“Just For A While” Review

Hello friends,

A couple weeks ago I got an email from Zoe requesting a review. I was intrigued by the blurb and of course I accepted and here are my thoughts about the book.

But before that, here is the blurb:

Charlotte Harrington is capable of love, but the feelings of love, of letting anyone close to her, scare her.

Seventeen-year-old Charlotte’s life turns brusquely when her mother sends her away to spend the summer before college with her father—a man she knows nothing about and cares even less for. Thus, forced by a promise she made to her mom, and having secretly thrown her future away, Charlie finds herself stuck for an indefinite time in the coastal town of Rosetown. Raised by a single mother, Charlotte grew up to be an independent, suspicious, and lonely girl. To make matters worse, she is stubborn to the bone. Moving in with Daniel proves to be a challenge for both of them, as he will try his best to get to know her, and she will systematically undo his every attempt.

 

When Misha Breckenridge literally bumps into her life, along with his mesmerizing black eyes and his challenging ways, Charlotte finds herself stepping in quicksand. Despite her attempts to keep him —and every other person, for that matter—at a safe distance, Misha will soon find his way into her heart, making her lower her guard and open her long-closed heart to love.

As the summer unfolds, Rosetown and its memorable inhabitants inevitably start to grow on Charlotte. But, will she ever manage to forgive Daniel for walking out on her and her mother? Will she be able to let him into her heart and her life?

“Just For A While” is Zøe Haslie’s debut novel, a tale of love, friendship, struggling family relationships and, above all, forgiveness.

 

Don’t forget to add the book to your Goodreads TBR so you can check it out in the future.

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“Just For a While” was one of those books that just made my heart and soul get emotional. It was bittersweet at some points and heartwarming in others, but it was definitely hopeful.

 

I  loved how Zoe, the author, wrote the all story because I could visualize it and I could understand the characters with every moment and with each page I read. And it certainly made me emotional right from the very beginning.

 

I found myself connecting with all the characters. I was feeling Charlotte’s pain and I was so rooting for her to find herself again and I got even more excited as soon as she saw all the art materials. I had my fingers crossed waiting for Charlie and Daniel to form a father/daughter relationship and just thinking about my dad too. I was laughing with Anna because she reminded me of my aunt. I was loving Misha because of how kind he was and how he always thought of his sister. I befriend Olivia at the same time Charlotte did and found myself getting protective of her but at the same time thinking about slapping her too, then hugging her.

 

Charlotte is an artist and even though I’m not very artistic, I love to just stare at painting and just feel and not really think about life. I could relate to her because I’m a writer and we both create things from our hearts. Plus, my mom is everything to me too, she’s the one person I know will always support me.

I can also relate to Misha, I didn’t go to the University I wanted, to study Anthropology, because my family needed me. Thankfully the next year I applied to the local College in Leiria and I’m now on my last year. I’m the oldest, I’m the big sister to a 16year old teenage boy, so I’m very protective of him.

 

Those are just some reasons I could connect to them.

 

 

I was expecting more, I didn’t want the book to end. I wanted to know that would happen to Olivia, I wanted to know about Charlotte and Misha’s future… But that’s the thing, when a book just clicks in our hearts, it makes us invested in the storyline and in the characters, and we don’t want it to end. That’s not a bad thing, it’s actually a good thing.

This book touched a lot of topics, like cancer, disconnected families, teen pregnancy, depression, bipolar disorders, and of course love, friendship, trust, loss and finding ourselves. So, this book ended up making me think a lot.

 

 

It was a 5* read to me and I totally recommend it.

 

Don’t forget to follow Zoe Haslie in her social media accounts.

Website| Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook |Tumblr |Pinterest | Amazon

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I got this book because of the Book Robin Hoods community (you can find some information about it on my post: The Book Robin Hoods: Author-Reader Connection).

You can also find this review on my Goodreads page,

 

Don’t forget to comment, don’t be stranger. If you have any book recommendation you can leave a message using the form on my Contact Me page.

If you are an author and want me to do a review of your book you can go check out my Request Review page.

I always welcome new books to add to my list and I’m always excited to do reviews and read books.

Love,

Jess

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