Book Review: Better Than Perfect by Melissa Kantor

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Better Than Perfect
Author: Melissa Kantor
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Released: February 17th 2015
Review Source: HarperTeen

Juliet Newman has it all. A picture-perfect family; a handsome, loving boyfriend; and a foolproof life plan: ace her SATs, get accepted into Harvard early decision, and live happily ever after.

But when her dad moves out and her mom loses it, Juliet begins questioning the rules she’s always lived by. And to make everything even more complicated there’s Declan, the gorgeous boy who makes her feel alive and spontaneous—and who’s totally off-limits. Torn between the life she always thought she wanted and one she never knew was possible, Juliet begins to wonder: What if perfect isn't all it’s cracked up to be?

Melissa Kantor once again delivers a tale that is equal parts surprising, humorous, heartbreaking, and romantic. Powerful and honest, Juliet’s story brilliantly portrays the highs and lows of life in high school and will resonate with any reader who has experienced either.

Better Than Perfect follows Juliet Newman, straight A student, Harvard hopeful, beautiful family, loving boyfriend, she has it all, everything is going perfect for her… Until her father leaves and her mother becomes heavily depressed and medicated, Juliet’s perfect life gets thrown upside down. She’s torn between what she has always strived to become or what she’s slowly turning into, is her perfect life from before what she always wanted?

After Juliet’s mother had an accident Juliet’s world gets thrown upside down, the same day she meets the dangerously sexy Declan that makes her feel alive, and as much as I hate cheating ,in any sense (fiction or real life) I couldn’t help myself rooting for him. Well, mostly for Juliet to end her current relationship and run away with Declan, but obviously that wasn’t going to happen. Juliet is exposed to a lot of truths that may not have been hidden in her family, but she was blind to them, everything wasn’t as perfect as the picture her family painted. After things start becoming more and more apparent to Juliet she tries to figure her true self out, what she truly wants in life. She was finding truth in her relationship with her boyfriend, her parents, her friends, and Declan; everyone had a hand in what she wanted and what she wanted to change.

I did like this book, but there were times where things dragged on and then there were times where we just flew over things that I thought mattered. I do recommend this to any who likes a young adult contemporary, I may not have been the biggest fan, but I do plan on checking out the rest of Melissa Kantor’s work, I loved her writing.