What are you guys reading this month?

This was a very emotionally satisfying book that I read in one go.

There's something about unrequited love in books--I always want it to end up in a happily ever after, but the two main characters of this book have an unavoidable age gap that makes this book unpredictable and kept me interested throughout. I felt very invested in the world Buzo had created and wanted to see where all the other people Amelia worked with ended up.

Seeing Chris through Amelia's perspective, and then seeing him through his own eyes, commenting on what matters to him, is exceedingly intriguing. This book was really well-written and both characters had very succinct voices that held true to the age and personality differences.

This book provided a beautiful look at how two different people see themselves, each other, and the world around them.

I liked the casualness in their relationship, their ability to talk to each other so openly without judging, without any restraints, and without all the drama that some couples get when they involved with each other. Chris and Amelia had a caring relationship that was not just center upon them but included everyone in their world. It started out as a friendship as they both worked at Coles supermarket or “land of dreams” as Cole liked to call it. I worked many years at a grocery store so I could totally relate to all the drama that the author included in the writing. Relationships, gossip, breaks, and so forth have all occurred at other jobs I’ve had, these issues all seem to be the same at some level; you just have to decide how you want to deal with them as an employee. Sometimes I have decided to join in and sometimes I sat out, you do have to enjoy your job. As Chris searches for his Perfect Woman, Amelia is falling for Cole and their difference in age is seen as a huge barrier for Chris. Chris tells us this in his journal writings along with a lot of personal information, which I found fascinating. To read exactly what Chris writes in his journal, Chris does not hold back. Chris doesn’t have his life all together, he can’t stand his life, he wants more but he can’t seem to break free of the bond that is holding him down. I keep wondering what would happen when Chris does find the Perfect Woman, than what? Will the heavens open up, will there be fireworks, will she feel the same way towards him….. because basically he lives with his parents, he works at a grocery store, he goes to the university and he goes out drinking almost every night. He really has no motivation for anything else. Chris sees his friend’s lives changing before his eyes and yet his life is like a merry-go-round, doing the same thing every day. Amelia, fifteen- year old Amelia, she’s driven, she has spark, she yells yet no one listens but she’s trying. I can see her going places, making her mark and pushing herself to greater heights. She has struggles of her own she is dealing with too but she’s dealing. She’s inching her way to the stop, making strides as best as she can. I’m rooting for this girl. When you put the two of them together, it’s stunning. Deep conversations, intellectual and great discussion and they both enjoy each other’s company. Yet, Chris pushes her away because of the age difference. I see both sides of this and I don’t know the answer, love is not easy.

I finished this one last night and really liked it. I don’t think it’s a perfect book, but I do think it’s a very good one. The alternating narrative worked well, and the voices were clear and distinct. I especially liked the way the two narratives pointed to the difference between the characters’ external interactions and internal world. I also liked the way it engaged with bigger topics, although occasionally it seemed a little didactic (and in those moments Chris sometimes came across as mansplainy). But it’s a very engaging book, and well written.