The Juliet Club

Summary:

Kate Sanderson has been burned by love. From now on, she thinks, I will control my own destiny, and I will be reasoned and rational. But life has other things in store for Kate. Namely, a summer abroad studying Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet in the very town where the star-crossed lovers met, Verona, Italy. Kate is thrown together with two other American teens and three Italians for a special seminar -- and for volunteer duty at the Juliet Club, where they answer letters from the lovelorn around the world. Can Kate's cool logic withstand the most romantic summer ever? Especially when faced with the ever-so-charming Giacomo and his entrancing eyes...?

My Review:

I actually found this book through a friend. We were lazily browsing through the library shelves when she grinned and plucked it from the shelf. I had told her earlier that I was looking for something light and cute for summer reading. She had read the book before and had loved it. She insisted that it would be perfect for me. What with it being summer I was game. So I went home and finished it in a night. At first glance this book seems like a typical YA romance, yet with a basic understanding of some of Shakespeare's most famous plays, this book becomes much more entertaining. For me, what really sets this book apart from so many others is how the author has taken some of Shakespeare's most beloved plots and themes and weaved them artfully throughout her own work. It was fun to find little references to plays that I had read or been in. I felt like this gave the book some quality and weight, without being overly arcane or cryptic. 

     I'm not going to give away the end, but lets just say that I found it fitting. The author found a way to close the book that's suitable for all. It balances between classic Disney princess happily ever after and realistic expectations. She closes the book leaving the reader with a happy ending, yet still wondering what happens next. Setting up for a sequel perhaps? 

     While all books have downsides, this one had very few. This being said I did feel like the author didn't fully develop the different character's romances.The development of the characters themselves was great, but the romance was just.... lacking. The characters themselves had the potential, but the author didn't take advantage of that as well as she could have. Basically, I was bothered by gaps that I felt could have been explained.

     Overall I would give this book a good 4 stars. It's perfect reading material for summer. It keeps you on your toes without drowning you in drama. It's cute and romantic, yet not racy. There's enough humor to keep it light, yet there was enough substance to make you question and think a little. Bravo Harper for yet another fantastic novel!