REVIEW: Almost by Anne Eliot

 

Author: Anne Eliot

Pages: 389

Genre: Young Adult

Publisher: Butterfly Books, LLC

Amazon: Almost

Synopsis (Goodreads)

At a freshman party she doesn't remember, Jess Jordan was almost raped.

...Almost. Very nearly. Not quite. Three years later, Jess has managed to make everyone believe she's better. Over it. Because she is.

...Almost. Very nearly. Not quite.

Unfortunately, until Jess proves she's back to normal activities, her parents won't discuss college. So, she lands a summer internship and strikes a deal with hockey jock, Gray Porter: He gets $8,000. She gets a fake boyfriend and a social life.

Jess has no idea Gray signed on for reasons other than money. She also never expects to fall in love. But Gray’s amazingly hot, holds her hand all the time, and makes her forget that he’s simply doing his job. It’s like having a real boyfriend.

...Almost. Very nearly. Not quite.

Gray Porter is hiding secrets of his own. About Jess Jordan. About why he’s driven to protect her, why he won't cash her checks, or deny her anything she asks.

Review: 4 out of 5 stars

I have read so many wonderful Young Adult contemporaries lately and I am pleased to add another to my list; Almost by Anne Eliot was heartbreaking, heartwarming, sweet and beautifully written and held my interest until the very last page.

Jess Jordan is a shell of her former self after enduring a near rape at a party her freshman year; three years later she is still suffering and has withdrawn from all social aspects of life. She has no memories of that fateful night but yearns for normality.

Jess has built a wall around herself and uses sarcasm and bitchiness to avoid anyone and everyone, until Gray Porter comes along and begins to break them down.

Until Jess proves to her parents she is returning to normal, they won't discuss her attending college. So, she lands a summer internship at Geekstuff.com, her dream job and strikes a deal with Gray, he will get a much needed $8,000 and she gets a fake boyfriend and a social life as well as her letter of recommendation.

We are taken on such an emotional rollercoaster in Almost and you can’t help but hurt for what Jess has been through and is still going through but also for Gray who hides a secret about Jess of his own; their self blame and their personal struggles were heart wrenching. I absolutely adored Gray! He was the perfect person to help Jess in her recovery with his caring nature, humor, calm demeanor and perfect fake boyfriend behavior – being gorgeous is also a bonus. I really liked their interactions, the trust they shared and the way he understood her. Jess at times drove me batty but I could understand she wasn’t going to change her ways overnight, it was something she had to work on and I admired her for trying.

I enjoyed the alternating POV’s of both characters which allowed us a glimpse into each of their thought processes. Ms Eliot has written complex yet compelling characters that you couldn’t help but adore.

Corey, Michelle, Kika and Gran were great secondary characters; Jess’s parents came across as heavy handed in their ways which I could understand as they were trying to protect their daughter but at times I thought it was a tad too much.

Almost is an intense and poignant read that is written beautifully; it is filled with drama and angst as well as a really sweet friendship and budding romance, you couldn’t help but hope for happiness and a solution for the main characters.

Overall, Ms Eliot has written a story about a tragic and traumatic topic but she pulled it off in a sensitive and believable way. Almost was an engrossing read which I really enjoyed.