When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she’s single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, stalked by her ex’s frat brother, and failing a class for the first time in her life.
Her econ professor gives her an email address for Landon, the class tutor, who shows her that she’s still the same intelligent girl she’s always been. As Jacqueline becomes interested in more from her tutor than a better grade, his teasing responses make the feeling seem mutual. There’s just one problem—their only interactions are through email.
Meanwhile, a guy in her econ class proves his worth the first night she meets him. Nothing like her popular ex or her brainy tutor, Lucas sits on the back row, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. At a downtown club, he disappears after several dances that leave her on fire. When he asks if he can sketch her, alone in her room, she agrees—hoping for more.
Then Jacqueline discovers a withheld connection between her supportive tutor and her seductive classmate, her ex comes back into the picture, and her stalker escalates his attention by spreading rumors that they’ve hooked up. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.
Author Recommendation: Mature Young Adults (language, drinking, sexual situations)
"Love is not the absence of logic
but logic examined and recalculated
heated and curved to fit
inside the contours of the heart" ~Easy
What can I honestly say about EASY? I can't tell you anything that hasn't been written by almost every person who's read this book, that EASY was amazing, brilliant, engrossing, lovely, utterly un-put-down-able, etc, etc. Because it is. This book is every single one of those adjectives and so many more.
EASY wasn't an easy story to read. Make no mistake, it's brilliantly, beautifully written, but the subject matter was tough. EASY is about identity, self-worth, self-awareness, trust, sexual assault, the long-lasting impact of traumatic events, for starters. This was an emotionally heavy, draining book. I read it slowly, making myself absorb each and every moment, made myself step away for a few moments when I became overwhelmed. And Webber handled each sensitive subject with remarkable sensitivity, and honesty. As someone who has experienced (to an extent) what Jacqueline does in this story, I'll admit, I was scared to read this and bit overwhelmed while I did. Jacqueline isn't the only one in the story dealing with trauma, though, as she discovers when she begins to fall in love. I can't go into it because of spoilers, but let me say, my pillow was soaked with tears after I discovered the truth about this characters past. It was heartbreaking. Bit by bit, though, Webber brings the characters through to the other side, giving them awareness and strength to overcome. It as tremendously apparent that she gave careful consideration to each word, thought, and action of her characters.
As much I've talked about the serious aspects to the book, I have to tell you, EASY was funny. I spent a lot of the time reading staring at my kindle with a smirk on my face or just flat-out laughing. The interactions between Lucas, with his laid-back manner, and Jacqueline were so cute. The emails between Jacqueline and her tutor Landon were adorable and flirtatious. The hands-down funniest moments, though, were courtesy of Jacqueline's best friend Erin. This girl is an absolute riot. With lines like this....
"I have to get to French on time on Monsieur Bidot will question me mercilessly in
passe' compose'. I can barely do past tense in English. God knows I can't do it
en francais at ass o'clock in the morning."(
ebook, 5%)
And trust me, that's mild for Erin. But she is also fiercely loyal, determined. I gotta say, I would love for her to have her own story. But my point is, yes, EASY is very intense, and has so much depth, but there is also laughter in the midst of the pain. Much like life.
Tammara Webber writes characters that I want to know, that I care about, and always hate to leave behind. Her female characters have an adorable, endearing manner that makes me want to protect them, and be their best friend. And her guys? I've been stating for months now that Graham Douglas (from the Between the Lines series) is the fictional love of my life (Not in a skeevy way, of course. I just love him.) That's still true, I think. But holy cow, Lucas gives Graham a run for his money. I'm not sure what it is, they're both thoughtful, gorgeous, and quietly sexy. One advantage that Lucas has is his tattoos. He has lots of them. And what's even better is, his tattoos are
meaningful. The type of meaningful that makes your heart drop and leaves you a little bit dizzy. Much like his kisses. *sighs deeply*
Tammara Webber is one of the best authors out there, period. Each of her books has been a pleasure, a priviledge to read. So if you haven't read every one of her books, do yourself a favor and go get them. I guarantee that you won't regret the money and time spent.
Favorite Quotes:
"I felt an impulse to bring my fingertips to his face and trail them over his freshly shaven jaw, the sexy scruff from yesterday gone. His skin wouldn't redden mine now if he kissed me, hard. I would feel nothing but his mouth on mine - and maybe that slim ring at the edge of his lip..."
(ebook, 16%)
"My heart reached for him as we listened, staring at each other, and I felt the threads of connection between us- fragile filaments, so easily snapped. Like the poem etched in his side, we were each curving to fit inside the other, and this melting and reshaping be deeper, more resilient."
(ebook, 88%)
"The way he kissed me felt like a brand. Like he was tattooing himself under my skin.
He knew all my secrets, and I knew his."
(ebook, 89%)
Published May 25th 2012
You can purchase EASY at:
Amazon |
Barnes & Noble
Source: Personal Purchase
Author of BREAKABLE (May 2014) - companion novel to the NYT Bestseller EASY (May 2012), and the Between the Lines series: BETWEEN THE LINES (May 2011), WHERE YOU ARE (Oct 2011), GOOD FOR YOU (Dec 2011) and HERE WITHOUT YOU (Aug 2013).
