Salvation by Anne Osterlund

Published: January 10th, 2013

Publisher: Speak

Pages: 288

Copy:  Library

Summary: Goodreads

A smart, unexpected romance from an award-winning author.

Salvador Resendez--Salva to his friends--appears to have it all. His Mexican immigrant family has high expectations, and Salva intends to fulfill them. He's student body president, quarterback of the football team, and has a near-perfect GPA. Everyone loves him.

Especially Beth Courant, AKA the walking disaster area. Dreamy and shy, Beth is used to blending into the background. But she's also smart, and she has serious plans for her future.

Popular guy and bookish girl--the two have almost nothing in common. Until fate throws them together and the attraction is irresistible. Soon Beth is pushing Salva to set his sights higher than ever--because she knows he has more to offer, more than even he realizes.

Then tragedy strikes--and threatens to destroy everything that Salva has worked for. Will Beth's love be enough to save him?

Thoughtful and romantic, this is a beautifully written story about following your heart and fulfilling your potential.

Review

I had a serious love/hate relationship with Ms Osterlund's newest book Salvation.  I loved the story, the pacing, the characters, the romance and I hated the fact that it made me cry.  Twice at least - and I hate crying when I'm reading.  I can't see to read!

OK, silliness over.  Salvation was a wonderful book to read.  The characters seemed very real - flawed yet convincing in their actions.  None of the characters came from money, which added a slightly different flavour to the story that I enjoyed.  There was no trying to be someone you're not, just trying to be the best and make the best out of the circumstances that have been dealt to you.

Salva and Beth have an interesting relationship and I enjoyed seeing Beth help Salva realise his full potential, and conquer his demons.  His guilt over his mother was very affecting.  Something else I enjoyed were the secondary characters.  Pepe, Tosa, Char, Luka and Nalani all had important, if minor, roles to play and over the course of the novel we get to know them, not just as Salva and Beth's friends.

Favourite part of the book - Romeo and Juliet's death scene in the cafeteria - best ever.  Followed closely by the mock trial.  You have to read the book to catch the significance of both these events, but they were perfect and helped to illustrate life in high school in all its glory.

Salvation is a serious step outside Ms Osterlund's previous comfort zone  - Aurelia and Exile are fantasy and Academy 7 is SF - but it worked well and she has proved that she can conquer any genre.  Final decision - a lovely contemporary romance that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend, but grab the kleenex, you'll need them.