Early Review-Saving June

UK cover.

Saving June
by Hannah Harrington

Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher:Harlequin UK Mira Ink (1 Jun 2012)
Language English
ISBN-10: 1848450958
ISBN-13: 978-1848450950

Firstly, kind thanks to the publishers, for granting me the permission to review an early release of this book via Netgalley, for no charge, for an honest review.  This book was read on my computer as the arc was to be downloaded onto adobe
Book description.

‘If she’d waited less than two weeks, she’d be June who died in June. But I guess my sister didn’t consider that.’

Harper Scott’s older sister has always been the perfect one so when June takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen-year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone’s sorry, but no one can explain why.

When her divorcing parents decide to split her sister’s ashes into his-and-her urns, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She’ll steal the ashes and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going, California.

Enter Jake Tolan. He’s a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession and nothing in common with Harper’s sister. But Jake had a connection with June, and when he insists on joining them, Harper’s just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanour and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs.

Except June wasn’t the only one hiding something. Jake’s keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper’s life upside down again.

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My Review.
Firstly, many thanks to Harlequin UK for granting me the early review of this book for which it was kindly received via Netgalley.  The arc was sent as a download version onto my laptop to read via Adobe.  Has soon as i read this book description i had to read it, it sounded full of mystery and suspense with some possible romance there with a bad boy- always seems to be a winner.  This book didn't fail to impress, i thought it was most definitely impressive, it is mainly a road trip for a very important reason and the reader gets sucked into the story and it feels like they are there on the trip with them.  It is a book with some mystery and suspense surrounding certain characters but for me, this wasn't that strong a theme through the book, compared with other emotions; fun, laughter, love, passion, tragedy, upset, sadness and as well as a road trip, it was a roller coaster of emotions, it is also a journey for the reader, and for the characters.

The main characters are Harper, Jake and Laney. Harper is June's sister, with Jake being the boy with mystery/secrets and Laney is Harper's best friend.  These are the 3 who go on the road trip to California with June's urn.  Initially, Harper cannot really stand Jake, she is a girl who is also meant to be the 'bad' one in the family, being rude, poor grades and living in her sister's shadow to her parents who have divorced.  What we learn about Harper is how different she is from what she is 'meant' to be and how many questions and blame she puts on herself for June's death.  Her character does grow on you extremely easily and as well as being on this road trip, she is also on a journey of self-discovery and seems to grow up.  Jake in the description is made out to be this bad-ass rocker but i don't believe he was at all; he worked in a music shop, loved music and had a vast knowledge of songs, artists and albums that swan over the years.  He was previously meant to be a bad-ass but i don't believe he was in this book.  He is a completely compassionate guy, who is a good listener, good with advice and as a reader he kinda makes you swoon.  Yes if you could fall for a guy in a book, Jake would be one! Laney, not so much a strong main character but she is important during the story; she is the complete opposite of Harper but she is a fun-loving, sociable, addicted to guys and precarious.  She is another character on a journey in this book, she grows up, becomes sensible and responsible for her actions, as well as realises she can be like this but still have fun.

This is the first road trip book i have read, and i never thought i would enjoy it, but i loved it!  Has well as all the references that Jake made to songs and artists- you can hear the songs in your head as they are played in the van on the trip, there was also reference to places on the trip and events, they meet new people and stay in different places.  I loved the soundtrack list in the back of the too for each of the CD's, i thought this was funny and cute but quite important too.  So has i said, i LOVED this book, i really did, i was completely enthralled with this story. I couldn't get enough, i couldn't put it down and i was sad that it had finished.

I am not a big fan of quotes from books but there were two that just jumped out and almost bite me so i had to include them;
*"He took his pain and turned it into something beautiful. Into something that people connect to. And that's what good music does. It speaks to you. It changes you."
*"“If you really want things to change, you can make them change no matter where you are.”

Obviously, i gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.

*****