Expected Publication: December 19th 2013 by Bloomsbury Spark*
Series: Freshman Forty #1
Source: From Xpresso Book Tours for tour review
*This review was previously posted on July 1st for the Freshman Forty blog tour. Freshman Forty has been rereleased under the name Positively Mine.*
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It is four weeks into her freshman year of college, and Laurel’s first test was unexpected. Discovering she’s pregnant isn’t exactly what she had planned for her first semester, and while she intends to tell her emotionally distant father, being away at school makes it all too easy to hide.An imperfect heroine plagued by bad choices and isolated during what should be the best time of her life, readers are sure to identify with Laurel as she confronts teen pregnancy, in secret.
When I read the synopsis for Freshman Forty it immediately struck me as something I would enjoy. It’s a great mix up in the new adult genre from the usual steamy romance and built up sexual tension of freshman college students. Freshman Forty is about a college freshman who gets pregnant and then has to deal with the struggles of her choice, to tell her father and the baby’s father all while keeping up her grades and dealing with her first year in college.
The main character, Laurel, was exceptional. I loved her. She was SO realistic for a college freshman. Outside of her struggles with the pregnancy situation she was dealing with her disconnect from her father, his remarrying after the death of her mother, finding her way in a new world at college, trying to keep up with the heavy course load and experiencing the connection with a new-found crush. I loved her voice and her independence. She was just so determined, even though it might have seemed that way and I LOVED her. I also really liked Mike and Amber. They were both steady rocks for Laurel, and while they both had a disappearance they were always in Laurel’s corner.
This story captivated me. I didn’t move the entire time I read it, I could not put it down. I loved the plot, the pacing and the entire story. Honestly, I cannot rave enough. The fact that the story itself is so different from what I’ve read in new adult thrilled me and Christine Duval’s writing is just amazing and incredibly easy to read. One of the things I enjoyed most was the fact this is not a romance story. Granted there is a bit of romance in it but the story is not focused on that, it’s focused on Laurel’s journey.
The ending was great. It ended in such a way I didn’t feel starved like I do after a big cliffhanger but in a way that definitely makes you need to read the next book. I cannot wait happen’s next with Laurel. I absolutely recommend this to anyone that likes realistic contemporary. It’s a beautiful story. I laughed, I cried and I will definitely be purchasing this one in hard copy 🙂
[…] I am thrilled to be participating in the Positively Mine blitz. I read this book under the original name, Freshman Forty back in June and I adored it. It was such a pleasant surprise and it’s definitely one of those books that’s under appreciated. I have reposted my review under the new name earlier today so if you would like to read that, you can here. […]
I am glad to hear that you like this book! This sounds like an interesting NA book.
It’s so good Pamela! It’s unlike the standard NA romance that is out there quite a bit now.