Well that was interesting in lack of a better word...
I liked the characters, maybe I didn't love them, but that could be just because of bad timing. They had depth and they had both gone through a lot, so it only made sense that they seeked out normalcy. They relied on one another and they pushed eachother towards self-improvement.
Why was it necessary though to tell us at every turn that Echo smelled like cinnamon. After a while I had a strong inclination to visit the bakery on our corner and check out the goodies. :P
And the whole siren, goddess, whatever thing was a bit excessive in my humble opinion. I don't think there is a guy on earth that thinks those words every five sentences no matter how in love he might be. But even if it was meant to be romantic it hit off the mark with me since I couldn't help rolling my eyes after the umpteenth time I read it. Dude she has a name!
Also, that proposal that came out of nowhere after two weeks of being together was a bit much. The guy was supposed to have trust issues. He might have fallen for her pretty quick, but marriage? It's overkill. Thankfully, he dropped the issue after that and settled for just going to the same college, which at least makes sense.
Anyway, I know I sound like a cynicist and trust me I am not, but some things just seemed out of context to me and it threw me off.
On the other hand, this book had some great messages. A lot of guys could use a lesson in self restrain when it comes to a girl just not being ready to have sex. Noah was a great example of a guy who wants to take things further, but gives a girl space and time if she needs it without bitching about it at every turn or trying to guilt her into it. Which is never a pretty picture.
I am also impressed by the attention this book payed to people with bipolar disease. Many people who haven't seen a bipolar person in their manic state might think that Echo's mom might have been a stretch, but there are many people who suffer from this on various degrees and if it goes untreated cases like this one aren't impossible. But Echo's mom wasn't just sick, she was simply a bad parent. Even on her meds she cared more about hurting her ex husband than repairing her relationship with her daughter. Bipolar and self-centered is never a good combination.
I have started the second book so you know I'll be reading more of these series and I hope I'll like the second book even more.