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Sweetness (Bold As Love #1)

by Lindsay Paige (Goodreads Author)

3.62 of 5 stars 3.62 · rating details · 814 ratings · 83 reviews

Emily wished she was invisible. But after moving to a new town with her dad, a charming boy makes it impossible for her to disappear. Despite her feelings of unworthiness, Emily soon finds herself drawn to the safety of Jake's world.

Good looking and the star of the hockey team, Jake has a lot going for him. What most people don't see is the difficult life he has at home. W...more

Paperback, 108 pages

Published November 11th 2011 by CreateSpace (first published October 13th 2011)

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Mar 27, 2012 Jen (Dream Reads) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sweetness has to be one of those most authentic Young Adult books that I have read in quite a while. I describe it as authentic because the story in this book doesn't even feel like fiction at all, it feels, well, very real. And ironically that is not the easiest thing to find in the Young Adult Realistic/Contemporary genre, believe it or not. Sometimes there are situations that are described in some Contemporary YA books that make you go, "Wait, what? That would never happen in real life, I thi...more Sweetness has to be one of those most authentic Young Adult books that I have read in quite a while. I describe it as authentic because the story in this book doesn't even feel like fiction at all, it feels, well, very real. And ironically that is not the easiest thing to find in the Young Adult Realistic/Contemporary genre, believe it or not. Sometimes there are situations that are described in some Contemporary YA books that make you go, "Wait, what? That would never happen in real life, I think the author is pushing it here" but because the story is so amazing you give it the benefit of the doubt, although in the back of your mind you are still retaining that small doubtful feeling that awakened in you while you where reading the story. Well let me tell that with this book, that never happened once and boy was I impressed with that. The writing style used in this book is very natural and is a perfect example that "less is more" because though the book has a lot of depth to it and is quite complex, the writing style always remains approachable, and the dialogue feels like it emulates what real conversations between people sound like. It was beyond refreshing and I adored every minute of it.

When you approach Sweetness, it's easy to assume by the title and length of this book, that it is a very light and even super fun read, but it is not. It is a quick read and it does have its fun and sweet moments but the topics covered in this book are not light. In this book we get to read about verbal abuse, parental abandonment, drug and alcohol abuse, intricate family dynamics, loneliness and alienation. And yes these topics are quite heavy but they never make the book feel like it's depressing or overwhelming, quite the contrary, they add a realness to the story and help deliver the quintessential message of the book, that is: to heal from our wounds, we must learn to accept and love others and ourselves.

The main and secondary characters in this book are just lovely. They are well developed and so darling. I have to say that I loved that the author makes the family members of the protagonists, Emily and Jake, a very important part of the book. That is not something that is common in Young Adult books. Usually the main focus is on the male and female leads story and the family members play a very small part in the book but not in Sweetness. In this book, family is front and center in the conflicts that affect the main leads in Sweetness and it made it that much more realistic because lets face it, family plays a center role in every human beings life. Even when they are absent, their absence leaves a mark. I just thought it was really great to have Emily's dad play a big part in her life and read about Jake's little brother Drake and to get a look into the background of these characters family life.

Now, on Emily and Jake. Our protagonists. There are no words. They are just so adorable and well developed and real. Emily in this book is struggling with the trauma of being verbally abused by her mother. And I think the author of this book captured perfectly, the severe ramifications of verbal abuse. There is a popular saying out there that says that, "sticks and stones might break my bones but words will never hurt me" - well let me tell you something, the author of this book, turns that phrase on its head and sets the record straight. Words can hurt a person. They can scar them for life and leave them in despair, struggling to understand what their self worth is and whether the mean things someone said to them are true or not. And in Emily's complete decision to alienate and isolate herself from everyone we can see the true affects that words can have on someone. Jake on the other hand, is one of those people who on the outside they look like they have it all. He is a star athlete, handsome and has popularity but in his real life, when you really get to read about whats going in his life, you see that he is actually struggling with a lot of family drama, too. But when the main characters in this book meet we soon get to follow them on their journey to trust one another, befriend one another and eventually fall in love with one another and boy was it beautiful. Why? because Emily and Jake have a refined sensibility. They are caring, smart, selfless young people who just happen to be caught up on a lot of family turmoil causing them to be a bit lost, a bit confused and sad. Thankfully they find each other and their story blossoms into something quite special and charming, I would say.

My only problem with this book is that it definitely needs a bit more of editing but nothing too major. Just a quick correction of a few spelling errors and grammar mistakes. Besides that, this book is just amazing. I am so impressed with Lindsay Paige as I believe that she is in her last year of high school. She is definitely a Young Adult author to watch out for and I can't wait to read the rest of the books in this series. And this is a quick read as the book is 108 pages so if you are in look for a great Contemporary Young Adult Romance novel, you have a winner in Sweetness.

My Rating: 4.5/5

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Jun 02, 2012 Michael Burhans rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, kindle-lendable

An impressive first effort by a young author. Also the first book I have picked up solely on what I have read from friends on Goodreads. It bodes well for what I will find in the future.

Ms. Paige has written a beautiful love story about two people who have more going on inside than people see at first glance. I do not want to spoil things for the reader so I will not go into specifics but it is wonderful to see the effect finding someone you can talk to has on a person.

This is the first book...more

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Mar 24, 2012 Fred rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Sarah Dessen, Sarah Ockler, Janet Gurtler, Jennifer Jabeley

Recommended to Fred by: Chrystle

Shelves: favorites, immediate-re-reads

"Beautiful, intense and moving. Crazy final chapter, still reeling from that one. Full review to follow, but for now let's just go with WOW!" That was my initial reaction on finishing this, and here's my full review, after further reflection. I'm still going to leave those first thoughts up though, just so I can remember (and you can realize) the big emotional impact this lovely book had on me when I first finished it.

When we first meet MC Emily, she's doing her best to be the invisible girl in...more "Beautiful, intense and moving. Crazy final chapter, still reeling from that one. Full review to follow, but for now let's just go with WOW!" That was my initial reaction on finishing this, and here's my full review, after further reflection. I'm still going to leave those first thoughts up though, just so I can remember (and you can realize) the big emotional impact this lovely book had on me when I first finished it.

When we first meet MC Emily, she's doing her best to be the invisible girl in the new school where she's starting her senior year. Head down, no eye contact, headphones in/hoodie up whenever possible. And then she's paired on a project with popular Jake, the handsome hockey hero, who she expects/hopes will ignore her like the rest of her classmates. But the weird thing is, Jake "sees" her. And he likes what he sees. Maybe it's because he recognizes someone coping with a world of hurt, since he's living in one too - maybe more successfully from the outside, but it's killing him inside. Maybe if he can solve the mystery of Emily, and help her heal, something good can happen for him, too. Although that's his rationale, I think it's just that - an explanation for an inexplicable attraction that hits them both pretty doggone hard and pretty doggone fast. So fast, in fact, that it further freaks Emily out, and that might be the last Jake sees of her, until he inadvertantly discovers his "secret weapon," his younger brother Drake, who he's pretty much parenting himself after his mom's death, just a year ago, and his dad's subsequent journey looking for her at the bottom of a bottle. Drake somehow manages to slip under Emily's considerable defense mechanisms, and as the three of them spend more time together, magic happens, and both of these wounded and still vulnerable lovers feel themselves coming back to life, with the joy and pain that entails. Unfortunately, life isn't done with them yet, and it has more mean girls, drunk dads, drugged out moms and painful bitter memories to throw at them (some in forms so tangible they can't be papered over). But two are better than one, and when it comes to manning the lifeboats, these two have each other's backs when it really counts (sorry, bit of a crazy metaphor alert there!)

So that's a basic idea of "what happens." But in some ways the story details seem less significant to me than the beautiful, skillful way author Lindsay Paige creates her characters and setting, and the powerful intensity of the language she uses to draw them together, and to draw you into the story. The first thing I read from this book was a quote, added by my Goodreads buddy Chrystle Woods, and it immediately pulled me into the scene and made me want to read more. I don't usually put quotes into reviews, but this one is so apt and awesome, so moving, that I'm going to:

“If I were standing right beside her, I probably would have heard her heart breaking. It would have sounded like the cracking of a wooden bat connecting with a baseball. No, that was too clean of a break. It would have sounded like rain from a powerful thunderstorm pounding on a tin roof. Millions of drops relentlessly pounding away on the surface until it shattered into billions of tiny pieces. Pieces Emily couldn’t put back together by herself.”

Sigh. That's just beautiful to me - it captures that emotion so well, while simultaneously showing us what kind of person Jake is, that it's one of those images you wonder why no one has ever expressed it quite that way or that well before. Which kind of brings me to another point. Although this book was, to me, a compelling read that I had a hard time putting down, it wasn't in an "omg, now what's going to happen next page-turnery" sort of way. To me the book unrolled more like a series of vignettes, episodes illuminated by emotional lightning, in an intensely poetic and lyrical style (see above!). The narrative skips forward sometimes, and there are holes from the past that we only find out about after our hearts have fallen into them. The result is a tone and feeling that is perfectly captured by the book's title. We find out things about Emily and Jake that make it clear that they weren't necessarily angels prior to the circumstances that scarred them - they are real kids, with flaws and foibles. But that makes them and their story all the more real, relatable and authentic feeling.

I read some other reviews before putting these thoughts down, and a couple mentioned that this wasn't as thoroughly edited as the reviewer might have preferred. I dispute that, although it is no doubt true that there are many lovely YA family drama/romances that have been worked over by editorial teams of really cool Ivy League fine arts grads in New York publishing house high rises. Some of them are probably more polished than this, and that's not a bad thing, I've loved lots of those books (see my reviews, honest!) And yet ... maybe I can best express this with a couple of analogies. Lindsay's from North Carolina, where one of my favorite singer/songwriters, James Taylor (uh oh, showing my age alert) grew up. In his awesome song, "Copperline," he sings about his childhood and teenage years, and the still resonant memory of his first taste of moonshine (so weird, this song literally came up on my Pandora Lady Antebellum station just after I wrote those words! - I'm leaving this in!) Anyhoo, JT has had his pick of every single malt scotch, every fine liqueur this ole world has to offer (and I gather that he's tried most of them at some point!), and yet, it's that potent, kind of raw, and unedited taste of moonshine that had the emotional, as well as chemical, impact, to result in a beautiful song, many years later. Here's another: I was a lawyer in several large Chicago law firms for many years, and all of them had gorgeous, impressive reception areas where we spent enough money on flowers every week that it sometimes became a bone of contention. And yet none of those expensive formal and artful arrangements, put together by talented and sophisticated florists, ever had the emotional impact on me of the impromptu fragance of wild lilacs unexpectedly experienced in spring. This is not to say that this isn't a sophisticated and artful book - it truly is. The prose is well crafted, and obviously has been lavished with loving and knowledgeable attention. But it does have the immediacy and authenticity of a fresh, pure and unfiltered voice. To me, that's an enormous part of its charm. So, all in all, an awesome debut by an author still in high school (sigh, where did I go wrong), who has a lovely and long career of fan-pleasing fiction ahead of her. Thanks Lindsay, for an awesome read!

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Aug 03, 2012 Josheka rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: above-average, e-book, full-of-ya-romance, had-everything-good-in-it, liked-the-characters, teen, rba

More of my reviews @ Reading 24x7

The title matches the story PERFECTLY! Sweetness was full of small bits (and sometimes big ones)of sweetness throughout the story. There were so many "awwwwww" moments and wonderfully executed scenes. I loved Lindsay Paige's writing style. It was simple and yet quite efficiently got the message through. All the characters were understandable and the story itself was AH-MAZING.

Character-wise Emily was okay. She was too..weak to be likeable in the beginning, but s...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I have to confess I've had this for ages, I didn't realise just how long this has been on my pile, I knew I was behind with reviews but let me just apologize to the author, I'm so sorry it took so long. This was next on my list and I opened it tonight to remind myself of what it was (sat so long I couldn't remember) And noticed it was only 105 pages which is very short for me so I started to read and had finished it within an ho...more

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Nov 20, 2012 Charlotte Lynns Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Moving to the new town with her dad, Emily becomes invisible. She does not make eye contact, speaking very softly or not at all, and keeping her headphones on to block everyone out. When Jake, star of the hockey team, asks her to be his partner for a school project Emily starts coming out of her shell. Jake helps Emily overcome her past and Emily helps Jake with his past. Making their lives forever changed.

By looking only at the title and length of the book you may assumes it will be a quick and...more

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Nov 11, 2012 Valerie Mcqueen rated it 5 of 5 stars

My review of Sweetness by Lindsay Paige

Rating 5*****

This book was provided free from the author in exchange for honest literary review.
The opinions voiced in this review are solely my own.

Emily has had her world torn apart over the last few years. Once a very happy, outgoing teen- now she refuses to make eye contact with other kids at school let alone hold a conversation. Her parents divorced and she lived with her mom for a short time, but that time had lasting consequences. Her mom made Emily...more My review of Sweetness by Lindsay Paige

Rating 5*****

This book was provided free from the author in exchange for honest literary review.
The opinions voiced in this review are solely my own.

Emily has had her world torn apart over the last few years. Once a very happy, outgoing teen- now she refuses to make eye contact with other kids at school let alone hold a conversation. Her parents divorced and she lived with her mom for a short time, but that time had lasting consequences. Her mom made Emily suffer as a result of her verbal abuse. The mother that had raised her was now gone lost to a drug problem that resulted in unspeakable things done and said unto Emily until her dad caught on and saved her. Once she moved with her dad, Emily has an extremely hard time putting the events from her mother behind her....that is until Jake walks into her life.
Jake has his own demons. Losing his mother last year to cancer was devastating to his family. Now he is a high school kids, hockey star,who also has to raise his little brother and take care of the house because his father has decided to crawl inside a bottle of alcohol instead of raise his children. In fact, since losing his mom the only good things in his life are his brother and hockey....until Emily.

Wow this book may only be 102 pages, but it touches you so deep. I really felt Emily's pain. Reading the abuse she had suffered at the hand of her mom you really feel her pain. In fact throughout the whole story each scene is vividly portrayed. There is great descriptive detail. We all see a mom as a protector and nurturer of the family, so the events here are at times shocking. It is awesome to watch Jake take the time to help Emily to heal. Watching her learn how to live and trust is a tear jerker, but a good one. Jake is just one of those characters that give you hope. I mean he is living a nightmare himself, but her seeks Emily out and tries to reach her. Mark this author down, there is a good future ahead for her. I found no editing problems, characters are deep and well developed. The plot is deep and well supported. I think my only gripe here is that I would have loved to see this book be a little longer, there is just so much to cover. As for would I recommend it, yes I would. I think it is a great story of hope. Showing that the love and thoughtfulness of one person can change lives. There are still good people left in the world!!!!
Michelle McQueen (less)

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Sep 13, 2012 Klaudyna Z. rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 20, 2012 Jade Walker rated it 3 of 5 stars

I want to start off by saying that considering the authors age, this book is pretty good. I enjoyed it and I came to care about the characters easily and since it's a pretty short book it was a quick and engaging read. However, there were quite a few issues which keep this book from being fantastic, which I know it had the potential to be.

I like reading books about real characters that go through real issues and let me tell you that these characters go through a lot of issues... both Jake and Em...more

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May 30, 2012 Tana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Lindsay Paige has written a terrific young adult romance novel, the characters are well developed and the storyline is excellent and Lindsay Paige is on her way to be one fantastic author.

This is a story of two young adults Emily and Jake, Emily is quite and hardly say’s a word to anyone, she can’t even bring herself to look people in the eye. Emily has suffered and has very low self esteem due to abuse from her mother. Jake is good looking, play’s hockey and takes care of his little brother. He...more

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May 06, 2012 Trista rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read this book in a few hours sitting in the doctors office waiting for an appointment for my future father in-law. For me it was a quick and easy read. It incorporates the silent tragedy and secrets teens,adults as well, keep close to them so others do not realize what is going on. When I was younger I remember my mom telling me that there is no such thing as a perfect cookie-cutter family - even the ones that appear so happy or have everything are always missing/hiding something. This book p...more I read this book in a few hours sitting in the doctors office waiting for an appointment for my future father in-law. For me it was a quick and easy read. It incorporates the silent tragedy and secrets teens,adults as well, keep close to them so others do not realize what is going on. When I was younger I remember my mom telling me that there is no such thing as a perfect cookie-cutter family - even the ones that appear so happy or have everything are always missing/hiding something. This book points it out exactly. Jake is a star hockey player and lives with his dad and little brother, Drake. Is their family perfect? Not quite. His dad is an alcoholic who continually blames Jake, the main character, for his mom dying. However, she died from the nasty C-Word, Cancer. Jake has taken the role of being the father/mother for himself and younger brother. He cooks, cleans, goes grocery shopping, watches Drake, and even helps Drake with his homework. Drake will often go to practice and games with him because Jake is afraid to leave him at home. He keeps this secret from everyone in school, even his teammates.

Emily is the type of girl that would be referred as a Special Education Teacher to have her see a school psychologist. The main reason she would be referred to me is her complete change in personality and lack of involvement with others in the classroom. As we learn when we begin the book Emily is a quiet girl who has panic attacks when it deals with giving presentations or talking to others. She can not look others in the eye or talk at a normal tone, often speaking very quietly like a mouse.

Jake and Emily are grouped together for a project and he insists on working together, much to her amazement because everyone else was more than happy to allow her to do ALL the work. If the teacher did not group them together the relationship may never have happened and we would still have two individuals withholding awful secrets. They would both have to trek through the world with their mud-boots on.

I thought this story was cute and was easy to follow. I do wish I had more interaction in the school setting because it seemed that was where most of the drama occurs while in high school. There was a scene of teenage girl jealousy which would happen in real life in some schools and I continually hoped for more action because of it. The setting of the book was mainly at the homes of Emily and Jake, where the truth to their secrets can not be hid. I think teenagers may enjoy the book more if it included more scenes with teenage jealousy, revenge, and gossip. The book was ultimately deemed wonderful and has a lesson in it : To overcome difficulties you must create a reason to fight for!

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Mar 19, 2012 Chrystle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-romance, emotional-read

Okay, so first things first. I couldn't resist picking up this book for 2 reasons. First, the simple face that Lindsay is still in high school. I was facinated with the concept of reading a YA by a...YA :) Second, when reading an interview I saw that she considers Jessica Park (author of Flat Out Love and by far one of my favorite authors ever) her mentor. Can't go wrong there!

So this is the story of two emotionally scarred teenagers. Both are scarred by events in their past which they feel the...more

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Nov 15, 2011 Katie rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-book

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 23, 2012 Chrissy (The Every Free Chance Reader) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-on-blog

Did I enjoy this book: I did. It was a quick read (only 110 pages) that held my interest. I read this book every free chance I had.

I just wanted to hug both Emily and Jake and tell each of them that it wasn't his/her fault. I cared about these characters and I wanted to see how their story ended.

Emily was a well written character. She is described as walking with her head down, looking at the shoes going by her. She almost always had her iPod on her and didn't talk to anyone. You could tell sh...more

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Oct 14, 2011 Bonnie Wheeler rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: indie-author-s-i-know

Poor Emily has emotional issues. After her parents divorced, her unstable mother went off the deep end and did all she could to bring her teen down with her. Fortunately, once her dad found out, he stepped in and had his daughter move in with him. The abuse Emily sustained really messed her up though – and as the reader discovers the details, it is no wonder.

Once she meets Jake, the walls of self-doubt and shame begin to tumble, but the process isn’t an easy one. Jake hasn’t had the easiest lif...more

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Oct 18, 2011 Miranda Wheeler rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a very different type of review for me. Sweetness is not paranormal, though it is young adult fiction - but once I found out that the author was a self-published, teen author (I spoke in my last post about how much I appriciate that dynamic!), I knew I had to read it anyway.

First, we meet 17-year-old, high school senior Emily. She's quiet and withdrawn, and seems to shutter with anxiety at the thought of socializing with anyone. Beaten and broken by her mother, she's swept out of the ab...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, r2r-and-arr

I would like to thank the author for giving me this book in exchange for an honest review. This is a book I have debated reading, so I was happy to have the opportunity.

Sweetness is about Emily. She had been verbally and physically abused by her mother and her drug deals. Now she lives with her father, but she has drawn into herself and doesn't like to speak to anyone and keeps her head down. All that starts to change when she is paired up with Jake for a class project. Jake helps her see that s...more

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Oct 26, 2011 Mandy (I read Indie) Anderson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sweetness is a 2 part book and recently Lindsay Paige took the book off the market for more revisions…I decided to do a review for part one for now. Paige also mentioned maybe making part two a sequel. Once part two is put back on the market I will post my review for it.

Emily walks the halls of school with her head down, never making eye contact. She has a past that she wants no one to know about. After a couple years of verbal abuse at the hands of her mother, she comes to live with her father....more

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May 28, 2012 Angela rated it 5 of 5 stars

Kindle Version (free from author for honest review)

What good can possibly come out of a quiet, shy, girl with a very bad past being paired up with one of the head hockey players for a school project? Emily doesn’t even talk to people, much less want to work with the school hockey player, Jake, on a project. She figures she will be doing all the work anyway so just starts working on the project. Jake comes over and surprises her by wanting to help and wanting to get to know her better. How can su...more Kindle Version (free from author for honest review)

What good can possibly come out of a quiet, shy, girl with a very bad past being paired up with one of the head hockey players for a school project? Emily doesn’t even talk to people, much less want to work with the school hockey player, Jake, on a project. She figures she will be doing all the work anyway so just starts working on the project. Jake comes over and surprises her by wanting to help and wanting to get to know her better. How can such a broken girl have anything in common with a high school hockey player though? Emily can’t help but find herself wondering what he wants from her or what he is trying to do. Jake is just as shocked as Emily, but only because he starts to care about her and want to get to know her. He doesn’t know what happened to her to make her so secluded, but he wants to find out and wants to help her in any way he can. The only person Emily is interested in talking to though is Drake, Jake’s little brother. Can Jake make Emily see that he really does care about her? Will she open up to him about what happened to her to make her as withdrawn as she is with other people? Can Emily really trust him?

I must say that this is the sweetest, most romantic love story I have read in a long time. I was sucked into the story from the moment I started reading it. The characters were easy to fall in love with and connect with and the plot of the story was just about as sweet and amazing as they can come. Not that the lives of Jake and Emily are easy or should be made light of, but the concept of the whole plot was a great thing to read. This book is filled with a tenderness that you don’t find in most romance books, or any other books for that matter. I found myself actually in aw of the two teenagers finding love in each other and both trying to come out of their shells with each other. The relationship of Emily and her Dad, Mike, is also very touching. I must say that I was swept up in this book and would highly recommend it to anyone, young adult or adult, that is looking for a tender and sweet romance with great characters and concepts. I think this author did an amazing job with this book and I can’t wait to start the second book of this series that she wrote. I am hoping that the next book continues with Jake and Emily and builds on the relationship they are trying to make. I also am excited to see Emily develop more and come out of her shell more. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book with some of the events that took place in this book towards the end too. Very excited about reading the next book!

5/5 Stars!!
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Apr 03, 2012 Reading, Eating & Dreaming rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-stars

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE REVIEWS AT READING, EATING & DREAMING

Sweetness, the first novel in the Bold As Love series by Lindsay Paige, was pretty short, but oh so SWEET! Told from both Emily and Jake's perspectives, this novel was the perfect introduction to Jake and Emily's characters. I learned about their background, their home lives, their fears, and their dreams. I discovered what makes them tick, what makes them scared, and what makes them smile. I learned about who they were and who the...more CLICK HERE TO READ MORE REVIEWS AT READING, EATING & DREAMING

Sweetness, the first novel in the Bold As Love series by Lindsay Paige, was pretty short, but oh so SWEET! Told from both Emily and Jake's perspectives, this novel was the perfect introduction to Jake and Emily's characters. I learned about their background, their home lives, their fears, and their dreams. I discovered what makes them tick, what makes them scared, and what makes them smile. I learned about who they were and who they are. I fell in love with Jake and Emily because they are not only relatable, but also extremely likable.

Right before I read Sweetness, I read another young adult novel, by a different author, about characters with very similar home lives and challenges. I couldn't specifically pinpoint what my deal was with that novel, but I had a hard time connecting and relating with the characters and the story line. That definitely wasn't the case in this novel.

From the very beginning of this novel, I connected with Emily and Jake because they are REAL. Everything about the two high school students felt authentic: their struggles, their reactions, their hopes, their dreams, and their fears. They are two teens who are mature beyond their years because of the real-life challenges they face at home. Emily is a loner. She used to be an outgoing "normal" teen with lots of friends, but her mother's verbal abuse and disturbing actions turned Emily into a shy, introverted girl who believes she is unworthy and unlovable. Starting over in a new town with her father was supposed to help Emily heal, but her mother's hateful words still stream on repeat in her head. Jake, on the other hand, is outgoing and popular; he is the star of the hockey team. From the outside, his life looks perfect, but things at home are far from perfect. Jake is raising his younger brother Drake all on his own, because his alcoholic father can barely take care of himself, much less anyone else. Emily and Jake enter each other lives when they are paired together for an at-home project. Over time they become friends, and eventually they realize that they may be able to lean on someone else for a change.Their lives aren't easy, but they develop a strong friendship full of love, support, and understanding. I've never been in Emily or Jake's shoes, but I empathized and related with them.

I gave Sweetness (Bold As Love #1) by Lindsay Paige 4 STARS. I strongly recommend this novel to young adults. It's an emotional story filled with charming characters that are impossible to resist. Sweetness was a great introduction to a fabulous series for young adults, and I can't wait to get started on I'm Yours (Bold As Love #2).

I am currently hosting a giveaway for Sweetness. Check out the details of the contest on my blog.Sweetness (Bold As Love #1) Giveaway

-XOXO

READING, EATING & DREAMING (less)

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Nov 29, 2012 Norlin Mustapha rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book could have gone much better had the writer delved in further into the emotions of each of the main characters; Emily & Jake. Emily came out from an emotionally abusive situation and now lives with her dad. A withdrawn girl who somehow learned to open up and be herself again when she met Jake. Jake is a popular school hockey player who lost his mum to cancer and lives with his dad and younger brother, Drake. His mum's death turned his father into an alcoholic, therefore making him...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Kayla rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, romance, ya, abuse

I got asked to review Sweetness and I am very glad that I accepted. This book deals with a lot of emotional issues, that are very realistic.

The MC Emily is a new girl in town, she is very quiet and keeps to herself. Her mother has done and said terrible things that she will never forget. In class one day she gets paired with Jake, he also has issues that he deals with. He has lost his mother to cancer and his dad drinks his problems away every night leaving Jake to take care of his little broth...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Rachael Woohoo rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: book, chick-lit, ebook, 2012, review-copy, romance, july-2012, reviewed, ebooks-i-own

If you want to see more of my reviews, check out my blog @ Moosubi Reviews!

Note: I decided to do a series review for the first three books in the Bold As Love series, which includes Sweetness, I’m Yours, and Whatever It Takes. This review goes over what I liked / didn’t like in each book, as well as the series as a whole.

Series Overall Rating: 2.5 / 5

Disclaimer: The fact that I received free copies of this series in exchange for an honest review has not affected my rating. This review expresses...more

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May 24, 2012 Julie(Reading By The Beach) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arr

As seen on -> http://readingbythebeach.blogspot.com...

Sometimes people just instantly connect and that is what happens in Sweetness. Super, super sweet romance. . . predictable, but still really sweet. However, I didn't like that there wasn't a significant struggle between Jake and Emily. For two people that have deep-rooted issues, they both confided and changed too quickly to squeeze out the emotional side to this story.

I also felt jilted on Emily's history. We are given facts (horrific fac...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was very touching. I was drawn to both the main characters (Emily and Jake) as well as the Mike and Drake. The dynamics between these four characters was touching and a good example of true happiness and family.

I did, however, feel this short novel tried to touch upon a few too many tough issues without sufficiently expanding upon them. Many specifics were glazed over and not truly discussed. I also felt many of the issues touched upon with supporting characters were not resolved at th...more

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May 31, 2012 Nikki (The Bibliomaniac) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Emily has recently moved in with her dad and started a new school. She's very quiet and withdrawn, hoping to bring no attention to herself. She is unwilling to make eye contact with anyone, afraid to see disgust in others eyes. She speaks quietly, afraid of annoying people with her un-pleasant voice.

Jake is the highschool star hockey player, good looking and simply charming. Jake has it all going for him, or so it would appear. Jake's home life is less then satisfying and he is his beloved young...more

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May 20, 2012 Carole Rae rated it 4 of 5 stars

Like I earlier stated, I read this for CMN to give my honest opinion. This is the first book I've read by Lindsay Paige and it is also the first book of the series.

At first I was little unsure how I would take to this book. Usually I don't read YA novels, but I took a chance with this one and the second one (which I'll be reading soon). Why? Well, I'm a sucker for guys who play hockey or baseball. How many books have you read that the hero is a hockey or baseball player? Not many! When I read th...more Like I earlier stated, I read this for CMN to give my honest opinion. This is the first book I've read by Lindsay Paige and it is also the first book of the series.

At first I was little unsure how I would take to this book. Usually I don't read YA novels, but I took a chance with this one and the second one (which I'll be reading soon). Why? Well, I'm a sucker for guys who play hockey or baseball. How many books have you read that the hero is a hockey or baseball player? Not many! When I read that Jake (the hero) was a hockey player I was giggled like a pre-teen and put my name into read this. I also really wanted to see if Lindsay Paige could make this very unlikely romance seem legit or if it would be cheesy like many YA romances are.

To put it simple: I was not let down. I was drawn to Emily's and Jake's story. I can't say that I can connect with these characters on the same level as these two, but I understand. It's hard to explain, but I really was intrigued. They both had pretty bad experiences in their past and they suffer in silence until they find one another. I found it very sweet and I was highly jealous of Emily. Jake, even though classified as a popular guy, was a wonderful person. I love how he was so dedicated to help Emily and bring her back to life after such horrid experiences with her mother being a (sorry for the French) bitch and the guys her mom hired to pretty much rape her. Poor girl. However, I love how Emily stood by her man even though he blamed himself for his mother's death.

Perhaps the reason why Jake was drawn to Emily was the fact that she was his redemption. He would save her, because he wasn't there to save his mom. It's just so...sweet. I loved it. Perhaps that is why Lindsay Paige named the book Sweetness. Hmmmm.

The only thing that realllllllllly bugged me was how the book was written. It was written in present tense and at times I felt like I was reading diary entries. I don't mind it, but it was slightly irritating at times. Am I being too picky or have I become highly use to past tense novels? I don't know, but that was the only thing that irked me. Other than that, I adored this book.

Sweetness was a sweet book and its a good book to read while your laying by the pool or chilling on the beach. I can't wait to start the second book in this series. I would recommend this to those that need a nice, sweet book or for those that LOVE YA novels. It's one the best YA novels I've read in a long time. Out of five stars I grant this one 4 stars.

Favorite Character(s): Emily, Jake, Emily's dad/Mike
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Emily's mom, Claire (gah)(less)

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May 15, 2012 Rachel Simons rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sweetness is a fantastic book. Emily was a shy girl completely in her shell, wouldn’t make eye contact with anyone and barely speak. Jake on the other hand was the complete opposite of her although both of them had bad pasts.

The book is quite emotional in places and romantic and a lot of turmoil too.
I liked seeing Emily come out of that awful shell she had herself in, and that Jake was the person to help her through it. With him having problems too it kind of makes sense why they are great toget...more

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Feb 12, 2012 Angelic rated it 5 of 5 stars

I wasnt sure what to expect when I bought this book. My expectations were meet and then some. Emily is a teen has been through a horrible reality that no girl should endure. Her experience left her detatched from the world around her at a time in her life when things should be fun and memorable. But no, she is unable to associate with the world around her until Jake and Drake come into her life. Slowly but surely she sees a break in the clouds. This is a beautiful book that had me up late into t...more

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May 19, 2012 Candace (Lovey Dovey Books) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

Originally posted on Lovey Dovey Books

Lindsay Paige's debut and first book in the Bold as Love Series, Sweetness, is indeed a sweet story. Sweetness flows at a fast pace in which readers are introduced to Emily and Jake right at the start. There's background information on both characters, but it's not an overload. There isn't a detailed description of Emily's background, but only a mention of a secret past while setting the scene of her present.

It's very clear how distinctly different Emily and...more

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About Lindsay Paige

Lindsay Paige is a romance author from North Carolina. She has published three books in her Bold as Love series and a YA titled Don't Panic.

She loves to play tennis and watch hockey, especially the Pittsburgh Penguins. When not writing, she is focused on completing college.

Lindsay Paige is inspired by world around her and the people in it. Many of the aspects in her stories stem from her struggl...more

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Quotes from Sweetness

“If I were standing right beside her, I probably would have heard her heart breaking. It would have sounded like the cracking of a wooden bat connecting with a baseball. No, that was too clean of a break. It would have sounded like rain from a powerful thunderstorm pounding on a tin roof. Millions of drops relentlessly pounding away on the surface until it shattered into billions of tiny pieces. Pieces Emily couldn’t put back together by herself.” — 47 people liked it

“Her smile brings a smile to my lips every time. Knowing that sometimes, I'm the one who caused that makes me even happier.” — 16 people liked it

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Sweetness (Bold As Love #1)

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