Book Review: Leaving Paradise

Title: Leaving Paradise.
Author: Simone Elkeles.
Format: Paperback.
Pages: 303.
Series: Yes, #1.
Source: Purchased.
Publisher: Flux.
Published Date: April 8, 2007.
Links:
Goodreads.
Barnes and Noble.

Summary:

"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."

First & Last Line:
"I've been waiting a year for this moment."
"Let's get our moms...I think they need some pie, too."

Cover:

The cover gives the beautiful story inside no credit at all.

My Thoughts:

Leaving Paradise follows both the story of Maggie who was hit by a car a year ago, and now spends a lot of time in physical therapy, and Caleb who is just being released from juvie for hitting Maggie while drunk driving. Each chapter switches back and forth between the two different perspectives.

Maggie has spent the last few months in a wheel chair, in physical therapy and now recovering from the accident. Caleb is being released from prison, to finally go back home, and trying to get things back to the way they used to be. But that is hard when, no matter where you go, you always bump into the girl that was the reason behind changing everything, and worse, you're starting to have feelings for her.

After many failed attempts of avoiding each other, Maggie can't seem to get Caleb off her mind, especially when they start to work together (but separately). Who knew that these two would be attracted to each other, after everything that happened between them, not too long ago, changing both of their lives permanently.

Leaving Paradise, was my Perfect Chemistry back up. I love Simone Elkeles's other series, and decided to give this one a shot, and just as the other I love it! I'm almost finished with the second book, Return To Paradise, my review should be up really soon!