ARC Review: If You Stay by Courtney Cole

I seem to be the only person who failed to be moved or really that interested in this book.~ Under the Covers

Pax Tate has three favourite things, drugs, Jack Daniels and women they all give him what he craves most; oblivion. But, when he meets Mila Hill, the beautiful wholesome Mila, after she saves him from an accidental overdose he wants to be better, oblivion isn’t half as enticing as being with her. But memories that Pax has suppressed from his childhood destroy his his new one peace, can they also destroy his relationship with Mila?

I have come to conclusion that new adult books and I just don’t mix, something about all that angst makes me exasperated and impatient, clearly I would be the worlds worst counselor;  my therapy would consist of me rolling my eyes and telling them to get the frak over it.

So, as you can imagine Pax didn’t do it for me, he was gorgeous and he did have that bad boy thing going on, but I found it hard to empathise with the poor little rich boy. Even later on in the book when you find the root cause of his career as an asshole it didn’t change my mind much; I just didn’t connect with him at all. As for Mila, she was disgustingly perfect and a little bland, I imagine when readers look back at this book it will be Pax they remember not her.

If You Stay was a book about redemption,  turning your life around and the power of love yada yada, and some of it I did enjoy, but it wasn’t very subtle the sentimentality and emotion was laid on pretty thick when at times I wish it was less heavy handed;, sometimes the smaller things pack the biggest punches. I especially found that the “Love Never Fails” motto running through the book although sweet gave my emotional sweet tooth cavities.

Now I know I am putting a downer on this book, but I can see why other people would like it, but for me it was a complete personality mismatch. I didn’t get on with the characters and although the writing was fairly good I found the it to be a little awkward and clumsy in places. But I seem to be the only person who failed to be moved or really that interested in this book, so maybe it’s me! I think new adult and I are going to have to break up, I think it is for the best!

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[about-author author=”Courtney Cole”]