Heather Hepler

Emotions drive this teenage story of loss, guilt and forgiveness, creating a deep read.

Mia doesn't know what to do with her grief or how to continue on even a year after a car crash which left her sister dead, but her alive. Even worse, Mia's memory from the event is filled with holes. Needing space for all to heal, Mia leaves her parents for the Summer to stay with her grandmother, a woman she doesn't really know. While swinging a job and dealing with her life, she meets friends who show more themselves have trials to overcome.

This is a teenage novel which deals with tough topics such as sibling death, guilt and how to continue on. Mia comes across very realistically. The author dives deep into her, allowing the reader to grow close to her and sympathize with her in many ways. It's this character depth, and the wonderful writing which makes this an intriguing novel for those who enjoy tackling such topics.

While the setting, writing, and characters are extremely well done and touch home, the pacing was sometimes a bit slow for my taste. But this also allowed for much more character depth, for those readers who love digging deep. The situation does come across realistically, and the thoughts and emotions fit extremely well to the age group and events. The ending leaves a little food for thought and satisfies. Fans of emotional young adult reads which tackle difficult moments in life are sure to enjoy this one.

I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed reading it very much. show less

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Love? Maybe was the perfect embodiment of what I've come to expect from Heather Hepler: fluff. She writes some of the fluffiest and cutest books, but I just can't really connect with her characters or her storylines. It was predictable as all get out, but ultimately forgettable.

I wanted Piper and Charlie to be together. I thought that they would be absolutely adorable together, and I was just waiting for that romance to happen - but I feel like show more I really didn't get real romance with this one. It was sweet, that's for sure; but I felt no chemistry between them.

Piper was an okay sort of character, but like I said before... I just can't connect with these characters. I did, however, like Charlie. He was a sweet guy, and truly lit up every scene that he was in, but he just wasn't in the book enough. Truly, I wanted to see more of him.

This book was completely full of predictability - and not really the good kind. The predictable that made me just want to have a long serious talk with Piper. She... she's just super dense. All in all, Love? Maybe was an okay read - I even enjoyed it, but it was ultimately forgettable. show less

I'm surprised that the word "cynical" doesn't appear in the book description, because it sure shows up a lot in the actual book. I've never been one to throw books on the ground and stomp on them or anything (except at the end of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince), but I swear I was ready to do so if I read the word "cynical" one more time. I get it. Piper is cynical. But does that mean she needs to tell us constantly that she's cynical? Does that mean that other people need to show more continuously remind us about how cynical she is? Did you know that Piper is cynical?! Because I apparently didn't and needed to be reminded every five pages.

Now that my rant is over, I can assure you that Love? Maybe really isn't so bad, once you get past the overuse of that word. The story is sweet and Piper really isn't as pessimistic as the author would apparently like you to believe. I think that's what bothered me the most about the overuse of the aforementioned word: we're constantly being told how ------- she is, but she really is a caring individual and a good friend who just maybe doesn't believe that everyone is destined to fall madly in love. She rarely puts herself above others, and it is that selflessness (which I think would be hard to find in most cynics) that helps her to develop in other areas throughout the novel.

I also loved how "clean" this story was, and that no one was really made out to be a villain (except maybe Stuart, but I get that). No one is having horribly meaningless and unnecessary-to-the-plot-line sex. No one is swearing up a storm because so-and-so doesn't love them. And most of all, no one, especially not Piper, is walking around putting people down just because things don't work out the way they'd hoped. And it's not as if the characters are all having happy, hunky-dory lives, either. Things are happening, people are stressing out, and I know I would have stooped to much lower levels under the duress some of the characters face. I think all of the characters (except Stuart) are class acts, and it's truly refreshing to read a story like that. I'd feel comfortable recommending Love? Maybe to teens and even pre-teens who want to read something "older," without reservation. show less

After giving up hope of finding an enjoyable, non-patronizing teen romance, I stumbled upon "Dream Factory." I'm surprised this book wasn't challenged, given the level of not-always-positive Disney detail involved (all Disney characters are mentioned by name, and mention is made of manager "princess handlers," underground tunnels, and scabs filling in for striking character actors.) Corporate giants not-withstanding, Disney magic does infiltrate the book, as Cinderella impersonator "Ella" show more finds herself falling for Luke, the man under the furry head of "Dale." Significant others complicate things in the process, but --obvious spoiler alert--the reader never doubts that Ella and Luke will end the book in each other's arms. The book is populated with surprisingly rich characters, from the ladies' man Robin Hood to the eclectic J. Worthington Foulfellow, who devotes his life to serving as a Disney impersonator. Dialogue feels natural, and so does the depiction of aimless post-high-school souls, though the characters do occasionally go overboard on the navel-gazing. No explicit content. Grades 8 and up. show less