Life, Love, & Lemons
Magan Vernon
Published on August 20th 2013
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
When life hands you lemons, sometimes you have to say screw the lemons and bail.
Seventeen-year-old Bentley Evans had it all. Then her Dad got laid off.
Now she has to move across town to a small apartment and leave her life of luxury for public school and a job at the local burger place. Just when her world seems like it's crumbling she finds solace in the unlikely punk boy next door, Kai Stone.
But as their relationship blossoms, a jealous ex-girlfriend and a secret to tell that threatens to bring disaster back into Bentley’s life.
REVIEW
Poor Bentley. Literally, poor Bentley. She used to be rich but her dad lost his job, and then the house, and then her private school education, and her friends. Now she’s living in a small two bedroom apartment on the wrong side of town and is going to a school with metal detectors and has a nice gang problem going on.
Enter boy-next-door, who is sorta punk/goth, Kai. I loved Kai. In fact, I wish he had more time in this book because he was fantastic. A nice walking contradiction—is he a bad boy with his tattoos and piercings? Or is he a good boy who respects his God-fearing mother.
Well, he’s both, so I liked that. He’s got his own set of rules in life, probably based on his mother’s religion, but I like young adult books about kids who can stretch the limits but always know where their boundaries are.
Bentley is between worlds in this book as well. She’s still got a little snob in her, it’s hard to just shrug off an entire lifestyle. But she’s willing to make the most of whatever life throws at her. Which is where the title comes in. Bentley knows how to roll with the punches. She get up off her ass, gets an after-school job and even sells a prized possession in order to help out with her college fund.
But life is still pretty rough—for one, Kai’s mother hates her and for another, so does his ex-girlfriend. So there’s a few obstacles to overcome, not to mention a little secret about why Bentley and her ex broke up last year in school.
This was a four star story for me until it got to the big reveal. I have a totally different set of standards for YA novels than I do for adult books, so in this case, I really liked the message it was sending in several respects. I won’t say what those messages were so I don’t spoil it, but I added half a star for that reason alone.
If I had a teen girl, I’d recommend this book to her. Nice sweet romance with kids who don’t do stupid things. Refreshing.
** One note, just my opinion, but I think the cover should be less sweet and more edgy to represent Bentley’s new life.
Thank you Magan Vernon and Xpresso Tours for the opportunity to review the book.
About Magan Vernon
Magan Vernon is a Young Adult and New Adult writer who lives with her family in the insurance capital of the world. She is in a very serious, fake relationship with Adam Lambert and constantly asks her husband to wear guyliner. He still refuses. She also believes her husband is secretly an alien, disguised as a southern gentleman.
Gaby
You’re right, the cover looks so sweet but Bentley is having such a rough time! Thanks for the review
Gaby recently posted…Stacking The Shelves #30
Carolyn
Awesome giveaway
Giselle
Hehe there are kids who don’t do stupid things!? >.< This sounds like a refreshing read though and I do love the cover, too it's so summery and cute! Great review, chickie!
Giselle recently posted…Review: A Spark Unseen by Sharon Cameron – Blog Hop, Day 6
Magan Vernon
Thank you for posting your review! I’m glad you liked it!
Julie
You are very welcome, Magan!
Julie recently posted…GIVEAWAY and REVIEW: Life, Love, & Lemons by Magan Vernon
Isis
Thanks for the great giveaway opportunity! And for setting me up with yet another book in my ever growing TBR list! At this rate I’ll have to live to be 400 to read all the books Interested in, and the list keeps growing. . .
Meghan Stith
Thanks for the giveaway!
Kristia
It sounds really amazing and I’ve seen many 4 and 5 star reviews! Can’t wait to read it. Thank you for the giveaway
Dinky
This is so so so amazing giveaway!! Wonderful swag! Thank you very much! Life, love and lemons sounds like an amazing read
Kim
Look forward to reading. Thank you for the giveaway.
joe hawkshaw
The review looks great very interesting.
Malinda McConnell
Thanks for the giveaway, the review really makes this one book that I will add to my tbr pile.
Dora Balfour-Lyda
Thanks for the giveaway!
Mary Preston
Looking forward to finding out about the “big reveal”.
Anne Consolacion
Love the cover! I would love to read this.
Demitra
I really love the story. Great review and cover, thank you for the giveaway!
bn100
Sounds interesting