Love Me, Love Me Not
by S.M. Koz
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: June 19th 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Cover This cover is pretty. I love how the couple is faded out and you see the city in the background. I think the favorite thing about this cover is the line on it “To embrace her future, can she shake her past?”. This sentence describes this book perfectly.

Plot Hailey hasn’t had the easiest life. Her mother doesn’t treat her right and she’s been in and out of the foster care system. Hailey’s boyfriend Chase is rather controlling, but she think she needs him, because he’s the only one who ever really showed her any attention and what she thinks is love. When things get bad at home, it’s back off to a foster home. From what we read, Chase ruins two of those homes for her. Then she meets the Campbells. I loved how Hailey’s life changed once this happened. These people actually really wanted her to have a good life and feel loved. Love Me, Love Me not was also very realistic though. How often foster homes fall through, group homes that don’t always work out, being left to defend yourself once you turn 18. The foster care system is a wonderful thing when it works the way it’s supposed to. Reading this book was a good thing. Not many books I have read so far talk about the foster kids and what they go through. How after everything they go through they have a hard time trusting anyone again. The only thing that kind of bugged me I guess, was the fact that the possible relationship between Hailey and Brad kind of took over the book at a certain point. Of course, this is something that happens, but I think it would’ve fit the book better if it wasn’t so present. The relationship getting this much attention kind of interrupted I think the buildup to the events near the end of the book. While I was able to figure out pretty fast the way everything was going, I would’ve liked to have seen more of that. Beside that, this was an interesting read and it nice to read how a character who has never really been loved finds it in a healthy way in many different places. Books about fostercare are really important. I don’t know if a lot of people, especially teenagers, realize what someone’s life is like in the system.

Characters Hailey is such a strong person and she doesn’t even realize it. At the beginning of the book she doesn’t really trust anyone and thinks love is a controlling boyfriend. It was so wonderful to see a character really grow and realize what she’s worth. It’s sad to think that someone at 17 doesn’t really know what it feels like to be loved. The Campbells change that for her and she finally starts to learn to open up her heart and trust. I think by seeing how a healthy family works and developing caring friendships a whole new world opened up for her. Hailey finally realizes how much she is actually capable of. It’s okay for her to dream.

Brad seemed like a typical jock in the beginning, but it was clear from the moment Hailey moved in with them that he really cared. He doesn’t realize at first why she can’t trust that easily or just see a home as her own. Slowly he starts to understand and tries to make her feel welcome. Brad also has stuff going on. Even with a loving family he has his own issues. A father that sees his life a certain way can be frustrating when you have your own dreams. I think Haley helps him realize he needs to stand up for the life that he wants. Brad is also very much a gentleman. He treated her with nothing bu respect. Even though it was hard for him at times to realize why risking things may be hard for Hailey.

Out of all of the friends in their group, I think Brittany was my favorite. No one could understand Hailey as much as she could and she was very supportive. Same as Adam, he treated Hailey like a best friend from the start.

SM KOZ is a medical writer from North Carolina, where she lives with her husband, two sons, and numerous pets. She has a BS in Biology from Duke University and a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from North Carolina State University. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys reading, photographing nature and her family, gardening, travelling, and attempting, usually unsuccessfully, to decorate birthday cakes. Love Me, Love Me Not is her first traditionally published novel.

Not many books in YA take on the subject of foster care, so I think this is a really important read for everyone! Have you read any YA books that have characters in foster care? I would love to read more!!