The YA's Nightstand: You're The One That I Want

You're The One That I Want

by Giovanna Fletcher

Publisher: Penguin

Publication Date: 22nd May 2014

Received from: NetGalley

Summary

Maddy, dressed in white, stands at the back of the church. At the end of the aisle is Rob - the man she's about to marry. Next to Rob is Ben - best man and the best friend any two people ever had.And that's the problem.
Because if it wasn't Rob waiting for her at the altar, there's a strong chance it would be Ben. Loyal and sensitive Ben has always kept his feelings to himself, but if he turned round and told Maddy she was making a mistake, would she listen? And would he be right?
Best friends since childhood, Maddy, Ben and Rob thought their bond was unbreakable. But love changes everything. Maddy has a choice to make but will she choose wisely? Her heart, and the hearts of the two best men she knows, depend on it...

Review

Lets begin shall we?

By now you lovely people know how much I love Mrs F's debut novel Billy and Me, so it's not really going to be much of a surprise that I had high expectations going into You're The One That I Want. First off I'll admit I'm not a massive fan of the love triangle. It's an over used plot line that can be monotonous and cliché. However, that being said, Giovanna has managed to produce a sweet, interesting and at times heart wrenching story that is just as good as her debut.

You're The One That I Want is told through two different character point of views. Firstly there's Maddy. The redheaded, photo-snapping centre of out little love triangle. You follow her story as she starts a new school and befriends our two book boys (Robert & Ben), as she falls in love, as her feelings are constantly challenged and as she ultimately finds the man she'll spend the rest of her life with. For Maddy it's a story all about love and the constant battle going on in her heart.

Secondly there's Ben. Oh, this poor sap. Ben is another point of the triangle (the third and final point being Robert) and he's one of the sweetest and unluckiest - when it comes to love - character's I've read in a long time. His part of the story shows how he deals with being in love with his best friends girl. How he tries to fix his heart when everything he knows is called into question. He has a fragile strength making him a refreshing change from most book boys. Even if he does make a couple of REALLY stupid choices along the way.

It really is a sweet story, a bit of a slow starter, but once it got going I couldn't but it down. I usually like there to be something more the a story that just the relationship, and with this there really wasn't much else going on. That being said, it was in no way boring, there were plenty of bumps in the road when it came to these three.

The story felt honest and raw. It didn't idolise any particular character or sugar coat they're personalities, and yet I think that it made them all the more endearing. I wanted to shake Ben at times and slap Robert at others. I wanted Maddy to see what was in front of her and I wanted her to chose differently. But I think the fact that I wanted all of these things is a testament to the writing, because it made me care about these three people. And maybe it's just me, but I think that's the most important part of a story.

Also can I just point out that when you read this - which of course you will - this is how you write an Epilogue! I'm not going to tell you anything about it because that would just be cruel and, you know, spoilers, but I wanted to get in on recored that THIS IS HOW IT'S DONE!

Overall I loved this book. You're The One That I Want was in no way a disappointment to my unrealistically high expectations. For the whole last quarter of the book my stomach was in knots. It will leave you with a smile on your face and an ache in your heart. It's the perfect summer read and I whole heartedly recommend it.