Drawing on her own experiences as a backpacker, Kirsten Hubbard pens a story that is not only rich in exotic descriptions but also in a pair of damaged yet wonderful lovers.
The main issue that I had with Hubbards first novel, Like Mandarin, was in my lack of connection with the underdeveloped characters. Fortunately, I didnt have that problem with Bria or Rowan. Oh, Ill be honest: they are two so very private, very introspective individuals that at the beginning I was worried it would be yet another story with pretty descriptions and bland characters. But even if I didnt immediately love the characters, I certainly admired them: Bria may be in a rough place in her life, but she still maintains an irrepressible spark of wit and gumption in her narration, and Rowans aloofness hides a sweet and utterly real young man. Their attraction to one another (yeah, okay, were not going to lie and say we didnt see it coming, so this is not a spoiler) develops gradually, which initially threw me off, because Ive become (sadly) accustomed to insta-romances in YA, but which, by the end, I wholeheartedly appreciated.
WANDERLOVEs setting in the culturally and environmentally colorful world of Central America certainly adds uniqueness to the story, but ultimately this is a romancea sweet and subtle and absolutely wonderful one that I can think back on with a smile. For those who are constantly on the lookout for a good YA romance, WANDERLOVE should be on your radar.
The main issue that I had with Hubbards first novel, Like Mandarin, was in my lack of connection with the underdeveloped characters. Fortunately, I didnt have that problem with Bria or Rowan. Oh, Ill be honest: they are two so very private, very introspective individuals that at the beginning I was worried it would be yet another story with pretty descriptions and bland characters. But even if I didnt immediately love the characters, I certainly admired them: Bria may be in a rough place in her life, but she still maintains an irrepressible spark of wit and gumption in her narration, and Rowans aloofness hides a sweet and utterly real young man. Their attraction to one another (yeah, okay, were not going to lie and say we didnt see it coming, so this is not a spoiler) develops gradually, which initially threw me off, because Ive become (sadly) accustomed to insta-romances in YA, but which, by the end, I wholeheartedly appreciated.
WANDERLOVEs setting in the culturally and environmentally colorful world of Central America certainly adds uniqueness to the story, but ultimately this is a romancea sweet and subtle and absolutely wonderful one that I can think back on with a smile. For those who are constantly on the lookout for a good YA romance, WANDERLOVE should be on your radar.
