Better Than Perfect by Melissa Kantor Review

Better Than Perfect, by Melissa Kantor
Publication: February 17, 2015, by HarperTeen
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 336
Format: Hardcover
Source: Borrowed
Rating: ½

Juliet Newman has it all. A picture-perfect family; a handsome, loving boyfriend; and a foolproof life plan: ace her SATs, get accepted into Harvard early decision, and live happily ever after.
But when her dad moves out and her mom loses it, Juliet begins questioning the rules she’s always lived by. And to make everything even more complicated there’s Declan, the gorgeous boy who makes her feel alive and spontaneous—and who’s totally off-limits. Torn between the life she always thought she wanted and one she never knew was possible, Juliet begins to wonder: What if perfect isn't all it’s cracked up to be?
Melissa Kantor once again delivers a tale that is equal parts surprising, humorous, heartbreaking, and romantic. Powerful and honest, Juliet’s story brilliantly portrays the highs and lows of life in high school and will resonate with any reader who has experienced either. 

Melissa Kantor is an author who always pleases. Let me tell you, her new bunch of contemporary-romances are always so adorable and yes, almost-better than perfect. This one was something that gave me a relief, a break from the rest of the world for a while and I felt so addicted and unable to put it down unless a truck full of her future novels came to me. Other than that, I was stuck with this one for a few hours and let me tell you, it was all worth it.

I guess I can somewhat say that Juliet, the protagonist, was like me. An "overachiever," who has her future all planned out and loves school. Though, once her family issues go out of control when her mom has "an accident," Juliet goes out of control, too. She becomes someone who she knows deep inside that she's not. She cheats on her perfect boyfriend with a guy she just meets, and wants to join a band. It happened all so suddenly and... it gives you the question on if she will change or what her final decision in her future will hold.

"Jason and I had been kissing since eighth grade, when he came up to me at Max Pinto's spin-the-bottle party and asked me if I'd done the English homework. Which is how nerds fall in love."

That was absolutely adorable, to the maximum. I love Kantor's writing. The issues that she resembles through her characters and her words are unique each time and they always contain plot twists and suspense which wants me to get all of her books even sooner. From beginning to end, I found this to be something that was and wasn't difficult to relate to, and I was addicted. The plot was pieced to perfection and everything was set and stone by the author, with no flaws or weaknesses in it at all. How could the plot be better than perfect? I'm not sure.

What is crazy is that people are giving this book such low ratings. 3.40 rating? I don't think so. But really, I can't seem to understand what's the problem, as this is definitely one of the better books that I've read in a while. This was a complete misunderstanding for me, as almost every review I've seen is a 1-2 star rating. WHHAAT?

The only flaw that I saw in this book was Juliet. Man, I did like her, but she just ruined her future and I got extremely disappointed since it was such nonsense. WHY. I don't want to SPOIL the ending for you, but let me tell you, "WHY HARVARD." Okay, that's all. 

"She was asleep, and I watched her chest rise up and down slowly. By the fourth breath I realized I was breathing with her, almost as if she couldn't do it on her own. Almost as if I was afraid she didn't want to do it on her own."

She was a caring, heartfelt person who loved her family so much and only wanted them to get back together. But of course, there's almost never happy endings unless some bad stuff happens first, right? I did understand that part about her, but she tried so hard to be reckless and ruin her future that I honestly couldn't feel it. Though, the romance was absolutely adorable that I couldn't stand to NOT squeal and panic because it was adorable. UGHHHHH!

I'm absolutely obsessed and grateful with the way this one turned out. I expected something less real and more cheesy and utterly bad, but Kantor has surprised me once again with a gorgeous teenage romance that takes the side of life that you don't want to happen, but it does... I loved this.