ARC Review: My Sweetest Escape by Chelsea Cameron

My Sweetest Escape

(My Favorite Mistake #2)

Author: Chelsea Cameron

Publisher: Harlequin

Genre: New Adult

Source: eARC from publisher via NetGalley

~Synopsis~

The past will always find you.

Jos Archer was the girl with the perfect life; until the night it all came crashing down around her. Now, nine months later, she still hasn't begun to pick up the pieces. Even transferring to a new college and living under the watchful eye of her older sister, Renee, isn't enough to help her feel normal again.

And then she meets Dusty Sharp. For reasons Jos can't begin to fathom, the newly reformed campus bad boy seems determined to draw her out of her shell. And if she's not careful, his knowing green eyes and wicked smile will make her feel things she's no longer sure she deserves.

But even as Dusty coaxes Jos to open up about the past, he's hiding secrets of his own. Secrets about the night her old life fell apart. When the truth is finally revealed, will it bring them closer together;or tear them apart for good?

~Review~

I am a definite fan of Chelsea Cameron’s writing and I think she creates some really memorable and unique female MC’s. I haven’t read My Favorite Mistake yet but when I saw My Sweetest Escape on NetGalley, I knew I needed to grab it. I felt like Chelsea did a great job of creating an emotional plot but also not overdoing the angst.

Jos was a very interesting and likable character. It’s obvious that she has experienced something very difficult and eye opening and it has really changed her. However, it’s all about perception because she feels more like she is just figuring out who she really is. The old her that everyone knew was the persona she put on to please and it’s who she thought she wanted to be but never really was. While she wasn't exactly thrilled to move in with her sister, I think it ended up being the best thing for her and I think she realized this in the end. 

I liked the development of Jos and Dusty's relationship. There was clearly an attraction between the two but I liked that they simply developed a friendship first. Their banter and interactions had me cracking up a time or two and that is the magic of Chelsea's writing. Dusty has made poor decisions in the past that he is overcoming so he can understand Jos and that fuels their connection. They are also connected by a person from their pasts but they don't know it and when Jos realizes it, she pushes Dusty away. I liked the way this mystery was integrated into the plot and that we are teased piece by piece with regards to who and what changed Jos. The connection to Dusty isn't predictable because we don't even know what happened until that connection is revealed. I really liked the way Dusty handled the situation and I loved that he didn't let Jos push him away easily. He fought for her and in the process, broke down her barriers and helped her heal. 

This book has a really great cast of side characters and I loved that they were a group of friends and roommates but treated each other and the household more like a family. They opened their hearts and their home to Jos so easily and I liked that. I haven't read My Favorite Mistake yet but Taylor and Hunter seem really great. I also liked Mace and Darah. Mace is like a protective big brother and Darah is so sweet. The one person that had to grow on me was Renee, Jos' sister. She was super uptight and I felt like she was really hard on Jos. I felt like she was always on Jos about changing and not really accepting the new her or trying to get to know or understand where Jos was coming from. However, as the book went on, I could tell she really loved her and when she loosened up a bit, their relationship was really nice. I absolutely loved Hannah, Jos' new friend. She is funny, smart and not afraid to speak her mind. She has some demons from her past and I loved her attitude about it and the way she deals with the situation.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it definitely held my attention from beginning to end. It was a great new adult that broke the mold a bit and I really liked that. Probably my favorite thing about the book would be the writing. It has a distinct tone that can't put my finger on but I really like and the plot flows really well.

~IPOD Picks~

“Say Something” by A Great Big World

“Had Enough” by Lifehouse

Buy Links:
Amazon:  http://amzn.to/LfFN6j 
B&N:  http://bit.ly/1e2zWgS 
Kobo:  http://bit.ly/1esy387