Review & Giveaway: Undone

Reviewed by Janell
 

This is such a love story, and I mean that in a straightforward way: girl mets boy, they flirt, date, fall in love, and eventually live happily ever after. They aren’t thwarted by dark pasts, silly misunderstandings, or villainous exes. They simply learn to fit into each others’ lives and commit to each other. It’s very sweet. Maybe a little slow in parts, maybe a little long, but overall an enjoyable journey.

Paige is a Philadelphia girl who likes loud clothes, tall shoes, and speaking her mind. Her life is pretty good, she thinks, until her best friend/roommate moves out of state. Then Paige loses her job. She moves in with her boyfriend, who quickly tells her that she’s not worth the effort of a relationship. Homeless and jobless, Paige moves in with her parents.

The problem is, her parents have retired to Mirabelle, a small town on the Florida panhandle. Paige hits Mirabelle like a mini-hurricane, causing the old biddies and gossips to turn against her and prevent her from finding a job. Her new life sucks just about as much as her old life. And then her car breaks down.

Brendan, the hot mechanic, tows her car, and that’s pretty much the last bad day Paige ever has. You know what’s cool about Brendan? He’s not an aggressive silent type who thinks he’s not good enough for her. No, Brendan tells her plainly, “And Paige, it’s just a matter of time.” I’d be lying if I said that didn’t give me the shivers.

They circle around each other for about a week, then they kiss, and that’s when I noticed how much this book differed from most books I read. Paige and Brendan date for over three months without having sex. I know! His narration doesn’t constantly point out how uncomfortable his pants are, he doesn’t narrate explicit fantasies, he just takes cold showers and waits because Paige wants to take things slow. When they do get down to business, the scenes are hot enough but not scorching.

Paige’s parents are just about the most normal, supportive parents you can get in a book. Brendan’s grandparents, sister, and friends are also normal and supportive. By the time I met the full cast of characters and saw how nice everyone was, I began to wonder if this book would have any conflict at all.

Paige’s snippy coworkers and nosy neighbor contribute to the town gossip who writes an actual gossip blog, with fake names and innuendos and everything. I know small town novels always have gossips, but I was surprised that old ladies were high-tech enough to write blogs that people read. The rumors cause some drama but not enough to shake up the romance. Ba

sically this is a happy, feel-good love story with fun partners who support each other and talk to each other. This is the first in a series, and I am definitely interested in the next book. Undone is not very suspenseful, which made it seem more like real life. Sometimes in life you just date, hang out with your friends, and eat dinner with your parents. And that’s pretty cool.

Rating: B+

*ARC Provided by Forever

Click to purchase: Amazon

If you would like to win a copy, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Undone

by Shannon Richard

Release Date: July 2, 2013

Publisher: Forever