"When Alex falls for the charming new boy at school, Cole -- a handsome, funny, sports star who adores her -- she can't believe she's finally found her soul mate... someone who truly loves and understands her.
At first, Alex is blissfully happy. Sure, Cole seems a little jealous of her relationship with her close friend Zack, but what guy would want his girlfriend spending all her time with another boy? As the months pass, though, Alex can no longer ignore Cole's small put-downs, pinches, or increasingly violent threats.
As Alex struggles to come to terms with the sweet boyfriend she fell in love with and the boyfriend whose "love" she no longer recognizes, she is forced to choose -- between her "true love" and herself." -Amazon product description
After reading, and loving, Jennifer Brown's debut novel Hate List I was eagerly awaiting another release from this great new author. Bitter End did not disappoint. Admittedly, it took me a little while to get fully immersed in the story. At first the story plays out in a fairly cliche fashion, but slowly it builds into a situation that is all too hauntingly real. Though I have never been in Alex's situation, I found her character to be very relatable.
This book, at times heartbreaking, leaves the reader asking themselves "What if?" or "What would I do if I was in an abusive relationship?". Due to the mature content, I would recommend Bitter End to older teen readers.
-Sam
