Review: One Small Thing by Erin Watt

One Small Thing by Erin Watt

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary

Release Date: June 26, 2018

Format: eARC

Source: Harlequin Teen and Edelweiss

Beth’s life hasn’t been the same since her sister died. Her parents try to lock her down, believing they can keep her safe by monitoring her every move. When Beth sneaks out to a party one night and meets the new guy in town, Chase, she’s thrilled to make a secret friend. It seems a small thing, just for her.

Only Beth doesn’t know how big her secret really is…

Fresh out of juvie and determined to start his life over, Chase has demons to face and much to atone for, including his part in the night Beth’s sister died. Beth, who has more reason than anyone to despise him, is willing to give him a second chance. A forbidden romance is the last thing either of them planned for senior year, but the more time they spend together, the deeper their feelings get.

Now Beth has a choice to make—follow the rules, or risk tearing everything apart…again. 

I read fewer and fewer YA novels these days so I tend to be choosier when it comes to the ones I do pick up. One Small Thing by Erin Watt is one I decided to take a chance on and it paid off big time.

Since the death of her older sister three years ago, Beth’s parents have taken over-protective to epic levels. Chafing at their control, Beth rebels and sneaks out to a party the weekend before her senior year of high school starts. Determined to push the limits, she spends the night with hot new guy Chase… only to find out later that he’s not new. And he has a connection to her sister’s death. When Chase shows up at Beth’s school she finds herself drawn to him again and again and a friendship forms. No one at school seems willing to give Chase a second chance and Beth has to make a decision: is Chase worth the risk?

Beth and Chase were characters that came alive and leapt off the page. I felt Beth’s conflicting emotions – how could the one person she should hate be the only person she could really talk to? – her frustration with her parents, her need to break away. Yes, sometimes she was irresponsible and put herself in iffy situations, but she was also self-aware enough to recognize her failings (sometimes with Chase’s help) and worked to make changes. There was real growth in her character. And Chase… well, Chase captured my heart. This was a young man who made a very foolish choice that had dire consequences – and he paid for it dearly. What broke my heart was Chase’s inability to forgive himself. The years since the accident had matured him and provided him with a wisdom beyond his years. He was a good friend to Beth and was often able to shed light on a situation, provide a sounding board, and give sage advice, and yet he could not find it within himself to make peace with his past and he continued to live in a prison of his own making.

Watt managed to take a situation that is unlikely and not only make it feel completely believable, but also had me emotionally invested. I was sympathetic toward Beth, I was heartsick for Chase, and I was genuinely outraged by the cruelty and the gang mentality that was rampant at the school (students and faculty alike). Despite an ending that was too rushed and felt abrupt, and secondary characters who made me all kinds of ragey, I fell in love with this emotional story of friendship, forgiveness, and love. I highly recommend One Small Thing.

4.25/5 STARS

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This is no way changes my opinion of the book or the content of this review.