Sweet (Contours of the Heart, #3)

by Tammara Webber

[Jo]

Originally posted on Once Upon a Bookcase.

With each book Tammara Webber writes, the more I'm certain that she is one of my favourite authors. Webber is the Queen of New Adult in my eyes, and with Sweet, she shows she's not relinquishing her crown.

Ever since he saved her from drowning, Boyce has been the only guy Pearl sees. But Boyce would never look at her like that, not really. He might be attracted to her, but Boyce doesn't do serious - and why would he seriously look at her, the quiet, good girl who has always put her education first because of her mum. What she doesn't know is that he feels exactly the same about her. But she's so smart, and he's just not good enough, living in a trailer and running a garage, when she's going to go off and become a doctor. She would never seriously consider him. They've both felt this way for years, but now Pearl's home for the summer, and the heat is hard to resist.

Oh, how I loved Sweet! I've been going through a hard time lately, and haven't been in the mood to read. I picked up Sweet knowing that Webber's writing would be the comfort I needed, and I was so right! I have the reading bug back, but I just want more books from Webber, please?

This is the third book in the Contours of the Heart series - a companion novel to Breakable, featuring characters we met from Lucas' flashbacks as Landon when he was younger; Boyce and Pearl. Saying this, Sweet can be read as a standalone. Easy was told completely from Jacqueline's perspective, Breakable from Lucas' perspective present day, with alternating chapters from him when he was younger and known as Landon. But with Sweet, Webber returns to the format she used in her Between the Lines series, dual narration from both Boyce and Pearl, and I just loved it! And I love these characters. In some ways, Boyce is a typical guy, but underneath that, he is such a lovely guy, so protective and so in love with Pearl, but also a pretty reliable, determined and hardworking guy, different from who we saw in Breakable. Pearl is just learning to become independent and spread her wings, stepping out of her mother's reach. She's also got a secret side to her underneath the quiet, studious, good girl - when it comes to Boyce, she has passion running through her veins, and be one sexy señorita!

As with all of Webber's stories, although the romance is the focus, there are always other important stories running alongside it, that get just as much page time. This is one of the reasons I love Webber's books so much. Other New Adult novels tend to be saturated with the romance and sex, without giving anything else. Webber always gives more, and tugs at my heart strings every time, and not just because of the beautiful romance. Boyce's abusive, alcoholic father dies before the book begins, and now Boyce has the trailer and the garage. He's been running that garage for the last two years, since his dad got too ill to work. He's kept that place afloat, even made it better, and he takes such pride in his work, work he loves. Then he discovers that there was no divorce after his mother ran off when he was seven, and a previous will entitles her to everything. Meaning Boyce could lose everything he's worked so hard for. It's such a heartbreaking situation to be in.

Meanwhile, although all her life she and her mother have planned and prepared for her to eventually go to med-school and become a doctor, Pearl has discovered that that's not what she wants to do. Her mother has her heart set on this future for her daughter, a future she gave so much up for, coming to America as a pregnant teenager from Mexico, alone, after the death of Pearl's father who died on the journey, to escape a gang he was caught up in. Pearl's mother came with nothing, and had to work hard and teach herself English, and do all she could to give her daughter the very best life she could. And Pearl knows her mother will feel she's throwing that back in her face. And when her mum gives her the ultimatum - go to med-school or leave this house - Pearl doesn't know what to do. It's so difficult to see such a tight bond unravel because one wants the best for her daughter and believes she knows what that is, and because the other wants to live her own life and choose her own path and study Marine Biology.

Sweet is a really moving story, but it's also pretty damn hot. This book sizzles! Get Boyce and Pearl together, and the temperature in the room rises dangerously high. But more than that, it's the between these two people, the love they don't know is felt for them, that really makes this book. It's so, so beautiful, and Webber does it again, making me fall in love with love. Boyce and Pearl's romance is just so amazing to read about and see develop as the story progresses. Such a gorgeous story! Really, if you're a Webber fan, you need to read this book!

Thank you to Wordsmith Publicity for the eARC.