Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Boys Like You by Juliana Stone

On tour with Sourcebooks

Thanks for stopping by my tour stop for Boys Like You! You can check out my review and enter a giveaway below that Sourcebooks is generously providing, but first the info on the book...

Boys Like YouBoys Like You
by Juliana Stone
YA Contemporary
May 6th 2014 by Sourcebooks                  

Summary

One mistake. And everything changes.

For Monroe Blackwell, one small mistake has torn her family apart –leaving her empty and broken. There’s a hole in her heart that nothing can fill –that no one can fill. And a summer in Louisiana with her Grandma isn’t going to change that…

Nathan Everets knows heartache first-hand when a car accident leaves his best friend in a coma. And it’s his fault. He should be the one lying in the hospital. The one who will never play guitar again. He doesn’t deserve forgiveness, and a court-appointed job at the Blackwell B&B isn’t going to change that…

Captivating and hopeful, this achingly poignant novel brings together two lost souls struggling with grief and guilt – looking for acceptance, so they can find forgiveness.

      

My Review

Boys Like You was a heartfelt, emotional, hopeful read. I connected with the characters and couldn't help cheering them on, hoping that they both would be able to make it out of the dark places they had fallen to. Both have made such terrible mistakes, mistakes that anyone could make and many have, but not all have ended up with the devastating consequences that these two did.

I loved the way these two characters, Monroe and Nate, had almost an instantaneous connection. They both have cut themselves off from the world, for to not feel is how they tried to deal and survive. There was no instant-love. There is just that connection that comes when you find someone that you feel gets you and knows and has felt the same pain. They begin a tenuous friendship. They are both attracted to each other even though they feel like they are not each other's type. I liked that we don't know both of their stories up front, but we have to piece things together as they share some of what happened and then as they both slowly come out of their depression and open up to each other. I really loved how Monroe's grandmother put it: 
"You told me that I was going to fall a long way down before someone caught me." 
"Yes." Gram nodded slowly. "I begged your mother and father to let you come to me this summer because I truly believed it was time for you to come back to us. It was time, and I thought that I was going to be the one to catch you." 
She shook her head and smiled. "But it wasn't me, my darling girl. It was Nathan. He caught you." She squeezed my hand again. "And I think that he's still waiting." 
"For what?" I asked. 
"Why, for you," she said in a very serious voice, before she opened her car door and glanced back at me. "To catch him."
The ending was beautiful and fun. It left me with a smile on my face. I would love to read about these characters again, maybe with one of the side characters being the focal point next time, such as a certain guy... 

I would have loved this book, except for the more mature content (swearing, making out, and one fade-to-black scene). If those things don't bother you than I would highly recommend reading Boys Like You, especially if you enjoy enjoy reading YA Contemporary. If you enjoy reading books such as Rainbow Rowell's, The Book of Broken Hearts, or This Song Will Save Your Life then I would definitely recommend picking this up.

Content: Lots of language (including one f-word), underage drinking, drug references, lots of innuendo, making out, and one fade-to-black scene.

Source: From the publisher/NetGalley, which did not affect my review in any way.

julianaAbout the Author

USA Today Bestselling author, Juliana Stone’s love of the written word and ‘80s rock have inspired her in more ways than one. She writes dark paranormal romance and contemporary romance and spends her days navigating a busy life that includes a husband, kids, and rock ‘n’ roll! Boys Like You is her debut YA novel.


Giveaway

One hardcover of Boys Like You (US/CAN Only) - provided by the publisher
Ends May 16th

a Rafflecopter giveaway

8 comments

  1. Cute cover, I really love it! This looks like it will be a great read.

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  2. Lovely review Tressa. I am looking forward to reading this one.

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  3. Super cute. I think that this would be a great one to read with my kids :)! Thanks

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  4. Thanks for the awesome review, and the warnings :). It still sounds like one I am going to like :)

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  5. Wow, amazing cover, love the colors!! The thing about MG is almost all covers are awesome. Haven't heard of this book until now, but looks like one I might enjoy. :) Adding it to my TBR list.

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  6. I was thinking my son would really like this one.

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  7. I would have to agree. :)

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