What Happened To Goodbye

Since her parents' bitter divorce, Mclean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move - four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother's new family, Mclean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, Mclean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself - whoever that is. Perhaps her neighbor Dave, an academic superstar trying to be just a regular guy, can help her find out. Combining Sarah Dessen's trademark graceful writing, great characters, and compelling storytelling, What Happened to Goodbye is irresistible reading. --from bn.com

I love Sarah Dessen. All her books are simply amazing, and this one was nothing less. While her older novels have some heavy reading in them, I didn't think this one did at all. It was more about forgiveness and accepting who you are, knowing that people will judge you by that, but that's life.

Before the book came out I read the synopsis and expected Mclean to have several more personalities from past moves- not just four. But you get what you get- and how would you like to be a dozen odd people? It's no shock when she decides to be her real self in the newest move. I think it's then when you realize that she's ready to move on and forgive. She still has her drawbacks, but as the book progresses she lets those go. Mclean is the poster child of a dynamic character- but aren't all MCs?

Dave, Dave, Dave. Don't we all want a Dave in our life? A genius boy who won't let you go no matter what? All of Dessen's love interests seem to quirky and weird, not your average Mr. Hot & Popular at all. And that's what makes it so fun. You know straight off the bat that they aren't perfect, so it's okay for you to not be also. (I know, I seem to be comparing everything to all her other stuff. It's just so hard not to when you love them all so much.)

While I think there might be some open ended threads with her old friends, there's a happy ending for everyone else- and redemption for a certain character we've learned to hate from some previous books. In the end, this was sweet novel that made me wish that I lived in the world that Sarah Dessen has created in her books, where everything has an ending that will leave you satisfied. And to find out what all of this is, you might just want to go out and get the book, because I guarantee you won't regret it.