Review: Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook

Title: Nobody But Us

Author: Kristin Halbrook
Publisher:  Harper Teen
Publishing Date: January 29th 2013

Pages: 272
Genre:  YA Contemporary Romance/ Realistic Fiction

Series: Stand Alone
Source:  ARC Paperback

  

Bonnie and Clyde meets IF I STAY in this addictively heart-wrenching story of two desperate teenagers on the run from their pasts.

They’re young. They’re in love. They’re on the run.

Zoe wants to save Will as much as Will wants to save Zoe. When Will turns eighteen, they decide to run away together. But they never expected their escape to be so fraught with danger....

When the whole world is after you, sometimes it seems like you can’t run fast enough.

Nobody But Us, told in alternating perspectives from Will and Zoe, is an unflinching novel, in turns heartbreaking and hopeful, about survival, choices, and love...and how having love doesn’t always mean that you get a happy ending. Described as “beautiful, heartbreaking, and exhilarating” by Kody Keplinger, author of The DUFF, Nobody But Us will prove irresistible to fans of Nina Lacour, Jenny Han, and Sara Zarr.

I was really excited about reading this book. The synopsis sounded great, new, and refreshing. I was able to pick it up and read through it quickly and I was very compelled to turn the pages, but I was disappointed in the end. What I thought would be a saving, sweet, love story was really a dysfunctional relationship making bad decision after bad decision. 

Zoe is 15, she lives with her very abusive father and lost her mother at a very young age. Will is a foster kid. He made some really bad decisions in life and wants to start making the right decisions. He just turned 18 and is now out of the system with nowhere to go. He and Zoe met a couple of months ago and have a whirlwind of a relationship. Will wants to save Zoe so they plan to run away together. Their escape doesn't go as planned. 

I had many issues with this book. Many times I am one who can get past the issues I have and enjoy a good story. Maybe if the story would have gone a bit better or ended on a happy note, I might have looked past my issues.. but I couldn't. 

The story really spelled trouble from the very beginning for Will and Zoe. Will is 18, Zoe is 15. There is where it started for me. It wasn't enough for me that there is a world of difference between 18 and 15 but there was even more than the age difference. Will has lived, Zoe has not. I really had a problem with the age difference but then when I found out they only date for a couple of months and Will thinks it will be smart to take her on the run. Nothing good can come of this... The problems just kept coming. 

Will really wanted to save Zoe from the abuse from her dad, Zoe really wanted to escape her abusive life, but it seemed that the only thing going on for me was a cycle not being broken.. Will was not the nicest of guys, he had a temper and it came out quite a bit. He also had a very bad jealous streak and a controlling issue. I was upset that Zoe would run from one bad relationship to another. One bad decision after another kept coming while they were on the road and then the entire things just ends badly. 

Zoe and will could have been some pretty honest characters if they had shown any growth throughout the story. I think this was my main concern. In the end I felt like.. okay what was the point of this book. I don't mind raw and real, honest, realistic fiction. The bad does need to be seen, but I think when the bad is shown there should be something learned from it. In this story, neither Will or Zoe do any learning or growing. They were both just a big mess. 

The writing was good, it was a page turner, the pacing great, I just couldn't enjoy the story. The tone was perfect for the story too. I did feel the characters, I just didn't like what I felt. The only good that came out of the story for me was a lesson in the fact you can't run from your problems. That was the high point for me. 

I think it had great potential for a wonderful story. I am rating it a 2 heart instead of 1 because I was eager to finish the book, to experience the ending and the writing and the tone were very well done.