Dedication

Once I got past the ridiculousness of Kate's high-school grudge towards Jake, I truly enjoyed this book. I don't care who you are, I think everyone can relate to SOMETHING in this book on a personal level. Everyone has known hurt in one way or another and how we deal with it...well, sometimes the results are quite comical. I found myself yelling at Kate, laughing at her, feeling sorry for her, and sometimes even crying with her. I enjoyed DEDICATION because it took me on a ride of emotions. I wanted to hate the book because the premise of hunting down a high school love to prove him wrong years later was, I thought, completely absurd. Instead, I found myself loving it and not wanting to admit it.

Revenge, Forgiveness, or Closure?: If someone you loved had wronged you so intensely that it changed the course of your life, would you seek revenge? Or forgiveness? Or just closure? This is the central theme of writing duo Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus's excellent new novel, Dedication. The pair spin an entirely believable tale about spurned love and anger that burns unabated for thirteen years, and they bring it full circle with an excellent ending.

Katie Hollis first falls "in love" with Jake Sharpe in sixth grade, and their relationship is a series of ups and downs over the course of their school years. Told in chapters that alternate between 2005 and those growing up years, we follow the development of the characters as Jake show more begins to realize his love of music and Katie's family life falls apart. Then the unthinkable happens: Jake hits the big time, and he leaves Katie and his friends behind, not even recognizing his fellow band mates' contributions on his first hit single and thus denying them any of the significant royalties. When Jake finally returns to his hometown 13 years on, Katie is alerted and, in true hell hath no fury form, she finds herself ready to confront him and "make him regret his entire existence"...or does she? Can she actually let the past go in order to form a future?

This is a page-turner of a novel, with lots of little 80s details thrown in and an enduring love story as the backbone. It will make you question what you would do if facing the same obsession; would you be the bigger person or would you fight back for the life taken from you? And is it all worth it? Definitely a good summer read, and a heart-wrenching one at that. Recommended. show less

A bittersweet story of first love, growing up and coming to appreciate the poignancy in the way we remember our adolescence, frequently idealizing things now by remembering them as we felt them at the time. It made me cry, but in a good way. Perhaps it is time to reexamine my adolescence to see it for what it was. Or perhaps, not having to carry it with me into adulthood as this character did, I can contentedly continue to remember it through the rose-colored glasses of my memories.

Although I couldn't put the book down during the first half, I finished it feeling very disappointed and cheapened. The slow revelation of relationships and the past was interesting and clever, but I just got sick of reading about graphic sexual encounters between teenagers. I ended up not caring about what happened to ANY of the characters as the plot marched to a predictable ending. I wanted to feel invested in the outcome, but I just felt they all deserved the misery and pain they put each other through. Not nearly as engaging as The Nanny Diaries.

I liked the authors' other books, but this situation just seemed too contrived. Kate's high school boyfriend (and longtime crush) runs off to become a big rock star and conveniently forgets his old friends (and the fact that they deserve songwriting credit for his big hit). Even though much of his music is about Kate, they haven't actually seen each other in years until she hears he's back in the old hometown, flies back there, and ... BOOM. Sorry, I just didn't buy it.

I saw the book in the bookstore...and of course I had to read the jacket cover, and now am counting down the days until I get it and bring it to its new home :) I'm such a bookjacket whore, I get sucked in by a well written synopsis. Imagine my delight when the little teaser lives up to its name. I'm hoping this will be one of those times.Currently loving this book. The characters, the story...I've become invested in the ending, and am really hoping it doesn't disappoint. I started reading this last night, and I'm 3/4 of the way through it...Okay. done, and I'm not left feeling disappointed, so really keyed up about that. In the first couple pages, I had a tough time getting into the authors stride, but I got it in short order, and show more loved the book. The plot about ex girlfriend getting vengeance on the guy who leaves to make it big in the rock scene..it was pretty good. I really loved the characters, and how the author humanized them in a way that was at once recognizable and painful... show less

This is a nicely-written, funny novel that makes you care quite a bit about Kate Hollis, whose ex-boyfriend is now a world-famous recording star, and is now returning to their hometown for an MTV special. Potential payback time for an ex who abandoned his girl, friends and bandmates for the high life. But it just doesn't hold up to the poignancy that resonates in the authors' earlier "The Nanny Diaries", or even that book's sequel.