The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine

The Promise of Amazing
by Robin Constantine

The Promise of Amazing

By: Robin Constantine

Release Date: December 31, 2013

Rating: 3 stars

Summary: Wren Caswell is average. Ranked in the middle of her class at Sacred Heart, she’s not popular, but not a social misfit. Wren is the quiet, “good” girl who’s always done what she’s supposed to—only now in her junior year, this passive strategy is backfiring. She wants to change, but doesn’t know how. Grayson Barrett was the king of St. Gabe’s. Star of the lacrosse team, top of his class, on a fast track to a brilliant future—until he was expelled for being a “term paper pimp.” Now Gray is in a downward spiral and needs to change, but doesn’t know how. One fateful night their paths cross when Wren, working at her family’s Arthurian-themed catering hall, performs the Heimlich on Gray as he chokes on a cocktail weenie, saving his life literally and figuratively. What follows is the complicated, awkward, hilarious, and tender tale of two teens shedding their pasts, figuring out who they are—and falling in love.

 

Review: BEFORE: I sure hope so.

AFTER: This was a nice, heart-warming, learned-your-lesson type of book. While the storyline doesn’t differ too much from your typical shy-girl-meets-the-hot-player, Constantine delivered a pretty good story about Grayson’s past and his attempts to change.

My qualms about this book is that Grayson and Wren didn’t fully sound like “real” characters to me.

I get that having been caught and temporarily losing who he thought were his friends made Grayson try to change his ways. And I understand meeting a special person can sometimes consume your thoughts, making you do stuff you’ve never thought you’d be doing. But the thoughts that were going through his head when he first met Wren and the early stages of their relationship didn’t feel like those going through the mind of a teenage boy. Don’t get me wrong, it was really sweet and all. But at times, I just felt like, “Really? That’s kind of a cheesy thought.”

Same thing with Wren. While I’m glad she’s not the let’s-make-everything-a-drama type of girl, she seemed way too forgiving. I know in relationships, you always want to give the other person a benefit of a doubt. But I felt every time she was smacked in the face with the truth, she’s shocked – but only briefly – and she recovers way too quickly. Like I said, it’s great that she’s so understanding, but it doesn’t feel real -especially for a teenage girl who’s dealing with experiences out of her typical comfort zone.

Some of the other characters didn’t feel very real either, like the parents and the private school teachers not being strict enough or how easy everything went at the station.

All in all though, the story was good. Not unpredictable, but I liked the plot that Constantine had developed. And the characters were all really likable and people you can sympathize with. It’s something worth reading if you’re craving a non-fluffy chick-lit.

Go to Katy’s review on Goodreads.