Brynn used to have a great life, full of friends, pottery,
and a boyfriend she can't get enough of. But once tragedy
strikes, that is all gone. She loses her mother, finds out
her boyfriend lies all too well, and discovers that her best
friends don't want anything to do with her now. Feeling
alone and empty, Brynn tries to pick up the pieces of
herself and finds out she might not be as alone as she
thought.
SEARCHING FOR BEAUTIFUL by Nyrae Dawn is simply stunning and
strong. There are so many things to love about this book,
but at the top of my list is diversity. Dawn beautifully and
naturally incorporates a main character who is adopted by a
family with Italian roots, a Hispanic love interest who has
two moms, and much more. It feels as real and truthful as it
should.
Another highlight is the excellent character depth of Brynn
and her love interest, Christian. Christian helps her find a
strength inside her, but it's very clear that he is only a
support to that, and she is the one who really taps into her
own strong hold. They have a relationship that allows them
to help each other, but in a way that makes them stronger as
individuals. They have several swoony moments, but seeing
them remind each other how to find the courage they have
built on their own is wonderful. I also love the nice
additions the secondary characters bring from Brynn's new
friend, Emery to Christian's mom, Brenda.
As a huge fan of Nyrae Dawn's, SEARCHING FOR BEAUTIFUL does
not disappoint in any way. I love her clear voice and the
stunning stories she always delivers. For fans of YA
contemporary stories, I would highly recommend this book!
Before it happened… Brynn had a group of best friends, a boyfriend who loved her, a growing talent for pottery. She had a life. And then…she had none. After it happened… Everything was lost. The boy she now knew never loved her. The friends who felt she betrayed their trust. The new life just beginning to grow inside her. Brynn believes her future is as empty as her body until Christian, the boy next door, starts coming around. Playing his guitar and pushing her to create art once more. She meets some new friends at the local community center, plus even gets her dad to look her in the eye again…sort of. But letting someone in isn’t as easy as it seems. Now… Can Brynn open up her heart to truly find her life’s own beauty, when living for the after means letting go of the before?