Review: No One Needs to Know by Amanda Grace ~ ***The Starry-Eyed Revue***

Title: No One Needs to Know
Author: Amanda Grace aka Mandy Hubbard
Series: n/a
Publisher: Flux
Publication Date: Sep 8, 2014
Source: From Publisher via NetGalley
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Sometimes, the cost of love is too steep

Olivia's twin brother, Liam, has been her best friend her whole life. But when he starts dating, Olivia is left feeling alone, so she tries to drive away Liam's girlfriends in an effort to get her best friend back.

But she meets her match in Zoey, Liam's latest fling. A call-it-like-she-sees-it kind of girl, Zoey sees right through Olivia's tricks. What starts as verbal sparring between the two changes into something different, however, as they share their deepest insecurities and learn they have a lot in common. Olivia falls for Zoey, believing her brother could never get serious with her. But when Liam confesses that he's in love with Zoey, Olivia has to decide who deserves happiness more: her brother or herself?

When No One Needs to Know popped up on Netgalley, it was Gay/Lesbian month. So I thought, why not, I’ll give it a try. I have a ton of gay friends, so it’s nothing I shy away from, but still a subject you don’t find as often in books.

The whole story had a ton of promise but not well executed. I’ll explain. Olivia and her twin brother Liam are close. They have always been, but recently started drifting apart. Their parents are not around. Like at all, only in memories. They are filthy rich and their parents are out of town 100 percent. How convenient? I didn’t like how they were just out of the picture, I felt like that was a bit of a cop out.

Enter Zoey, girl from the poor side of town.She meets Liam one night and they start hanging out. She also gets paired up with Olivia for a school project. Again … how convenient? Olivia is this goodie two shoes perfect kind of girl on the outside. So at first, her and Zoey don’t get along as well, but then things change.

Meanwhile, Zoey is sort of dating Liam… though I wouldn’t say it’s a love triangle, because Zoey knows who she ultimately wants to be with. It was just awkward. All of their relationships just weren't realistic and didn't work for me.

The writing overall is kind of amateur to be honest. It was interesting but I think it could have been so much more. What I didn’t like is Olivia is a very stressed out girl. She strives to be perfect in everything. The fact that she just starts having feelings for Zoey out of the blue and its’ no big thing? That bothered me. Isn’t she worried about what people will think? What her parents will think? That’s a big realization I think. I had assumed there would be more inner struggle with that. Struggle with coming out, which never really happens. Which is strange, right? I thought that's what this book would partially be about. And then there is her brother who she cares about so much, but has no problem making out with his girl. If you could call it that.

Also, the ending came pretty easy and cheesy. I had expected a bit of a train wreck, but even that let me down. It was uneventful and unrealistic. It’s like the little book that tried to be deep but just couldn’t. I don’t want to say I disliked this book, because I didn’t. It was okay. I was able to finish it and that earns it some stars. I probably wouldn’t recommend it though.

About the author:

Amanda Grace is a pen name for Young Adult author Mandy Hubbard (PRADA AND PREJUDICE, YOU WISH). She lives near Seattle, Washington, with her husband and young daughter.

Mandy Hubbard is the author of PRADA & PREJUDICE and YOU WISH, both novels for teens now in stores. In 2011, her releases include BUT I LOVE HIM (written as Amanda Grace) and RIPPLE. She is also a literary agent for D4EO Literary Agency. For more information, visit her website.

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