Title: Stay
Author: Deb Caletti
Publisher: Simon Pulse
This is the first book I’ve read from Deb Caletti, and I know I’m definitely coming back for more! Stay was a gripping, captivating read which made me sit down and read all day without stopping. I’ve never been in an abusive relationship myself, but the writing made it extremely believable. Stay does not romanticize abusive relationships. It shows very clearly that love should not be controlling, possessive or suffocating in any way and such relationships are unhealthy for both people involved.
Clara was an interesting character because she has never been the type to go after guys, but she fell for Christian so hard she actually went after him. This gives the story a bit of an ironical twist, don’t you think? She thought she found The One in Christian, who seems perfect in every way possible, and she was happy with him for awhile…until his not-so-nice personality emerges. Many times, girls in abusive relationships tend to stick around hoping that they can change the other party for the better, but Clara decided she doesn’t want to feel obliged to stay with Christian anymore and summoned the courage to leave. I wanted to applaud her, seriously. It was so refreshing to see how Clara knew what she wanted, and it certainly wasn’t Christian, so she was willing to take the leap and stop compromising her own happiness.
Clara’s dad was so wonderfully wise and I was glad that he played such an integral role in the book. He could tell immediately that Christian wasn’t good for his daughter, knowing that there are different kinds of nice, and he (along with Clara’s BFF, who wasn’t mentioned much but seemed very supportive) gave Clara all the encouragement she needed to exit the relationship with Christian. He cared for Clara so much that he would move all the way to a remote place so she could start afresh; that earned him lots of brownie points with me! Although he does have his faults and secrets, I’m happy to see that family wasn’t just a touch-and-go topic in the story.
The romance in Stay was cute and serious at the same time. I loved seeing how Clara slowly opened up to Finn, the sweetest, nicest and kindest guy ever. He’s everything Clara needed after Christian!
I liked how this book ended but I’m not going to give any spoilers…you’ll just have to read it for yourself. I’m definitely interested in reading Deb Caletti’s other works after this one.
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6 comments:
Sounds pretty good...thanks for the review. I'd not heard of this author or book before.
Laurie
Laurie's Thoughts & Reviews
Stay sounds like a great book! I've never been in an abusive relationship either, but it's nice to know that Stay is very informative (yet eloquent) about the subject. Great review! :)
Thank you for stopping by my blog for the giveaway hop today!
I've been meaning to read Stay for a while now. I think it's interesting that the author used flashbacks to tell the story. I read But I Love Him, which also deals with abuse, last month. It was great as well - and the book is told in complete reverse chronological order.
I'm following you on GFC and my google reader.
Steph
www.the-caffeinated-reader.blogspot.com
I've got this book and another one The Secret Life of Prince Charming by her, that I've been meaning to read. I really do need to make room for them, in between the reading and reviewing. lol. ;)
Great review, thank you for sharing.
Suz @ A Soul Unsung
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@Laurie: This is my first time reading something from Deb Caletti too(:
@Lauren M: Yup, I think books should show how horrible abusive relationships are. Some make them seem romantic :/
@Stephanie: Thank YOU for holding the wonderful giveaway! I hope this doesn't sound sadistic, but I kind of like books dealing with abuse. They're usually very moving.
@Suz: Do read it soon and let me know how you feel about it! :D I'm still deciding which book of hers I should read next. Maybe The Secret Life of Prince Charming?(:
I love this book as well. But I wish for a better ending. I love the beginning. But in the end of the book, I almost lost my interest.
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