★★★★彡
Summary:
Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.
So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.
She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.
Summary:
Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.
So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.
She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.
“Can I help you, sir?” Only my mom would’ve heard the sarcasm laced into that single statement.
“Yes, I need a doll.”
“Sorry, we’re all out.” A lot of people don’t get my humor. My mom calls it dry humor. I think that means “not funny,” but it also means I’m the only one who ever knows it’s a joke.”
My heart loved this, but my brain found a few problems. For me, the good made up for the bad, but here is everything you need to know:
Heart—What I liked
Heart—What I liked
- Caymen: I love this girl. We've got the same sense of humor, so I was all over her sarcasm. I could see myself in her, which made her feel almost real. She is funny, caring, and smart, and if she were real, I would be asking her to be my new BFF.
“Lucas looks over his shoulder at me. “We shouldn’t talk about it like this or we’ll scare poor Caymen. Don’t worry. You’ll like it. Lots of creepy old men who will want to dance with you. Lots of food that looks like it might crawl off your plate. And the band is so exciting they don’t even need a lead singer.”
“I’m in that band. I’m glad you like it,” I say.
Lucas stutters. “No. I mean, yes. The band is great. I was just being stupid. I’m sorry.”
Xander laughs. “She’s just kidding, Luke. She’s not in the band.”
Lucas shakes his head and meets my eyes in the rearview mirror. “You said it with such a straight face I thought for sure you were serious.”
- Xander: He's hot, charming, and left me swooning a little, but he is also flawed and real. He doesn't care that Caymen is the exact opposite of him when it comes to money—he is the richest of the rich, and her family is broke. I love that Xander also feels like a real person in his own right, and is not just the guy Caymen is into.
- The romance: No insta-love, thank the gods! I could feel Caymen and Xander grow closer and friendlier, the attraction between them thickening. It was obvious from the beginning that they were interested in each other, but they did not even kiss in their first sort-of-date. Caymen thinks that he is only using her to annoy his parents, so she keeps her guard up at first. It takes her a while to let him in, but there are major trust issues until the end.
“His one outfit probably cost more than all the clothes in my tiny closet. Not that it looks expensive. It’s an outfit that’s purposefully trying to downplay how much it cost: a pair of cargo pants, a pink button-down rolled at the sleeves. But the clothes were purchased somewhere that specializes in thread count and triple stitching. It’s obvious he can buy the whole store if he wants to. Well, not him; his parents. I didn’t realize it at first because his confidence aged him, but now that I’m closer I can see he’s young. My age maybe? Seventeen. Although he could be a year older. How is someone my age already so versed at beckoning? A lifetime of privilege, obviously.”
SHE DOESN'T EVEN CARE FOR HIM AT FIRST. You can tell she is thinking, "just another annoying rich guy."
“He hands me a credit card and I swipe it through the machine. The name on the card says, “Xander Spence.” Xander as in “Z-ander” or as in “X-ander”? I’m not going to ask. I really don’t care. I’ve been pleasant enough.”
But then they become friends, and eventually start dating, and all throughout they are having the cutest and funniest conversations.
“Is that the pet name we’re going with? Babe?”
He backs out of the parking stall and starts driving. “You don’t like it?”
“It’s okay. It makes me think of the pig, though.”
“Are you putting in a request, then?”
“I’ve always been partial to sweetie, mostly because I’m not sweet so it makes me laugh.”
“How about dollface?”
“Ha! Only if you want me to cringe.”
- Caymen and Skye's relationship: Skye is a great friend, and it is obvious that they both care about each other. She doesn't disappear when Xander enters the picture, and, even though they are very different, their friendship works.
“Skye and I each hold two rolls of toilet paper and stare at the gated fence of Xander’s house. “Isn’t it too early to TP?” Skye asks. “It’s not even ten thirty. The house lights are all on.”
“It’s never too early. The real question is how are we going to get inside?” I try to squeeze through two wrought iron bars and my thigh gets stuck. I start laughing.
“Have you ever been this irresponsible in your life?” Skye asks.
“I don’t think so.”
“The silly you is fun.” Skye takes me by the armpits and tries to pull me out. She’s a laughing mess. Finally she tugs me free and I land on top of her, both of us falling to the ground.”
- The ending: The important issues are resolved, but we get some room for imagination. Fun!
Brain—What I didn't like
- Xander: I know, I know, I just said I liked him, but hear me out. Xander is awesome except for one thing. He might not care about the gap between the poor and the rich (at least when it comes to Caymen—more on that later), but it also doesn't seem like he understands it.
“And then, after you left, he was telling me how much he liked your name and how he had just been to the Cayman Islands last year. He asked how often I went as though everyone in the world goes wherever they want whenever they want.”
- The romance: Although there was no insta-love, I still think the beginning was a bit rushed. Why was Xander so interested in Caymen nearly from the beginning? I mean, he sees her a couple times, and next thing you know he is going out of his way to bring her (pre-sipped) hot chocolate and walk her to school—they don't even go to the same school!
- Caymen and her mom's relationship: We are told they are so close, but spend the entire novel (life?) lying to each other and being the opposite of close. I realize that this is relevant to the storyline, but there could have been a scene at the very beginning where they actually seem close.
- The plot: There are two things that bothered me. First, the career days were just a way to get Caymen and Xander together. This was annoying because it could have been good if they actually helped each other grow and discover themselves, but they don't! By the end, it's just like "whatever." Second, the plot twist at the very end. I did not know what to think at first, because, in a way, it makes sense with the story. But, it felt like the lazy way to solve the problems. Suddenly there is someone (new) there to deal with all the problems. Though, I did enjoy the new character(s).
“The man grumbles at her under his breath then holds out his hand to me. “Hi, I’m stranger one and this is stranger two. Are you uncomfortable yet?”
I give a half smile.
“The only thing that is going to make her uncomfortable is your twisted sense of humor, Sean. He’s kidding, honey.”
“I know.” Could a sense of humor be genetic?