Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Summary: Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares — has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

Review: Gosh this was such a good book. I loved Perfect Chemistry and I knew I was going to love this and boy was I right. My favorite character is probably Mrs. Reynolds. She is just amazing. I kinda loved Caleb too. He was such a great character. I hated his family though, and all the people at school. They annoyed me way too much. I loved the romance in this book, and I loved the convenience of Maggie and Caleb working together. It was quite amusing. Oh and the gazebo was probably the best part of the entire book. I'm quite ready to read Return to Paradise because, with an ending like that, I just have to see what happens next.

5 howls