Book Review – Something in the Way by Jessica Hawkins

Something in the Way (Something in the Way Series Book 1)
This one is the most asked about book in our weekly “reader question” sessions. Everyone is trying to find (or remember) the title of “that book with that crazy-angsty sounding blurb”.

Oh yes. It’s one of the best book-blurbs ever, and it made me GASP. It’s like it had it’s own little twist. Apparently, it had the same effect on so many of us.

Virginia: Was looking at your recommendations yesterday and found a book I want to read but going back can’t find it again. She is young and meets this guy. She is too young and they decide to wait. Then he meets her sister.

Dallas: The little bits and pieces that I can remember is that there are 2 sisters in their teens; the older sister has an attitude (of course); the younger sister meets a young man (maybe mid-to-late 20s, hot and muscular) who’s working on the construction site in their street; one day she loses her expensive bracelet, he finds it and gives it back to her. They strike up a friendship after that.

Bianca: I need your help! Yesterday I came across a book on amazon, for the life of me I can’t remember what it was about but I was interested!! …Ok so I just emailed you asking about a book which I’ve just spent the last 40 minutes looking for….well guess what…it’s the booking I’m currently reading!!!!! The same book that I’m loving!!!  Something in the Way (Something in the Way Series Book 1) by Jessica Hawkins.

Marion: Guys this book is soooooo good!!! Everyone should read it, you’ll immediately want to dissect it with someone afterwards… just leave the judgement at the door lol!

Nay: Yes, Maryse! And you need to read it ASAP! This book is on my favorites shelf

Tracy: Oh, my gosh, Maryse, I DEVOURED these books. I cannot wait for the third.

Meagan: Omg!!!! I’m here if you need support!! Lol Without a doubt a top read of mine

Rebecca:  I am dying to know what your reaction is after the first two! I was walking around with my nose in my kindle for two days straight- I didn’t want to stop to eat or sleep. I cannot wait for book 3!

I couldn’t resist anymore. HOW COULD I POSSIBLY RESIST???

P.S. This was exactly the guilty pleasure I expected, considering the blurb-jolt I received from THAT book synopsis! Exciting, exhilarating, an butterfly inducing.

So what’s it about?

Sixteen-year old Lake (beautiful, yet humble, scholarly and completely inexperienced when it comes to boys) is out with her nineteen-year old “wild child, California girl” sister (Tiffany), when they notice a construction crew near their home. Ever-the-flirt, attention-getter Tiffany struts her stuff while Lake remains anonymous in the background, and waits for her sister so they can return home.

When Lake realizes she’s lost her cherished bracelet, she returns to the construction site to look for it, and meets Manning (a gruff, brooding, yet sweet construction worker in his early twenties), that finds it for her.

I squinted up, and up, and up at him. I had only two concepts of men— ones my father’s age, like my teachers, and the boys I went to school with. This one didn’t fit into either category.

They chat, discussing school work, and future goals (his and hers) and become instant, yet tentative friends (considering the inappropriate age difference between the two).

Lake is secretly crushing hard, even though he’s bossy and big brother-like, yet Tiffany has dug her claws in, and claimed him for herself.

I willed him to acknowledge me. I was greedy. I’d spent a lot of time with him today, but I wanted more. He didn’t look up, though. Instead, he said something to Tiffany.

Whatever it was, it made her smile.

And the three forge a friendship that put them all (and us!!) through the angsty-forbidden romance ringer.

To me, Manning seemed as untouchable as the glossy celebrities taped to Tiffany’s wall, so why did she get to touch him?

Eeeeeeep!!! SO fun!!!

And while, yes, I did put it down a few times to do “life-stuff” (it wasn’t sooooo intense that I couldn’t put it down), I was always thinking about it, and telling my sister how it was giving me goosebumps. We even discussed our own teen crushes, as we related to this main character.

“You want to come?” I asked.

He looked back at me. “Might be a good idea to meet your parents.”

He said it to me, not Tiffany. He wanted to meet my parents. And while I should’ve felt uneasy about it, the idea that Manning had any interest in my life had the opposite effect.

It made my heart soar.

Considering where it could possibly go (all those theories of mine = pure angsty trouble), and yep. It did NOT disappoint. Lucky me, book #2 is already out and I will be jumping right in, next. Unlucky me, book #3 will only be out in a couple of months, but I can’t help myself. I must continue!

So that intensity I was speaking of? It’s there, but actually more subtle than I was anticipating, considering the subject matter (a teen crushing HARD on a man), so you know this book, and these characters are headed for trouble.

But it was a nice slow burn, with all the bells & whistles of those desperate, need-to-be-near-each-other belly butterflies, that sweet, protective friendship (from both of them, in different ways)…

“Everyone should have someone looking out for them, and I am. For you.”

“Who do you have?” I asked.

He swallowed audibly, his long neck rippling. “I said everyone should— not everyone does.”

“I’ll be that someone, Manning,” I said.

He put his large hand on my head, making me feel about half his size. “You’re going to protect me?”

I always wanted him to be safe. Cared for, fed, happy. Maybe it was naïve, but I felt I could do that for him, even if it had to be from afar for a while. “Maybe not physically. Protection comes in different forms.”

“That means a lot to me,” he said. “I’d rather you worry about yourself, though. And I’ll worry about you, too.”

…and yet knowing absolutely NOTHING could become of that closeness. Not even discussing potential feelings. No affection. No touching. No admitting, because all of that could lead to disaster (and the uncontrollable kind). And even with all that is “understood” the pining and cravings in this book (mostly via the eyes of the heroine, but also HIS POV every once in awhile) really sets the stage for that titillating forbidden love story that causes even the reader, all sorts of heartache.

Some invisible tether existed between us. Nobody could see it, not even us, but I felt it. I was sure Manning did, too. As long as we both knew it, that was enough for me. For now, at least.

My hiccups? I think I may have experienced more intensity, and emotional drama, and perhaps loved it even more if I didn’t actually know what HE was thinking (in regards to both sisters). Occasionally, we get his POV (which does serve to ease the reader’s stress in regards to what kind of man he is), but then again, considering the circumstances, I eeeeeeeeeped over some of his thoughts, too.

And, I’m not 100% certain I’m “into” the ending and direction that this story just took (I didn’t see THAT coming at all, and I’m not feeling the realism in it so much), but I think I get why the author took it there, so I’m going with it.

After all, this is only book one (a titillating intro to a promisingly tumultuous love story trilogy), and there’s still so much more to come, I just KNOW it. Oh my, where is this going to go? I’ve got all sorts of ideas, and I’m diving back in!

4 stars <— but maybe even more stars due to the fact that I’m DYING to start book #2 and will be reading that one next!

Tagged as: 4 stars, forbidden love or risqué, jessica Hawkins, slow burn