Carolyn Harris, straight-A senior, early acceptance to Yale, wealthy, volleyball player, private tutor, daughter, sister, popular, good girl, perfect. Jeremy Rivers, football player, dyslexic, middle-class, bad-boy. Caroline has a boyfriend, Drew, the most popular boy in their class and even though he's planning their future she knows he's not 'the one'. She feels more for the boy that she tutors, the boy she's dreamed of since the 5th grade, Jeremy. But that's not the only secret Caroline's hiding. She's not perfect, she's not the golden girl everyone sees her as. Then suddenly her world came crashing down around her. Overnight she became the most hated girl in her high school and on every inch of social media, labeled a murdering slut. She embraced every hurtful hateful word until she broke. Distancing herself from her family, her few true friends, and Jeremy, Caroline loses all hope, loses herself. This wasn't how Caroline's life was supposed to be. It's a long road back to happy but Caroline might get there.
This is the first book I have read from Lily Foster. I loved it. Let Me Fall is one of a series but can be read as a stand-alone. I do not feel as if I missed anything by not reading the earlier books. This is a dark coming of age story. It's a story of image, trust, and tragedy. We all label others for right or wrong. Too many care about how other's see them more than they should and protect their image at their own expense. Trust is hard. When we don't trust others we stay silent when we shouldn't. We isolate. Carolyn was guilty of both of these human faults and it led to her downfall and breakdown. She felt shame for an act against her, she cared too much for her reputation. She didn't trust the people who loved her to take care of her. These are the sins of youth. Jeremy didn't share Caroline's same burdens. His faults made him an easy target. His dyslexia made others think that he was stupid. Far from the truth. His frustration caused anger, violent outbursts. He became the delinquent in other's eyes. He was one of the lucky ones and caring people intervened for him. But he was human too. He kept secrets for others that hurt Caroline. He didn't have to betray one friend for another but he isolated Caroline with a lack of thoughtfulness to her feelings. He gave in to women for sex when he shouldn't have. I'm all for fun sex but never if you are using another or feeling used yourself. Jeremy was a better man when he was only a friend. When sex or attraction became involved he made some awful judgment calls. Still, Caroline and Jeremy had a connection that few ever find. The way they kept finding their way back to one another, the way neither could forget the other or move on, the bond that never disappeared. Special.
This book is so character driven. There's plenty of action, plenty of drama and angst but it all centers around the characters. Caroline and Jeremy, their high school friends, families. Each person is complex and multi-layered. It goes back to image, People are so much more than they appear. The pretty girl might be ugly on the inside, the perfect guy might be hiding crippling anxiety, the promiscuous girl may not be so at all or may be acting a certain way out of insecurity, the handsome boy might be dangerous. Never assume you know anything about another. Don't make hasty judgments. Growing up is hard, don't make it harder, and don't lose your chance to grow up altogether. This book nicely captures the pain of growing up and making the worst mistakes possible and then fighting through them to come out on the other side and have a chance at happiness. Well done drama!