:

The Promise of Amazing was one of my most anticipated books. That cover alone screams; Adorable, read me! But at last, I just couldn't love this one.

Our story begins with Wren Caswell who is an average shy girl that wants a bigger life, but doesn't think that she can actually have one. Her family owns a reception hall called the Camelot and it's there that she unexpectedly saved the life of a boy who was chocking. Grayson Barrett. Thus begins a very rushed and somewhat confusing relationship between the two.

First off, I want to make it clear that I didn't hate this book, the story has a lot of promise, but it just didn't quite deliver the qualities I like in my contemporary escape. The writing however, is something I did really enjoy. Robin Constantine has a fun, fresh and natural style that sparks up the dialog in ways that gives these characters a clear tone in both personality and attitude. 

Now plot wise, the beginning of the story was strong, but then it went into a different direction giving it that feeling of going everywhere and nowhere at once. Wren is worried about college life and overwhelmed about her future. She has a good family, good friends who are all understanding and supportive. Her heart has been broken once before and while she's over it, it still hurts. But then everything about Wren kinda stopped when she met Grayson and then everything just became all about him.

Personally, I don't see the attraction. Yes, Grayson can be charming, but he's also kinda an ass. He has a lot of issues that would normally make any girl think twice about getting involved. I'm all for renewing your life, learning from your mistakes and wanting a second chance, but I had a hard time believing that Grayson suddenly wanted to change his wicked ways cause a girl that he doesn't even know, saved him from chocking. I get that he's grateful, but it felt like he was using this life changing experience as a wake-up call and decided to fall in love with the person who did the waking. At this point I was all for giving him a chance to prove himself worthy, and yet, he ends up playing the same games. He could have walked away from that whole 'Operation Amsterdam', but instead he became this spineless cowardly guy who got pushed by his so called friend. Then he made a rather ugly move by giving Wren a gift that wasn't actually his to give away. Not cool peeps. Basically, besides his looks, he doesn't have very much going for him and his long string of mistakes made him very hard to like.

The relationship was rushed into an insta-love and while I normally don't mind stories like that, this one didn't have those ground breaking moments that made it believable or swoon-worthy. The ending also felt way to convenient. Wren just up and decides that Grayson's past doesn't matter and all is forgiven and for kicks comes up with a plan to help Grayson get even, which quite frankly doesn't really add up with Wren's personality and made her feel out of character. The nail on the coffin was that we even have Grayson and Luke make amends and go their separate ways, which, I'm sorry, I thought was total bullshit for all the crap Luke put them through.

Bottom line, sadly I couldn't love this one the way I wanted to, but it may be just me. The writing is smart and terrific and I liked the other characters in this book, but unfortunately our main male lead is a little to flawed for my taste and I didn't understand the connection between him and Wren. Still, I really enjoyed Constantine's style and look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

Find the author:

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