Review: One Small Thing by Erin Watt

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Beth’s life hasn’t been the same since her sister died. Her parents try to lock her down, believing they can keep her safe by monitoring her every move. When Beth sneaks out to a party one night and meets the new guy in town, Chase, she’s thrilled to make a secret friend. It seems a small thing, just for her.

Only Beth doesn’t know how big her secret really is…

Fresh out of juvie and determined to start his life over, Chase has demons to face and much to atone for, including his part in the night Beth’s sister died. Beth, who has more reason than anyone to despise him, is willing to give him a second chance. A forbidden romance is the last thing either of them planned for senior year, but the more time they spend together, the deeper their feelings get.

Now Beth has a choice to make—follow the rules, or risk tearing everything apart…again.

I received a copy of this title via NetGalley. It does not impact my review.

One Small Thing will be available June 26, 2018. 

After a number of so-so reading experiences lately, I really needed an Erin Watt book. This duo’s writing is always so addicting and One Small Thing was no exception.

It says in the synopsis that Chase played a part in Beth’s sister’s death and I think it’s pretty obvious what that is. It doesn’t take long for the book to reveal it, either, but I’ll still try not to spoil it. I have to admit that this particular kind of trope is usually not one I go for. However, it worked for me here. I liked the conversations it brought it up. How differently people grieve. How people move on. How people judge. The topic of forgiveness. There was a lot more depth to this book than I expected there to be.

Though some of Beth’s behavior drove me a little crazy, I did find her a likable character. I wish she was more honest and she definitely made a lot of misguided decisions, but once she realized how poorly she was behaving she took steps to change it. And I loved Chase. I just loved him. I know he has some pretty obvious flaws, but I still thought he was pretty perfect. He was just so sweet and smart and a little tortured. I definitely shipped them and their moments together were my favorites of the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed One Small Thing. Though it was a little heavier than I was expecting, I thought it had a good message. I liked the main characters (especially Chase) and the romance. I did find everything to be just a little too predictable, though. Pretty much every development I guessed far ahead of time, so even though the writing was addictive and kept me turning the pages, the plot itself seemed a little drawn out and then things wrapped up very quickly at the end. However, the positive message and my love for Chase makes up for those aspects for me.

Overall Rating (out of 5): 4 Stars