Book 2: Wait For You by J. Lynn.

A novel that from the first page, I fell in love with. J. Lynn has a unique ability of grabbing her readers ever-so-slightly by the throat, and not letting them go. Wait For You was a novel I hadn't even read up on, so I had no idea what it was about before I picked it up. (Okay, I technically picked my Kindle up, but there's no real difference.) By all accounts, it was a #1 New York Times Bestseller. That intrigued me. I love books like that. Without knowing anything about them, you know that the critics responded well, so I get all teary and optimistic and grinny as the pages get overturned.

So, what was my verdict? Not only was Avery, the main protagonist/heroine/star-of-the-show/whatever you want to call her, the most likeable character I've discovered in a long time, I found myself able to connect with her in a way that a reader only can in some of the most powerful pieces of literature. Avery was so well-written that now, as I've finished the novel, I feel like she's another one of the friends I have stored in my repetoire for rainy days, along with David Nicholls' Dexter and Fitzgerald's Jordan Baker. As for Lynn's other characters, I fell in love with them almost immediately. While the drop-dead gorgeous Cam has everyone's pulses racing, Brit and Jacob were more wonderful than words can describe. Brit's hilarious outbursts and endless blunt comments were totally refreshing, while Jacob's traits echoed Damien from Mean Girls to a T. Only he was smaller in stature, and even more blatant with his inunendos. The gay best friend 'do' wasn't outdone. It was brilliant. Fresh. Very naturally funny. Even Cam's roommate Ollie, a mere extra man-candy on the novel's horizon, was described perfectly. I feel like I'm hovering around major spoilers here, but I'll put it in the best possible way. 

I loved this book, plain and simple. It had me laughing, grinning and crying. One second my pulse was racing, the next, my heart was in my mouth. Definitely not to be thrown onto that decimated pile of "chick flicks" pronounced as if it were some dirty phrase. A book based around a very emotional topic, powerfully written and extraordinarily executed. If you aren't in love with Cam at the end, I don't even want to comprehend your being. Heart-wrenching at times, hilarious at others, and sometimes, incredibly sexy. It left me grinning like an idiot, and rendered me absolutely speechless. J.Lynn is onto a winner here.

“I think the key to the start of any good relationship is to remember how the other person likes their coffee."