Review: ‘Love Story’ by Jennifer Echols

For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions—it’s her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family’s racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin’s college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a local coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter . . . so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment?

Then, on the day she’s sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He’s joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin’s heart with longing. Now she’s not just imagining what might have been. She’s writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter . . . except this story could come true.

(Amazon product description)

I wanted to write this review immediately after I finished closing the book...only I didn’t know what I wanted to say.  This book was very different from what I was expecting.  I mean that in a good way.  I thought this would be just another fluffy teen romance with a happy ending.  What I didn’t expect was such interesting and well developed characters.  Both Erin and Hunter are flawed and deeply scarred by their pasts, yet neither is moody or brooding as is so common in characters.  I like how Erin never really knows where she stands with Hunter, even up to the end. 

I also loved the unique way the book was constructed.  No simple linear plotline here.  Instead the story is threaded with flashbacks and short stories written by the characters during their English class.  Rather than distracting from the plot, these stories add a depth to the writing and the characters.  It adds a literary quality in a genre where this is seldom found. 

The ending left me somewhat on the fence though, which is why I had trouble writing this review.  I both loved it and hated it.  It has left me with questions that keep me thinking after the book is closed.  I guess that is a sign of a good book, right?  I think in the end, if you like teen romance, this is one book you don’t want to miss.

Overall, I give Love Story...

Plot - 4 1/2 bookmarks

Character Development - 5 bookmarks

Romance - 4 1/2 bookmarks

Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Renee Olstead (Erin), Lucas Till (Hunter)