JUST LIKE FATE by Cat Patrick & Suzanne Young

Title: JUST LIKE FATE

Author: Cat Patrick & Suzanne Young
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Number of Pages: 304
Source of Book: eARC from publisher

Caroline is at a crossroads. Her grandmother is sick, maybe dying. Like the rest of her family, Caroline's been at Gram's bedside since her stroke. With the pressure building, all Caroline wants to do is escape--both her family and the reality of Gram's failing health. So when Caroline's best friend offers to take her to a party one fateful Friday night, she must choose: stay by Gram's side, or go to the party and live her life.

The consequence of this one decision will split Caroline's fate into two seperate paths--and she's about to live them both.

Friendships are tested and family drama hits an all-new high as Caroline attempts to rebuild old relationships, and even make a few new ones. If she stays, her longtime crush, Joel, might finally notice her, but if she goes, Chris, the charming college boy, might prove to be everything she's ever wanted.

Though there are two distinct ways for her fate to unfold, there is only one happy ending...

First Thought: Really liked reading this story with the parallel story lines based on one pivotal choice the character made. Seeing the different ways it turned out and the similarities in the end based on what was fated to happen was intriguing.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I will read any book by Cat Patrick (my Author Spotlight feature on her) and this one has the bonus of Suzanne Young also. I'm a fan for sure! I appreciate when a YA romance has a truly nice guy in it, and this one does in Chris (and Caroline's brother Teddy, too). This is a story of fate, destiny, choices, and paths in life that makes the reader think about all of those things in her own life. It has a sweet romance (appropriate for upper middle school). It's an accessible text, but the alternating chapters between each choice will require some focus in the beginning to track what's going on and which storyline is which. One scene could be questionable, but I absolutely appreciate the realistic emotional repercussions of that choice. I do wish some of the physical considerations had been mentioned though. No graphic details - it's a fade away to black scene. Of course, depending on your reading of the book, it may not have actually even happened. Overall, JUST LIKE FATE is a great contemp romance with added depth to it with family issues and friendships and relationship choices and dealing with grief.

Final Thought: Although part of me wishes there was a more concrete answer in the end, I kind of like the ability to decide for myself which version of events actually happened. But the reality is that no matter which one actually occurred, there are key similar things that happen in both choices, and that's really what it's all about. And those are the elements I'm happiest about for Caroline and her family. Fate, destiny, choices, paths in life, and how we can learn from the mistakes we make and grow from them and appreciate what we do have all play a strong role. Easier road or rougher road is relative when looking at all of the things that tie in together.

A good read alike for fans of Kasie West's PIVOT POINT.