Lipstick Apology by Jennifer Jabaley

Sometimes a good-bye is just the beginning.

When Emily Carson’s parents die in a plane crash, she’s left with nothing but her mother’s last words scrawled in lipstick on a tray table: Emily, please forgive me.

Now it’s fall and Emily moves to New York City, where she attracts the attention of two very different boys: the cute, popular Owen, and her quirky chemistry partner, Anthony. With the help of some surprising new friends, Emily must choose between the boy who helps her forget and the one who encourages her to remember, and ultimately heal.

Debut author Jennifer Jabaley has written a wonderful, feel-good romantic comedy with real emotional depth. Full of lovably wacky characters, Lipstick Apology is a heartwarming story about the true meaning of forgiveness.

My Thoughts/Review:

Warning: My reading of this book was spaced out throughout the last three weeks, and in-between Pretty Amy and My Life Next Door, so some of the details of this book are pretty hazy.

I enjoyed this book, but at times it seemed like the story was moving so slow that I just couldn't take it for very long. Emily's parents died in a plane crash, left a phantom apology, and Emily waited til' the last half of the book to even try and figure out what her mother's apology was about. Epic bravery there Em, epic.

So, while the first half of the book is spent with Emily wallowing in her own self-pity, and having anger management issues, the second half is spent with Emily trying to figure out why her mother wants her to forgive her. Not that I don't approve, it just seems like she waited an awful long time. It seems like you'd be on it immediately, but no, Emily had to wait four months, and for someone to tell her that she was an idiot for not trying to figure out what it was all about.

Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?

Moving on. Emily has got to be the most illogical, weird, self-pitying character to ever walk the planet earth. NOT an exaggeration. On the other hand, I loved Anthony. He seemed so sweet, and nice, and he's the one that told Emily that she was being an epic idiot by not searching for the reason why. All in all, I'd say it kept me entertained, but it had a bunch of problems. Aka: My little annoyances.

♠♠♠
Favorite Quote: Everything was so fresh, every detail available for scrutiny. You think it'll be that way forever--but here's the thing--life just keeps going. People are forgotten, and details get fuzzy. You have to work really hard to both let go and hold on.