Review: Waylaid by Ruth J. Hartman

Print Length: 223 pages

Publisher: EsKape Press (February 24, 2015)

From Goodreads.com: How does a girl choose between her dream and true love?

Addy Lafollette has a plan. College. Veterinary school. Then way down the road, 
marriage and kids. Her plan doesn’t include getting involved with someone before 
she even leaves for college. But gorgeous Graham throws a glitch in her well 
thought out life.

Graham Stewart is content to float through life working on his uncle’s farm,
hanging with friends, and pitching for the local softball team. He’s never had a 
reason to get serious about much. Until Addy. Life becomes a quest to convince 
her to stay in town, with him, when all Addy wants is to leave for college to 
implement her plan.

Can Addy find a way to be with Graham without giving up her dreams?

                              

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My Rating: 4 stars out of 5

My Review:  To be honest, after finishing this novel, I wanted to be a hypocrite and HATE it. I feel like I am in the minority in that I not only became engaged while still in college, but I was married at the age of 19 (and I am still married 11 years later for those that care). My entire life I have heard the story about how I was "too young", or how I "didn't know" what I was "getting into", and I almost wanted to base my review on that. That these two were too young, and potentially making a mistake.

HOWEVER. This was such a sweet romance that you couldn't help but not only fall in love with the characters, but root for them. While there were some characters that seemed completely one dimensional (Kendra being an "airhead" for lack of a better word, Ali for being a stalker, and Amber for not being able to distance who she was from her boyfriend and family for instance), the two main characters were both completely well developed and "fleshed out", and that made me not care so much about the other "non essential" characters. I wasn't focused on them - I didn't care about them. All I found myself caring about was Graham and Addy and what THEY would do. I found myself laughing at some of the exchanges between them, while also having my heart ripped out when Addy did leave for college and left her future with Graham uncertain.

My ONLY complaint is that the epilogue should have taken place AFTER the epilogue in this book. Did they have children? Where they able to balance college life with married life? Did they find jobs in their desired professions? 

Hopefully my "complaints" (such as they were) give the author an idea for a SECOND book in this series as I was definitely NOT ready to say good-bye to these characters just yet.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own. 

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