Apr 2, 2014

I See London by Chanel Cleeton Review

I See London
Author: Chanel Cleeton
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
Pages: 319
Rating: 4/5
A New Adult Contemporary Romance
A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Maggie Carpenter is ready for a change— and to leave her ordinary life in South Carolina behind. But when she accepts a scholarship to the International School in London, a university attended by the privileged offspring of diplomats and world leaders, Maggie might get more than she bargained for.                                                                                        
When Maggie meets Hugh, a twentysomething British guy, she finds herself living the life she always wanted. Suddenly she’s riding around the city in a Ferrari, wearing borrowed designer clothes and going to the hottest clubs. The only problem? Another guy, the one she can’t seem to keep her hands off of.                                                                                                                   
Half French, half Lebanese, and ridiculously wealthy, Samir Khouri has made it clear he doesn’t do relationships. He’s the opposite of everything Maggie thought she wanted…and he’s everything she can’t resist. Torn between her dream guy and the boy haunting her dreams, Maggie has to fight for her own happy ending. In a city like London, you never know where you stand, and everything can change in the blink of an eye.                                                                                                           
This is a New Adult romance recommended for readers 17 and up.
     


I've been going through a bit of a New Adult obsession these past few months, so when I was approached with the opportunity to read a novel that combined new adult with London (AKA...The city on the top of my "MUST GO" list) I was pretty excited! Now that I've read it, I have to say that although there were elements of this book that did frustrate me, I ended up realllyyyy enjoying it!

     I See London, although a romance, is just as much a story about finding yourself and coming to terms with who you are. Maggie's whole life goal has been to go to Harvard, but when she doesn't get in, she decides to instead go to the International School in London. Her mother left her and her dad when she was young, she barely sees her father, and her grandparents have become the parental figures in her life. A new city brings with it a new Maggie who gradually transforms from the school-focused girl, into a partying woman who's got two men's eyes and attention on her.


     Okay, so yes, there is a bit of a love triangle in this book (and, yes, I know everyone in the bookish community is currently avoiding those like the plague) but what's great about this love triangle is:


A) It's never really a question of who Maggie is going to end up with-- we're just waiting for Maggie to see it clearly herself.


B) I like to think of the two guys as more than just a decision between who Maggie "liked" better, but instead as a decision between who she is, and who she's pretending to be. I felt like the struggle between the two guys acted as a reflection of the struggle she was dealing with internally in her quest to define herself. 



     Okay, so let's get to the boys.....We've got Samir, the French/Lebanese play-boy who makes Maggie feel things she's never felt before. They had sizzling chemistry, a beautiful openness with one another,  and their back-and-forth banter was incredibly entertaining. And then there's Hugh, the "way-older-than-her" male specimen that I felt was dull compared to the sexy Samir. Seeing Maggie flop between these boys did at times make me almost want to roll my eyes, but I can see now how the journey allowed her to become a stronger character.

     One of my favourite aspects of this book is the fact it is filled with such diversity-- not only in terms of culture, but also with it's characters. There's a surprising amount of depth to each character that was addicting to discover....I especially loved Fleur-- the stereotypical mean girl that turns out to be so much more!

Favourite Quotes...

"I see you."
I couldn't tear my gaze away.
"I see you," Samir repeated. "I see you, exactly as you are. Can you say the same about him? Cna you say that about yourself?"

~~~~~

"Don't look at me like that and think I'm not going to kiss you."

Overall...
     Overall, I thought I See London was one of those contemporaries that surprised me in the best way possible.  It was perhaps a bit lengthier than it needed to be (my PDF version of the book is 412 pages), but I devoured every single word.....to say I'm pumped for book two, London Falling, is an understatement! July needs to get here sooner rather than later! Have you read I SEE LONDON? Do books that are set in other countries make you want to travel yourself? Be sure to let me know in the comments below!  Keep Reading!


Your Y.A. Bookworm,
Caitlin <3


{AUTHOR BIO}

Originally a Florida girl, at seventeen Chanel moved to London to attend an international university.  In the four years that followed, she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, learned how to dance, travelled through Europe, and made lifelong friendships.  Chanel fell in love with London and planned to stay there forever.  But fate intervened on a Caribbean cruise, when an American fighter pilot with smooth dance moves, swept her off her feet.  

Now, a happily ever after later, Chanel is living her next adventure in South Korea.  An avid reader and hopeless romantic, she is happiest curled up with a book.  She has a weakness for handbags, puppy cuddles, and her fighter pilot husband.  Chanel writes New Adult contemporary romances and Young Adult thrillers.  Her New Adult debut, I SEE LONDON, will be released by Harlequin (HQN) on February 3, 2014, followed by a sequel, LONDON FALLING, later in the year. 


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