Book Review: Calling California by J.P. Grider - Empress DJ

Title: Calling California (Hunter Hill University #1)

Author: J.P. Grider

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

 Cali Parker is poor. She has a lot on her plate - her father is dying, she's working to help pay the rent, and she's two-years behind in college.

Griffin Brooks is rich. He has not a care in the world - he's acing his engineering courses, his hobby is restoring his fifty-thousand dollar classic car, and he has a different girl on his arm every week.

When Cali sees Griffin on her first day of class, she's immediately smitten and thinks she's found the perfect guy. When Griffin sees Cali at the bank, he immediately forgets the blonde he was with that morning. Then they meet, and their worlds collide.

Cali doesn't belong in Griffin’s world, and he doesn't understand hers. But just when Griffin convinces Cali that their two different worlds can blend, a secret is revealed that tears them apart.

Is their love strong enough to bring them back together, or will their worlds drift further apart?

My Rating:

 

Favorite Quotes:

“My own eyes close, but not before reveling in the fact that I just made love for the very first time.  A virgin I was not, but my sexual experience before Griffin was emotionally indifferent – no passion, no desire, not even a real physical fondness for each other.  But with Griffin… my entire world has changed.  I found a place where I belong.” 

…“I will never discount your feelings, Calista.  Everything you feel, I want to feel.  I want to be there when you cry, be there when you laugh, I want to be there… for you… always.  I want to feel your heart beating against mine, and I want to be the one that makes it beat.  Every breath you let out, I want to inhale.  Every breath I take, I take for you.  You are the reason I’ve come alive Calista.  You are the reason… I breathe,”…

“The blood in my veins must be on fire, because everything inside me is burning.”

My Review:

I am stingy with 5 star reviews, I seldom give them out.  I reserve those for really great writing that “moves” me… meaning I either have to laugh aloud or cry.  This novel is one of those rare finds… it brought me to tears several times.  It was very touching and sweet, as well as realistic and heartbreaking.  Ms. Grider’s writing is simply poignant, and remarkably insightful in depicting the conflict and confusion our young heroine is struggling with in choosing her path and making sense of her world, her parents’ world, and her new relationship with a boy outside of her social class.  No spoilers here, but make sure to start it early in the day when you have a clear schedule, as I was unable to put it down and subsequently suffered a book hangover the next day.  I feel hesitant to start a new book as I want to think about and savor this one just a little longer. 

Empress DJ