Leaving Paradise - Review

Accidents happen, everyone says...but what happens when your 16, and you make a mistake that not only alters the course you are on, but alters the course's of the lives of everyone around you?

That's what Leaving Paradise is about...life altering decisions that, once are made, can't be “un-made” no matter how much you wish, pray and desire to go back...you just can't.

Caleb, a boy, just like any other – he's outgoing, a wrestler, seemingly with his life ahead of him – he's got everything going for him...a great girl, great friends, even a great family with a twin who he loves dearly.

Maggie, a tennis star, with the whole world as her oyster, she's even won a sports scholarship to study in Spain for a semester. Her dad's been gone for a while now (divorced her mom) but, she's still got her mom, as well as great friends..Maggie is ready for her life to begin.

That is until Caleb's seemingly bad decision, leaves them, there friends and there families in term oil.

You see, after a party one night Caleb decides to get behind the wheel, and drive – drunk. But that's not the worst of it, while driving he crashes, but not into a guard rail or into a mail box, he crashes into Maggie – then with out even waiting to see if she's OK...he bolts!

Caleb is thrown into the DOC, while Maggie struggles with a leg that's been militated by the car.

Life changes for them both...Caleb's life goes from “play boy” to inmate...and Maggie, from tennis star to someone who can barely stand. Yet, one common thread holds them together – the accident. No one else “gets it” - both Caleb and Maggie feel alone, there friends deserting them (after a while of course), there family trying desperately to pretend things are still the same – but both Caleb and Maggie know life, for them, will never be the same.

Can either Maggie and Caleb reclaim some a semblance of the life they had before? Can either of them rise above what's happened, put it past them and move on? Can Maggie forgive Caleb for hurting her in a way that can never be undone?

Leaving Paradise, while fiction, is something that sadly – could very well be written about, your friend, school mate or even your brother/sister. Teen drinking, teen drinking and driving – is a VERY real subject in our world today. I have even had talks with my daughter (who's only 10) about drinking...while I hope that it's a long way away, I feel very much the need to want to talk to her, make sure she listens and HEARS what I am saying.

While, Leaving Paradise is ultimately a love story, it offers very real situations and VERY real characters!

Simone Elkeles has become a new favorite author of mine, though this is the first book I have read of hers. I know it will NOT be the last, just today I picked up Perfect Chemistry. I will be on the look out, for any further releases from her...Her work is amazing!

The reason for my immediate love for Simone? Well, the way she writes – she drew me in, from the very first sentence I was hooked, “I've been waiting a year for this moment.” I actually read Leaving Paradise in about 6 hours...I just could not stop, turning and turning pages...before I knew it, the story was over, and I was having withdraws!

Simone writes in such a way that you care about the characters, I found myself YELLING at the book, at one point. Her use of dialog, as well as the way she changes the POV between Caleb and Maggie, even the supporting cast – I felt like I knew, not 100% but I knew enough – they were well written additions to the story, not “plot” devices that threaten to break up the story.

Simone has a way to “capture” her audience and not let them go...it's tough to explain.

Leaving Paradise does not end in the way one might expect, it's rip your heart out sad...defiantly not what I expected or even wanted...however now, after giving myself about 12 hours to digest it...the ending, much like the rest of the book is real, it's not a pretty or happy – it's gut wrenching, dirty – it's REAL.

I give Leaving Paradise a 5 stars, if you have yet to pick up one of Simone's books – you totally should! I know I can't wait for the 2nd in the series to be released sometime in the Fall 2010...and I am already really enjoying Perfect Chemistry.

Leaving Paradise
Written by: Simone Elkeles
Published: April 1, 2007
303 Pages