Flat-Out Love

Sparkling Characters and Dialogue!

Oh man, I had to fight with myself to not try to read this book too quickly. I didn't want it to end (the mark of a really good book). Julie moves into her mom's old college roommate's house with her and her family. Off the bat, Julie notices something is wrong with the family. They all seem to be living different lives under the same roof. There's a mystery here but Julie doesn't know if she'll figure out what's going on.

I kind of figured out what was going on pretty early in the book but the secret is so strange and interesting, I couldn't help but keep reading to figure out what was really going on and how everything was going to come together. Park does a great job of giving hints little by little. I kind of want to go back and read the book again to see if there were any hints that I missed.

I really, really liked how the dialogue was written. I thought Park did a great job capturing the different voices of all the characters. I also really liked how Park was able to incorporate using Julie, Finn and Matt's Facebook statuses to set the scene of each chapter.

This is a great book for YA lovers. I think you're in for a real treat.

Bottom line: This is a fun read with sparkling dialogue and characters that you will really fall in love with.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Romance and Laughs ~ Absolutely Delicious!!

I found myself chuckling out loud at many places in this story, Julie finds herself stuck with no apartment when she moves to Boston as a college freshman, and her mom calls her old college roomie who welcomes Julie into their home. It turns out to be a house filled with lots of mysteries, absentee parents, two brothers, Finn, the traveling older hottie brother, and Matt, the cute geek brother, and Celeste, the very mixed up younger sister. Even as the romance between Julie and Finn heats up on Facebook, could Matt be falling for her too? So much sexual tension in one house makes for a GREAT BOOK!! As a side-note, I loved how every chapter begins with each main characters' Facebook statuses. Readers from 16-50 will enjoy this. The humor reminded me of Bridget Jones.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

It's not often that I'm sucked into a book as bad as I was with

It's not often that I'm sucked into a book as bad as I was with this one. Maybe it's just me trying to re-live my college days (just turned 30) or maybe I'm just a sucker for reading about the young love I never experienced, but this book was great! I thought something hokey was going on and I did figure out what really happened about half way through, but that didn't change anything. I shed some tears towards the end and snickered quite a few times. The storyline wasn't far out there, it was something that could actually (or maybe already did) happen to someone/some family. I thought the dialogue between Julie and her professor was well placed and provided insight into what was really going on in the family.

Good, easy and fast read. :)

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

<3333

I really loved this book. Started off slow in the beginning but overall AMAZING. Gave me stomach flips from the romance. (Reminds me of perfect chemistry) :)

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Read this book

Loved loved loved this book. I finished it yesterday and still retain feelings about it! Amazing book!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Flat-Out Love this book!

In some ways, this was a modern tale of Mary Poppins, only this family is a bit more tragic. While Julie is seeking independence from home and moves away to attend college, she moves in with a family friend. Witnessing firsthand how far independence can push away people, how pain and time do stand still when not dealt with, and that people only see what they want, Julie faces some hard truths and realizes that nothing is ever at it seems.

I FLAT-OUT LOVE this book, love the characters, and thought the book dealt with issues everyone can resonate with. I cried, I laughed, and overall enjoyed this book!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Kritters Ramblings

A wonderful mix of quirky and smart humor. At the center we have a freshmen headed to school left without housing and must call on a distant family friend for temporary housing. This housing becomes anything but temporary and I am not sure even after finishing if she affected the family more or if the family she stayed with affected her more - up for debate. A few twists and turns, some I predicted, some came out of nowhere, but all fit great into the story.

The one issue that affects the entire family - I was able to predict from pretty early on. But you know what, it didn't ruin the reading for me. I actually enjoyed it because I was able to spend the book waiting for the main character to find out what I already knew and how she found out and when she would find out.

I don't often compare books to other books and things, but each time I cracked this book open it took me back to the days of watching Gilmore Girls. Have you ever read something and known that the conversation was just bouncing back and forth, well this book's quick conversations kept me going - I loved it.

A book worth picking up on your next trip to the bookstore.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND-A WONDERFUL WONDERFUL STORY

If you love to laugh and cry...read this book. It was so touching and wonderful. I keep re-reading my favorite parts. Jessica has really created wonderful characters, each with their own story. It's about sadness, family life, love....everything that we have experienced. Jessica has included social networking and writes with passion and zeal. I am going to buy a paper copy and give it to my library. This is a must read. Thank goodness...NO VAMPIRES or anything squishy!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

BookWhisperer Review: Flat-Out Love

Flat-Out Love is a heart stopping love story that took my breath away. This young girl that finds herself about to begin college, and homeless after being scammed through the internet. Luckily, a family that happens to be her mother college buddy takes her in. Julie seems to make a sudden acclimation into this family. I was impressed by the author's ability to keep this from seeming unrealistic. It was entertaining to see the seeming sibling banter between Julie and Matt, and the older sister role that Julie embraces with Celeste. As the story begins to unravel the courage is evident in Julie to embrace the situation; rather than move on. She becomes determined to find a way to help Celeste and the rest of her family. She is aware that everything happening with Celeste is not only a danger to her, but Matt as well in that he no longer has a life of his own. Knowing full well that this was a romance novel; the author was creative in establishing relations with various characters. Readers will question "Is this it?" throughout the story. Although, I must say that once you have begun the romance it clear and concise. With a twist it this relationship it will transform, but it still breath taking throughout. This is by far one of the best romances I have read in my book blogging journey. This will definitely be a story that I will read many times over. I found myself up way into the morning hours just to finish this truly lovable story. The wit and charm of the novel with carry readers way. With just the right mixture of love, loss, and tragedy Flat-Out Love promises for a memorable spectacular read.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Beautifully Compelling Story- Must Read!

Let me just get this out there, I LOVED this book. This is one of those books that captures your attention and pulls you through the book at an alarming speed. I didn't want to put the book down; I stayed up to obscene hours of the night reading just because it was that good.
Julie Seagle has always tried to fit in but hasn't really found her place in the world. She believes that college is the new start for her, so she embarks on this journey in Boston miles away from everyone she knows. She finds herself a victim of a craigslist scam and with no home or money; she does the only thing an eighteen year can she calls home. Out of pure desperation she finds herself staying a couple of days with her mom's college friend. This is where the journey begins for Julie.
This story was about finding yourself and helping others in the process. You also get a look into the lives of a very dysfunctional family. Julie finds herself tangled in the mix of what makes this family run and how they deal with some of the issues that they are faced. The romance in the story wasn't rushed but perfectly paced and the timing of the events was on point. I didn't' feel like I was being rushed through the story at all. Usually when you read a book you connect with the main character and don't always connect with the secondary characters, this isn't the case in this book. I connected with all of the characters, Julie, Celeste, Matt, Finn and Erin they each brought something to the story with their unique traits. The story was intricately woven to pull you through this emotional rollercoaster ride with Julie.
There were moments in the book when I laughed out loud, found myself smiling, and then there were times when I cried.
I loved the Facebook updates in the beginning of each chapter, I thought they were genius. There was also a sky diving scene that I loved, the description has me mesmerized and ready to jump out of a plane.
This is one of the few books that actually stole my heart and I was sad to see it end. This book had me enchanted well after I turned the last page.
I am not a very big fan of YA contemporary but this story was the exception. If you haven't read it, you definitely need to. You would be so glad you did.
I give this book 5 stars!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A Must Read

Humorous, thoughtful, clever, and at times heartbreaking, FLAT-OUT LOVE is about love, loss, and the great lengths a family will go to protect one of their own. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll root for that seemingly elusive happily ever after. No doubt about it, FLAT-OUT LOVE is flat-out fabulous.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Flat-Out Amazing!

I loved this book! I loved it so much that I had to tweet about it after finishing it. I loved it so much that I'm already considering how long I should wait before re-reading it. Yes, I loved it that much. There was just a really special feel about this book. It totally gripped me in this really interesting way, and I hope that my descriptions can do it justice.

What I really loved about this book is that it is the perfect mix of family issues and love and romance. It is filled with impecible characterizations: even the smallest characters had personality. No one felt like they were just a filler name and face. Julie, our main character, is lovely. I felt like I knew her. In fact, all of the main characters felt real to me. It was a true family unit, and I cared about their situation.

Contemporary romance is one of my favourites, and the romance in this one is amazing because it's a slow building, feel it in your stomach kind of love. I also love love when it's not the only story being told, because that's what real life is. Life is messy, with all kinds of issues getting in the way, and 'Flat-Out Love' doesn't shy away from that. Like I said, this is also a story about a family and their issues. That drama spearheads the book and has the spotlight just as much as the romance does. My one minor qualm is that I wish there had been more about Julie's first year in college, since that was what the book started off being about. However, I can understand why other things were focused on, and it didn't minimize my enjoyment of the book.

Basically, this book just grabbed me and drew me in. The romance was quiet but lovely, and the family drama was always there, whether it be in the foreground or background. At times this story is intense with emotion, and other times it's just funny, or sentimental, or silly. It has a delightful quirkiness to it (a whole character that is a lifesized cut-out of the absent brother? what?), yet you can tell throughout the story that there's some deeper, possibly sinister, reality to it all. Unravelling the whole plot was fascinating, even when I made some correct guesses before Julie did herself. I don't often say that I highly recommend a book, but in this case: I highly recommend this book! Please check it out and support this awesome self-published author who has a ton of talent.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

You will laugh, and you will cry and you will sing with joy

So, wow may be the only comprehensive word I can use right now. This was…wow…I mean…really…just WOW.

Flat-Out Love is an amazing story of Family, Friendship, rebuilding life, and so much more. There have been a number of times that I saw this book on my reading list and grazed past. The Synopsis is good and it makes the book sound interesting, but I do not think it compares to what the actual story is. The even more amazing part and honestly what I think made this book ohhh sooo good was the fact that Jessica Park wrote something that was real, heart on the table, real. Not so much just real, but so real you could see this happening; you could feel Julie, be her and had all of the same emotions she did. From page one till finish I connected, with pretty much every character throughout.

I will put it out there that if you read at all, you will be able to figure out how the book will end by chapter 2 or 3. BUT, this is one of those books that it just doesn’t matter if you know, because it isn’t about knowing or not knowing the ending it is about everything that happens in-between. And there is a lot and you will laugh, and you will cry and you will sing with joy.

If you are a fan of good Chick Lit…I mean REALLY GOOD Chick Lit and you haven’t read this…then you are CRAZY.

This is AMAZING

this book is amzingly addictive. i feel like i am her. read now!

Love it!

I loved this book!! Its a great young adult read. I found my self staying up at night reading this it and I am not a big reader so this is a big deal:). It is funny, sad, and shocking all at the same time.

Wow this book totally captivated me! It was so awesome I couldn'

Wow this book totally captivated me! It was so awesome I couldn't put it down!! There were so many unexpected things that I was shocked towards the end unlike some of the other readers I didn't figure anything out until the characters did lol I absolutely adord it !!

Great

Didnt expect a lot. But it was awesome

Good, want more like it...

I loved this book, it was fun and quirky, breezed right through it. Need more like these.

Loooved it!

Great read, loved every minute of it!

Great

This was the great book finished it in one and a half days