Leaving Paradise: Leaving Paradise 1

Author: Simone Elkeles
Genre:  Young Adult - Romance
Publication Date: April 1, 2007
Age Range: Young Adult
Pages:  303
Date Scoot Read: November 2010
Source: Paperback Library Book

Scoot's Rating:  5- It was ok.

Synopsis (via Goodreads): 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.

Scoot’s Review:

I enjoyed reading another of Simone Elkeles books so I picked this up after reading the intriguing synopsis.  Sadly, I was disappointed with the writing.  It started out well, keeping up a good pace and throwing you right into life after a year in prison for Caleb and life after the accident for Maggie.  The idea of Caleb and Maggie coming together despite everything appealed to the hopeless romantic in me.  Their romance was sweet and I enjoyed it, but the rest of the story just seemed way too rushed.  I felt like Simone had a major deadline she was pushing for and she just wanted the book to be done fast.  Huge chunks of the story seemed poorly thrown together or barely grazed over.  I did like Caleb and Maggie and as the story progresses you learn what really happened on the horrible night of the hit-and-run.  There were enough plot twists and unsolved ends to keep you reading, but overall I was not impressed with this book.  I might just pass the sequel right on by.

YA content warnings: sexual references, crude language, underage drinking, mild sensuality