Review: Just Like Fate by Cat Patrick and Suzanne Young

Title: Just Like Fate 
Author: Cat Patrick and Suzanne Young

Publisher:  Simon Pulse
Publishing Date: August 27th 2013

Pages: 304
Genre:  YA Realistic Fiction

Series:  Stand Alone
Source:  Hardcover

  

Caroline is at a crossroads. Her grandmother is sick, maybe dying. Like the rest of her family, Caroline's been at Gram's bedside since her stroke. With the pressure building, all Caroline wants to do is escape--both her family and the reality of Gram's failing health. So when Caroline's best friend offers to take her to a party one fateful Friday night, she must choose: stay by Gram's side, or go to the party and live her life.

The consequence of this one decision will split Caroline's fate into two separate paths--and she's about to live them both.

Friendships are tested and family drama hits an all-new high as Caroline attempts to rebuild old relationships, and even make a few new ones. If she stays, her longtime crush, Joel, might finally notice her, but if she goes, Chris, the charming college boy, might prove to be everything she's ever wanted.

Though there are two distinct ways for her fate to unfold, there is only one happy ending...

This book snagged my attention as soon as I saw Cat Patrick's name. I also enjoyed The Program by Suzanne Young. The synopsis sounded great and so I read it and... I loved it. There was nothing but love for this book. I loved the story, the main character, the supporting characters, the ending. It was all just awesome.

Caroline is a high school teen that lives with her grandmother, has since she was young. Her grandmother is in a hospice bed dying. Caroline is asked to go to a party by her best friend. Caroline has a decision stay with her grandmother, or go to the party. Each decision has consequences that Caroline is unaware of. The story takes place alternating between each decision she made, mapping out the events that followed those decisions. 

This book was so good. I mean it has not left my mind since I started and after I finished. The story was written extremely well. There was a clear difference in the character and the consequences in each of the decisions. I was never lost or forgot which decision I was reading. I think it helped that they were written by two different authors. Even though they were clearly different, I was still able to see the main character as one person. 

The story was just overwhelming and emotional for me.The main character dealt with many hard issues while grieved and it was very overpowering.  The story also dealt with the consequences of making the wrong decision even if it wasn't necessarily the wrong decision. Is there really a wrong choice... free will verses destined or do they work together?

I liked the main character, she felt real, flawed, and broken. I liked who she was in both stories and felt she her strengths overcame the flaws both times. She learned from both decisions but in different ways.  Her decision leads her to miss or live the last moments of her grandmother's life and whether she is present or not the choice she made constantly ate at her. With each decision she loses, gains, experiences, and regrets. She does a bunch of growing though out the book. I liked her well in the beginning, I loved her by the end. She was still real, flawed and broken by the end but with just a little bit more wisdom, love, family, and friendship. 

The story kept me interested from beginning to end. I didn't know where it would take me and most of the time I didn't care. I loved living it more than getting to the end... even though the ending was wonderful, fitting, and just, it was just what it was. 

Loved it, would read it again, will add it to my keep collection, must read more from both authors.