January 22, 2015

Bright Side


Have you ever met someone that not only looks on the bright side but lives on the bright side? That is Kate Sedgwick. Despite the loss, hardship and tragedy she has endured, Kate remains happy, optimistic and funny. No wonder her best friend Gus calls her Bright Side.

"You and sadness...they should never be paired together." ~ pg. 224

There is just one thing that Kate doesn't believe in: love. Sure, she ends every conversation with Gus with an "I love you" but she has other priorities and plans that do not include falling in love. So when she leaves San Diego to attend college in Minnesota, she doesn't expect to meet a man let alone fall in love. Keller Banks is a flirt. Nothing ever comes of it. But it is love at first sight when Kate walks through the door of Grounds, a local coffee spot in the college town. Neither of them want to feel love because they each have a secret.

"I feel like I've been asleep for years and I've only just woken up." ~ pg. 67

It was easy to figure out both secrets but it didn't stop the tears from falling as the story unfolded. Reading Bright Side was like riding a ferris wheel. I got butterflies in my stomach as I neared the climax. I enjoyed every minute of the ride. And when it was over, I didn't want to get off. I walked away from the ride with a sad smile.

Bright Side is not a fairy tale. It is not always a feel-good novel. It is reality in fiction literary form. I appreciate the author's writing style and how she quickly grabbed my attention making it hard to let go until the last page was read.

"I need to see the other person and for them to see me. I need body language and non-verbal cues." ~ pg. 20

Kim Holden, please hurry and publish Gus's story. I am on the edge of my reading chair waiting to read his side and what is on his CD. In the words of your characters, "do epic" with the follow-up novel. With this one book, you have gained a new fan.

Title: Bright Side
Author: Kim Holden
Published: July 2014
Pages: 409
Edition: eBook
Challenge: New Author; Popsugar Made Me Cry
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

 

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