Can't Buy Forever

Hey guys, it's Lydia here! Sorry about this late post, I finished this book a few days ago, but have been so busy and only managed to fit it in this morning.

Title: Can't Buy Forever
Author: Susan Laffoon
Publishing: Self-published
Published: 2015
Genre: Teen/Young Adult fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Fantasy.
Rating: 1/5

Can't Buy Forever is set in 1950's America and is about a young woman, Odesa Drake (or Dessa, which she is referred to as throughout most of the book), who is in her last year of high school, she lives with her Aunt Flo in her boarding house in Mineville, New York. For years Dessa has loved and been friends with Nicholas, a miner and boarder at their house. Nicholas has never revealed much about his past, but as they grow closer, secrets are revealed as trouble escalates further and forces them to flee across the country.

Sadly, this book was not for me. I found the story line quite hard to follow and occasionally became confused at some points of the novel. The beginning of the book again had me confused as the writer used such loving and affectionate language that as a reader I thought that Dessa and Nicholas were already a couple, but it wasn't until later that they profess there love for each other.

The writing style that the author chose wasn't used to the best ability. It revealed the mystery of Nicholas' past and the main plot of the book as the story progressed, this became a frustrating read as the author didn't reveal enough to build a good foundation of plot and character, and as a result I was puzzled for a good half of the book.

Nicholas was an interesting character once his past was finally revealed. The idea of him living for a long time as a result of being cursed created a great backstory and plot twist. He was quite a relatable character, he spent a very long time living in the shadows and mourning over a lost love, where he didn't think he was redeemable to love another person again. This creates a very relatable atmosphere, as some people find it hard to trust others and open up our deepest and darkest secrets to almost complete strangers. This is a common fear amongst most people.

The protagonist Dessa was quite a weak character and didn't have much backbone. She depended and leaned upon a lot of the other characters. Perhaps, given the context that the story was set, some women had to be meek and complacent to men and to know their place within society. However, for a younger reader to buy this book she wasn't the best role model, my personal opinion is that she was too ostracised as a damsel in distress and seemed to constantly need someone to rescue her. The excessive language of love when the narrator (Dessa) was around Nicholas became quite boring, repetitive and corny.

Can't Buy forever was not particularly my cup of tea, however the book had some clever and interesting plot surprises and character development, that led the story to a pleasant ending.