Synopsis (from Goodreads)
True love can blossom in unexpected places. This is Jaden pretending not to notice...
Jaden McEntyre and Parker Whalen are a wrong fit from the start. Jaden is driven and focused, Harvard Med School within reach. Parker has a past- a reputation- and the rumors about his mysterious habits abound. So there's no reason why, when they're assigned to work together on a project in English, they should discover they have anything in common, or even like each other, and they definitely shouldn't be falling in love.
As they bond over Edith Wharton's tragic novella, Ethan Frome, the "bad boy" vibe Parker plays begins to dissipate. Soon, Jaden finds herself shedding her own "good girl" image: sneaking around to be with him, confiding in him, and ultimately falling hard for this leather-wearing, motorcycle-driving loner who plays into the rebel stereotype.
Still, Jaden can't shed the feeling that there's more to Parker than he's letting on. He's hiding something from her, and discovering the truth means reconciling the Parker she's grown to love with the person he really is. Because it's possible that his life inside the classroom- everything Jaden knows- is one, massive lie.
I love Parker Whalen! Ok, I had to say that first. The truth is I really love Jaden too. I could really relate to her character and her "control freak, have to please everyone" mentality. I was a lot like her in high school.
The love story in Cross My Heart is a somewhat typical high school romance. The too perfect, "good girl," with straight As is assigned a totally mysterious, "bad boy" as a project partner. But Klein brilliantly takes this typical relationship and molds it into a very self-revealing life lesson in the best way. And there's a twist that's to die for!
While the relationship and its consequences are the central focus of the book, my favorite aspect was Jaden's family and their dynamics. I think there are a lot of girls that can relate to the relationship Jaden has with her father. And her two older brothers are fabulous. I actually wish we saw more of the brothers and learned a little more about them.
Cross My Heart is a beautiful and dramatic story about self-discovery that will surprise you and ultimately leave you feeling satisfied. A great read.
4 stars
Britney
Really enjoyed this book and I'm so glad you did too! Parker is... a fabulous book boy and I really loved Jaden and her family as well. Wonderful review! :)
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