Carter and Toni have been best friends for years. Carter is the one that Toni talks to her about everything, her parents, her job at the dance studio, her dates. She never even suspects that Carter has been in love with her for years and years. But Toni has a problem that she doesn't want to admit to, she has an eating disorder, and it's taking over her life. Carter notices and knows that he needs to find a way to help her. But he's a guy and he doesn't really understand, so he goes about it all wrong, causing Toni to push him away. Enter Clint, the hot new dancer at the dance studio, Toni's been crushing on him ever since she saw him, and he finally notices her and asks her out. It's even easier for Toni to continue her eating disorder when she's with Clint, he's very appreciative of her body and it's size, and that makes her want to make it even smaller. But this is very dangerous and Toni collapses onstage as they are dancing during a recital, which gives her an excuse to push the very concerned Carter even further away. But through it all he never stops loving her and one night, she's faced with the evidence of that love. But it's just Carter, Toni can never feel that way about him, or can she?
This was a really hard plot for me to read. You see things from both Carter and Toni's point of views. It was really hard to see how much Toni loathed her body, her shape, and food. It was really hard to see Carter suffer so much watching her destroy herself. I think that this kind of a story really needs to be told, however, and Annette Lyon does a great job of telling it. I like that there is plenty of romance to balance out the sadness of the story. I like Carter and I like what Toni starts to become as she gets to know herself and a loving God. I like that, as always with Annette Lyon, this is a love story, but a clean one, so no need to worry who is reading over your shoulder! Thanks to Annette Lyon for her great job in dealing with such a hard subject.
I was sent an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Labels: Annette Lyon, Clean Romance
