ARC Review: The Natural History of Us (The Fine Art of Pretending #2) by Rachel Harris
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Series: The Fine Art of Pretending #2
Author: Rachel Harris
Published April 5th 2016 by Spencer Hill Contemporary
Goodreads Synopsis
One class assignment. One second chance at love. The school player is all in. Now he needs to win back the sweet commitment girl who's forever owned his heart.
Justin Carter has a secret. He's not the total player Fairfield Academy believes him to be. Not really. In fact, he used to be a one-woman guy...and his feelings for her never went away. Too bad he broke her heart three years ago and made sure to ruin any chance she'd ever forgive him.
Peyton Williams is a liar. She pretends to be whole, counting down the days until graduation and helping her parents at the family ranch. But the truth is, she's done everything she can to get over Justin, and salvation is just around the corner. With graduation one short month away, she'll soon break free from the painful memories and start her life fresh. Of course, she has to get through working with him on one last assignment first.
For Justin, nothing ever felt as right as being with Peyton, and now that fate's given him a shot at redemption, he's determined to make the most of it. And for Peyton...well, Justin Carter has always been her kryptonite.
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
The Natural History of Us follows Peyton and Justin, through their final weeks of senior year, while also delving into their history during freshman year. Peyton used to be home schooled, but following her recovery from Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), she is adamant to attend the school her dad coaches at. She meets Justin Carter, one of the rising stars on the baseball team, and they form a secret relationship. But, once the stake got too much, it seems that Justin cheated on Peyton, and has broken her heart. Now with only a few months left of school, they have to 'marry' in one of their subjects, and even 'raise' a baby for a weekend. Peyton can't believe her luck that Justin is the one who she's been paired with, and no matter how much she claims she is over him - she even has a new boyfriend - she's always been in love with him.
I vaguely remember reading the companion book, The Fine Art of Pretending, way back in 2015, and that was probably why I requested this one on NetGalley. I first tried reading this in 2016, after being approved, but I wasn't really engaged with any of the characters, or really enjoying it. Fast forward to 2021, and I'm trying to clear any old NetGalley books, and this was next on my list. I liked it, but wouldn't say I loved it. I'm more just pleased it's finished, and I don't have it waiting for me anymore. My main issue with the book was just how dramatic and full of angst it was. We see the modern day and and the past in the same chapters, but it was clearly signed as to when it was. I sort of guessed what the 'disaster' was before we got to it, and why Justin was so adamant that Peyton needed to listen about what the truth was. I will admit, I felt so sorry for Justin and his home life, where he was regularly ignored and left alone with only the housekeeper to care for him. I liked Justin, Peyton was okay, and disliked Cade. The book had a decent plot, but like I said, it was too angst ridden for my liking. All in all, decent, but not a book I'd re-read.
Dates Read:
February 22-23, 2021
Rating
3 Stars
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