Library book: The Way I am Now #2 By Amber Smith

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Eden and Josh never had a fair shot at a healthy relationship. When they dated in high school, they each had their own problems getting in the way of the deep connection they felt toward one another. Unbeknownst to Josh, Eden was carrying the burden of a devastating sexual assault, while Josh was dealing with his own private struggle of having an alcoholic father.

Months after Eden and two other girls publicly accuse their rapist, Eden is starting college while her case goes to trial. Now when she and Josh reconnect, it seems like it might finally be in the right place at the right time for them to make it work. But is their love strong enough to withstand the challenges and chaos of college and the crushing realities of a trial that will determine whether Eden gets the justice she deserves?

If you haven't read book one, I suggest you do that now. 

Eden, man, she has really been affected by the SA that happened many years ago. She tries to get her life back together but struggles daily. 

Josh is from Eden's past, and even though he is much older than Eden, you can tell he truly wants to make the relationship work, but it is also tough on him. We see that both Eden and Josh have a lot going on in their lives, affecting them both. 

Eden still has a lot of self-love to give herself and growing up. Yes, she is trying to do things on her own, which is great, but I still found her wanting to be toxic at times, and I truly felt she needed to call her therapist when she went down those dark holes of hers. 

Josh stood beside her even through the darkest, which is amazing, but I know it had to wear him down. At the end of this story, we had a lot more closure with Josh than with Eden. The way the trial was left open truly made me curious: was Kevin convicted or not? We could have added this and seen how Eden handled the news. 

While both Josh and Eden are trying to have a relationship, handle school, and handle their own responsibilities, they are also handling their family affairs. We see the difference between Josh and Eden's families and how what their families do or don't do affects them. 

 

“I think you love the person you knew back then, the person you believe I can become again one day. But that’s not the same as loving me the way I am now.”

Amber Smith is the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of the young adult novels The Way I Used to Be, The Last to Let Go, Something Like Gravity, and The Way I Am Now. Along with her middle grade debut, Code Name: Serendipity, she has also contributed to the award-winning YA anthology, Our Stories, Our Voices. An advocate for mental health, gendered violence, and LGBTQ+ equality, Amber writes in the hope that her books can help to foster change and spark dialogue. She grew up in Buffalo, New York, and now lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her wife and their ever-growing family of rescued dogs and cats. 

You can find her online at AmberSmithAuthor.com.