I am so excited to get to fangirl over Sarah Dessen with you guys this week as part of the official #ReadADessen tour! I received a copy of this wonderful book from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review, and I am so excited to share my thoughts with y’all as we gear up for a new Sarah Dessen release this summer (I’m looking at you Once and For All!).
I honestly hadn’t read many Dessen books before now, which I realize is a huge oversight on my part, so I was especially eager to dive into this romantic contemporary read and see what all the hype is about.
She’s got it all figured out.
Or does she? When it comes to relationships, Remy’s got a whole set of rules.
Never get too serious. Never let him break your heart. And never, ever date a musician.
But then Remy meets Dexter, and the rules don’t seem to apply anymore.
Could it be that she’s starting to understand what all those love songs are about?
Right from the start, This Lullaby hooked me. Probably because Remy is this super-focused, organized, slightly OCD person who made me immediately feel less alone in the world. She is such an intense character, with a great dry sense of humor and a cynical view of the world that I think we can all relate to at some point in our lives. I mean, who hasn’t felt cynical about love before? I know that when I was still dating, before I ever met my husband, I was a huge cynic. The whole game just didn’t seem worth it to me, and I finally just threw up my hands and said, “That’s it! I’m done! No more romance for me, thank you.” And, like Remy, that attitude only seemed to lead me right towards someone amazing.
For Remy, that someone amazing is Dexter, whom I fell in love with almost instantly. He’s so different from her, but I never felt like it made them incompatible; rather, he compliments her in the best ways. Their time together forces Remy to really engage with her present instead of constantly thinking about the past or the future. And it definitely forces her to confront some of her long-held beliefs and fears in order to figure out what she really wants.
Something I really have to say is that I don’t feel like this book sugarcoats love or makes it seem more rosy and perfect than it is. It’s realistic, even while including a very sweet contemporary romance, and I loved that “this could actually happen in real life” vibe. It made the whole book more enjoyable, and lent credibility to Remy and Dexter’s relationship. There are too many fluffy summer contemporaries out there that just feel fake/forced/unbelievable (I should know – I’ve DNFed enough of them over the years), but Dessen does such an excellent job of keeping her story grounded, which made it a quick, engaging read. I would highly recommend this one in time for summer! There’s nothing like falling in love with a rich cast of characters during this
time of year! And I promise, you will definitely fall in love with this gem of a book.
And, speaking of perfect summer reads, don’t forget to pre-order your copy of Once and for All, which comes out on June 6th!
Enter for a chance to win one (1) set of Sarah Dessen’s books in paperback (ARV: $132.00).
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between 12:00 AM Eastern Time on April 17, 2017 and 12:00 AM on May 29, 2017. Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older. Winners will be selected at random on or about June 1, 2017. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.
Love Sarah Dessen’s books! <3