Book Review: Relatively Honest

Relatively Honest

By: Molly Ringle

Published By: ireadiwrite Publishing

Publication Date: September 15, 2011

Page Count: 195

Buy it at Amazon or Barnes & Noble

Source: Provided by Author

Audience: Upper YA - Realistic Fiction, Romance

There is just something about Molly Ringle's writing that I love. Her stories are compelling, her characters flawed yet lovable, and her writing flows. I was a bit nervous to tackle this one after loving What Scotland Taught Me so much. Sometimes authors can fail to live up to the expectations they set in previous books, but this isn't the cause with Relatively Honest. I loved it!

Relatively Honest took me by surprise as well because of the nature of the romance in this one. Its certainly a unique type of love story and I don't want to spend too much time in the review on the topic because it could spoil the read for you. However, a bit of caution, fair reader, do be expected to pause when the twist is made known. Trust me though - fight through your initial reaction and continue to read. I do love how Ringle has my mind going in one direction and then smacks me around forcing me to go somewhere else entirely. She is the master of the old bait and switch - leaving out titillating breadcrumbs of information that lead to places I never could have predicted. It makes for one truly enjoyable reading experience. Furthermore, it is impossible to read this novel without laughing. I love that Ringle is always able to balance serious issues with some humorous moments.

At its core, Relatively Honest is the story of Daniel, a young Brit, who moves to Oregon for university. During his early days in the states, he meets Julie, another college bound student. The two become fast friends and the book mainly focuses on their friendship and navigating the rocky currents of the freshman year of college. Daniel and Julie are great characters that you can't help loving in spite of Daniel's womanizing ways and Julie's secretive moments. The supporting characters, Sinter and Claire, were also a lot of fun.

This was a short, highly addictive read. Ringle just has a way of sucking me into her plots and refusing to let me go until the last word has been digested. I also loved all the English lingo and culture I learned from reading this book. I admit that there were several things I had to look up, but in the end it made the read more authentic. There is also a segment of the book that takes place in London - which was probably my favorite part of the book - that just made me want to hop on the next plane heading in that direction. It is obvious that the UK holds a special place in Ringle's heart and I love how she showcases that for her readers. She also includes the strong Pacific Northwest element that I have come to expect in her works.

If you are looking for a book with a nontraditional romance, then Relatively Honest is the way to go. After two solid works from Ringle, I would read any of her work without hesitation. She is quickly becoming one of my top 5 favorite Indie authors. I can't wait to see what she comes up with for me to read next.

One Last Gripe: I want Sinter to get his happy ending, but I feel like everything with him was left unresolved. Perhaps he'll get his own book someday!

My Favorite Thing About This Book: Daniel's emotional evolution and his humor - you can't help but love the boy even though you know he isn't the sort of guy you should be rooting for all the time

First Sentence: "Daniel, I'll miss you so much!"

Favorite Character: Daniel

Least Favorite Character: Patrick

Summary:

Eighteen year-old womanizer Daniel Revelstoke leaves his native London to study at the University of Oregon, dreaming of seducing one American girl after another. But he soon meets a new kind of woman in classmate Julie French. Her cleverness and resistance land Daniel in love for the first time in his life, to his deep confusion. 

However, Julie's long-distance boyfriend and a bizarre family secret stand in Daniel's way to winning her. Since he can't quit obsessing over her, he decides to hide a few truths in order to draw closer to her, hoping that maybe she'll return his love and, when she finds out his devious path, forgive him. It's a gamble, but all's fair in love and college.