Title: Anything To Have You
Author: Paige Harbison
Release date: January 28, 2014
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Pages: 304
Source: Netgalley
Reading level: YA
Nothing should come between best friends, not even boys. ESPECIALLY not boys.
Natalie and Brooke have had each other’s backs forever. Natalie is the quiet one, college bound and happy to stay home and watch old movies. Brooke is the movie—the life of every party, the girl everyone wants to be.
Then it happens—one crazy night that Natalie can’t remember and Brooke’s boyfriend, Aiden, can’t forget. Suddenly there’s a question mark in Natalie and Brooke’s friendship that tests everything they thought they knew about each other and has both girls discovering what true friendship really means.
I was a huge fan of Paige Harbison’s debut novel, Here Lies Bridget. Because of that, I expected quite a bit from Anything To Have You. Sadly, I was a bit let down. I enjoyed the story but it really was nothing special and I had quite a few problems with it.
My biggest issue with Anything to Have You was the dynamics of the friendship between Brooke and Natalie. They really don’t seem to like each other. They have very little in common and it almost seemed like they were competing with each other. Add a boy into that mix and things just get crazy. Aiden is the new kid in town and Natalie likes him from the start. Brooke doesn’t really care either way but she’s supposed to help Natalie get him. Instead, she starts dating him. Things just went downhill from there. And I’m not justifying what Natalie and Aiden did but they were supposed to be together from the start. It was bound to happen.
The summary doesn’t do justice to the story though. Something happens one night that Natalie and Aiden don’t remember but the consequences of that night are really far reaching. Not only do Natalie and Aiden’s lives start to spiral after that, so does Brookes. Even if they don’t know what exactly happened, they know that things are changing in all of their relationships. It was interesting to see how the decisions of two people affect not just them but all the people around them as well.
Things kind of came to a head a little too abruptly at the end of the book. There was a lot of build up and a lot of things leading to the big revelation but it all happened so close to the end that I felt like readers can’t really see all the ramifications of their actions. Things tied up a little too nicely too. Sure, I was happy for Natalie, Aiden, Brooke, and their friends but I wanted to see something a little more realistic. Maybe that’s just me though.
Overall, Anything To Have You just didn’t live up to my expectations. I enjoyed it and I think other readers will too but just don’t expect too much from it.
What others are saying about Anything To Have You:
Bookworm Blogger’s review: “I honestly think the author took her finger off the pulse on this one and therefore it just didn’t seem quite accurate.”
Ashley Loves Books’ review: “Obviously, Anything To Have You wasn’t quite the book for me.”
Electively Paige’s review: “I love the way the author gracefully touches on some pretty strong themes, and this book was about as real as you can get.”
Other reviews for this author:
Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison
I can understand your frustrations. I would think that friends normally have a lot is common, these two girls don’t really sounds like they do. That and the abrupt ending would bother me. I might just have to steer clear of this one. Thanks for the honest review.
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I got this one for review and have been getting a bit nervous about digging into it after seeing a lot of not so gr!eat reviews. It doesn’t sound like the main characters were that good of friends and the book sounds a bit problematic.. I’ll have to try it out and see for myself!
I’m reading this one right now and I totally agree. Their friendship is like so so extremely effed up. They’re both basically making the other feel like crap and they stay friends anyway. I’m just like, what? Either way though, I can’t manage to stop reading even though it’s so stupid haha. I’m a bit bummed that the ending is rushed though. I hope it’s not too bad for me!
I felt the same way about this book.
“You was the dynamics of the friendship between Brooke and Natalie. They really don’t seem to like each other. They have very little in common and it almost seemed like they were competing with each other.”
THIS. I never understood why Natalie supported Brooke. They had such a toxic relationship. This was my first Harbison book, but it seems this isn’t her best work. I’ll most definitely need to try her other books.
Lovely honest review!
I’ve been seeing pretty neutral-negative things about this book, and have thus made the decision to stay away. Your review is the first I have actually read in full–now I know why this book hasn’t done so well in the eyes of readers. Sticking to my decision. Thanks for the review!
I love books about friendship, but only if the girls are real, true friends, none of that meanness that masquerades as friendship. That’s why I wouldn’t be able to connect.
Books about cheating don’t bother me like it does some other people, nor do I automatically hate the cheating girl or guy if I can see why they’d be better of with someone else and the wronged party would be better off single too.
Lovely review 🙂