Review: Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In Between by Jennifer E. Smith

Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In Between
by Jennifer E. Smith
Published by Headline
Paperback (purchased)
Young Adult, contemporary, romance

One night. A life-changing decision. And a list...

Of course Clare made a list. She creates lists for everything. That's just how she is.

But tonight is Clare and Aidan's last night before college and this list will decide their future, together or apart.

It takes them on a rollercoaster ride through their past - from the first hello in science class to the first conversation at a pizza joint, their first kiss at the beach and their first dance in a darkened gymnasium - all the way up to tonight.

A night of laughs, fresh hurts, last-minute kisses and an inevitable goodbye.

But will it be goodbye forever or goodbye for now?

I've quite conflicted feelings about Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In Between. I like Smith's writing style and the structure of this story and I have enjoyed some of her previous books. This was a fast read but the problem was the characters and their indecision, and the conflict of this story that didn't feel like a valid conflict for me.

The conflict and the point of this story is that Clare and Aidan are saying goodbye to each other. They've been together for two years and they are in love but they are preparing to leave for colleges in different states, and they are trying to decide whether to break up or not. Honestly, their reasons why they should break up were absolutely stupid because they were so convinced they loved each so much. It is like they had never heard of successful long-distance relationship, especially at the age of technology when you can be connected to people in different side of the world twenty-four hours a day. I have personal experience of long-distance relationship and it can work - sure, it is not for everyone but all the dramatic goodbyes felt like Clare and Aidan thought that there was no way to contact each other or visit once they moved out of their hometown. It was just frustrating and a bit too melodramatic.

I wasn't a fan of Clare because I couldn't connect with her. She was indecisive and dramatic, and most of the time, I couldn't get behind her reasoning. Aidan and Scotty were funny and intriguing enough, though.

This might well be a case of 'it's not you, it's me'. I just couldn't swallow the reasoning, constant goodbyes, and Clare's indecisive nature. I wanted to love this but my expectations were not met at all.

2 of 5 stars

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