The Real Thing by Cassie MaeMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
This book went from one to four, then back to one, and finally overall, I'd say it's a solid 3.5 stars.
I loved the best-friends-fall-in-love plot very much. Eric and Em have known each other since high school and have kept in touch thanks to social media and technology. The role of technology on the book is an important one, as it brings the lovers together but it is also what tears them apart.
Eric was flesh and blood, well-developed character for me. Very likable and real. Not the typical Alpha-growling testosterone filled hero but insecure, compassionate, tender, and all around amazing guy. Em, on the other hand, got on my nerves from the beginning.
Her obsession with social media was borderline dysfunctional and something I'd expect of a much younger girl, say 14-16 year-old, not a 20 year old. It was so bad, I almost stopped reading before she even entered Eric's life again. Just when I tried to get past her "quirks" for Eric's sake, she'd cross that line again. One scene where they almost get intimate but are interrupted by his family, Em (view spoiler) But what do I know.
But the biggest peeve: What she did. I won't go into it much just to say, at 20, she knows better -- enough to keep it from Eric obviously, and IMO - he let her off the hook WAY TOO EASY. Let's just say I wasn't convinced she learned her lesson.
There were other instances where her immature and sometimes childish behavior got the best of my patience, but I held on because I wanted to see how Eric dealt with the hurdles he carried with him and tried to heal. The hero and subject matter itself teach a good lesson, and IMO definitely worth the read. :)
**ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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