There You’ll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Published: October 4, 2011

Pages: 307

Rating: 5/5

Finley Sinclair is not your typical eighteen-year-old. She's witty, tough, and driven. With an upcoming interview at the Manhattan music conservatory, Finley needs to compose her audition piece. But her creativity disappeared with the death of her older brother, Will.

She decides to study abroad in Ireland so she can follow Will's travel journal. It's the place he felt closest to God, and she's hopeful being there will help her make peace over losing him. So she agrees to an exchange program and boards the plane.

Beckett Rush, teen heartthrob and Hollywood bad boy, is flying to Ireland to finish filming his latest vampire movie. On the flight, he meets Finley. She's the one girl who seems immune to his charm. Undeterred, Beckett convinces her to be his assistant in exchange for his help as a tour guide.

Once in Ireland, Finley starts to break down. The loss of her brother and the pressure of school, her audition, and whatever it is that is happening between her and Beckett, leads her to a new and dangerous vice. When is God going to show up for her in this emerald paradise?

Then she experiences something that radically changes her perspective on life. Could it be God convincing her that everything she's been looking for has been with her all along? [Book Description from Amazon]

Review:

Finley has been through more than the average teen’s troubles. While other girls her age are worrying about acne, fashion, and boys, Finley just wants her brother back. Or at least to forget him, to let go of his tragic death. While on her way to Ireland to spend some time on the island her brother fell in love with, she meets none other than the world famous hottie, Beckett Rush. Starring in a new vampire movie shot in Ireland, Beckett is all but ready for Finley’s reaction to him- or his reputation. As tension soars and pressure is increased, Finley must not only find peace with her brother’s death but with herself and God.

            This book had me hooked the minute I cracked it open. Jones weaves a sweet, touching tale of how a girl’s perspective of life is changed through the people she meets and the circumstances God puts her in. It had me laughing (out loud, at the kitchen table, no less, while my family munched silently and starred) and crying. Through Jones’s talented writing, I felt the awe that Finley felt as she experienced all the beauty of Ireland. I absolutely love books that give the reader a taste of another culture, and this one took me there. To Ireland. To the cool sea mist. To the rolling green hills. To the quiet quaintness of Abbeyglen.

            I’ve thought a lot about writing a book of my own like this one, with this same theme. The whole commoner-meets-hot-movie-star-and-the-two-fall-in-love theme has always fascinated me, but I know I couldn’t have pulled it off as well as Jones did. Carelessly, this type of theme could utterly ruin a book, but Jones did a marvelous job of not making it seem ridiculous in the least. Beckett’s movie role was laughable- I mean, fangs + ruffle shirts + castles in Ireland just makes for a laughing fit, if you ask me (apparently the author is a fan of Twilight, so I will restrain from making a rude comment about that particular movie in this review, but do note that I am snickering as I write this). Jones infused her touching story with just the right amount of humor, and the romance was fantastic. I could have gone for a little more (oh my word, Beckett’s going on my “fictional love interests” list) but it might have been too distracting from the true point of Finley’s story.

            *sniffle* Yes, I cried at the end. Not because it’s sad, but because it’s just so beautiful. I closed the book wishing for a sequel, but sometimes one is just enough. Too much of something good can ruin the goodness, if you know what I mean. I have, though, bought nearly all of Jones’s other books from Barnes and Noble, because this book convinced me that she’s an incredible author and I want more, to be honest. In summary, I will be reading this one again sometime. Go check it out. It will inspire, refresh, and entertain you until the very last page.

Quick Content Review: *Clean Read!*

Language: None

Violence: None (Finley’s brother was killed in a terrorist attack, but no details)

Sexual: None (a kiss or two between Finley and Beckett)