One Moment Is Just Too Long

Expected Publication: June 26th, 2012

One Moment

By: Kristina McBride

Egmont USA

ISBN-13: 9781606840863

This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie’s life. Now it’s the one she’d do anything to forget.

Maggie Reynolds remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party the night before. She remembers climbing the trail hand in hand with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can’t she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below—dead?

As Maggie’s memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?

The latest novel from the author of The Tension of Opposites, One Moment is a mysterious, searing look at how an instant can change everything you believe about the world around you.

Review

   Maggie Reynolds was really happy with her boyfriend Joey.  They were in love and about ready to spend the summer before their senior year with a group of the best friends they could ever have.  Kicking off the summer with a party and hanging out at the gorge seem like great ideas.  Until Joey and Maggie climb up to dive off the cliff - and Joey ends up dead at the bottom.  Now Maggie has amnesia.  She can remember walking up the cliff with Joey, but nothing after that until he was dead at the bottom.  Trying to find out what really happened on the cliff, Maggie comes to the realization that Joey was keeping some big secrets from her.  They might not have been as happy as she thought and when she uncovers the truth, the hurt and betrayal threaten to consume her.  Can Maggie regain her memory, come to terms with whether or not Joey's death was her fault and forgive him for his mistakes - most important of all, can she forgive herself?  Maggie has blinders on for most of the book and I seriously wanted to crack her over the head.  How dumb can you really be???  I was disgusted with the idiocy and betrayals of most of her so-called friends.  I disliked that Maggie felt as if Joey was her entire life, that she couldn't live without him.  Maggie was completely pathetic to me and needed a guy to feel strong.  She was unable to be by herself, as evidenced by the romance that was crammed in last minute between her and Adam.  The conflict with Shannon felt extremely contrived, with the other girl painted as the villain and Maggie as the poor, helpless victim.  It made me gag.  The only thing at all that I really appreciated about this book was that it was descriptive and well conceived.  It just wasn't very well executed.  This book reminded me of a particularly annoying episode of The Secret Life of The American Teenager - only without all the pregnancy.  There was plenty of talk about sex though and that got on my nerves as well.  It was definitely NOT the book for me personally.  Perhaps fans of Lauren Barnholdt should give it a try?

VERDICT:  2/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is June 26, 2012.*