Return to Paradise (Leaving Paradise, #2)

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Return to Paradise (Leaving Paradise #2)

4.1 of 5 stars 4.10 · rating details · 14,806 ratings · 1,002 reviews

Caleb Becker left Paradise eight months ago, taking with him the secret he promised to take to his grave. If the truth got out, it would ruin everything.

Maggie Armstrong tried to be strong after Caleb broke her heart and disappeared. Somehow, she managed to move on. She's determined to make a new life for herself.

But then Caleb and Maggie are forced together on a summer tr...more

Paperback, 302 pages

Published September 1st 2010 by Flux

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Sep 23, 2010 Ariana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, alternating-pov, ya-contemporary, romance, laugh-aloud, series

Sweet, fun, entertaining.. I'm glad I read it!
After reading "Leaving paradise" I was so disappointed that I didn't really want to read the sequel. The first book started so damn good but it was just ok by the middle (except some good parts), and then it ended in such a hurry - I understand why, but i still don't like it. I just couldn't relate to the story at all (I know a lot of people loved it, I just wasn't one of them).

But today I read (and finished) "Return to paradise" and it was really g...more

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Nov 09, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com

Leaving Paradise, Caleb Becker thought he would have a better life, even if it meant letting go of Maggie. Yet Caleb still finds himself in trouble, once again not being his fault. With the departure of Caleb, Maggie Armstrong waited and waited for his return. As the days went by, the chances of reuniting with Caleb seemed non-existent. So Maggie decided that she would become stronger, to become more independent.

As if fate had...more Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com

Leaving Paradise, Caleb Becker thought he would have a better life, even if it meant letting go of Maggie. Yet Caleb still finds himself in trouble, once again not being his fault. With the departure of Caleb, Maggie Armstrong waited and waited for his return. As the days went by, the chances of reuniting with Caleb seemed non-existent. So Maggie decided that she would become stronger, to become more independent.

As if fate had another plan for them, Caleb and Maggie are reunited with the help of the Re-START program. The program that will keep Caleb from going to jail again and will help Maggie cope. During the four-week trip, Maggie and Caleb and four other teens drive around, talking to others about the accidents that they may have caused or experienced firsthand.

As the trip continues, emotions and feelings between Caleb and Maggie arise once again, creating conflicts, confusion, and breakdowns. Maggie knows the truth about the accident and all she wants is for Caleb to tell her himself. But Caleb is not aware that Maggie already knows, and doesn't want to break his promise to his sister.

In the end, the only way to make their relationship stronger is for Caleb to return to Paradise, where he will ultimately resolve the issues surrounding the accident, including those dealing with his family. However, doing so could have a negative outcome for his sister. Is Caleb willing to take the risk in order to finally develop a lasting relationship with Maggie, or will his promise to his sister mean more?

Once again, Simone Elkeles geniusly writes a sequel that allows the reader to fall in love all over again with her characters. Maggie and Caleb are unquestionably the strongest, and of course cutest, characters and continue to be throughout the story as they both push each other because they know it is for the best. The addition of lovable characters such as Lenny and Julio adds another dynamic to the novel that makes it even more enjoyable.

RETURN TO PARADISE will not disappoint readers who enjoyed LEAVING PARADISE. (less)

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Jan 14, 2011 Lora rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: g-ya-realistic, lib-read

What to say, what to say . . .

I enjoyed Leaving Paradise, but not as much as I was expecting to. So, when starting this, my expectations weren't very high. And because of that, they were met.

I just don't like the characters or the story, for that matter, nearly as much as I do with Ms. Elkeles' other works (her Perfect Chemistry series is awesome!). It's not that I disliked this, but I won't be reading it or it's predecessor ever again. So, I guess take that how you want to.

I still love Simone E...more

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Mar 30, 2013 Josu rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: marzo-2013

Preciosa y emotiva parte final de la bilogía que ha cumplido con las expectativas. Gran saga. Ahora no dudaré en leer la de los hermanos.

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Jun 11, 2011 Donna {Book Passion for Life} rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, ya-contemporary-romance

Posted on: http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.com

After finishing Leaving Paradise I was so excited to start this book…. I headed for it straight away. I was really worried that I would be disappointed with it, just because I’d hear a few negative reviews but it’s safe to say……Simone Elkeles has done it again and completely blown me away again. Wow! Just wow!

Return to Paradise starts 8 months later meeting Caleb in trouble. When he’s been arrested and faces jail time, Caleb has known one else to...more Posted on: http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.com

After finishing Leaving Paradise I was so excited to start this book…. I headed for it straight away. I was really worried that I would be disappointed with it, just because I’d hear a few negative reviews but it’s safe to say……Simone Elkeles has done it again and completely blown me away again. Wow! Just wow!

Return to Paradise starts 8 months later meeting Caleb in trouble. When he’s been arrested and faces jail time, Caleb has known one else to turn to but his former mentor Damon. Damon can get him out of trouble providing Caleb joins a Re-Start Programme for kids affected by drunk driving. The morning of the trip Caleb finds himself face to face with Maggie…..who is also taking part in the programme. Thinking everything will be fine, both Caleb and Maggie fight their attraction for one another and both wishing they could finally reveal what really happened on the night of the crash.

I honestly have to say wow again! Honestly, wow! I thought the first book was fantastic but this was a completely different read. I’ve never been more on edge while reading a book; I just couldn’t keep my excitement in. You’re thrown into the lives of Caleb and Maggie from the first page and the passion of their relationship is just completely undeniable once again.

We get to see a whole new different side to both of the characters. They’ve both grown over the 8 months they been apart but they’ve both become stronger…Maggie especially. She finally comes out of the shell she has been living in since the accident and after losing Caleb, she finally starts trying to live her life with no regrets and really try to be a different person. Now Caleb…he’s had a hard time during the 8 months apart but my god, I’ve never meet anyone more stubborn all my life. I did sometimes want to give him a good shake but I’m glad he finally came to terms with everything that had happened since the accident. He did grow as a character by the end of the book and I loved that we got to see a different side to him.

I also really enjoyed the new characters that were introduced even though they were all battling their own problems, they all came together and were funny, caring and so much fun to read about. I loved that Simone managed to bring some of them back to Paradise and created a happy ending for them as she could of.

Overall, not only has Simone managed to write a fantastic sequel but she has managed to pack this story with even more emotion, more passion and more intense scenes that will leave the reader dying to finish the book. A fantastic end to a fantastic series and one I know I will read over and over again. Highly recommended to all.
(less)

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Feb 09, 2012 Annie Brewer rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone who has ever wanted to give up in life

Recommended to Annie by: Maida

Shelves: absolutely-amazingly-awesome, favorite, favorite-authors, irresistable-hot-guys, nook-books

OMG! That was the most beautifully poignant book ever!!!! God, I'm such a cry baby!!! It ended perfectly! It had such a beautiful message and left you feeling so good. I am so happy for Caleb and Maggie!! Leah stepped up her game in this one and really surprised me! I loved her! I loved Lenny and Julio and Trish and Damon once again impressed me and Lou was awesome!! I loved everything about this book. I've been on such a Contemp kick that these stories move me beyond words. I am crying from hap...more OMG! That was the most beautifully poignant book ever!!!! God, I'm such a cry baby!!! It ended perfectly! It had such a beautiful message and left you feeling so good. I am so happy for Caleb and Maggie!! Leah stepped up her game in this one and really surprised me! I loved her! I loved Lenny and Julio and Trish and Damon once again impressed me and Lou was awesome!! I loved everything about this book. I've been on such a Contemp kick that these stories move me beyond words. I am crying from happiness to such an aweful circumstance but I'm also crying because Maggie and Caleb's story has come to an end. They will remain in my heart forever! Caleb has become a top fictional boyfriend! He's perfect in everyway!!! This isn't my actual review. I just can't stop tearing up. So I shall return with a full review soon!

***********************************************************************

Okay, now that I am not such an emotional baby, I can continue with this review. First of all, I love this cover. It really fits this book kinda perfectly. I don't really like the girl that much but the guy is not too bad as my beloved Caleb.

LIKES:

Like I said, I love the cover. It is really romantic and sets the mood for this lovely sequel. One of the biggest things I liked about this book was the plot. The first one was very different from what I've read. It was unique and flowed very well. This is one was no different. In fact, it was better than the first to me! Again, I loved the book in both POV's.I LOVED the concept of the Re Start program and the trip they went on, and the fat that Maggie and Caleb were once again reunited!!! It was, so wonderful and I fell in love even more with them!!

We left off from Leaving Paradise where Caleb left Paradise again to go off by himself. His family never accepted him and he felt they were better off without him screwing everything up. His life fell apart the moment he was arrested for hitting Maggie with his car while driving home drunk. It was a really screwed up situation. But he got out of jail and did community service. He paid his dues. Then he and Maggie fell in love. She forgave him for everything, yet he wasn't convinced he was worthy of her or anyone else. So he left her and Paradise behind.

The beginning of Return to Paradise, he gets in trouble again. He is staying in a drug house because he has nowhere to go and his roommate gets busted for drugs. He didn't sell or do any but still took the blame, almost ended up in the slammer for the 2nd time in 2 years. Until, Damon comes to his rescue.....AGAIN! I gotta say, this guy is a saint! That is where the Re Start program comes into play. He makes a deal with Caleb that if he goes with him to a camp for a few weeks telling his story to troubled kids about the consequences of drinking and driving , then he wont go to jail. So, he obliges not knowing he would see Maggie on the same trip. Things get tense, old wounds open up, and Hell breaks loose here and there. But it never ceases to impress me. The writing is beautiful, poignant and easy to follow. It flowed so amazingly. It was hard to put the book down. I did however, force myself because I knew if I kept reading I would have finished it in one day. It made me sad and depressed to know their sweet love story was coming to an end.

I loved the new characters introduced in this book. My favorites were Lenny, although he annoyed me at the beginning but he totally got to me towards the end. I liked Trish, she was kind of a brat but I warmed up to her pretty quick. The rest of the characters were great. Lou was a great match for Maggie's mom. I was happy for them and for Maggie to actually have a father figure in her life! The whole concept was interesting and it made reading that much more fun. The witty and pissy banters between everyone was great! I laughed so much during most of Lenny's scenes, what a personality-sick and twisted but still pretty funny!

The end was just amazing!! I was worried at first that things weren't going to turn out the way I hoped. But Simone didn't disappoint!!! I cried the last few chapters, it was romantic and sad but happy at the same time! I loved it through and through!

DISLIKES:

The only thing I didn't like was that it was too short!! I would have loved to see more of Maggie and Caleb's future eventhough it was clear what their future looked like! I guess I just wasn't to let go of these awesome characters that touched my heart all the way to my soul. They will always be in my heart though and I may just read this series over and over again!! I highly recommend this series to those that have ever wanted to give up on life. It shows everyone deserves second chances and to not ever give up but fight for what you want!! Thank you Caleb and Maggie for being so amazing!! And giving me this wonderful story of hope and love!!! FIVE STARS all the way!(less)

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Sep 03, 2010 Emma rated it 2 of 5 stars

What a disappointment !! I hate to criticize a book but this one really wasn't worth my time or my money. I wish I had skipped it altogether and imagined my own happy ending for Caleb and Maggie.
Now all I'm saying is don't judge Simone Elkeles's writing with this book. She wrote some of my favorite books ever and I'm confident she will again.

11 likes · like · see review

Mar 11, 2010 Pepper rated it 4 of 5 stars

really want to read this! can't wait!!!!!! :D

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Jul 24, 2011 Sana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2010

The ending of Leaving Paradise, although justified, left me in some shock because it was Maggie's plan to leave and Caleb's to stay but the opposite happened. Return to Paradise starts from Caleb sitting in jail again 'cause of a drug bust with a menacing promise of being thrown into an adult jail.

Fortunately for him, his counselor is called who tells him to join a RE-Start group who travels to campuses in Mid-West telling their stories of reckless driving to the students. Running out of options...more

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Jan 04, 2011 Rebecca rated it 1 of 5 stars

A complete and utter travesty. 1.5 stars. Now, i'm not one to dislike books due to mature content, but I felt as if the only real purpose of this book was to let us all know how much Caleb and Maggie wanted to get into eachothers pants. Completley rushed, unnecessary characters and plot events were major problems and, to top it off, we had a constant ridiculous battle between the two - 'I love you', 'we can't be together','let's just have a quick snog before we go back to biting eachothers heads...more

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Aug 11, 2011 OceMei Belikova♥ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks, ipod-touch, read-in-2011, young-adult

For Maggie, LOVE is. . .
"I don't want us to just 'want' each other. I want a real relationship with a guy. Love. And you don't even know what love is. Love is honesty. Love is a mutual respect for one another, something you and I don't have.

For Caleb, LOVE is. . .
Love isn't about honesty. It's about protecting the people you love from things that will hurt them. That's love.

I really enjoy myself reading this. (read my review for the first series of Leaving Paradise ,here : Leaving Paradise,#1 ...more

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Dec 18, 2010 Rachel (The Rest Is Still Unwritten) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-supernatural, i-own

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I actually liked this book more than the first one. The storyline was more interesting and funny, and there were a lot more romance between Maggie and Caleb. I found that I liked the moments between them the most out of the whole story. Both characters have changed quite a bit over the two books. They’ve grown and become stronger and it’s because of each other that they have the courage to face what they otherwise wouldn’t have. I think they bring out the best in each other and considering their...more

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Oct 11, 2012 Lily Rose rated it 4 of 5 stars

I want Caleb and Maggie having one of those fantastic Simone Elkeles epilogues...!!!
They deserve a great love story...!!!!

Ho adorato questo romanzo, come adoro tutto quello che scrive Simone Elkeles.
Caleb e Maggie insieme sono una forza imbattibile, perchè immenso è il loro amore.
Prima di poter finalemnte vivere liberi dal passato, hanno dovuto aprire ferite che ancora facevano male.
L'unica cosa di cui potrei relativamente lamentarmi è l'assenza dell'epilogo finale, quasi sempre presente in Simo...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Eight months ago Caleb decided to leave Paradise, assuming it was the best for him and his future. Trying to build a better future for himself, Caleb not only leaves his past, and family behind, but also the girl he loves, in Paradise. Staying in Chicago, doesn't do anything good for Caleb, instead he gets himself in trouble again.

Staying behind in Paradise, without Caleb, Maggie begins to start her life over again. And she is doing well, until Maggie is asked to go on a three week long trip, tr...more Eight months ago Caleb decided to leave Paradise, assuming it was the best for him and his future. Trying to build a better future for himself, Caleb not only leaves his past, and family behind, but also the girl he loves, in Paradise. Staying in Chicago, doesn't do anything good for Caleb, instead he gets himself in trouble again.

Staying behind in Paradise, without Caleb, Maggie begins to start her life over again. And she is doing well, until Maggie is asked to go on a three week long trip, traveling place to place to telling the story of what happened to her leg, and runs into Caleb...who is also doing this trip. Not just to tell his story, but to make sure he doesn't go to prison again.

Return to Paradise follows Caleb and Maggie's three week long trip, what happens to the two, and if they'll get back together!

Simone Elkeles is the author of one of my favorite series, Perfect Chemistry, loving those three books so much, I decided to read this series. Leaving Paradise was a bit comparable to the Perfect Chemistry series, and I was okay with that, it's actually what I wanted. I liked the characters, I liked the way they acted, and started to have feelings for one another. I overall, really enjoyed the story.

Return to Paradise started off and ended good. But the middle is a whole different story. The beginning explains what trouble Caleb gets himself in, and how him and Maggie stumble upon each other, while the middle was their entire trip. The middle of their story was a bit frustrating, the way Maggie and Caleb were both unsure of what they wanted, one minute they didn't like each other, and the next they were in love. It was just too lovey dovey for two people who claim to hate and not want to be with each other. Another thing that really bothered me about this book was the things that Caleb said. He said things that no real guy would say, he never really thought about what he was saying, and just blurted everything out. He would say something to Maggie, and then before he could barely finish his sentence, he would ask her to forget whatever it is that he had said. He went from being this tough juvie guy (in the first book) to this guy who can't keep his emotions in (second book).

While the middle wasn't very enjoyable for me, I loved the beginning, and the way Simone Elkeles introduced the characters again, and I loved the ending, because of the way things worked out for the two love birds, and how the truth finally came out.

If I had to choose between this series and the Perfect Chemistry series, I would pick the Perfect Chemistry series, the guys are more realistic and more of my type of guys. I did enjoy this series as well, but I wish Caleb wouldn't act the way he did in the second book.(less)

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Nov 11, 2012 Zoe rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, ya

The funny thing about Caleb and Maggie is that there aren’t really many misunderstandings. It’s just that neither of them know what they want and they’re star-crossed lovers. They still love each other after eight months and still want each other. But there’s a whole lot of logistics they need to work through.

Caleb insists on being the tough guy. At every turn he’s trying to prove that he’s a badass ex-con. But of course he isn’t, so the act is seen for what it really is - an act. He refuses to...more

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May 18, 2013 Dèjá rated it 3 of 5 stars

Full of spoilers!
I was so good that there's a second book, but it was much too short, and didn't flow like the first! The tension between Caleb and Maggie was almost too annoying! I'm glad Damon reappeared in the book though. The way Maggie's and Caleb's path s quickly caught up I didn't like, and Kendra was annoying as ever! Same with Brian! I hope Lou won Maggie's mom's heart! Missing his mom in this book! Lenny was pretty weird at first, and I feel sad for whoever was pregnant. Matt is sweet,...more

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Apr 28, 2013 Freelfe rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Après mon immense coup de cœur pour Paradise, j’attendais avec impatience, et non sans quelques appréhensions, ce fameux tome 2. Il ne fallait pas mettre la barre trop haute si je ne voulais pas être déçue… Globalement, ce second tome est moins bon que le premier, mais demeure une lecture agréable et simple.

Retour à Paradise est le tome 2 du diptyque Paradise de Simone Elkeles, publié aux Editions La Martinière Jeunesse. Nous sommes dans une romance de 314 pages qui est très plaisante à lire. Dr...more Après mon immense coup de cœur pour Paradise, j’attendais avec impatience, et non sans quelques appréhensions, ce fameux tome 2. Il ne fallait pas mettre la barre trop haute si je ne voulais pas être déçue… Globalement, ce second tome est moins bon que le premier, mais demeure une lecture agréable et simple.

Retour à Paradise est le tome 2 du diptyque Paradise de Simone Elkeles, publié aux Editions La Martinière Jeunesse. Nous sommes dans une romance de 314 pages qui est très plaisante à lire. Dressée dans une époque proche de la nôtre, nous retrouvons nos deux héros, Caleb et Maggie, qui ont évolué par rapport au premier tome. Chacun est devenu plus fort, à sa manière. Mais il y a certaine chose qui demeure et qui ne pourront s’effacer… Et je n’en dirais pas plus afin de ne pas vous spoiler.

Si j’avais trouvé Caleb et Maggie très sincères et profonds dans le premier tome, j’ai trouvé qu’ils étaient moins approfondis dans ce second tome. C’est d’ailleurs ce que je reprocherais globalement à ce second livre : un manque de profondeur et d’émotion. J’ai trouvé que l’histoire restait vraiment en surface, qu’elle n’était pas aussi émouvante qu’elle aurait pu l’être et qu’elle l’avait été dans le premier tome. L’histoire entre Caleb et Maggie m’a même parfois agacé, ne comprenant pas vraiment pourquoi ils faisaient tout ça au final, pourquoi ils cherchaient à se faire souffrir mutuellement alors que nous avions le contraire dans le tome 1.

Ce tome deux n’apporte pas beaucoup de choses au final. Sinon une conclusion et quelques réponses. Je n’ai pas trouvé que la romance entre Caleb et Maggie était le point le plus intéressant dans ce livre. Au contraire, j’ai trouvé que tout ce qui était secondaire rendait le livre plus prenant et plus intéressant. C’est même ces personnages secondaires et ces différentes histoires secondaires qui donnait au récit un rythme et qui nous faisait rire, sourire et parfois nous serrait la gorge.

Mon avis paraît peut-être un peu déçu, mais il ne l’est pas véritablement. Je ne m’attendais pas à quelque-chose d’extraordinaire venant de ce roman. J’aurais aimé qu’il soit aussi poignant et émouvant que le premier, mais il ne pouvait l’être. Ce qui rendait l’histoire si belle et si poignante dans le premier tome, ne pouvait assurément pas être remis dans celui-ci. De fait, je m’attendais presque à cela, même si je suis un peu déçue par le manque de profondeur de cette histoire. Elle nous apporte une fin qui manquait au premier tome, quelques réponses et un dénouement assez attendu. Une petite déception pour ce dénouement d’ailleurs, avec un épilogue dans lequel j’aurais préféré savoir ce qu’il advenait d’un autre personnage… (Spoiler : J’aurais aimé savoir ce qui arrivait à Leah).

Pourtant, globalement, je ne me sens pas déçue par ce roman que j’ai trouvé agréable. L’auteur écrit toujours de cette plume qui rend ses romans si addictifs et si simples à lire. Là encore, le roman n’a pas fait long feu ! Et si ce second tome m’a moins plus, je ne lui en tiens pas rigueur : la barre étant mise tellement haute qu’il était impossible de l’atteindre une seconde fois !!

Conclusion

J’ai trouvé ce second tome beaucoup moins profond et les personnages moins attachants que dans le premier. Même la romance entre nos deux héros m’a tapé sur le système. Pourtant, je ne suis pas déçue par ce deuxième tome, qui est certes moins bien que le premier, mais qui demeure tout de même plaisant à lire, et sympathique. Je recommande vraiment cette saga et cette auteure !(less)

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Apr 17, 2013 Anna Marie rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was SO happy with the first book, "Leaving Paradise", that I ran out the same day that I finished it and got the sequel at the library two towns over, so that I could get the rest of the story. And having read it... thank goodness it wasn't a trilogy. How. Disappointing.

This is NOT a stand-alone book... but Ms. Elkeles wanted it to be. So in trying to make it one, she keeps rehashing and rehashing and reiterating and REITERATING what happened in book one, over and over and over... heck, she wa...more I was SO happy with the first book, "Leaving Paradise", that I ran out the same day that I finished it and got the sequel at the library two towns over, so that I could get the rest of the story. And having read it... thank goodness it wasn't a trilogy. How. Disappointing.

This is NOT a stand-alone book... but Ms. Elkeles wanted it to be. So in trying to make it one, she keeps rehashing and rehashing and reiterating and REITERATING what happened in book one, over and over and over... heck, she was STILL doing it in the epilogue (explaining Irina's pies)! It about drove me crazy. There was just too much to do this - and it was done horrifically. STOP. And don't ever try it again.

Second, the storyline was SO utterly unplausible. In the first book, Caleb is getting out of prison for a crime he didn't commit. In book two, Caleb is on his way to prison (you guessed it) for a crime he didn't commit. In the first book, in order to stay out of jail, he must build a gazebo in the same backyard that his 'victim' is landscaping. In book two, the only way he can stay out of jail is to do a 4-week traveling presentation on 'what happens if you drive drunk'... and of COURSE Maggie is in the same troupe. C'mon. The liklihood? Is *nil*... and the state would NOT allow the two of them to travel together like that. Con.Trived. And then we have the first stop with boys and girls (unchaperoned) in a bunkhouse? Yeah, the state would allow THAT, too - not! Then she sends the group into juvie (?!) to tell convicts how not to be convicts - and put Caleb in that position with his former inmates, less than a year after his release? The state would NOT do that!! And by the end of the trip, each kid gets his/her own room, unsupervised? That wouldn't happen, either. C'mon!

Third, she wrapped it up so neat and pat that it was like watching a Strawberry Shortcake movie. "Let's see... we have Lenny and Julio and Caleb, so who can I give each one a perfect happy ending with? Hrm... Trish and Leah and Maggie! Yay, me!" Life doesn't pair everyone up by twos at the end of a two-week return to Paradise. Then it was "Let's see... we have to have an income for the guys to live at the Reynold house, so... I know - there's a construction company who is willing to hire three guys with criminal records, and let them work together!" Um... not in this century, lady. It's hard enough to get ONE ex-con in a job, and I'm telling you this as a former human resource consultant at a STAFFING agency. It was so lame and pat, I wanted to cry. Especially after how GOOD the first book was.

I should also add that the language and sexual imagery in the first book (which I felt was MORE than what should be in teen lit) carried over to this, added in with a perverse raw humor that was... kind of painful. Realistic, but really, really unnecessary.

I... just had higher hopes than I should've. I thought this writer was a diamond in the rough... and she let me down BIG. Other reviewers say to read her other series, but I don't know if I can do that at this point. Too large a loss of respect for the voice behind the stories. It's a shame. But I still would recommend the first book. Highly. It was obviously a fluke, but SO worth reading.(less)

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Mar 02, 2013 K.G. C.J. rated it 5 of 5 stars

K.G. from Book Nerd and Proud
http://booknerdandproud.blogspot.com

5/5 stars
To start, I get so frustrated with couples sometimes. Although, it did take me months to finally admit my feelings for my current boyfriend, so I can’t really complain.

Again, I loved the changes in the point of view; it gives a lot of insight to be able to really see both sides of the story.

We get to see changes in the current characters, and also a few new ones. Caleb changes alot during this entire book. You see him try...more

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Feb 21, 2013 Twizzy ~Vive La France~ Wayland rated it 5 of 5 stars

I finished this in one day just like the other one. I am so proud of myself.

There were some problems though.

Caleb royally annoyed me. He threw everything they did back at Maggie using the blowhorn. Jesus, who does that? He mocked everything and said they slept together.

Me: Can I slap him?
(I invisioned how to do it too)

He was such an ass in this book except for the ending though. He was much more cruel to Maggie in this book and it angered me. He wanted to end it with her even though she admitte...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Lissette Villanueva rated it 3 of 5 stars

Return to paradise is by Simone Elkeles. This the second part of the story of Leaving Paradise. In this second book Simone Elkeles has many purposes. One that I can think of is that you need to face all consequences no matter how hard it is to admit. The second purpose of this you must always be strong no matter what happens in life or what you face. I believe that another that Simone Elkeles purpose of writing this story is because she wants to show her readers that love happen in many strange...more

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Jan 14, 2013 Makii rated it 4 of 5 stars

— ¿Maggie?
— ¿Sí?
—Gracias.
— ¿Por qué?
—Por hacerme sentir vivo otra vez.

Yo tenía una gran necesidad de ver a Maggie y Caleb reunirse. Y aunque los secretos no hacían mas que separarlos, el destino los volvió a juntar, lejos de Paradise, donde no solo deben convivir, sino que tienen que enfrentar el hecho de abrirse, confiar en el otro y confesar realmente que pasó aquella noche tan fatídica.
Me gustó verlos crecer, fortalecerse y luchar contra y por su amor. Era hora de que fueran sinceros. Me doli...more

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Jan 14, 2013 Booknut rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: bad-boy-but-with-good-heart, books-i-love-dearly, can-t-get-enough-of, ethics-and-society, heartbreak-and-loss, heartwarming, romantic-book-challenge

I don't know what it says about my attention span, but the one thing I am hung up on in this book is the phrase in the last chapter that reads: "Please wait until the aircraft has come to a complete stop before deplaning."

Deplaning..is a word?!

According to the dictionary before me, 'deplaning' is:
- a verb
- means 'to disembark from an aircraft'

But apparently only awesome people in Simon Elkeles' world get to here their flight attendants say the word 'deplaning'. I have been on approximately...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Audrey Macaluso rated it 5 of 5 stars

Return to Paradise is the second book in the series by Simone Elkeles. This book gave a double sided view of a love between a trouble maker and a girl with an attitude. After a bond that formed was broken; Caleb and Maggie met once again. The made up from their fighting. They went over obsticles and once again they fell in love, moving back to the town they've always lived in; Paradise.

I gave this book 5 stars because it truly gripped my emotions with the roller coaster love life. I loved how th...more

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Nov 20, 2012 Mademoiselle Charlotte rated it 4 of 5 stars

My biggest issue is,along reading too fast and reading endings first,I always expect way too much from YA books.And I honestly don't know what to do 'bout it.:S

I waited months and months to read any book written by Elkeles,and I got so happy and excited when I found this book in my library.And,well,I was a bit disappointed.

Caleb was very unusual character.He cared deeply about people,especially about Maggie,and if the book didn't include his POV,I'd think he was ruthless,cruel,mean,cold,uncarin...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Jan Bethel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: goodreads-recommended, over-night-reads, bookshelf-must-haves, definitely-worth-the-time, wish-list, for-the-love-of-bad-boys, contemporary

So, here are my reactions after reading Leaving Paradise and Return to Paradise non stop for five hours last night..

here's another reaction I also had..

I've read other books of Simone Elkeles like the Perfect Chemistry series and I loved it! That's actually the very reason I decided to try this one because of how I loved her Perfect Chemistry series.. At first, I thought I wouldn't like it.. I don't really like reading depressing stories and this one is about a boy who has been in juvie for a ye...more

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May 29, 2012 CC rated it 3 of 5 stars

Elkeles's dual-POV and gritty narrative is back for Leaving Paradise's sequel, Return to Paradise. Main Caleb, who stole the show in LP returns with the same angst and desire to find a place in the world. Although nothing substantial has changed with his character, or the way in which he interacts with those around him, something of his fire is undoubtedly missing from his narration.

Nearly a year has passed since the end of LP, and Maggie's character has assumed a new, brave persona. Whilst Magg...more

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Apr 11, 2012 GW rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow, pretty amazing!

I wrote a pretty long review a few minutes ago, but it didn't save...
so to keep it short - we see Caleb and Maggie again. But can Caleb finally be honest? Will everything be all right? And will Leah actually tell the truth? Stop hiding from your fears. Will Caleb ever return to Paradise?

We also meet a lot of characters in this novel - Lenny, Matt, etc. Lenny's probably the most hilarious character in this whole story. And Damon's pretty cool - he's nice and understanding.

I mi...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Brooke rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was reading the book Return to Paradise by Simone Elkels. The main theme of the book is a mystery romance, which makes you want to keep reading. The main characters of the book are Caleb Becker, Maggie Armstrong, Damon Manning, Leah Becker, and Lenny. Some other characters that are mentioned in the book and that you will hear about are, Matt, Erin, Trish, Mrs. Armstrong, Mr. and Mrs. Becker, and Julio.
First let me tell you about the author. She was born and raised in Chicago. The year that...more I was reading the book Return to Paradise by Simone Elkels. The main theme of the book is a mystery romance, which makes you want to keep reading. The main characters of the book are Caleb Becker, Maggie Armstrong, Damon Manning, Leah Becker, and Lenny. Some other characters that are mentioned in the book and that you will hear about are, Matt, Erin, Trish, Mrs. Armstrong, Mr. and Mrs. Becker, and Julio.
First let me tell you about the author. She was born and raised in Chicago. The year that she first started to write in her was in 2000. In 2006 book How to Ruin a Summer Vacation was published in 2006. Her most recent book that was published in 2011 is called Chain Reaction. Her writing style is very unique and makes you want to keep reading, which is one thing I really like in an author. The reason why I like it is because, a book that is suspenseful makes you want to keep reading and not put the book down. One thing that I disliked about her writing style is that for each chapter of the book she did it from both Maggie’s or Caleb’s thoughts and their side of the story, which can make things confusing for other readers.
I think that the book deserves a rating of five stars. The book was very good and made me want to keep reading. The main thing that made me want to keep reading was knowing if Caleb and Maggie would get back together, after what Caleb did to Maggie, if he really did it. That is for you to find out in the book. “Caleb Becker left Paradise eight months ago, taking with him the secret he promised to take to his grave. If the truth got out, it would ruin everything.” That quote is from the back of the book, and when I read the back of the book, that quote made me want to read the book and find out what the secret was. Maggie and Caleb got into a fight while in a RE-START program. Maggie tells Caleb “You think I like limping everywhere I go? I don’t. I’m the victim! Be honest with me! You didn’t care about me enough to trust me. I gave you my heart, but it wasn’t enough.” When Maggie was saying that to Caleb I was thinking that wow I have defiantly related to that before, and yes I have told a guy I gave you my heart but that wasn’t enough and all you did was betray me. This is a great book that makes you really think that in life, respect is a big part of your life.
Return to Paradise was an amazing book that is great for high school people to read, and be able to realize how important life is to them. To me this book has taught me that life is really important and that you can’t always have what you want, but you defiantly are able to make your life the best.
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Mar 14, 2012 Nakita McDonagh rated it 2 of 5 stars

The best thing about this book is the secondary characters. Not Caleb or Maggie -- Lenny, Trish, Erin and Matt. Oh, and Damon too! Lenny is by far my favourite; he's hilarious and inappropriate and totally lovable. I'm glad the four of them (Lenny in particular) didn't completely disappear after the Re-START programme ended.

I didn't like the way Caleb and Maggie continually changed their minds about what to do about each other -- after the first few times, it just got tiring and I was finding it...more

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About Simone Elkeles

Simone Elkeles is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of novels for teens. Simone’s books have won many awards including being YALSA Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, being named to the YALSA Popular Paperbacks and Teens Top Ten lists, and added to the Illinois “Read for a Lifetime” Reading List. Simone also won the coveted RITA award from the Romance Writers of...more

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Books by Simone Elkeles

Perfect Chemistry (Perfect Chemistry, #1)

Rules of Attraction (Perfect Chemistry, #2)

How to Ruin a Summer Vacation (How to Ruin, #1)

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Quotes from Return to Paradise

“If you tiptoe into cold water, you're missing out on the rush of plunging in headfirst.” — 173 people liked it

“My brain tells me it will be better to just let him go.
My heart... not so much.” — 161 people liked it

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Return to Paradise (Leaving Paradise #2)

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