Series: The Paradise Diaries Genre: Contemporary YA
Publisher: Lakehouse Press
Publication Date: 11/13/12
Format: ebook
Source: Received from author for review.
My name is Mia Giannis.
I am seventeen years old.
I live in Valese, Caberra.
This has become my mantra and my lifeline, having recently lost my memory due to a scary natural disaster.
Yeah. I have amnesia. Messed up, right?
You don't know the half of it.
Not remembering anything has turned my world upside down. My parents try their hardest to “remind” me of who I was, but it doesn't feel right. Or, if what they're saying is true and that really was me, I'm not sure I like that person very much.
And then there’s my love life. Apparently, Gavin Ariastasis is my oldest and best friend in the world. Also, apparently, we’ve never dated. But now, noticing him for what feels like the first time, he’s making my heart do somersaults. He knows me inside and out—the real me. Plus, he’s sexy and charming as hell. Sounds perfect, right?
But then... there’s the new guy. Quinn McKeyen – tall, gorgeous and deliciously American. His mischievous grin and slow Midwestern drawl turn my insides to mush in two seconds flat making me question who I really am and what I really want.
Seriously. What am I supposed to do with all that?! I feel torn between them, but I barely even know who I am, let alone what I want.
I just hope my indecisive heart will clue me in. And sooner rather than later…before I lose what little of my mind that I have left.
I adored book one in The Paradise Diaries, Dante's Girl, when I read it over the summer. Dante and Reese were adorable and I fell in love with both of them, as well as their friend, Mia. When I learned that not only there was another book, but that it was Mia's, I was thrilled.
Mia's Heart was a fun, thoughtful, yet light story. When the story begins, Mia is an unhappy girl. I loved her fun, rebellious personality in Dante's Girl, but never realized how miserable she was. As the daughter of a government official, she is expected to behave in a gracious, respectful manner. But that's just not Mia. When Mia is hurt in a freak accident, she loses her memory. Her parents use this as an opportunity to "reform" her, to convince her she's the docile, well-behaved daughter they wish she was. Her friends rally around her, helping her navigate a life she doesn't remember.
And...there are two boys, Gavin and Quinn. They're both characters we met in Dante's Girl, both really great guys. Gavin is Mia's best friend, but she doesn't remember that. She only sees him as this gorgeous guy who is sweet, mischievous, and can relate to her crazy stressful life. Quinn is Reese's friend, a real-life American cowboy. Charming, jaw-droppingly handsome, and clearly into her, Mia can't help but fall for Quinn.
Mia is a spirited girls who grabs onto life, and the boys, with both hands. But she also experience character growth that I was afraid wouldn't happen, but am happy it did because it made her journey that much stronger. I will say that while I do enjoy the tone of the stories, Mia's "voice" felt, to me, almost exactly like Reese's in Dante's Girl. I enjoy it, they're funny girls, but I almost felt as if Mia and Reese were the same character and I would have liked more distinction, or uniqueness, between the two girls. Still, I really liked the story.
A gorgeous Mediterranean island. Two guys. One girl with a past of lost memories, Mia's Heart is a sweet ride.
Favorite Quote:
"Thank you for not pressuring me," I tell him randomly. I feel so tired and drained. And I'm just so thankful for his presence. So I tell him that.
He smiles.
"You're welcome. And I'm not going to pressure you. Do I think you're cute as hell and twice as sexy? Yes. I do. Do I love your sassy-ass sense of humor? Yep. That too. But I'm going to wait until you realize that you like me, too. I might be clueless about many, many things, but even I know that I can't make someone like me. If someone likes you, they'll realize it. And then it will be worth the wait." (eARC, 80%)
The Paradise Diaries Series
(click on the cover to see my review of Dante's Girl)
You can purchase Mia's Heart at:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble
You can connect with Courtney Cole at:
her blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon
