TBR Challenge 2016 – When I Find Her by Kate Bridges

WHEN I FIND HER by Kate Bridges, my SuperWendy TBR Challenge 2016 book this month, is a young adult contemporary romance with a twist. The twist is a bit of magic and time travel. I’ve been reading a bunch of contemporaries, so it was fun to come across one that has a completely different plot and viewpoint. Since our theme was contemporary, I needed something different because I was already on contemporary overload from the volume of them I’ve been reading lately.

Why was it in Dorine’s TBR? I saw Kate Bridges’ name and grabbed it because I wanted to try her young adult books, then promptly forgot about it. It got buried in the Kindle TBR until last week when I was looking for something different to read for our challenge.

REVIEW…

When Luke Eric’s doctor asks him what three mistakes he’d correct from his life, he doesn’t have to think about it very long to choose his first. If his psychiatrist imagines himself as a genie, then Luke wants to kiss Jennifer Marks, his high school locker mate and a missed opportunity from his past. Just when they were getting to know one another, right before Luke got sick, Jennifer moved away without saying goodbye. No one knows where she is or how to get in touch with her. Luke wishes he had stepped out of his comfort zone and kissed her.

Luke’s doctor gives him three magic dice and teaches him how to go back in time to correct his three mistakes. There are rules and time limits, but Luke is determined to find Jennifer and make sure she knows that he cares about her. Now that his illness is in remission, Luke is ready to make up for his past and Jennifer is only the beginning.

A beautiful story, WHEN I FIND HER is told from a sixteen-year-old boy’s point of view. He has been through a devastating illness and is now ready to take some chances to get what he wants, including Jennifer Marks. This book focuses on second chances and do-overs – who can resist the chance to fix their past? What would you do over and how would it affect your future?

I don’t read the young adult category consistently but I love Kate Bridges’ historical novels so I was really curious about this book. The contemporary time travel element drew me in because I’m especially fond of this theme in historicals. I haven’t previously read a time travel that stayed within the main character’s lifeline, but it made perfect sense for this story arc. Apparently I liked this book a lot because I read it within 24 hours which is fast for me.

I really enjoyed that this was written from a sixteen-year-old boy’s point of view. I wasn’t sure I’d like that but now that I’ve finished, I can’t imagine it any other way. That’s actually what held my interest most because Luke seemed so real to me. He has a boyish charm and is relatable with his friends. His choices are loving. His maturity is balanced when he’s in a quandary. That made sense based on his history. When he’s faced with doing what he wants and doing what’s right, Luke makes the admirable choice. He’s not perfect and has done some things he regrets. Now it’s time to see if he can fix them.

WHEN I FIND HER is both heartwarming and heartrending. I cried me a river during one particular section with Luke’s grandfather, which touched my soul. I feared the worst but was relieved with the outcome. I love a book that grabs my heart, twists it, yanks it almost out of my chest and then gives me my preferred happy ending. Kate Bridges’ foray into young adult romance is impressive. Even though I’m an adult and I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I can picture myself as a young adult loving it just as much. WHEN I FIND HER is a beautiful story about life, its hard knocks, and those cherished special moments that shape our future.

Review by Dorine, courtesy of The Zest Quest. Digital copy purchased.