Book 40 (will make you cry): Flat Out Love by Jessica Park

Flat Out Love by Jessica Park

Publisher: *Self-Published*
Page Count: 389
Fiction Genre: Romance, YA, Chick-Lit, Book Club
Dates Read: August 14-16, 2015
 
Summary
Julie has left home for college.  She's left behind small-town Ohio for big-city Boston.  When she arrives to move into her new rental house she quickly learns that it is a Craig's List scam.  With Julie's mother being so far away, her mother does the best thing she can think of and calls an old sorority sister who lives and teaches at the neighboring college, Erin.  Erin, her husband, and two children welcome Julie into their home and allow her to stay with them rent free in exchange for helping to take care of the Watkins pre-teen child, Celeste.  in the midst of everything, Julie finds her heart torn between the two brothers, the youngest, Matthew, who still lives at home while going to college, and the oldest, Finn, who is saving the world, and only communicates on occasion through facebook.  

Review
*le sigh*   well, I've finished this one, but I nearly gave up.  It didn't make me cry, but it really frustrated me, which was horribly disappointing.  The book actually started out really strong and I thought it was going places. I was deceived (let me be dramatic about this)!

One of my favorite things about this book was the witty and flirty banter between Julie and Matt, and Julie and Finn (I should mention that the two boys are brothers).  My other favorite part of this was the ending.  That's it.  That was the best Parks could do.

Park's writing style started out great, and then around page 75, it was like she gave it up to a child and just dictated ideas to a 10 year old.  There were moments I would cringe and just think, "okay, that was odd".  But soon the occasional cringe turned into holding a cringed face as I turned the pages.

So the writing was bad, but so was the plot and story line, and let's not forget Julie.  Man, that Julie. What a *expletive*.  I can't remember the last time I've read a character so shallow.  This made the character development in the Twilight series look outstanding and Pulitzer worthy.  I wish I could find a way to express to you how bad the plot was without giving something away, but it was very predictable and quiet pathetic.  The best I can say is that Finn and Matt's little sister, Celeste is suffering from severe trauma and a borderline mental illness, but the family not only just lets it go, they encourage it, and now Julie is sort of in on it to, though she wants to help Celeste out.

I loved the cover, and even though crying books aren't typically my thing I had high hopes for this. There is a part of me that I want to read the other two books, but only because I am a completionist.  I'm just not sure I can bring myself to do it.  It's like the Divergent Series all over again *shudders*. 

Ratings (based on a 10 point scale)
Quality of Writing - 4
Pace - 4
Plot Development - 3
Characters - 2
Enjoyability - 3
Insightfulness - 3
Ease of Reading - 4
Photos/Illustrations - N/A
Overall Rating - 2 out of 5 stars

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