Book Review: Easy by Tammara Webber

Title: Easy
Author: Tammara Webber
Publisher: Tammara Webber
Pages: 318
Release Date: 24th May 2012
Read In: June 2012

Goodreads - Amazon.co.uk/.com 

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she’s single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, stalked by her ex’s frat brother, and failing a class for the first time in her life.
Her econ professor gives her an email address for Landon, the class tutor, who shows her that she’s still the same intelligent girl she’s always been. As Jacqueline becomes interested in more from her tutor than a better grade, his teasing responses make the feeling seem mutual. There’s just one problem—their only interactions are through email.
Meanwhile, a guy in her econ class proves his worth the first night she meets him. Nothing like her popular ex or her brainy tutor, Lucas sits on the back row, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. At a downtown club, he disappears after several dances that leave her on fire. When he asks if he can sketch her, alone in her room, she agrees—hoping for more.
Then Jacqueline discovers a withheld connection between her supportive tutor and her seductive classmate, her ex comes back into the picture, and her stalker escalates his attention by spreading rumors that they’ve hooked up. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.
Author Recommendation: Mature Young Adults (language, drinking, sexual situations)

I don’t read mature YA very often but, when I do, it is nice to read a book set in a more familiar environment. Mature YA is usually set in college and since that is where I am at (although it more common to call it uni here), the things that the characters get up to is similar to what I do or what others do. YA can seem a bit tame sometimes. This book contains foul language, drinking and sexual situations.

‘Benji leaned over the edge of his desktop, closer than Lucas had. “So what was that about?” His eyebrows rocked up and down and I tried not to grin.
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” I replied, fluttering my lashed in my best Southern belle impersonation.
“Careful, little lady,” he drawled. “That fella seems a bit dangerous.” He shook too-long curl out of his eyes, smiling. “Not that there’s anything wrong with a bit of danger.”’

People say that they don’t like ‘perfect’ characters. But you have to describe ‘perfect’ in this situation. Does perfect mean that they are amazing at everything they do with no flaws, or does it mean they are the perfect character for the person reading? When I say Lucas is ‘perfect’, I mean the latter. There are negative aspects to his personality but that made him more realistic and desirable. He had all the traits that I would want from a partner in real life. The likelihood of finding said man is slim, I know. I’ll just go and sulk for a bit. But that is why I love fictional guys so much. 

I think it is quite difficult to describe all the wonders of Lucas without giving away some sort of spoiler. Learning about him was what drove the story. Let’s just say he is a dream boat. Lucas is a guy only found in fiction: good-looking, ambitious, however he has a mysterious bad boy allure. He is a man of many talents too. I’m referring to his drawing skills of course *cough cough*. If only this guy can cook, then he would be a keeper ladies (or gentleman). Oh wait … he can cook. I know this seems more like a Lucas gush rather than a review but he was the reason I kept reading until the early hours of the morning. I wanted more and I couldn’t get enough of him.

As for the story, it was a pretty typical contemporary. Nothing made me gasp. But it was decent enough. Jacqueline’s ex, Kennedy, is a classic example of a jerk. Yes he was with her for three years, but when he broke up with her just to see what other women are like … big no no! His attempts to redeem himself may have been sincere but they just made him even more of a jerk in my eyes. The majority of the book is Jacqueline trying to win Lucas over and getting Kennedy out of her life, but there is another side plot which was quite interesting.

Another thing I enjoyed about this book is reading about the differences between American and English colleges. I don’t know if this situation is common to the US, or if mine is common to the UK, but it was still interesting all the same.

Contemporaries are not known for their intense plots so for me rate them 5 stars they need intense emotion. For me this isn’t a seriously emotional read but I did enjoy it. I recommend this book just so you can meet Lucas. He is not to be missed. 

 Becky