Review: Unconditional

Synopsis:
A boy like Joe, fresh out of prison and 'from the wrong side of town', is out of bounds...especially for straight A grade college student Ashley, but she can't seem to keep away. He's the one that she wants, and she wants him to be her 'first'...but at what cost? With her family acting mysteriously and her friends turning against her, Joe seems to be the only person she can turn to, but can she really rely on him...or herself?"

Review:
Unconditional was a sweet and more realistic romance novel. I liked the protagonist, Ash, a lot and identified with her instantly. 

Ash is a good girl. Seventeen and she's never had a boyfriend, never been kissed, does well in school and doesn't misbehave. Although I wasn't exactly like Ash at that age but I felt a kinship with her.

Ash is best friends with Danii. Danii is pretty and confident. She's also kind of a slut and from the beginning you can tell that she's not a great friend. In fact I felt the urge to slap her many times throughout the novel.

Lawrence's characters pop of the page and the whole novel reads very realistic. The suddeness of first love, the jealousy that you feel when you're insecure. I felt that Lawrence captured the hurt that a child of divorce continually holds with them and how it can forever affect you. And she perfectly describes how though, for awhile  you may wish your parents would get back together when you are faced with the prospect of such a wish coming true how horrifying it can be.

Lawrence deals with the classic tale of the good girl falling for the bad boy. I appreciated Lawrence's take on this classic set up. Joe may have the bad but image but he isn't truly bad. She doesn't even pull the cliche that he's so misunderstood. Joe owns up to his mistakes and is open and honest (fir the most part) with Ash. He didn't get drunk or high, he sticks up for Ash and never pressures her into sex. Although he has been to prison he seems like a good guy to me! You can't always judge people by their past.

The only thing I disliked was all the sex. I'm personally not a fan of novels that go into great detail about sex going on between characters. I will conceed that if you do like such novels this was well done and not horribly vulgar.

Overall an enjoyable read.

Rating:
3/5

About Kelly Lawrence:

I'm a former English and literacy teacher living in the beautiful Derbyshire Dales in England with two rugrats and a rodent. I am a practicing Buddhist and have a regular column at www.meditatelike a girl.com. My practice - and the odd glass of wine - keeps me sane! 
I write in a variety of genres, from erotic memoir to historical romance, and spirituality to Young/New Adult, and even the odd bit of poetry. I welcome discussion, feedback and even constructive criticism, as long as its not delivered too harshly, of course.