Broken Outsider | ARC Review

Synopsis

He’s hoping to forget his past. Lucky for him, she lives in the moment.

Valerie Sparrow loves boys. She likes looking at them, talking about them, dating them, and most of all, kissing them. The one thing she refuses to do is have relationships with them. She can’t count the number of times she’s come across a girl crying over a boy. She wants the fun parts, not the crying parts, so she doesn’t let her heart get involved. But when a gorgeous new guy moves to town, she begins to think things she doesn’t want to think and feel things she’s afraid to feel.

Wes Callahan wants a fresh start. He left his troubles behind in Chicago, but his heart is still bruised. He’s not sure he can trust anyone again, especially not in this town where he’s an outsider and everyone else has known each other their whole lives. Hoping to get through the year without opening his heart, he meets Valerie, a candid, fascinating girl who makes him rethink this plan.

When Wes’s father gets called into service with the National Guard, the Sparrow family invites him to live with them for two months. The only condition is that Wes is off-limits. That’s no problem for Valerie, because she doesn’t do relationships. Right?

Review

This was a beautiful story to wrap up the Sparrow Sisters trilogy. I loved getting to see inside Valerie’s head and getting to know the guy that stole her heart.

First, I really loved finally getting to see inside Valerie’s head. I’ve always been intrigued by her way of thinking so it was nice to finally get to the source of it all. As well, the change we see in her from the beginning of this book to the end is so much fun. And I love that it wasn’t provoked by love or a boy, but it was just her. It was time for her to change and grow and it just so happened to be when a new guy moved to town.

Something else I really enjoyed about this book, and the series as a whole, was how different each sister was. Valerie was completely different than Cat and even her twin, Audrey. They each had their own quirks and things that made them tick and I loved learning about those things.

Pretty much the only negatives I have to add about this book include the pacing and relationship conflict. It was a bit slow throughout and I sometimes was waiting for something to happen. The other two books also move at a slow and steady pace, but I feel like this one moved a little slower. I think part of this had to do with the lack of conflict seen in the book. I was waiting for a roadblock to get in the way of Valerie and Wes’ relationship, but we never really see one. There’s a minor issue that’s discussed throughout the book, but nothing big.

Despite these things, I still really enjoyed this book. This whole series was just an absolute delight and I’m so sad it’s over! Now I need to buy all the books in paperback so I can swoon over them and flip to my favorite parts anytime I like.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating

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