Author: Natalie Blitt
Publisher: Epic Reads Impulse
Publication date: January 12, 2016
Pages: 352
Source/format: e-book/Purchased
Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):
This full-length novel by debut author Natalie Blitt is a pitch-perfect blend of Stephanie Perkins and Miranda Kenneally that proves the age-old adage: opposites attract.
Seventeen-year old Abby has only one goal for her summer: to make sure she is fluent in French—well, that, and to get as far away from baseball and her Cubs-obsessed family as possible. A summer of culture and language, with no sports in sight.
That turns out to be impossible, though, because her French partner is the exact kind of boy she was hoping to avoid. Eight weeks. 120 hours of class. 80 hours of conversation practice with someone who seems to exclusively wear baseball caps and jerseys.
But Zeke in French is a different person than Zeke in English. And Abby can’t help but fall for him, hard. As Abby begins to suspect that Zeke is hiding something, she has to decide if bridging the gap between the distance between who she is and who he is, is worth the risk.
My Thoughts
Abby Berman, a high school senior from Chicago, is attending a summer program in New Hampshire. If she can prove that she is fluent in French, she can attend Paris School and will ultimately attend a French university. She is trying to escape her baseball obsessed family and is trying to immerse herself in everything French related. In fact Abby is obsessed with French. Everything about the language intrigues her. I love how Abby is determined and she has future goals for herself. Going to France is her prize if she works hard. I find it hilarious how Abby envisions France to be a mixture of Hogwarts, Narnia and The Secret Garden.
When Abby starts the summer program, she meets Zeke Martin who is from San Diego. At first she admires his red Chucks and then finds out he is a huge baseball fan. Abby is trying to get away from baseball and at first she doesn't like Zeke because he is a sports fanatic. She also assumes because Zeke is a jock, he is also a player. Although Abby finds Zeke annoying at first, she eventually falls for Zeke. It's adorable and sweet but I find Abby falling in love with Zeke in less than two months unrealistic. It's not love, it's lust. However, The Distance from A to Z gives me the warm and fuzzy feeling every time I pick up the book to read.
Abby used to be closed minded toward people who like sports and eventually becomes more accepting of those who do not share the same interests as her. At first she only likes French Zeke but not English Zeke. As time passes, she pines for both Zekes. It's nice to see how an opinion of someone can change over time. Of course first impressions are important but they do not describe a person well. You won't know who the person truly is until you spend some quality time together. Ten hours of French per week definitely counts as quality time. I was a little annoyed at first when Abby was so close minded about Zeke but I am glad she grows fond of him as time progresses.
The relationship that Abby has with her roommate, Alice, is real. I love reading about the roommate relationship in general. I find it refreshing that Abby helps Alice with her anxiety and how Alice makes sure Abby is okay when things are involved with Zeke.
The Distance from A to Z is a quick but cute read and is perfect for those who love Anna and the French Kiss and contemporary romance novels.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete