Blurb: Turns out naked and hungover on the floor is not the most strategically sound place to be when your dad comes home early. Take it from someone who learned the hard way: nineteen-year-old Lysander Shepherd – son of movie stars, spoiled brat, enthusiastic proponent of drugs and orgies… and now, unwilling resident of Oak Hill Manor, a retreat for troubled teenagers.
Before he knows what’s happening, his designer duds have been switched for tie-dye shirts in therapy team colors, and he is surrounded by an assortment of misfits: a timid nerd, a mute girl, a hyperactive kid… and captivating loner Cai Fields, who is admittedly pretty hot, but seems to hate the world in general and Lysander in particular.
Soon Lysander struggles with lies, withdrawal, and several uncomfortable revelations that he never intended to make, but he also gains surprising amounts of support right in the middle of secret late-night parties, fisticuffs over doing the dishes, and, of all things, croissant blackmail. Even as Cai and Lysander finally give in to the irresistible attraction between them and make a grasp for happiness, their darkest secrets remain – secrets with the power to destroy everything they’ve fought so hard to have.
This is Sage C. Holloway’s first novel and it’s nothing short of spectacular! It was very much like the kids from “The Breakfast Club” were transported into a retreat facility and with some twist and turn with the characterization; you’ve got yourself this wonderful novel!
I absolutely adore Cai and Lys here because they really do complement each other. I also loved the dynamics of their group as they became closer and started to bond and eventually became friends. I loved that you can easily picture each character and really root for them. Aside from the main couple, I find Nicky especially adorable.
Their issues are the typical troubled young adult issues – angst and all so that is nothing new in the story. The main pull of the novel though is the likeability of each character. Despite their rather troubling situation, the author makes it possible for readers to easily love them.
As typical as the story goes, I still end up loving every minute reading it. I would really like a follow-up from this spectacular debut! Congratulations Miss Holloway!!!
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Published March 3rd 2015 by Loose Id
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