Abby accepted a long time ago that when compared to her sister, she was second best. Even invisible sometimes.
Until the accident.
Now Tess is in a coma and Abby’s life is on hold. She has a plan to bring Tess, something that involves mysterious and gorgeous Eli, but when she learns something about Tess that changes how she sees her sister, Abby finds out that truth isn’t always what you think it is, and that life holds more than she ever thought it could.
Seventeen-year-old Abby just wants two things: for her sister to wake up, and to get out of Ferrisville. Unfortunately, they’re connected, for as long as her sister, Tess, is in a coma, Abby feels like she can’t leave.
Abby isn’t a complicated girl. She’s very blunt and very persistent when it comes to things she wants. But she feels she falls short when compared to Tess, and everyone compares them, even if they don’t mean to. There might be some issues she needs to work out about herself and her sister, but for the most part, what you see is what you get. She’s refreshing in a world where a lot of authors write girls as backstabbing, hypocritical players. I’m not saying Abby’s perfect because she’s not, but she does have an unique ability to cut right through the crap and say what she wants to.
And Eli. *sigh* Gorgeous Eli. He’s a puzzle. For someone who is so pretty, he’s not vain about it. He doesn’t act like one of the “beautiful people”. There’s something about him that I don’t want to reveal because it’ll ruin the guessing fun when reading this book, but it’s not hard to figure out if you know the signs. The way Elizabeth portrays Eli, especially his backstory, pulls on the heartstrings. He made me sigh on several occasions because guys like him do not exist in the real world. They just don’t. But I desperately want one.
I want an Eli.
The story itself seems to revolve around Tess, even though she’s unconscious the entire time. Abby’s flashbacks to growing up in Tess’ shadow are the only times we see the person that she was before the accident. And the thing Abby figures out about Tess is somewhat apparent, if you’re looking in the right places. I guessed it around chapter ten, and while I wasn’t right on, it was pretty close to the truth.
Random trivia: I didn’t know this at the time, but Tess and Abby’s parents are featured in Bloom, a book Elizabeth Scott wrote a couple years ago. I don’t remember much about that book, so it probably wouldn’t have done anything for me, but if you haven’t read either, then read Bloom first. It’ll give some background to Abby’s parents and you might see them in a different light.
I would recommend this book to people who have liked an Elizabeth Scott book before, or want a good contemporary young adult read that doesn’t take place in a high school or on the beach (most of the book happens either at the hospital where Tess is or at Abby’s house).
I would like to thank Simon and Schuster for allowing me to read this book early. Between Here and Forever comes out May 24th.