Review: "Southern Perfection" by Casey Peeler
Note: This ebook was provided by The Hype PR via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
With one simple act of kindness at the age of five, Emmett Bridges changed Raegan Lowery's life forever. She's never forgotten him and when he returns after being away from their hometown of Pleasant Hills for a few years, it's plain to see that he's never forgotten her either. They immediately re-connect but now that they're teenagers, there's more than just simple friendship that's brewing between the two of them.
As much as she loves and cares for Em, Rae knows that there is only one man who takes the top spot in her life and in her heart and that's her grandfather. For twelve years, it's only been the two of them, and with the help of her distant cousin Cole, they take care of the family-owned farm they love. When her grandfather's health begins to fail, secrets begin to accumulate and painful choices need to be made.
Southern Perfection is a young adult (YA) romance that highlights a granddaughter's love for her grandfather and the love between two teenagers who appear to have been destined to be together. I enjoyed both story lines, though there were times that the storytelling part felt stilted, with some moments feeling overly long, while other moments were skimmed over or were simply fast forwarded.
The story is told from the dual perspectives of both lead characters, Em and Rae, and I'll be honest--there were a few times I forgot who Em was and automatically thought it was a girl's name. Both were portrayed in a realistic manner and I did like both of them. Rae always put her grandfather first and Em understood that. I liked that these two had a genuine love and devotion toward their own families and each other.
I am curious, though, about Cole, whose last name wasn't mentioned in the book, because I honestly thought he had feelings for Rae and the whole cousin thing in the beginning was confusing, so I'm going to assume they're distant relatives. The background history of the man himself plus his relationship with Rae is a bit cloudy and I definitely wouldn't mind if he had his own story told in a future book. *hint, hint* ^.^
All things considered, Southern Perfection was a touching story of how family isn't about the number of people in it or if they share the same bloodline as you but about the people who are share the good and the bad and are there regardless of the circumstances. The romance between Em and Rae was also sweet and had a sense of measured innocence and purity to it that I appreciated. I'm giving this book 3.5 stars. ♥
Date read: 18 March 2015
Learn more about author Casey Peeler here.
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