Jessie Hearts NYC by Keris Stainton

Jessie Hearts NYC by Keris Stainton
Buy Jessie Hearts NYC by Keris Stainton at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: Teens
Reviewer: Robert James
Summary: Despite us spending much of the book waiting for the central pairing to even exchange more than a few words, this is a fun and frothy easy read for teens.
Buy? Yes	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 240	Date: July 2011
Publisher: Orchard
External links: Author's website
ISBN: 978-1408304280
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After splitting up with Taylor, Jessie is desperate to forget about him, so her first ever trip to New York is heaven-sent – even if it does mean having to stay with her mother. Emma, her best friend, is equally thrilled to be coming with her. While Jessie is still upset at her mother’s decision to move to America, New Yorker Finn is facing problems of his own with his controlling family. Railroaded into working in his dad's insurance company during his summer holiday, he dreams of being an architect. He's also fallen hard for a girl - who happens to be his best friend's girlfriend. What will happen when these two meet?

Well, we get to find out time and time again, as the pair go through a series of 'meet cutes' worthy of a romantic comedy film. They're all good fun, although they do get a little bit repetitive at times, and I was surprised at just how long they kept going without really talking to each other properly. They do give Keris Stainton a reason to show her skill at portraying lots of different places in New York, though, and it was great to see so much of the city with some great descriptions - particularly of the Empire State Building.

Character-wise it's perhaps just a little less successful - I thought that of the main two characters, Finn was significantly more fleshed out than Jessie, who seemed rather too whiny for me to really take to her. I did like their friends Scott and Emma, though, and also thought that Jessie's parents, particularly her mum Natalie, were far more realistic than many in young adult fiction. On that note, I thought the relationship between Jessie and Natalie was handled very well and was just as interesting as the main romance part.

Overall this is a pleasant and undemanding read which will definitely appeal to teens who, like Jessie, dream of New York, and to those who enjoy cute romances. It's got me looking forward to Keris Stainton's next book.

I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.

Further reading suggestion: For another fun romance, Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson is completely amazing. Like Keris Stainton, Matson describes her locations wonderfully as well.

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