Book Review: Rock and a Hard Place

Rock and a Hard Place (The Jamieson Collection, #1) by Angie Stanton.

Only Peter could turn the violent scars from a devastating accident into something beautiful. He was the sweetest person she'd ever met. Without another word, he lifted first one hand and then the other and softly kissed each little mark on her tender, scarred hands.

Libby's mouth opened in wonder. His warm breath tickled her skin as his lips gently moved. Goose bumps danced up her arms. Never in her life had she felt this way, and she never wanted this moment to end.

Rock and a Hard Place was originally released in May 2011, and just re-released with a new (and much improved, in my opinion) cover, from HarperCollins. I was able to snag a copy from Edelweiss and since I haven't read any good YA romances in a while, I was excited to read this one. Unfortunately, it reads like "teen lite," for the most part, and there were a lot of issues I had with it.

Official synopsis:
Perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Jenny Han, and Susane Colasanti, Angie Stanton's swoon-worthy romance--about an ordinary girl and a young rock star--will keep readers on the edge of their seats . . . and leave them wanting more.

In an instant, Libby's life went from picture-perfect to a nightmare. After surviving a terrible car accident, Libby is abandoned by her father and left with her controlling aunt. A new town, a new school, no friends--Libby is utterly alone. But then she meets Peter.

The lead singer in a rock band with his brothers, Peter hates that his parents overly manage his life. Constantly surrounded by family, Peter just wants to get away. And when he meets Libby, he's finally found the one person who just wants to be with him, not the rock star.

But while Peter battles his family's growing interference in both his music and personal life, Libby struggles with her aunt, who turns nastier each day. And even though Libby and Peter desperately want to be together, their drastically different lives threaten to keep them apart forever.
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I say this reads as "teen lite" for a few reasons. Although the story was compelling, everything happens at warp speed: Libby meets Peter, and like one or two "dates" (hanging out at a glen near her house) later, they're in love. Libby's aunt, who took her in after her family died in a car accident, is very mean to her, but is almost a caricature; she becomes more bizarre by the page. There's a lot of things in the novel that could happen in real life but would be difficult; unfortunately, I can't give away these without spoilers.

I did like the overall story in this novel, but everything played out a little too perfectly, even though Libby had a hard life after her parents and sister passed away, and the ending tied itself up in a neat little bow, for the most part.

I will say that I would read the next book in the series, Snapshot, if I have time - it focuses on another of the Jamieson brothers (who reminded me of the Jonas brothers, by the way), but this series is not one that I would make a priority to read.

Rock and a Hard Place (with the new cover) will be in stores on September 24th. 3 stars out of 5.

*Disclosure: I received an e-copy of this book for reviewing purposes. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own.