A Review for Kiss and Make Up (Diary of a Crush #2) by Sarra Manning

Posted by Donna
Release Date: May 30th, 2013
Finished Date: April 20th, 2013

Publishers: Atom
Source: For Review

Format: Paperback 

Pages:  288
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

The second book in the much loved Diary of a Crush trilogy by bestselling author Sarra Manning

Edie's having major boy issues. Trying to get over Dylan is hard, but snogging new boy Carter isn't hurting. . .

When everyone heads off to a summer festival, Edie wants to forget her troubles and try and have fun. But she didn't count on her leftover feelings for Dylan and now she's all churned up again. Edie's got some big decisions to make, but is she ready to kiss and make up?

The Review: “I went out with Veronique to take my mind of you, and when I'm with you I don't feel like I'm on a rebound, I feel like I've come home. It's like my world is just different combinations of black and white, but when you're around everything goes Technicolor. You're still the coolest girl I know".” 

As soon as I finished French Kiss, I immediately started the second instalment Kiss and Make Up. I needed to see what happened next in Edie's world because I just couldn't wait.

In Kiss and Make Up we see Edie who's now seventeen (she had her birthday near the end of French Kiss) and Dylan in their new relationship together, but no sooner than it started, it all goes incredibly wrong. So, Edie decides to go away for the summer and get over Dylan, however, she's still having trouble with boys when Carter comes along; Dylan's new girlfriends sister's brother. Complicated or what? But that's not the only problem Edie has, her and Dylan seem to have a connection that just won't go away, no matter how much they fight it, but can they get back what they once had or will it be lost forever?

I really enjoyed Kiss and Make Up and it was a really enjoyable sequel. What I noticed about it was how the author's style of writing changed as Edie matured. The story stopped being so teenage dramatic and became more older teenage dramatic (if that makes sense, lol) The story is an emotional roller-coaster, but that's also the beauty of it; it's rare and very hard, it's kind of story that you love to hate because it comes with so much emotional baggage. The character's have many faults but you love them, the story is cheesy in parts but it's also very addictive. So many pro's and con's about it but in all, I love it. 

In my mind this story is split in two parts; seventeen-year-old Edie and then eighteen-year-old Edie. For me in the first part, Edie's unsure if she can trust Dylan and becomes a very needy girlfriend, she's moody, temperamental and very immature but, then there's the second part, where Edie's grown up, and becomes more mature and calmer. She's not without her problems, but you can just see the change and I much preferred Edie once she turn eighteen.

Dylan and Edie's relationship takes so man different turns that you honestly don't know if it's going to work out for them. It's nail-biting and honestly, a bit of a train wreck, but no matter what I was constantly rooting for them all the way through. 

Overall, Sarra Manning has created a sequel that is even better than the first. It's full of drama, angst and love. I can't wait to read the final book; Sealed with a Kiss.