Book Review: Flat Out Love by Jessica Park

Goodreads Summary:

He was tall, at least six feet, with dirty blond hair that hung over his eyes. His T-shirt read Nietzsche Is My Homeboy.

So, that was Matt. Who Julie Seagle likes. A lot. But there is also Finn. Who she flat out loves.

Complicated? Awkward? Completely.

But really, how was this freshly-minted Boston transplant and newbie college freshman supposed to know that she would end up living with the family of an old friend of her mother’s? This was all supposed to be temporary. Julie wasn’t supposed to be important to the Watkins family, or to fall in love with one of the brothers. Especially the one she’s never quite met. But what does that really matter? Finn gets her, like no one ever has before. They have connection.

But here’s the thing about love, in all its twisty, bumpy permutations—it always throws you a few curves. And no one ever escapes unscathed.

My Initial Thoughts:

The first time I heard about Flat Out Love was through Kayla (thethousandlives). Before that I had only heard of Park’s other novel Left Drowning which a lot of bloggers were saying was depressing. I was hoping Flat Out Love would be more lighthearted. I was also nervous because her previous novels were NA and I wanted a book without the naughty bits.

 Review:

The story starts of with the main character stranded in Boston. We learn that she had been cheated off by someone posing as a landlord who was renting apartments to college students, but in reality the address led to a burger joint. No apartment complex in sight. No landlord. No Money.

After Julie calls her mom the situation is fixed when her mom’s college roommate happens to live in Boston and her mom arranges for her to stay at her house for the time being. In comes Matt, the son of her mom’s college roommate.

They story progresses as Julies meets the quirky family whose son Finn is out exploring the world, leaving the youngest, Celeste, in shams picking up after the pieces his departure left in their lives.

Flat Out Love was written in three parts, which helps the reader pinpoint the importance of each occurrence and the consequences of Julie’s and Matt’s actions. What surprised me the most is that the book is a self-published book, through Amazon’s publisher. All I can say is that Ms. Park created such a unique story one that I’ve never read before and that is saying something. Many know me as the YA Contemporary guru, since I’ve read a lot of contemporary novels throughout my lifetime. This makes book shopping hard with me, as Kayla discovered, because every suggestion is followed by a, “Oh, I’ve already read that”. This novel is something new, something fresh in the YA Contemp genre. It will break your heart and at the same time it will make it soar in the clouds with the many adorable moments. Think of it as the baby of Ana and the French Kiss and Second Chance Summer.

I wish I could read this book again. It has been a while since I’ve read a book that has me giggling, gasping, making me tear up, and jump of joy! The themes in the novel, mental health, grief, love, friendships, family, are all very well written and executed. Ms. Park brings some important issues to light in this book that should be discussed more instead of ignored by the masses.

I suggest you all give this book a try; it may sound like your average YA Contemp novel but it isn’t. Trust me on this one.

Rating: 5/5