I. Love. Sarah. Ockler. You should too!

Jude is spending her last summer home before leaving for college bonding with her dad... and taking care of him. He's sick and getting worse by the day. She gets the great idea to have his 1961 Harley restored hoping to get him to reconnect with his past and to keep him grounded for a little while longer. The mechanic that they can afford turns out to be totally crush-worthy... and a Vargas. Vargas is a dirty world in the Hernandez house, with 2 of the brothers leaving 2 of Jude's older sisters completely heartbroken. Jude even took an oath when she was younger to never under any circumstance canoodle with a Vargas. Yet here she is falling for Emilio. At first she convinces herself that her sister's will never know. None of them even live within driving distance. And plus her father's health is more important than some stupid oath.

As the summer wears on Emilio starts to grow on her. It doesn't help that all her friends have abandoned her, leaving Emilio the only one who really seems to care. Then her father takes a turn for the worse bringing "The Holy Trinity" (her 3 older sisters) rushing home. Her closely guarded Vargas secret is about to blow up.

My Thoughts:
I can't believe I am just now reading this book!! Sarah Ockler is one of my absolute favorite authors ever and this book has completely cemented that. This book is about a bunch of things that really don't interest me at all. Forbidden love that you know is going to happen anyway, motorcycles, supposed bad boys. Blah. None of that stuff made me excited to read this book. But then I started reading and I just couldn't stop. Sarah Ockler could write about snails and I would probably get hooked on that too. There's just something about her storytelling and writing that is completely amazing and unique. Every single one of her main characters have HUGE major flaws and I still end up loving them so hard. I always feel like I can feel what her characters feel in a really powerful way.

Now about this book specifically- I loved the family feel in this book. It really was about family and how everyone fits and works together even though they aren't all physically living together. Reading about the father's illness was truly heartbreaking. I don't know if telling you what the actual illness is would be spoilery... so I'll just go ahead and say it's not cancer and I've never read another YA book about it. I loved that with Jude being the youngest of 4 girls, she felt like she didn't really have the closest relationship to her father, but that throughout the course of the summer they truly built an amazing one. And she was even reminded of things about their past that she had maybe overlooked and it made her think differently about that relationship. The sibling relationships were also a major great thing in this book. Of course you had the one who took charge, and the nurturing one, and with Jude being so much younger she usually ended up being overtaken by the older ones. It was nice seeing her find her identity within the family and finding her voice.

Jude herself was great. She was willing to sacrifice her social life, her relationships with her best friends, anything just to try and save her dad. It was so unselfish for a 18-year-old. I also found her to be so funny and snarky at times... a great, relate-able main character that felt like she could be your new best friend.
The relationship was just okay to me. I felt like the guy was super sweet and nice and cute and all those good things... but I wasn't wowed by him. He came off really cocky at first, and maybe that's why later on when he became serious, I didn't fully ever trust him. Also I felt like it was pretty obvious that the oath wasn't going to stop her from liking him or being with him, so it really wasn't my favorite part of the book. I don't want you to think it wasn't a cute romance, because it was. Just when comparing it to some of my other favorite book couples, they don't hold up as high.

This book definitely should not be overlooked. It is a truly touching look at a family dealing with a debilitating illness. It was refreshing to read about siblings and family and love the way this book portrayed it and I totally can't recommend this one enough. I definitely teared up by the end because Sarah Ockler, you are awesome!

OVERALL: If you like books about family and want a cute romance on top of it, this is your book. You can never go wrong with Sarah Ockler's amazing writing and ability to make you fall in love with her characters. I will always read every book she writes, forever... and you should too!

My Blog:
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WHILE READING:
1
Beware! Has Spanish! In my (admittedly limited) experience these things deteriorate fast. I hope it does not devolve into [b:Perfect Chemistry|4268157|Perfect Chemistry (Perfect Chemistry, #1)|Simone Elkeles|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1316637352s/4268157.jpg|4315675] - that was a Disaster.
2
Half-way through Emilio is gaining ground. Did not see that coming, did we, eh? But that's fine, there's a bitchy sister on guard at the gate. He's sure as much of a heart-breaker as his brothers, right?
3
Nice! Good so far. Family drama and facing the truth, embracing life in all its glory and despair.

REVIEW

If it's gone what do you do?
When you don't remember making the memories you forget. When the world and your mind are slipping through your grasp one memory at a time. The clock is ticking and Devil awaits with bills to pay in at the end.
You fight. Fight hard. Give it all you've got.
It might not be enough, but that's the only thing you can do. Fight, and hope for the best, hope it will be enough.

This was so unexpectedly WOW. I had strong reservations about the book. Right up to the moment it rocked my socks. Talk about second chances!

The illness and demons that it brings out. The heartbreak of understanding that things change for the worse with no turn back. Hope, despair, life,death... Choices. Beautiful truth that life is worth living, the precious thing given just once.
It's WOW. Heartbreak and hope and memories. Changes. Beginnings. Endings.

FINAL VERDICT: HARDCORE, READ, KEEP AND SPREAD THE WORD! ( )

DNF ( )

Loved all of the Friday Night Lights references! Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose ( )

So I think its safe to say I loved this book, I could not put it down. It had such raw emotion in it that I felt myself close to tears a good handful of times and I almost never cry at a book any more. The characters and the written were some of the strongest I have read in a long, the story line. Oh god the storyline. I just cant.

As the description states, Jude Hernandez must never date a Vargas boy, no exceptions. The exact words she took in the vow is

I, Jude Hernadez, vow to never, ever, under any circumstances within or outside of my control, even if the fate of humanity is at stake, even if my own life is threatened, get involved with a Vargas

The oldest Hernadez sister Lourdes was hurt by Miguel Vargas at their prom, Celi was engaged to married to Johnny Vargas, but that never happened and Mari was hurt by Jack Ramirez, a cousin of theirs and thus The Book Of Broken hearts was created. And even though Jude knows deep down in hear hear that she should stay away, when Emilio Vargas is the only one available to help her restore her fathers motorbike she jumps at the opportunity. Because there's one thing you should know, early-onset Alzheimer's disease and Jude believes restoration of the bike, the very one he rode across country with, would be enough to help him hold on to his memories.

Keeping Emilio a secret at first seems easy enough, until her older sister Mari comes to stay and then things start to get complicated. Because even though she started of wit the same detest and hatred as her sisters, she's slowly come to see that many she shouldn't have been so quick to judge him. He isn't his brothers just as much as she isn't her sisters.

Like I already said, I loved this book. It was well written and thought out, had enough heartache to make you get emotional attached but also had laughter and comedy to lift your spirits. It was such a beautiful book, and Jude's character was just so strong. I loved the banter between Emilio and Jude, I loved the tender moments, I loved the sad moments. I just in turn loved this book. It reminded me so much of a Sarah Dessen book (which made me love it more) and I'm so pleased I read it. ( )