How (Not) To Fall In Love by Lisa Brown Roberts
Release Date: 02/03/15Publisher: Entangled Teen
Purchase Links: Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books│iBooks
Finding true love on the other side of the tracks was never so much fun in this heartfelt and hilarious contemporary novel.
Seventeen-year-old Darcy Covington doesn't know the difference between a pawn shop and a thrift shop. Even her dog eats gourmet food, so she’s totally unprepared when her car is repossessed from the parking lot of her elite private school. Turns out her father, a semi-famous motivational speaker, has skipped town, abandoning his family while his business collapses. Even David Letterman comes up with ten reasons why her father won’t ever return home.
Desperate to sell her expensive jewelry for much-needed cash, Darcy discovers that her dad’s brother runs a funky thrift shop on a street full of eccentric characters, including a coffee shop owner named Liz and one supremely hot fix-it guy named Lucas.
Darcy finds some solace hanging out with her uncle and Lucas in the thrift shop and working in Liz’s coffee shop, while the rest of her life falls apart. The time she spends with the uber hot Lucas helps takes her mind off her family’s troubles, even though she’s sure he’s only nice to her because he works for her uncle, especially when she meets the cover girl beauty she thinks he’s dating.
Can Darcy find the courage she needs to adapt to the necessary changes brought about by her family’s drastically reduced lifestyle? And will she open her eyes to the amazing realization that Lucas wants much more than friendship from her?
My Thoughts
How (Not) to Fall in Love is a worthy debut novel by Lisa Brown Roberts. Her story and characters are a subtle blend of charming and entertaining.
In this YA contemporary novel, Darcy Covington is having to face some hard financial times when her father, a famous inspirational speaker, leaves town without a word. Darcy’s plush and privileged world starts to crumble around her as she sees her car repossessed, her mansion reclaimed by the company her father abandoned, and her mother begin to fall apart. She takes solace with her long lost uncle and applies for a job at a funky coffee shop next door to her Uncle Charlie’s thrift shop. His eclectic group of friends including Liz and Lucas, come into Darcy’s world as she faces and struggles with her new reality.
I liked Darcy Covington from the very beginning. It was clear that seeing her world fall apart around her was a struggle she had to get used to, but she never stopped to feel sorry for herself. She took matters into her own hands when her parents were clearly unable to keep the family together. She wasted no time in getting a job an alternate form of transportation, as well as made sure she and her mom had money and a roof over their head.
Her character development was immediate and steady. She learned as she went and never gave up. She had several moments I admired, including the estate sale, apartment hunting and mission to find her father. Yes, I quite liked this character.
The only area I struggled with was the pacing of the book. It took a while to get where it was going, and I feel the novel would be best served with a good chopping of some words. It felt extremely lengthy at times.
All of the characters, including her dog Toby were a fun cast. I enjoyed my time with them. Well done.
3.5 Snowflakes
Lisa Brown Roberts still hasn't recovered from the teenage trauma of nearly tweezing off both eyebrows and having to pencil them in for an entire school year. This and other angst-filled memories inspire her to write YA books about navigating life's painful and funny dramas, and falling in love along the way.
Her almost forever home is Colorado, though she occasionally pines for the days when she lived within walking distance of the Pacific Ocean. Her house is full of books, boys, several four-legged prima donnas, and lots of laughter.
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