ARC Review: Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom

The Rules:

Don’t deceive me. Ever. Especially using my blindness. Especially in public.

Don’t help me unless I ask. Otherwise you’re just getting in my way or bothering me.

Don’t be weird. Seriously, other than having my eyes closed all the time, I’m just like you only smarter.

Parker Grant doesn’t need 20/20 vision to see right through you. That’s why she created the Rules: Don’t treat her any differently just because she’s blind, and never take advantage. There will be no second chances. Just ask Scott Kilpatrick, the boy who broke her heart.

When Scott suddenly reappears in her life after being gone for years, Parker knows there’s only one way to react-shun him so hard it hurts. She has enough on her mind already, like trying out for the track team (that’s right, her eyes don’t work but her legs still do), doling out tough-love advice to her painfully naive classmates, and giving herself gold stars for every day she hasn’t cried since her dad’s death three months ago. But avoiding her past quickly proves impossible, and the more Parker learns about what really happened–both with Scott, and her dad–the more she starts to question if things are always as they seem. Maybe, just maybe, some Rules are meant to be broken.

Disclaimer: A huge thanks to Harper Collins India for providing me with a review copy of this book. The thoughts, opinions and feelings expressed in this review, are however, my own!

There are many reasons for a reviewer / a blogger to request a book for review – for me, in this case was the blurb of this book. Somehow a feeling inside me told me that I *need* to pick this one up and over the years I have learned enough to pay heed to that feeling.

And here we are; so glad to say that “gut feeling” has not let me down at all; even though I was a little worried that this book would turn out predictable like most YA contemporaries, but still the “feeling” wouldn’t let go of me!

It took me a day to get through it (mostly because I had adult responsibilities) but it didn’t take me long to fall in love with the book – well, the main character; Parker Grant, to be exact!

Parker Grant is a self – sufficient, independent, intelligent and vivacious girl who has had a whole lot of “life is unfair crab” thrown at her; yet she still remains a strong girl, even with a chip (tbh, it’s a huge one!) on her shoulder.

It’s hard not to like her – she is the quirky, effervescent yet sarcastic little witch; the kind of friend that you wish you had in reality, yet wonder if it would have been too much to handle the straight forwardness in reality.

Here’s what I absolutely cherished though; the plot line that had the characters, especially Parker, making mature decisions, even when they screwed up. Don’t get me wrong, they are teenagers; they are dramatic as teenagers supposed to be, but they also handle the growing up that they need to do with the realization of screwing up – but most of all the talent of the author shows in how he balances both proficiently.

The ending, as well, is exactly why my respect for the author grew tenfold – he makes sure to leave the readers, not with a predictable HEA but with a sense of hope. A hope that has, for me, translated into a hope for a sequel!!?? 😀