Max deals with high school the way she deals with panic attacks - deep breaths and denial. But denying her brother's friend is another thing altogether.
Her nickname is The Kid. She is small, she is socially awkward, and she desperately wants to be left alone.
For most of her childhood, Max was punished for speaking, or for just being in the way. Life improved slightly when her abusive father was no longer in the picture, but she still felt the need to be invisible.
Her older brother, Nate, is extremely protective and refuses to leave her side. He shelters her so she won't be hurt again.
They had a good system until he introduced her to his new best friend.
Drew wants to coax Max out into the world so she can move beyond the pain. The method each boy takes in helping Max cope with her anxiety causes more conflict than Max is prepared to handle - especially when the school heart-breaker offers her more than a brotherly shoulder to lean on.
Her nickname is The Kid. She is small, she is socially awkward, and she desperately wants to be left alone.
For most of her childhood, Max was punished for speaking, or for just being in the way. Life improved slightly when her abusive father was no longer in the picture, but she still felt the need to be invisible.
Her older brother, Nate, is extremely protective and refuses to leave her side. He shelters her so she won't be hurt again.
They had a good system until he introduced her to his new best friend.
Drew wants to coax Max out into the world so she can move beyond the pain. The method each boy takes in helping Max cope with her anxiety causes more conflict than Max is prepared to handle - especially when the school heart-breaker offers her more than a brotherly shoulder to lean on.
What I have to say about Starting Over:
Jaclyn Aurore does a very good job of showing the effects of an abusive childhood as well as of an over-protective environment on a teenager's behavior. From shrinking into almost-catatonia to 'baking her stress off', the main character develops perfectly believable strategies to survive despite her experiences. Amazingly enough, the book is great fun, too. I read it in one go and would recommend it as a suitable read for teenagers and adults alike.
After over two years of innocent flirting, Drew finally admits he has feelings for his best friend’s little sister, but the news isn’t received well. In the sequel to Starting Over, Max Cole starts going out with the captain of the hockey team, but doesn’t know the first thing about having a boyfriend. Her older brother thinks she’s too young to go on dates, so he sets out to sabotage her relationship with Drew. Nate’s plan works but at the expense of his sister’s happiness. Only then does he learn that when she’s miserable, so is everyone else. As the three struggle to maintain their strong bond, Nate loses his best friend, Drew loses his girlfriend, and Max loses her sanity. Together they need to decide what’s most important in order to get back what they once had, and it may not be salvageable. When secrets are exposed and too many lies are told, Max reverts back to her shell, unable to face the truth… they may never be the same again.
What I have to say about Standing Up:
You could say this is a teenage romance. You could say this is a story about a tortured soul learning to, as the title implies, stand up for itself. You would be right either way. It is both, and more besides. It's about hope, trust, understanding another's needs and your own, friendship, and about being true to yourself.
I'll definitely hand this book to my own kids once they've reached that age, and I can only hope they'll understand the message and find a similar strength within themselves.
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