Back When You Were Easier to Love

Back When You Were Easier to Love

by Emily Wing Smith

Once upon a time Joy and Zan were dating.  But happily ever after never happened.  Joy is left mooning and moping as she finishes high school in boring little Haven, UT.  When she says she needs closure, she really means she needs to go get him back. 

This one was fun. Also clever. And it reminded me of those painful high school days.  Because even though I didn't grow up in Utah, I grew up (and still am) Mormon.  And where there are Mormons there is a Mormon microcosm of this high school. 

The pacing was good. The characters were rounded. The religion was a defining element of but didn't overshadow the story. Okay maybe there was a little much of the teen angst, but you know, its all about overcoming the angst, so you've got to have it to begin with. <3