Book Review: Wait for You by J. Lynn

Title: Wait for You
Series: Wait for You #1
Author: Jennifer Armentrout writing as J. Lynn
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Published: 04/02/2013
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre(s): Contemporary New Adult

DESCRIPTION

Some things are worth waiting for . . .

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at that fateful Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. What she never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she's building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing . . .

Cameron Hamilton is six feet, three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make Avery want things she believed had been irrevocably stolen from her. Getting involved with him is dangerous. Yet ignoring the simmering tension that sparks between them—and brings out a side of her she never knew existed—is impossible.

Some things shouldn't be kept quiet . . .

But when Avery starts receiving threatening e-mails and phone calls, she's forced to face a past she wants to keep buried and acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. If the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface with one less scar? And will Cam be there to help her?

And some things are worth fighting for . . .

MY THOUGHTS

When beginning any book for the first time I don't think we can help but to have some expectations. Starting a book by a previously unread author also throws a feeling of unfamiliarity into the mix. Even for those of us who read samples before we "click" our way to a new book on our devices.

I'm not a big reader of paranormal romance. In fact, I rarely read any, so I wasn't familiar with Jennifer L. Armentrout, who has written a number of successful novels in that genre. Apparently, the pseudonym, J. Lynn, is reserved for her new adult and adult romances. At this point, having finished Wait for You just a short time ago, I'm extremely thankful to the source that sent me to check out this book—even if I can't recall for the life of me who it was.

From the dreamy cover to the last sentence this book WOWED me! Wanting to know what the characters would say next...what would happen next—kept me intently tapping to the next digital page. I don't know about you, but one of the elements I crave most in a novel is a lot of dialogue. If an author writes dialogue I can "feel" then they've almost assuredly gained a devoted reader in me. There are several things I consistently highlight, and passages that offer keen insight into the characters or the author's writing skills are often the most difficult to single out. That was definitely not the case with this book! Looking at all the passages I felt deserved emphasizing is proof of how much I loved what was written.

The book's description sets the basis of the story up well, so there's no need to go into detail on that. What is worth mentioning is how the author created characters I was eager to get to know—not only in Avery and Cameron but in their friends and his family. Avery and Cameron have each suffered the effects of traumatic events in their young lives; one solely as a victim and the other, who was considered an offender. Avery was plagued by her fears, but they did not keep her from moving far from the familiar—home in Texas to college in West Virginia. She knew she needed friends, and she found two of the best in Brittany and Jacob. She also literally crashed into the best possible boyfriend ever in Cameron. He was as close to perfect as is fictionally possible. And that's based more on his actions than his looks. No, really. He was confident, charming, and had a playful sense of humor. He had excellent people skills, loved his parents and sister, and had maintained long-lasting friendships. He was very special, and although Avery knew this, she still could not entrust him with her secret. That caused the only real tension between them. He exhibited more patience with Avery than is really believable. However, that is one of the things that is so wonderful about "book boyfriends" they can be adored no matter how unbelievable they are! ;)

Then, there are Jacob and Brit, two of the most amazing fictional friends ever! I enjoyed their characters so much! Jacob, with his unabashedly humorous take on almost every situation, and although he may have appeared to joke about everything, he had no trouble exhibiting compassion. Which, honestly, could also be said of Brittany. She said some pretty outrageous things and cracked me up many times, but she was very supportive of Avery.

I very much appreciated the way the author incorporated glimpses of what atrocities Avery had endured; always as an interior monologue, because she did not speak of what befell her to anyone until far into the book. Cameron knew that something horrible had happened to her and did everything he could to get her to open up to him. She eventually did, and I thought the author wrote Avery's revelation and Cam's reception quite sympathetically.

Cam had told Avery of his wrongdoing to show her he trusted her, and to make sure she heard of it from him first. (He was very thoughtful in just about every situation.)

There were so many instances of clever metaphors, and one, especially, will have me thinking of a whole 'nother thing when I next read about COOKIES!!! :)

I would say the majority of the book was deliciously entertaining because of the humor, playful teasing, demonstrations of friendship, and the developing romance between Avery and Cam. I felt the events that could be considered negative in no way made the story a downer. I did much chuckling, no crying, and a lot of swooning over Cam!

It appears that Wait for Me is the first in a trilogy or series, with the second book, Be With Me, expected later in the year. I wonder if it will feature Brittany, and Cam's friend, Ollie? Hmm, I will so be there on release day "clicking" my way to what will surely be another awesome read!


HIGHLIGHTS
 
“I can see that you don’t believe me. Maybe it was the cookie? Well, you refused to taste my cookies last night and honestly, I was going to eat the other cookie, but you looked so tired and sad sitting there, I figured you needed the cookie more than I did.” ~ Cam

~*~

Brittany: “'You don’t have to want to be in a relationship for a little bow-chicka-bow-wow."
Jacob: "Did you really just say that?"
Brittany: “I did. And I owned it. Gonna make me a shirt that says that.”

~*~ 

Cam: “Well, to be honest, I was planning to woo you with my banana nut bread, but that shit ain’t happening now. So all I have left is my delicious eggs.”
Avery: “It is really good, but you’re not wooing me.”
Cam: “Oh, I’m wooing … It’s just all about the stealth. You don’t realize it yet.”

~*~ 

"What are you up to?" [Avery]
"'Oh, you know, mischief and mayhem,' he [Jacob] replied."
"That so reminds me of Harry Potter," Brit said, sighing.  'I need a re-read.'"

~*~

“People got out of the way for Cam. He was like a hot Moses, parting a sea of drunk college students.” ~ Avery

~*~

“I would be clapping like a seal right now if I weren't so fucking hungover, just so you know. Inside I am doing happy jumping jacks for you with glittery pom poms.” ~ Jacob

~*~

Avery: “You’re a good guy, Cam.”
Cam: “'No, I’m not.' He exhaled deeply and his breath was warm against my cheek. 'I’m only good with you.'”

~*~

Avery: “Thank you.”
Cam: His lips curved up on one side. “For what?”
Avery: “For waiting for me.”


Autograph from the Richmond Author Event on 12/14/2013


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