Hhmm I was excited to read this book, the description sounded really good, and I, for the most part, liked the book I guess I just couldn't get into the characters.Kasey Wilson has a crush on the boy next door. Joseph Mitchell is that boy and he is getting ready to leave for boot camp. The night before he leaves Kasey invites Joseph over for a meal; one thing leads to another and they end up in bed together. Joseph leaves the next day.Five years later they run into each other again while Joseph is in town visiting friends. That day he meets the product of his and Kasey's one unforgettable night together. Joseph immediately wants to spend more time and Kasey is ok with that she just wants to make sure no one gets hurt. Joseph's job and commitment is back in San Diego so Kasey knows he has to leave, it's just hard to let him go after he has just came back. This book calls to mind 'Goodnight, Beautiful' by Dorothy Koomson, minus the amazing writing, well developed characters and interesting plot.And why?Because, apart some slight similarity in themes, the male leads of these two books are two freaking spineless cowards. You do not know how much I hate them both. These two use and abuse the very women who were always there for them, loving and supporting them, damaging them almost to the point of no repair, due to their own selfishness and because they let themselves be manipulated by sluts who have nothing better to do than screwing other people's lives.And they just walk away like nothing world-changing happened.I really don't know who is the worst. But let's talk about dear Joseph, the 'hero' of this particular book.There is this girl (the heroine), whose name I don't remember, even though I just finished this book, who lives in the same neighbourhood he does.Her parents are religious zealots and very strict, so he feels like he has to look after her. They sorta, kinda become maybe friends.She is clearly socially awkward and more than a little stupid, since she is a virgin who doesn't even have an inkling of what to expect from sex. She also has an obviously huge crush on him, and as he is due to leave to the Marines the next day, she decides to take advantage of the fact her parents aren't home to make him dinner and do something about her feelings.Shit was bound to get real from this point on.Joseph oh-so not can resist her allure and jumps her bones, leaving the very next morning without even a "Howdy, partner!"First of all, these two having sex just made me sick. The poor girl didn't know anything at all. Not what to do, but most of all, not what to expect. She wasn't prepared at all for that and it felt to me that Joseph was having sex with a child. That's just plain wrong and disgusting.But what really aggravated me was that he knew how clueless she was, jumped her anyway, without using protection and the next morning he just beats it and that's it.I'm not even going to talk about the emotional impact one suffers after such an experience. I'll just jump to the part where he doesn't bother to find it whether she was physically fine and pregnant or not.The pregnant part, especially when you know the girl's parents are fanatics obsessed with religion and are likely to kick her out of the damn house for the perceived sin, seems more than a bit important to me. But not to Joseph.He just walks away. And surprise, surprise. She's knocked-up. And her parents treat her like a harlot and kick her out. So, basically she's double, no, triple screwed.Some time passes and OMG, Joseph actually loves the girl he used and left behind. He goes to her former house and her parents tell him she's studying in another state, so he thinks she doesn't love him and chose to leave him, therefore he stops looking for her.Geez, honey, your love is so deep and true! Meanwhile, she's busy baking his daughter, writing desperate love letters for him to come back and generally mopping and acting all forlorn and fatalistic. And when the kid is born, she names her Josephina, after her father.She believes Joseph doesn't give two shits about them, but she still loves him and keeps acting like a lovesick kicked puppy, while he is out getting engaged with some bitch.Joseph finds out he has a daughter and gets pissed with she-whose-name-shall-not-be-named-cause-I-can't-remember, but to hell with everything, he wants a family and wants them near him.What the hell kind of train wreck? I won't even lose more time with this. I've done that enough already.The story, the characters and the writing suck. Read at your own peril.
What do You think about With Me (2000)?
I absolutely loved this story! I could not but it down Review to come with your.
—kmilli22
Review to come! I was given an ARC in exchange of an honest review!
—Afreenay
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Review to come.
—Fernisha
