Sweetness

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Review by: Josheka Chauhan on Aug. 03, 2012 :
The title matches the story PERFECTLY! Sweetness was full of small bits (and sometimes big ones)of sweetness throughout the story. There were so many "awwwwww" moments and wonderfully executed scenes. I loved Lindsay Paige's writing style. It was simple and yet quite efficiently got the message through. All the characters were understandable and the story itself was AH-MAZING.

Character-wise Emily was okay. She was too..weak to be likeable in the beginning, but slowly as I got to know her and her story better, I started liking her. Sometimes, her childish nature became really irritating but overall, she was just fine I guess.

Jake was...well I don't know how to describe him. Guys like him are not real. He was SUPER understanding, SUPER patient, SUPER good-looking, SUPER sweet, SUPER everything. In short, HE WAS SUPERB!! While reading the story, I couldn't believe that a guy can do so much for a girl he likes. It was adorable. I think Jake sort of tops my list of sweetest guys in books. His character was fantabulous and his POV in the story was truly well-written by Ms. Paige.

The other characters were pretty cool too but I can't say much about them since the whole story basically revolved around Emily and Jake. I really liked Emily's dad and also little Drake. His upbeat and enthusiastic nature was cute and interesting.

All in all, Sweetness was really, really good and if you're a YA romance lover then you're absolutely gonna love it! With it's swoon-worthy and still in limits romantic scenes, enjoyable characters and an AWESOME story, it'll surely make your heart go pitter-pat! :D
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Carole Rae on June 23, 2012 :
Like I earlier stated, I read this for CMN to give my honest opinion. This is the first book I've read by Lindsay Paige and it is also the first book of the series.

At first I was little unsure how I would take to this book. Usually I don't read YA novels, but I took a chance with this one and the second one (which I'll be reading soon). Why? Well, I'm a sucker for guys who play hockey or baseball. How many books have you read that the hero is a hockey or baseball player? Not many! When I read that Jake (the hero) was a hockey player I was giggled like a pre-teen and put my name into read this. I also really wanted to see if Lindsay Paige could make this very unlikely romance seem legit or if it would be cheesy like many YA romances are.

To put it simple: I was not let down. I was drawn to Emily's and Jake's story. I can't say that I can connect with these characters on the same level as these two, but I understand. It's hard to explain, but I really was intrigued. They both had pretty bad experiences in their past and they suffer in silence until they find one another. I found it very sweet and I was highly jealous of Emily. Jake, even though classified as a popular guy, was a wonderful person. I love how he was so dedicated to help Emily and bring her back to life after such horrid experiences with her mother being a (sorry for the French) bitch and the guys her mom hired to pretty much rape her. Poor girl. However, I love how Emily stood by her man even though he blamed himself for his mother's death.

Perhaps the reason why Jake was drawn to Emily was the fact that she was his redemption. He would save her, because he wasn't there to save his mom. It's just so...sweet. I loved it. Perhaps that is why Lindsay Paige named the book Sweetness. Hmmmm.

The only thing that realllllllllly bugged me was how the book was written. It was written in present tense and at times I felt like I was reading diary entries. I don't mind it, but it was slightly irritating at times. Am I being too picky or have I become highly use to past tense novels? I don't know, but that was the only thing that irked me. Other than that, I adored this book.

Sweetness was a sweet book and its a good book to read while your laying by the pool or chilling on the beach. I can't wait to start the second book in this series. I would recommend this to those that need a nice, sweet book or for those that LOVE YA novels. It's one the best YA novels I've read in a long time. Out of five stars I grant this one 4 stars.

Favorite Character(s): Emily, Jake, Emily's dad/Mike
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Emily's mom, Claire (gah)
(reviewed long after purchase)

Review by: Julie Odron on May 24, 2012 :
Sometimes people just instantly connect and that is what happens in Sweetness. Super, super sweet romance. . . predictable, but still really sweet. However, I didn't like that there wasn't a significant struggle between Jake and Emily. For two people that have deep-rooted issues, they both confided and changed too quickly to squeeze out the emotional side to this story.

I also felt jilted on Emily's history. We are given facts (horrific facts), but there was never a tangible struggle (that wasn't rushed) to overcome or work through these facts. I felt that, as a reader, the surface was barely being scratched. I would have liked to see more of the tiny details of each of their pasts tie into the story more. The main focus was the romance and I felt that the realistic issues were added to give the characters depth, but that depth wasn't explored. It was left untapped. That aching emotion that is so addictive to me was missing, but like I said the romance was tender and my attention was captured for the most part.

With all that said, I did really enjoy the characters. Drake was a quick favorite and I felt that Lindsay Paige did an excellent job in capturing the endearing, exhilirating energy that kids produce. Jake was another great character and I liked the fact that he was a romancer without being a womanizer. And, despite my feelings about the growth of Emily, she was a great character as well, but not my favorite and that is because her growth was just too radical.

Sweetness is a quick read, so make sure you line up I'm Yours for as soon as you're done!
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Rachel Simons on May 15, 2012 :
Sweetness is a fantastic book. Emily was a shy girl completely in her shell, wouldn’t make eye contact with anyone and barely speak. Jake on the other hand was the complete opposite of her although both of them had bad pasts.

The book is quite emotional in places and romantic and a lot of turmoil too.
I liked seeing Emily come out of that awful shell she had herself in, and that Jake was the person to help her through it. With him having problems too it kind of makes sense why they are great together.

I read this book in about two hours it is only about 38390 words so a great book if you want to read something quick. I couldn’t put it down!

I was sad, happy, worried, all of those and probably more when reading Sweetness. I like a good romance and young adult genres so it was the perfect book for me to read.

Sweetness was really well written and detailed. I absolutely loved reading it.
(reviewed long after purchase)

Review by: Leah Colson on May 11, 2012 :
Has great potential, but needs proper editing.

The story feels very reminiscent of Twilight. There is no supernatural. No paranormal. No vampires or werewolves or anything of that sort. It's a love story between Jake and Emily. The love story is very much like Bella and Edward's. Emily has everything wrong with her. She's not a happy girl. She lives with her dad and her mom is gone. She has no friends. It's a sad state for her. Jake is no Edward, but he is supposed to be her knight in shining armor like Edward is to Bella.

I was not very happy with the character of Jake. He's very Gary Stu, if you will. He seems to be that knight in shining armor for everyone and that's just a little much for a teenage boy. He's supposed to be everything and more.

The story did get better. Emily has problems she has to deal with. I'm not going to spoil it by saying what those problems are or how she deal with them. There are some good things in this book and that is one of them. The story is sweet and gentle.

But, like I started out, the book needs proper editing. There are many errors everywhere. I was able to get through them, but will the average reader put up with them? Most of the story is in present tense, but there are a few times it switches to past tense for no reason. Sometimes a word was missing or the wrong was used. Simple editing can take away these mistakes. There were times when the dialogue didn't seem natural. It was too proper, too educational than the way people really talk. Reading the dialogue out loud can overcome this issue in writing.

Lindsay Paige has the potential to be a great writer so don't give up on her.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Leah Colson on May 11, 2012 : (no rating)
Has great potential, but needs proper editing.

The story feels very reminiscent of Twilight. There is no supernatural. No paranormal. No vampires or werewolves or anything of that sort. It's a love story between Jake and Emily. The love story is very much like Bella and Edward's. Emily has everything wrong with her. She's not a happy girl. She lives with her dad and her mom is gone. She has no friends. It's a sad state for her. Jake is no Edward, but he is supposed to be her knight in shining armor like Edward is to Bella.

I was not very happy with the character of Jake. He's very Gary Stu, if you will. He seems to be that knight in shining armor for everyone and that's just a little much for a teenage boy. He's supposed to be everything and more.

The story did get better. Emily has problems she has to deal with. I'm not going to spoil it by saying what those problems are or how she deal with them. There are some good things in this book and that is one of them. The story is sweet and gentle.

But, like I started out, the book needs proper editing. There are many errors everywhere. I was able to get through them, but will the average reader put up with them? Most of the story is in present tense, but there are a few times it switches to past tense for no reason. Sometimes a word was missing or the wrong was used. Simple editing can take away these mistakes. There were times when the dialogue didn't seem natural. It was too proper, too educational than the way people really talk. Reading the dialogue out loud can overcome this issue in writing.

Lindsay Paige has the potential to be a great writer so don't give up on her.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Chrissy on April 23, 2012 :
Did I enjoy this book: I did. It was a quick read (only 110 pages) that held my interest. I read this book every free chance I had.

I just wanted to hug both Emily and Jake and tell each of them that it wasn't his/her fault. I cared about these characters and I wanted to see how their story ended.

Emily was a well written character. She is described as walking with her head down, looking at the shoes going by her. She almost always had her iPod on her and didn't talk to anyone. You could tell she had something going on inside her that was holding her back. When Emily is paired up with Jake for a class project, he helps her open up...especially once she meets Jake's little brother, Drake. I loved that Emily became her true self when she was with Drake. Those were really sweet moments in the story. Jake is a sweet, caring, very mature young man. Much more mature than most high school boys. Their relationship - although slow to start - is one based on total trust and support.

There were some flaws in this book...mainly proofreading and some editing issues. But they were quite easy to overlook and did not disrupt the flow of the story in the least. This story seemed quite real to me for the most part.

Would I recommend it: I would probably recommend Sweetness to the older young adult readers. I do think that it is a bit mature for a young, young adult crowd.

Will I read it again: No, I won't read this book again.

http://everyfreechancebookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/04/sweetness-bold-as-love-1-by-lindsay.html
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Jennifer Vargas on April 13, 2012 :
Sweetness has to be one of those most authentic Young Adult books that I have read in quite a while. I describe it as authentic because the story in this book doesn't even feel like fiction at all, it feels, well, very real. And ironically that is not the easiest thing to find in the Young Adult Realistic/Contemporary genre, believe it or not. Sometimes there are situations that are described in some Contemporary YA books that make you go, "Wait, what? That would never happen in real life, I think the author is pushing it here" but because the story is so amazing you give it the benefit of the doubt, although in the back of your mind you are still retaining that small doubtful feeling that awakened in you while you where reading the story. Well let me tell that with this book, that never happened once and boy was I impressed with that. The writing style used in this book is very natural and is a perfect example that "less is more" because though the book has a lot of depth to it and is quite complex, the writing style always remains approachable, and the dialogue feels like it emulates what real conversations between people sound like. It was beyond refreshing and I adored every minute of it.

When you approach Sweetness, it's easy to assume by the title and length of this book, that it is a very light and even super fun read, but it is not. It is a quick read and it does have its fun and sweet moments but the topics covered in this book are not light. In this book we get to read about verbal abuse, parental abandonment, drug and alcohol abuse, intricate family dynamics, loneliness and alienation. And yes these topics are quite heavy but they never make the book feel like it's depressing or overwhelming, quite the contrary, they add a realness to the story and help deliver the quintessential message of the book, that is: to heal from our wounds, we must learn to accept and love others and ourselves.


The main and secondary characters in this book are just lovely. They are well developed and so darling. I have to say that I loved that the author makes the family members of the protagonists, Emily and Jake, a very important part of the book. That is not something that is common in Young Adult books. Usually the main focus is on the male and female leads story and the family members play a very small part in the book but not in Sweetness. In this book, family is front and center in the conflicts that affect the main leads in Sweetness and it made it that much more realistic because lets face it, family plays a center role in every human beings life. Even when they are absent, their absence leaves a mark. I just thought it was really great to have Emily's dad play a big part in her life and read about Jake's little brother Drake and to get a look into the background of these characters family life.


Now, on Emily and Jake. Our protagonists. There are no words. They are just so adorable and well developed and real. Emily in this book is struggling with the trauma of being verbally abused by her mother. And I think the author of this book captured perfectly, the severe ramifications of verbal abuse. There is a popular saying out there that says that, "sticks and stones might break my bones but words will never hurt me" - well let me tell you something, the author of this book, turns that phrase on its head and sets the record straight. Words can hurt a person. They can scar them for life and leave them in despair, struggling to understand what their self worth is and whether the mean things someone said to them are true or not. And in Emily's complete decision to alienate and isolate herself from everyone we can see the true affects that words can have on someone. Jake on the other hand, is one of those people who on the outside they look like they have it all. He is a star athlete, handsome and has popularity but in his real life, when you really get to read about whats going in his life, you see that he is actually struggling with a lot of family drama, too. But when the main characters in this book meet we soon get to follow them on their journey to trust one another, befriend one another and eventually fall in love with one another and boy was it beautiful. Why? because Emily and Jake have a refined sensibility. They are caring, smart, selfless young people who just happen to be caught up on a lot of family turmoil causing them to be a bit lost, a bit confused and sad. Thankfully they find each other and their story blossoms into something quite special and charming, I would say.


My only problem with this book is that it definitely needs a bit more of editing but nothing too major. Just a quick correction of a few spelling errors and grammar mistakes. Besides that, this book is just amazing. I am so impressed with Lindsay Paige as I believe that she is in her last year of high school. She is definitely a Young Adult author to watch out for and I can't wait to read the rest of the books in this series. And this is a quick read as the book is 108 pages so if you are in look for a great Contemporary Young Adult Romance novel, you have a winner in Sweetness.


My Rating: 4.5/5
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Jennifer Vargas on April 13, 2012 :
Sweetness has to be one of those most authentic Young Adult books that I have read in quite a while. I describe it as authentic because the story in this book doesn't even feel like fiction at all, it feels, well, very real. And ironically that is not the easiest thing to find in the Young Adult Realistic/Contemporary genre, believe it or not. Sometimes there are situations that are described in some Contemporary YA books that make you go, "Wait, what? That would never happen in real life, I think the author is pushing it here" but because the story is so amazing you give it the benefit of the doubt, although in the back of your mind you are still retaining that small doubtful feeling that awakened in you while you where reading the story. Well let me tell that with this book, that never happened once and boy was I impressed with that. The writing style used in this book is very natural and is a perfect example that "less is more" because though the book has a lot of depth to it and is quite complex, the writing style always remains approachable, and the dialogue feels like it emulates what real conversations between people sound like. It was beyond refreshing and I adored every minute of it.

When you approach Sweetness, it's easy to assume by the title and length of this book, that it is a very light and even super fun read, but it is not. It is a quick read and it does have its fun and sweet moments but the topics covered in this book are not light. In this book we get to read about verbal abuse, parental abandonment, drug and alcohol abuse, intricate family dynamics, loneliness and alienation. And yes these topics are quite heavy but they never make the book feel like it's depressing or overwhelming, quite the contrary, they add a realness to the story and help deliver the quintessential message of the book, that is: to heal from our wounds, we must learn to accept and love others and ourselves.


The main and secondary characters in this book are just lovely. They are well developed and so darling. I have to say that I loved that the author makes the family members of the protagonists, Emily and Jake, a very important part of the book. That is not something that is common in Young Adult books. Usually the main focus is on the male and female leads story and the family members play a very small part in the book but not in Sweetness. In this book, family is front and center in the conflicts that affect the main leads in Sweetness and it made it that much more realistic because lets face it, family plays a center role in every human beings life. Even when they are absent, their absence leaves a mark. I just thought it was really great to have Emily's dad play a big part in her life and read about Jake's little brother Drake and to get a look into the background of these characters family life.


Now, on Emily and Jake. Our protagonists. There are no words. They are just so adorable and well developed and real. Emily in this book is struggling with the trauma of being verbally abused by her mother. And I think the author of this book captured perfectly, the severe ramifications of verbal abuse. There is a popular saying out there that says that, "sticks and stones might break my bones but words will never hurt me" - well let me tell you something, the author of this book, turns that phrase on its head and sets the record straight. Words can hurt a person. They can scar them for life and leave them in despair, struggling to understand what their self worth is and whether the mean things someone said to them are true or not. And in Emily's complete decision to alienate and isolate herself from everyone we can see the true affects that words can have on someone. Jake on the other hand, is one of those people who on the outside they look like they have it all. He is a star athlete, handsome and has popularity but in his real life, when you really get to read about whats going in his life, you see that he is actually struggling with a lot of family drama, too. But when the main characters in this book meet we soon get to follow them on their journey to trust one another, befriend one another and eventually fall in love with one another and boy was it beautiful. Why? because Emily and Jake have a refined sensibility. They are caring, smart, selfless young people who just happen to be caught up on a lot of family turmoil causing them to be a bit lost, a bit confused and sad. Thankfully they find each other and their story blossoms into something quite special and charming, I would say.


My only problem with this book is that it definitely needs a bit more of editing but nothing too major. Just a quick correction of a few spelling errors and grammar mistakes. Besides that, this book is just amazing. I am so impressed with Lindsay Paige as I believe that she is in her last year of high school. She is definitely a Young Adult author to watch out for and I can't wait to read the rest of the books in this series. And this is a quick read as the book is 108 pages so if you are in look for a great Contemporary Young Adult Romance novel, you have a winner in Sweetness.


My Rating: 4.5/5
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Kayla Sexton on April 11, 2012 :
I got asked to review Sweetness and I am very glad that I accepted. This book deals with a lot of emotional issues, that are very realistic.

The MC Emily is a new girl in town, she is very quiet and keeps to herself. Her mother has done and said terrible things that she will never forget. In class one day she gets paired with Jake, he also has issues that he deals with. He has lost his mother to cancer and his dad drinks his problems away every night leaving Jake to take care of his li...moreI got asked to review Sweetness and I am very glad that I accepted. This book deals with a lot of emotional issues, that are very realistic.

The MC Emily is a new girl in town, she is very quiet and keeps to herself. Her mother has done and said terrible things that she will never forget. In class one day she gets paired with Jake, he also has issues that he deals with. He has lost his mother to cancer and his dad drinks his problems away every night leaving Jake to take care of his little brother Drake. Once paired, Jake tries to learn more about Emily and figure out the way she is. Little by little Emily starts opening up about her past. But can Jake help Emily mend her broken heart?

I feel the book left me with a huge cliffhanger! I can not wait to read the second book in this series. It was a short, yet emotional story. I do recommend this book to others. It will leave you hooked, wanting to read the next book.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

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