BOOK REVIEW AND $25 GIVEAWAY - Things Changed by Patrick Jones

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Things Changed

by Patrick Jones 

GENRE: Young adult fiction

Johanna and Paul have a passionate, yet volatile relationship. Shy Johanna knows no amount of passion can wipe out the verbal, emotional, and physical abuse. She finds the courage to walk away to have her own future.

 

Bret is a social outcast, but an intense relationship with Kylee makes him believe that dreams can come true. Bret's world crashes down when Kylee cheats with one of Bret's friends leading to a disastrous prom night confrontation.

 

Bret and Johanna, home from their first year of college, meet and find an instant attraction. Their chemistry is undeniable, but shadows from the past threaten the present when Paul re-enter Johanna's life and Bret's home life turns upside down. Can two broken-hearted people break the grip of the past and find happiness?


EXCERPT:


“Johanna, it’s Paul.”

I earned an A in AP Physics as a high school senior, so I know time can’t stand still, but hearing Paul’s voice again makes me question that. It makes me question everything.

“Johanna, it’s Paul,” he repeats.”

This is the phone call I’ve been dreading; this is the call I’ve been craving. In an instant, I am thrust from a successful, first-year Columbia University student back to my insecure Pontiac, Michigan, high school self. All it took was this voice from my past.

“Hello. You remember me, right?” he says, then laughs. It is a sound I have missed.

I know his laugh is quicksand, but I can’t resist.

“Paul, of course I remember you. I’m just surprised to hear from you, that’s all.”

“It’s been a while, Joha, hasn’t it?” I tingle at the use of his nickname for me.

“Yes, you could say that,” I say, instead of the real answer, which is, ‘No, Paul it’s not been a while. It’s been over two years since we talked.’ Other than visiting me at my high school graduation open house, mainly to show off his new girlfriend, Sarah, Paul had been out of my life. No calls, no texts, no messages. The past was in the past, but now things had changed.

I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you Patrick Jones and Goddess Fish Promotions. I'm excited to be a part of this tour. Now onto my review! 😀

Wow, there is a lot going on in this book and it is not for the faint of heart. The book contains descriptions of emotional and physical abuse.

In Things Changed we meet Joanna and Paul. We quickly learn that Joanna has had a crush on Paul for a long time and that Paul is not what he seems. Joanna and Paul are like any couple engaged in a toxic relationship, some parts of perfect and she can’t imagine being with anyone else, while other parts are horrible when Paul gets physical. As many women are, Joanna is stuck in the cycle of abuse and not sure how to get out.

Insert, Brett who has also been burned by love and not in a hurry to have his heart broken again.  Regardless, there is chemistry between the two of them and they decide to give it a go. Told from alternating POVs, the reader gets inside Joanna and Brett’s heads and follow them as they negotiate their new relationship while trying to move past their previous relationships. This book does a good job of representing what these types of relationships look like while exploring the harsh realities of be surrounded by toxic relationships, such as over-bearing parents’ and friends who aren’t really your friends. All the while dealing with their own self-esteem and trust issues.

Overall, I recommend this to all young adults as they begin dating. The book is full of examples of what those relationships look like, the toll these relationships take on one’s self-esteem, and how difficult they are to walk away from.

Overall Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟


AUTHOR Bio and Links:

From Flint MI but now residing in Minneapolis MN, Jones is the author of over fifty novels for teens. His working with teens in correctional facilities and alternative schools has informed his works such as the Unbarred and The Alternative series. While he published his book in 1992 and this first novel in 2004, his initial publication was for a professional wrestling magazine when he was only eight years old.   

 



Social Media:

www.connectingya.com, 

https://www.facebook.com/TearCollector,

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/86346.Patrick_Jones

https://www.instagram.com/connectingya/

https://twitter.com/PatrickJonesYA

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:

The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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