It is impossible not to fall in love with How (not) to Fall in Love. This charming young adult novel is a beautifully written coming of age story that teaches some important life lessons without angst or drama. With a delightful cast of characters, a realistic plot and a sweet romance, it is a refreshing story that is full of heart and Lisa Brown Roberts avoids the typical storylines of this genre which makes it an absolutely outstanding read.

The backbone, heart and soul of this terrific gem of a book is Darcy Covington. From a rich and privileged background, she is seventeen and completely unprepared for the downward spiral her life is about to take. Losing her car is just the beginning of the many changes awaiting her and her pampered mother after her motivational speaker dad skips town and leaves his family and his company in financial ruin. Darcy's estranged uncle Charlie reaches out to her and offers her the emotional support she needs to weather the storm. Through him, Darcy finds an unexpected support system in Lucas Martinez, her uncle's über hot repairman and Liz, the owner of the cozy coffee shop near Charlie's store.

In the beginning, Darcy is rather shy, timid and content to blend into the background. A bit socially awkward, she is tongue tied and clumsy around good looking young men. When her mom falls apart after her dad disappears, Darcy steps out of her comfort zone, finds a job and discovers that she is much stronger than she ever imagined. Her transformation from meek school girl to responsible young adult is gradual and easy to believe. Even when things are at their bleakest, Darcy never gives up and she always faces problems head on. Darcy is a true survivor and you can't help but be in her corner throughout the story.

The romance aspect of the storyline is very understated and slow growing. Lucas is a genuinely nice guy, responsible and so sexy that Darcy cannot believe a hottie like him would ever be interested in a girl like her. Darcy is confused by his mixed signals and this uncertainty, along with her family drama, keeps her from acting on her feelings for much of the story. Once Darcy and Lucas decide to admit their feelings for one another, their friendship finally transitions into a very sweet romance.

How (not) to Fall in Love is a very heartwarming novel with a wonderfully realistic storyline. The cast of characters is well developed and appealing despite their flaws. Poignant, heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting, this debut novel by Lisa Brown Roberts is exceptional and I highly recommend it to readers of all ages.
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Darcy Covington has a perfect life, or as close to perfect as she can get.

Until one day the rug is ripped out from underneath her and her mother.

Darcy's car is repossessed in front of all her classmates and her families private affairs are now page one news. Her Dad's company is going under and he's nowhere to be found. Meanwhile her Mother is too busy drinking herself into oblivion to care that their house is being foreclosed on.

Left with nothing but the company of her dog Darcy realizes without help her and her mother are going to be living out on the street.

With no one else to turn to Darcy reaches out to her Uncle whom she lost touch with years ago. When Uncle Charlie reenters Darcy's life he brings with him a handful of colorful characters, each one changing Darcy's perspective about what's happening to her and how she's to deal with it.

I'm not going to lie, I was about 1/4 of the way into this book and I almost DNF it. I hated Darcy and her mother, I didn't care about what was happening to them or how they were going to get through it. I felt nothing towards this book but dislike and disinterest.

Just when I had had enough I forced myself to read one more chapter, then, I told myself, I could give up and pick a new book.

And I am so glad I read that one chapter.

There was a turning point in the book, one very minor and one that I can't even pinpoint now thinking back on it, but it was like I was reading a whole new book.

Darcy was now relatable and likable, even funny and sarcastic and instead of her drunk mother and rude classmates she was now surrounded by this slew of wonderful people. Charlie and Liz and of course Lucas.

This book grew on me and that's a very rare occurrence for me. I usually either hate a book or love it, from the first couple of chapters I know where I stand. But this book was a journey, one that needed to be navigated in a certain way in order to get to the perfect ending, and I'm glad I stuck around for that.

This is a debut book for Lisa and I'm very excited to see what else she has up her sleeve!

Until next time,
Ginger

In compliance with FTC guidelines I am disclosing that this book was given to me for free to review.
My review is my honest opinion. ( )