Suffer Love, written by Ashley Herring Blake, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Summary: This is a book that somehow sat on my shelf for a while and now I regret it. Once I started reading it, I could not put it down! It is a sweet romance, mixed in with adultery, families falling apart, moving and starting over and trying to navigate a new normal. Hadley St. Clair and Sam Bennett meet in school and are paired up for a school project. They both have secrets, but find that they can confined in each other and they are definitely attracted to each other. Before Sam, Hadley had been using boys as a distraction. She didn’t want to get attached to anyone because she saw how love was tearing apart her family. Sam is feeling responsible for his sister, Olivia, while his mom is ignoring both of them because of her own personal issues. There are secrets to navigate, trauma to overcome and the realization that life moves on. Hadley and Sam are perfect for each other, but their relationship also has obstacles to overcome. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: This was a highly engaging read! I loved it from start to finish. The romance, the drama, the heartbreak. The chapters alternate between Hadley’s point of view and Sam’s. I do think there are mature themes in this book and it is intended for older students. It’s not graphic, just mature. There are some makeout scenes, but nothing over the top for high school. The romance is sweet and realistic. I think the issues worked through in this book are what many high school student can identify with. Parent infidelity is another mature theme in this book. There is some underage drinking going on at parties. The reader will be rooting for Hadley and Sam’s relationship to work out. It’s a quick, fun read. It does have some Shakespeare quotes woven into it. I see this book as a good addition to a high school library. It will most likely just be free choice reading or maybe a good book club choice as you can have lots of discussions about the events happening in this book.