17233800Title: Crash Into You

Author: Katie McGarry

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Publication Date: November 2013

Genre: Young Adult Fiction/Romance

Series or Stand Alone: Series, Book Three

Synopsis can be found here.
I received a copy of this book from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

 

Review:

Rachel is sheltered, beautiful and well loved. But for the wrong reasons. She’s the only girl in her family, a replacement daughter for the beloved first daughter that died tragically. It’s up to Rachel to mend her mother’s broken heart. It’s up to her to sacrifice herself every time they want her to do something she can’t physically do, even if it means giving over to anxiety attacks. It’s up to her to keep the peace and make everyone happy.

Isaiah comes from the other side. His family are his best friends. His life is a series of close calls. He can’t count on anyone. But when he meets Rachel, something that has long been dormant comes alive. And he would do anything to protect her. Including giving up his freedom.

Le sigh.

While I enjoyed Pushing The Limits, and Dare You To fell a little flat, I was excited to read about Isaiah. He has the potential to be a truly complicated character, filled with wrong choices, demons. A great anti-hero. And while Isaiah didn’t disappoint me, his story left something to be desired.

Rachel is the good girl, the straight A student. And while I wanted to like her, I really did, I just couldn’t. I wanted her to start out one way and have this big transformation, this wonderful character arc that justifies not only why Isaiah likes her but why I should to and why I should root for them to be together. Sadly, that didn’t happen. She’s too weak. She whines. And when things start to become really dangerous, about half way through the book, I wanted to reach in and slap her silly. Even Isaiah at this point tries to point out the danger that she, a very sheltered pretty girl, is in by mixing up with gang life. But she’s too dumb/thick to realize it and instead huffs around, feeling sorry for herself. Rachel does eventually grow as a character by the end of the story, but it felt forced and unrealistic. I’m disappointed I didn’t like her more, because I was looking forward to Isaiah’s story since the last book in the series.

What is it with these YA Contemporary Romances today? A lot of them have very tortured characters and great premise, but few have pulled through for me. Sure, there’s a lot of heat, a crush, a bad boy and a misunderstood heroine. But overall, the characters seem heartless and shallow, the dangers contrived and the endings flat. Where are the fiesty heroines? The snarky alpha males? Isaiah sees Rachel as an angel that he has to protect, but why? She could be beaten within an inch of her life, her car stolen, her family hurt, and raped, and still- she throws a tantrum and tells him she doesn’t need his help, all because she’s afraid her heart is going to be broken? What???

Sadly, this one did not enchant me. I may stay away from this genre for a while because I feel like if I’ve read one book like this, I’ve read them all.

Rating 3 Raisins. No Thank You