Every once in a while we find time to read sweet romance novels so we could fall in love with the characters! That's what I was thinking when I decided to read this one. It wouldn't hurt to relax, to find time for light cheesy chick-lits after reading some mind-blowing dan brown-ish novels. But I was wrong, this book offers so much more! So this is not your usual girl-meets-boy-who-sweeps-you-of-you-feet love story. This is something cliche but at the same time unique and new. Brittany Ellis has the perfect life every girl dreams of- rich famly, perfect boyfriend, expensive clothes, and the perfect face and body everyone would die to have. In school, she portrays the perfect image to everyone to hide her secret. That contrary to what people might think she is, she is still human with flaws, insecurities, problems, and unfulfilled expectations. But everything alters when she meets Alex Fuentes, a Latino gang member with a bad reputation. Together they discover that despite their opposite status and lifestyle, deep down they are so alike, struggling to live up to other people's expectations and make it their life.
The shifting point of views between Alex and Brittany balances the story, it made me understand them more- why they had to make bad choices, and why they had to live a complicated life. Although I'm not familiar with it, i found the spanish lines spoken by the characters interesting. The realities presented in this novel is very well developed. Fobidden love, gang violence,poverty, mental retardation and discrimination are achingly true that I felt what the characters feel in sometimes. When Alex is pressured and left no other choice but to follow Hector because he has to protect his family and when Shelley yanks a whole chunk of her sister's hair and yet Brittany still understands her condition and loves her wholeheartedly.
In some way, it reminds us that life is not all bliss and pleasure, that even the luckiest person on earth has to thwart some obstacles and fight his/her own battle. But now I'm grinnng because the ending is a happy one. It's like after witnessing all the struggles i'm finally walking on sunshine! I came to admire Alex because he finally has someone to live for, enough to give up the things he never thought he would, and the same goes for Brittany for finally taking control of her life. The author, Simone Elkeles did it! Now I'm interested in taking Chemistry classes..haha!
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