Book Review: Slammed by Colleen Hoover

Amazon blurb: Falling in love can feel like poetry. Or it can feel like a slam to the heart. Colleen Hoover’s romantic, emotion-packed debut novel unforgettably captures all the magic and confusion of first love, as two young people forge an unlikely bond before discovering that fate has other plans for them. Following the unexpected death of her father, eighteen-year-old Layken becomes the rock for both her mother and younger brother. She appears resilient and tenacious, but inside, she's losing hope. Then she meets her new neighbor Will, a handsome twenty-one-year-old whose mere presence leaves her flustered and whose passion for poetry slams thrills her. Not long after a heart-stopping first date during which each recognizes something profound and familiar in the other, they are slammed to the core when a shocking discovery brings their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together and the forces that tear them apart. Only through the poetry they share are they able to speak the truth that is in their hearts and imagine a future where love is cause for celebration, not regret.
My Review: This is another one where I had to step back and separate my values from the actual content.

That said, this was a heart-wrenching story!! And I really enjoyed it. The characters were so real and raw and I felt like I was a part of the story.

Layken (Lake) is so mature at times and so much like the teen she is at others. The way she dealt with her mom was one of the teen moments and being a mom myself, I couldn't help but feel awful about that way she treated her mother.

I loved the instant connection that Will and Lake had with one another. Sometimes those sparks just fly and there's no rhyme or reason to it.

Will was quite a guy! Shouldering so much responsibility and trying to prioritize his life, all while raising his younger brother--that's a tough job to do and he did quite well at it.

I loved Eddie!! She has no qualms about anything. What a great best friend.

The poetry slams were great! What a fun way to express feelings and emotions.

Content: Technically, it's clean, but there's some talk of intimate acts, although there aren't really any details given; there's a near attack; there's quite a lot of language, but not the extremely offensive word (I could have done without it); kissing. Everyone has different tolerance levels and definitions of clean, so I hope these cautions help a reader decide if this book is for him/her.

So...if I take my personal beliefs out of the equation and base this solely on the actual story, I'd give it ****--4 stars.

To purchase, click here.