Title: Suffer LoveAuthor: Ashley Herring Blake
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult Fiction
Publication Date: May 3, 2016
Rating:
“Just let it go.”
That’s what everyone keeps telling Hadley St. Clair after she learns that her father cheated on her mother. But Hadley doesn’t want to let it go. She wants to be angry and she wants everyone in her life—her dad most of all—to leave her alone.
Sam Bennett and his family have had their share of drama too. Still reeling from a move to a new town and his parents’ recent divorce, Sam is hoping that he can coast through senior year and then move on to hassle-free, parent-free life in college. He isn’t looking for a relationship…that is, until he sees Hadley for the first time.
Hadley and Sam’s connection is undeniable, but Sam has a secret that could ruin everything. Should he follow his heart or tell the truth?
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Book Review: Suffer Love by Ashley Herring Blake
Suffer Love by Ashley Herring Blake is a book about a family that is falling apart. This book is told in alternating perspectives, which really helps the reader understand the events better, and has a big theme of family. It is a really enjoyable book, despite the more serious topic. Get your tissues ready because you will definitely need them after reading this one.
❀ Suspenseful Writing
Suffer Love deals with a family that gets torn apart because of an affair. Hadley’s life completely changes all because of a few notes stuck on her front door. Her family moves somewhere new to escape the drama and start fresh. I loved how all the backstory is sort of revealed at different parts of the book, making it suspenseful. I’m not a fan of a massive info dump, so I was glad to see that this book didn’t do that.
❀ Alternating Perspectives
The way that Suffer Love is narrated is in alternating perspectives. This was really interesting to read because Sam and Hadley are pretty contrasting characters. Also, each of them has their own secrets that they keep from each other. Knowing more information about each of them and both sides of the story really helps me appreciate and understand the characters more.
❀ Strong Family Theme
I really enjoyed the theme of family in Suffer Love. I love seeing parents in books and I feel like when family is incorporated into a novel, it makes the story more realistic. What is interesting about this book is the fact that the reader gets to see two different families that are both falling apart. Watching their slow recoveries unfold is so inspiring and I felt really attached to both of them by the end of the book.
❀ A Dark Book
Suffer Love by Ashely Herring Blake is about a broken family and is told in alternating points of view. The theme of family really intrigued me, as that is something that I love to see in books. I would recommend this book to fans of darker, more sad and serious books, as that is exactly the kind of book that Suffer Love is.
Book Quotes: Suffer Love by Ashley Herring Blake
“I open my mouth to give her a lame answer, maybe even some deep spiel about Elliot’s meaning that will impress her, but the way her chocolate eyes narrow softly on the text of my shirt like it’s a living thing makes me not want to lie. I’ve lied enough this past year.
About Ashley Herring Blake
Ashley Herring Blake is a reader, writer, and mom to two boisterous boys. She holds a Master’s degree in teaching and loves coffee, arranging her books by color, and watching Buffy over and over again on Netflix with her friends. She's the author of the young adult novels SUFFER LOVE, HOW TO MAKE A WISH, and GIRL MADE OF STARS, as well as the middle grade novels, IVY ABERDEEN'S LETTER TO THE WORLD and THE MIGHTY HEART OF SUNNY ST. JAMES.
About The Candid Cover
Olivia ❀ Canadian YA book blogger, Starbucks lover, & professional bibliophile.
Great Review! This sounds like a nice contemporary read! I’m glad you enjoyed it! 😀
so glad to hear you loved this book. It sounds really good. I love emotional family books. will need to read this one.
I’m happy you liked it!
Great review 😀
Good review. I don’t read to many sad books, but this one sounds good and I like the idea of alternating perspectives. 🙂
Yes!!! I hate info dumps too! I love when alternating POVs each reveal different aspects of the story. I think that’s such a wonderful way to build suspense from just the characters. What was on those notes? I really want to know…I guess I’ll have to read it to find out. 😉
This seems amazing!
Rafflecopter username: Joana Bento
Reading a YA book about family seems to be a very rare thing, so that just makes this one that much more intriguing.
Unfortunately I have experience with having to deal with a parents infidelity. It’s not something any kid has to go through. I have no doubt this is an emotional story.