Flat-Out Love (Flat-Out Love #1) by Jessica Park - Restarting September 12th 2017

[Sarah Elizabeth]

Flat-Out Love is a warm and witty novel of family love and dysfunction, deep heartache and raw vulnerability, with a bit of mystery and one whopping, knock-you-to-your-knees romance.

It's not what you know—or when you see—that matters. It's about a journey.

Something is seriously off in the Watkins home. And Julie Seagle, college freshman, small-town Ohio transplant, and the newest resident of this Boston house, is determined to get to the bottom of it. When Julie's off-campus housing falls through, her mother's old college roommate, Erin Watkins, invites her to move in. The parents, Erin and Roger, are welcoming, but emotionally distant and academically driven to eccentric extremes. The middle child, Matt, is an MIT tech geek with a sweet side... and the social skills of a spool of USB cable. The youngest, Celeste, is a frighteningly bright but freakishly fastidious 13-year-old who hauls around a life-sized cardboard cutout of her oldest brother almost everywhere she goes.

And there's that oldest brother, Finn: funny, gorgeous, smart, sensitive, almost emotionally available. Geographically? Definitely unavailable. That's because Finn is traveling the world and surfacing only for random Facebook chats, e-mails, and status updates. Before long, through late-night exchanges of disembodied text, he begins to stir something tender and silly and maybe even a little bit sexy in Julie's suddenly lonesome soul.

To Julie, the emotionally scrambled members of the Watkins family add up to something that ... well... doesn't quite add up. Not until she forces a buried secret to the surface, eliciting a dramatic confrontation that threatens to tear the fragile Watkins family apart, does she get her answer.

Flat-Out Love comes complete with emails, Facebook status updates, and instant messages.

[Karen]

Intrigued by this. Hope to find time to join this.

[[deleted user]]

Started a little early. I'm liking it so far.

[[deleted user]]

13% (view spoiler)[ the brothers are so weird and different. I think I like Matt better than I like Finn. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

A font? 31% (view spoiler)[ I cannot believe there is a discussion about fonts. Let alone a whole group of people that are font fanatics. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

54% that was hilarious! Caught red handed…

[[deleted user]]

90% (view spoiler)[ Omg. I knew that there was something tragic going on. Finn died when he was young, the whole family doesn't like talking about it. Matt has been acting like he is Finn on facebook? wow... (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Finished.. (view spoiler)[ I'm so happy Julie ended up with Matt... this could be good for Celeste... (hide spoiler)]

[prag ♻]

Anybody still planning on reading this?

[[deleted user]]

You could read it I just started it early. But I'd be happy to follow up your progress and make comments. I actually liked it.

[prag ♻]

Ooh, thank you! I'll start tomorrow then.

[prag ♻]

5%
(view spoiler)[Meh, I'm not used to reading books in third person. It looks a little weird, but not enough to put me off this book.

Also, what's up with Celeste? (hide spoiler)]

[prag ♻]

Cinthia wrote: "A font? 31% [spoilers removed]"

Ikr

(view spoiler)[I'm really not liking Julie so far. I get she's trying to help Celeste, but by improving her looks? Not all GIRLS like putting nailpolish and eye shadow. Also, why does she think all her friends don't get hee because she enjoys studying? Did she ever make an effort to tell them? And what right does she have to talk to her psychology teacher about the Watkins? Tbh the only character I like is Matt. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Well I guess I prefer calligraphy font.

[prag ♻]

OMG OOPS I accidentally read your update at 90% and whaaaaaaaat!?!?!?!?! Now everything makes much more sense.

[[deleted user]]

Pragya wrote: "OMG OOPS I accidentally read your update at 90% and whaaaaaaaat!?!?!?!?! Now everything makes much more sense."

I hope that doesn't deter you from reading in between.

[prag ♻]

Part 3
(view spoiler)[Okay, I really like Julie and Matt now. (hide spoiler)]

[prag ♻]

Cinthia wrote: "Pragya wrote: "OMG OOPS I accidentally read your update at 90% and whaaaaaaaat!?!?!?!?! Now everything makes much more sense."

I hope that doesn't deter you from reading in between."

Nope, in fact now the book doesn't seem as fluffy and Jenny Han-ishly annoying as before.

[prag ♻]

Cinthia wrote: "Finished.. [spoilers removed]"

Done!
(view spoiler)[This book was so good! Julie had her moments, but I ended up liking her quite a bit. (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Opening chapter (bit behind)...bit lukewarm, but we'll see how it goes.

[[deleted user]]

Pragya wrote: "Cinthia wrote: "Finished.. [spoilers removed]"

Done!
[spoilers removed]"

Yes I'm glad you did. There is a sequel too.

[prag ♻]

Cinthia wrote: "Pragya wrote: "Cinthia wrote: "Finished.. [spoilers removed]"

Done!
[spoilers removed]"

Yes I'm glad you did. There is a sequel too."

I saw, I'm not too sure if I wan't to read that. Celeste's story? I'd rather read Flat out Matt.

[Karen]

Ch1-9. Quirky family. Like the status updates, but what I'd give to know what the deal is with Celeste.

[Karen]

Part one...font nerds?!?

[Karen]

Up to ch17. Starting to get hints about possible reasons for why things are as they are, but I'm not convinced anyone would voluntarily stick around for this experience. What is Julie trying to prove to herself?

[Karen]

72%-Julie's father is beyond vile words...Celeste is adorable, and I really hope things go in the way I suspect they're heading. The pre-Christmas scene was lovely, though the New Year's one made me laugh out loud.

[Karen]

Up to ch29. Gulp! Now I've had a bit of an about-turn...

[Karen]

Completed. Um, what just happened? This won me round by the end, in ways I wasn't expecting.

[Rachelle]

I'm going to start this today for sure! Did not realized you guys started earlier. I'm glad you guys liked it based on the number of stars you gave the book :)

[Rachelle]

So I'm at chapter 16 but been forgetting to comment here but the Watkins are a peculiar family. I actually read someone's review so I know the big part of the book, just missing the other.

Celeste is weird but even thought Julie is a "fixer" I think it is good for her since she's only 13. I mean she likes the music she gave her but that doesn't mean she can have intellectual discussions like her family.

I'm more interested about Finn because I want to meet him but I have an idea he has to do with the"traumatic event" Julie's professor brought up.

[prag ♻]

I totally agree about Celeste! I mean, let the kid be, right?

Also, yeah, you're on the right track. Finn does have something to with the traumatic event!

[[deleted user]]

What there is a flat out Matt? Yeah. I'd like to read that one better.

[prag ♻]

Yeah, it's the first book from Matt's perspective. Did you read Flat Out Celeste?

[[deleted user]]

No I honestly wasn't interested in her that much. She seemed (view spoiler)[ spoiled and stuck. And I don't really care for 13 year olds. (hide spoiler)]

[prag ♻]

Cinthia wrote: "No I honestly wasn't interested in her that much. She seemed [spoilers removed]"

Ahh, I liked her. I'm still not interested in the sequel, the synopsis doesn't sound like something I'd enjoy.

[Rachelle]

Just finished the Part 2, I can't wait to figure out this "event"! Can't believe her father though and on the holidays! I don't blame her for freaking out, I mean she was lonely during the break. At least Celeste is starting to break away from FF.

[Rachelle]

Finished and I had a feeling that was what event was, I just wished I didn't read the previous reviews because it wasn't as fun reading knowing the plot twist! Anyways I'm glad everything is out in the open and everyone is able to move on with their lives, it just took a girl like Julie to "fix" things. ;)

[Brooke]

Part 1
(view spoiler)[ OMG. i am laughing over this Craigslist thing! Oh may. I'm sorry. Anyhow, anyone else thinks it's random her mom's random college "Friend" is okay moving her daughter in!? Flat Flinn is making my day. (hide spoiler)]

[Brooke]

Part 2
(view spoiler)[ Wow. Her dad is a piece of work, but getting drunk is not the answer lady! The other parents are pieces too, left their kids at home too. I have a feeling their mother is suffering from something.... also i want to see Flinn in real life, he sounds too good to be true! (hide spoiler)]

[Brooke]

Part 3
(view spoiler)[ wow... idk what to say. Matt is pretending to be Flinn, who is dead... whoa. (hide spoiler)]

[Brooke]

Ending Thoughts
(view spoiler)[I had issues with the MC at times, but look at her life. I can't believe she wants to be with Matt after all he put her through. i wouldn't do it sorry. Their mom needs some good therapy as well as Chelste. I want to go back and read it again to see if i can find clues that he's not real! (hide spoiler)]

[Abi]

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Reading from the 12th of September 2017

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[☆☆Hannah☆☆]

I'm up to Chapter 9.


(view spoiler)[I'm glad that she gets along with the family. Especially with Celeste. I just hope things stay good with them. (hide spoiler)]

[☆☆Hannah☆☆]

I'm up to Chapter 17.


(view spoiler)[The family clearly has some issues. I'm wondering if there is more to the story. I hope everything will be okay with Celeste. (hide spoiler)]

[☆☆Hannah☆☆]

I'm up to Chapter 24.


(view spoiler)[Julie's father sucks. Normally I wouldn't be okay with what she did but if I was her I would I would be mad too. Nobody should have to spend the holidays alone. (hide spoiler)]

[☆☆Hannah☆☆]

I'm finished.


(view spoiler)[That was an interesting ending. Although, I'm glad that the family is starting to fix things. It's nice that Celeste is starting to become more normal. Not that I had a problem with who she was. Everybody handles things differently. (hide spoiler)]