Slammed by Colleen Hoover

Title: Slammed (Slammed #1)
Author: Colleen Hoover
Publisher: Atria Books
Release date: September 18th 2012
Source: Netgalley
Format: egalley

Rating: 4.5 / 5

Buy it at: Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Read excerpt here.

Falling in love can feel like poetry. Or it can feel like a slam to the heart.

Colleen Hoover’s romantic, emotion-packed debut novel unforgettably captures all the magic and confusion of first love, as two young people forge an unlikely bond before discovering that fate has other plans for them.

Following the unexpected death of her father, eighteen-year-old Layken becomes the rock for both her mother and younger brother. She appears resilient and tenacious, but inside, she's losing hope. Then she meets her new neighbor Will, a handsome twenty-one-year-old whose mere presence leaves her flustered and whose passion for poetry slams thrills her.

Not long after a heart-stopping first date during which each recognizes something profound and familiar in the other, they are slammed to the core when a shocking discovery brings their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together and the forces that tear them apart. Only through the poetry they share are they able to speak the truth that is in their hearts and imagine a future where love is cause for celebration, not regret.

Layken along with her mother and younger brother move from Texas to Michigan shortly after the death of her father and in this new city is where she meets her new neighbor Will Cooper, the attraction between them is undeniable and they have an intense first date, they feel a strong connection as if they were destined for each other (yes, it's love at first sight), but later something happens, an event that stands between them so they can´t keep seeing each other in romantic way even when they have strong feelings for each other. Although the initial romance between Layken and Will is a bit like instant love, in this book it works, is believable and intense.

Slammed is told from the point of view of Layken, she is a good daughter and a good sister, helps a lot at home and in the care of her younger brother Kel, she sometimes behaves mature, but sometimes she will throws tantrums and slam doors (many doors). Will is a very mature, levelheaded and reasonable for his age, he´s romantic, intense and with a passion for slam poetry.

The secondary characters are great, Layken's best friend Eddie, Eddie´s boyfriend Gavin, Layken mom & brother Julia and Kel, Will´s younger brother Caulder  my favorite of them all and I feel is Eddie,she´s a character full of life and wonderful.

Slammed is a contemporary novel, very emotional, intense, heartbreaking, but also has its funny parts, unexpected twists and a lot slam poetry which is an important part of the book (I really did not know what it was, but now such a fan of slam poetry, I LOVE IT!!!). Slammed hooked me right from the start, this book made me cry a lot but it made me laugh too, and I was so hooked and couldn't put it down that I end up reading it all at 4 am.

This is a must read if you like intense contemporary novels.

I want to thank Atria Books and Netgalley for this review copy.