The Wayward Sons: Starlee’s Heart by Angel Lawson – A Book Review

Posted January 18, 2019 by Booksandblurbs in Contemporary, Reverse Harem, Reviews, YA / 1 Comment

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The Wayward Sons: Starlee’s Heart (The Wayward Sons – Book 1)

WhyChoose Contemporary Young Adult Romance by Angel Lawson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Contemporary YA/NA, slow-burn RH

Available in Kindle and Kindle Unlimited

Down and Dirty

Would recommend – great coming of age tale with a RH twist.

What is it about?

17 year old Starlee is a shadow of her former self. Locked into fear and anxiety by circumstance and life, she shies away from human interaction and suffers the bane of seclusion and almost complete isolation. She is ready to rebel in small ways, yet one poor choice leaves her exposed, and hurts her mother deeply.

In desperation, her mother sends her to the one place SHE always felt safe growing up, Lee Vines. Small, docile and perfectly harmless, the hamlet is seemingly best place to shelter an over-sheltered 17 year old girl who is scared of her own shadow. What her mother never counted on was the handsome quartet of misguided, yet warm souled, boys next door. It’s a match made in heaven, and somehow these five find a way to start healing, together.

Thoughts

I loved this book, from beginning to end! Though I have fallen hard into the RH niche, I tend to shy away from contemporary offerings, preferring the paranormal or urban fantasy RH’s that are flooding the market. Add in the fact that this is a YA/NA novel and it really, really doesn’t seem like something I would read. But I saw it on a thread and bit… and I am so glad I did! Our FMC is damaged, but it’s the kind of internal angst and sorrow that can feel far too relatable and far too real.

The emotion is woven delicately throughout the story, pulling you in and making you care about these characters in sublime ways. Starlee could be my little sister and the boys are those kind of lost souls you just want to bundle up, feed and cuddle till all their broken pieces mend together.

One note, this IS a YA novel, yet there is sexual contact present towards the ending. The scene is sedate and fits the general theme, yet I make mention of it as some readers prefer YA to be scrubbed clean… which is a personal choice, but an odd one to me. I mean, have YOU ever met a 17 year old that didn’t try to explore their cusping adulthood?

Perspective

First person

Pros:

Supernatural! Supernatural! Supernatural! It’s awash with references and mentions… and they are perfect.
Character development: all of them.
Great editing
Just the right amount of teenage, pound your heart, tension

Cons:

Nope… loved it.
Wait: one, her mom. But she’s not really a negative or a con, just her own sort of lost, doing the best she can. I can’t really fault her for that, but I’ve got to put something on this list!

Verdict

This was a great book that I highly recommend, no matter your normal genre affiliation.

Published: November 1st, 2018

202 pages

Please note that this is a Reverse Harem Novel. The main character has multiple love interests and will not have to choose between them in the end. Content consistent to YA/NA genre, though it is not suitable for all audiences. 16+