Review: Happenstance

Happenstance

Author: Jamie McGuire
Series: Happenstance, #1
Genre: YA, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Jamie McGuire LLC
Publication Date: May 9th, 2014
Format: ebook
Pages: 131
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

Rating: ★★★★.5

Erin Easter, one of three Erins in the small senior class of rural Blackwell High School who not only share a first name, but also their birthday. Erin Easter, raised by a neglectful single mom, keeps to herself and admires Weston Gates from afar. The other Erins, Erin A. and Erin M. are the darlings of the community: daughters of the two wealthiest families in town, best friends, cheerleaders, and everything Erin Easter isn't--and they never let her forget it. Erin A. has even claimed Weston since the 8th grade.

Weston is a well-liked star athlete, and the son of two prominent attorneys. He struggles daily with the pressures of living up to his family name and secretly empathizes with Erin Easter's feeling that she belongs somewhere else; in a different life. Not until he begins sneaking nights out with Erin does he gain the courage to buck expectations and acknowledge his feelings ... both for his future, and for her.

But when a shocking tragedy rocks the tiny town, Erin's life is turned upside down in the best way possible. But when the truth is revealed and everything Erin thinks she wanted falls into her lap, life only becomes more complicated. (Goodreads)

First Impression

I first came across Happenstance when I signed up for a Book Blitz for Happenstance, #2. After signing up and reading the summary for the first book I went on the hunt for it. I feel like I know what's going to happen/how this will play out but let's just dive in and see!

Opening Lines

"Go home. Turn off the lights. And kill yourself."

The Good

Can I just drool over this cover first? It's so simple, yet so beautiful!

This is my first Jamie McGuire read. I own Beautiful Disaster but haven't felt like reading it. After reading the synopsis I felt like I knew how this was going to play out and I was right...well partially, allow me to explain. I don't want to spoil what happens but what I thought would happen does indeed happen, but there is a certain turn of events that lead up to it that I didn't see coming! I was shocked that Jamie McGuire did that.

While some might complain that Happenstance was too short, I actually happen to like the idea of a novella series. McGuire did an excellent job of giving us all the information we needed within the short span of 100 - 131 pages, although there was only one thing I felt was missing (which you can find below).

I loved Erin, having been bullied myself I could really relate and connect with her. This book made me so angry at all the different parts in which they bullied her. They were all just so cruel!! I enjoyed how she gradually built up to standing up for herself and the support she got from Weston. Now Weston, SWOON! There was just something about his character I can't place exactly what it is but he's just so sweet and you can tell he truly cares about Erin.

Favourite Quotes

There are more quotes than this that I just loved but they were spoilers! 

“Neither of us felt the need to fill the silence as we watched the storm clouds slowly close in on the stars above.”

“You smell like ice cream.”
My breath caught. “So?”
“I’m just kind of wondering if you taste like it.”

Excerpt From: McGuire, Jamie. “Happenstance: A Novella.” iBooks.

The In-Between

Maybe it's just me, but I really would have liked it if there was a chapter or two from the other Erin's perspective. It would have been nice to have some insight as to what went wrong, why did the Erin's and other students feel the need to bully Easter? Why did they stop talking to her? I don't think we'll get that in the upcoming book but I could be wrong, although I doubt it.

Lasting Impression

Overall, Happenstance was so good, SO GOOD! I was in a really bad reading slump and this brought me out of it. I'm really impressed with Jamie McGuire's writing style and I can't wait to read more books by her! But mainly, I can't wait for Happenstance 2 to be released! 6 more days!!

Thanks for stopping by!