Conklin's Blueprints by Brooke Page
Conklin's Blueprints
Synopsis:
Recent graduate Becca Stine’s all too perfect and predictable life went spiraling out of control when her supposed childhood friend committed the ultimate betrayal. Following college, Becca attempts to bury the pain by retreating into a dangerous lifestyle with her best friend, Jamie Rae. She decides it’s time to grow up after being irresponsible, broken, and out of control. To Becca’s horror, her only option is to return to her hometown of Grand Rapids. Worried she will forever live in the shadow of her prominent family’s notability, Becca decides moving is her only opportunity to get her feet back on the ground. With her best friend in tow, Becca reluctantly heads home to attempt to live her ideal life.
Little does Becca know the owner of the architecture firm she lands a job with has an intriguingly mysterious son. Tyler Conklin is infatuated with Becca, yet is apprehensive about a public relationship because of his hidden baggage. Not wanting anyone to know about his slight obsession with her, their potential relationship must be kept a secret. Will Becca put up with Tyler’s untold story for long? Will she tolerate being his secret?
Review:
Conklin's Blueprints is one example of why I have a hard time not finishing a book once I start it. I started this book and really did not like it. I thought about putting it aside, but didn't and it did get much better. I didn't absolutely love it by the end, but it was good.
The books opens with Becca recapping her life up until now which was not much fun to read. It was written in such a dry, boring way that I didn't really care. I was just like can we get on with it? I don't like telling, I much prefer showing, and it was such a big chunk of telling me. I just really don't like that. Then we get to the present and it continues with this telling not showing thing and I just thought this might not be the book for me. Once she meets Tyler and they start to interact more there is more showing and it did get much better.
Tyler obviously has issues. Major issues. He had a messed up relationship with his nanny, he hates his dad and pretty much doesn't talk to his mom, he just has issues. He obviously likes Becca, but doesn't really know what to do about it. He is not used to being touched, or being able to touch others, and he struggles with things that are in a normal relationship (since he has never had one). Becca gets annoyed with him all the time and I got annoyed with her for that. She freaks out when he won't or can't do something she wants him to, but never once thinks about what she is asking of him. When he does open up to her, she still doesn't understand why he won't tell his dad. I know some of it is her own issues, especially since her last boyfriend cheated on her with her supposed bff.
As for the bff...why in the world is Becca friends with Ashlynn? She lets her walk all over her and says nothing. She decided when she moved back to Grand Rapids she was not going to let people walk all over her, yet those who previously did she still does. It annoyed me to no end that she would stick up for Ashlynn and let her do whatever, when the people who actually cared about Becca got the short end of the stick. If the people who actually cared about her did or said anything she instantly called them out and was pretty terrible to them. It was just like why not get rid of the actual horrible people instead of trying to alienate the people who are nice to you. Ugh. She drove me crazy at times.
Becca also has issues, as seen above. She has trust issues, issues with food, with her self esteem, everything like that. Tyler understands and tries to be helpful. He doesn't push her to eat junk, or a ton or anything, though he does say at one point that if she stops eating then they have problems. I understand where it all comes from. Her mom is horrible, always saying how she needs to loose weight and maybe she shouldn't eat this or that. Plus Ashlynn is always like that as well, so between the two of them hearing how fat you are and how you need to work on your figure your whole life really can mess you up. How you are not pretty and thin and perfect. So Becca does try to become perfect, even though she doesn't need to. I did feel bad for her that she had so much negativity in her life, but she also frustrated me at times.
The last part of the book was really frustrating for me. The fact that Becca could have so much in her life that has caused her to act certain ways, but at the same time won't acknowledge what Tyler is going through annoyed me. He is trying. He is obviously trying, and when he opens up to her and she is just like whatever, I don't care about anything you have told me you are obviously horrible and no, it was just...I just wanted to scream at Becca. Tyler is not the bad guy. If you can keep Ashlynn in your life, who is toxic, why not let Tyler in who is just trying so hard. I felt so bad for Tyler.
Overall it started off bad, got much better, then had an annoying last part, though it did end on a good note. So not my favorite read ever but I was enjoying it after the first few chapters.
Rating: 3/5
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