This Lullaby was my first foray into the world of Sarah Dessen. I've been hearing a lot about her for several years now, and almost everything I've heard is positive. So, I was browsing the library, looking for an impulse read, and I grabbed this one.
Remy is senior in high school, anxious for the end of the year when she can leave everything behind and go off to college. Her mom is a serial wife, getting ready for husband number 4 (or is it 5). So, Remy's life has been pretty crazy, and she's handled it by being a little wild. She's the love-em and leave-em type.
Enter Dexter. He's not like the normal guys Remy's dated, but he seems like he wants to stick around. He doesn't respond to her normal brush offs, and keeps popping up. He's definitely interested in Remy, but he's a musician and Remy doesn't date musicians. Ever. Her dad, who she's never met, was a musician and he wrote a hit song for her as an 'apology' for why he's not around.
This is a sweet story about growing up and learning new things about yourself and the people you thought you knew. I will say that I was surprised by the depth the story and the characters had. It wasn't entirely what I was expecting, and I discovered I really liked that.
Remy was a hard character for me to relate to, because her actions are completely foreign to me. I've never been the type to bounce around from boy to boy, relationship to relationship. It's just not a part of who I am. If my mom were like Remy's, if anything my reaction would be completely opposite. I'd just stop talking to boys. I doubt I'd date at all. I loved that strong relationship she and her friends shared, but I'm not totally sure I always believed that those 4, all with such different personalities would have been such great friends. And, I totally love the soda thing. Hahahaha...
Dexter was... interesting. I really liked Dexter and Remy together. A lot. But, before they started dating, I thought he was a bit of a nut. And not the good kind either, but the kind that makes me remember all the really weird people I've been around in my life. I laughed when Dexter approached Remy the first time, because she was really weirded out by how he acted, and I've been that girl before. Except, in my case, turns out the boy being all 'attentive/interested' didn't end up being just exactly what I needed/the greatest thing ever. Nope, he was kind of (a lot) a creep. So, I was wary of Dexter. But, once they started dating, I liked both characters a lot better. They just worked.
Remy's mom had a lot more strength and importance than I was expecting. Dessen sets you up really well to believe that Remy's mom is just a flighty man-needer with nothing to add to the story beyond being the reason Remy is so distrustful of men and love. But, there's more to her than that. When we (and Remy) realize this, it's a turning point in the story. I noticed it immediately, but it took Remy a little longer to understand what this was going to mean for her.
I did enjoy this book, although I can't say I loved it. It was was cute, but not overly memorable. I finished Just Listen right after this one, and liked it better (but more on that later). I definitely plan to read more by Dessen, but I am hoping I like the future reads more.