Crash - Nicole Williams (Audio)

I was tipped off to this YA trilogy by Rhapsody Jill.  She didn't necessarily deem it high brow or at the level of John Green or anything, but said it was fun and got smuttier with each installment. I like to be in-the-know on what my teenage daughter could possibly want to read, so I figured I'd better see what it was about.

Synopsis:  Lucy Larson's family has suffered several devastating setbacks, one of which was when her father lost his job.  Supported only by her mother, they had to move out of their posh home and into their lake cottage, away from Lucy's private school and into a public one.  In the summer before her senior year, she meets Jude, a devastatingly handsome bad boy with a troubled past.  Sparks fly.  There is an instant attraction, and after some posturing, flirting, passes and rebuffs, the two hook up.

As the story progresses, the two encounter multiple obstacles.  Jude is constantly being arrested or chased by the police.  He is elusive about his past.  The rich quarterback has set his sights on Lucy, and every time Jude is waylaid he tries to move in.  There are snap judgements made, and there is poor communication and misunderstandings.  As teenagers are wont to do.  As the story approaches its denouement, we learn that Jude and Lucy's lives are more closely intertwined than they ever imagined.  Their happiness seems thwarted at every turn, like a modern day Romeo and Juliet.

My thoughts:  Honestly this plot, and the writing, is ridiculous.  It is predictable to the point where I had to laugh.  You have heard all of this before!  Dangerous bad boy that is unattainable suddenly dedicates his heart to the damaged girl that saves shelter animals and is a ballerina.  Can she trust him?  No!  Yes!  No!  He is bad for her but she cannot resist him 'cause he is so hot!  He tells her that he is a cancer and she should find someone more worthy of her goodness!  Oh for Pete's sake.  I set a world record for eye rolls.

It is worthy to note that in this first book, there is no sex.  I hear that it is coming in the next book...

But it was brain candy, and I blew through this audio faster than anything else I'd listened to in a long time.  It was completely reminiscent of Twilight, except that Jude is much less of a creeper than Edward and Lucy is stronger-willed than Bella the moper.  It was a total throwback to those hormone, drama-infested teenage years.  And while you will hear me spew disdain for the Twilight series, I sure read them quickly at the time.  And for the same reason why I will probably be ordering installment #2 (Clash) and installment #3 (Crush).

Update:  Since I wrote this review, I ordered Clash on audio, and listened to about a half hour of it.  In that time, Jude almost beats up a guy for helping Lucy with her dance costume, they fight about it, then they make up, participate in some heavy petting while driving really fast in Jude's truck, and fight about when they will actually have sex.  I just couldn't do it.  Silly overload.  Maybe later!   

A few words about the audio production:  I only have one name to tell you...Cassandra Campbell.  This is exactly WHY this audio was so easy to listen to.  The woman is a pro, no matter what character she is portraying, even a 17 year-old girl.  She makes audio books a pleasure.

Listening length:  9 hours and 20 minutes (384 pages)

3 out of 5 stars