A review for Leaving Paradise (Leaving Paradise #1) by Simone Elkeles

Posted by Donna

Published Date: April 1st, 2007

Finished Date: June 8th, 2011
Source: Brought from Amazon

Format: Paperback

Pages: 303 

The Blurb from Goodreads: Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been canceled. After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers. Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

The Review: After reading Simone Elkeles Perfect Chemistry series, I've been itching to find something just as good. And while I have read a few books that have been really good, nothing had been better than Perfect Chemistry. Well……that is until Leaving Paradise completely surpassed all my expectations and blew me completely away!

Both Maggie Armstrong & Caleb Becker's lives changed one fateful night after Caleb accidently ran over Maggie while drunk driving. While leaving Maggie for dead and with a permanent limp for life, Caleb has spent the last year in a juvenile jail. When Caleb is finally released, he and Maggie both try to move on with their lives but it’s hard when fate seems to have other plans for them……leaving them to both fighting their attraction for one another.

When I started reading this book, admittedly I thought it was a little slow to start off with….but….don’t let that put you off from reading it. While reading it, I realised that we were slowly starting to find out how both, Caleb and Maggie felt about that fateful night. Not only did we find out what they felt but also that they both have different views of it too. With the story alternating from different point of views, you really get inside these characters head and really see them for who they really are. I honestly love two different views and I wish all books would do it.

Caleb and Maggie were both great characters. Yes, they have a lot baggage but it’s nothing they can’t work through. While the chemistry between them is so undeniable, I honestly sat on the edge of my seat while reading it. The suspense, the heat and attraction is just skimming on top of the surface and you’re just waiting for it to burst out. Simone Elkeles has done a fantastic job while she tells a hard story bringing together the two people that it has affected the most. She also writes raw, passionate and intense scenes that leave the readers wanting more and more. Oh…..and when you think you know the full story.....wham! A massive shocker is thrown into the story.....that I for one, WAS NOT expecting! Wow! Just wow!

Overall….Leaving Paradise left me needing to find out more about our characters that I’m headed for book two straight away. Read this book guys…I promise you won’t be disappointed.