What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

I like how Dessen cameos characters from her past books. And Deb, well, she's lovable and cringe-worthy all at the same time and completely interesting. Opal had a lot of heart and a bit of snark ~ her scenes added some energy to the book. My two favourite characters were Opal (restaurant chick) and Deb (high school student enthusiast). (I am a fan of meet-cutes :) I also liked the 2nd and 3rd scenes with them together. The first meet cute between Mclean and Dave. It’s chaotic and sensory and fun and those scenes were highlights for me.

Fans are also split on their favourite titles so it’s hard to predict which of you will find this bumping on their favourites list and which of you will find it all a little too meh (like me). A few of her books are favourites of mine and perfect for a rainy-day comfort read, but others of hers have left little impact and been quickly forgotten. I anticipate her books, hoping to connect, but she is a hit and miss author for me. However, I have never been her biggest most-loyal fan. There's an instant sense of familiarity when opening up the books (from having read her previous work). Even without her name on the cover I could easily pick her as the author. There was no mistaking Dessen’s signature prose when first diving into What Happened to Goodbye. She takes her time in creating atmosphere and introducing characters with all their nuances. She is the queen of exploring relationships and the subtle things that connect family's and friends. Ad infintum and you reach the resolution: where Dessen has begun with isolated characters she ends with a motley group of friends who have bonded and each come to some form of self-actualisation.ĭessen immerses the reader completely in her characters lives. Instead the book quietly unfolds in layers: each time Dessen revisits a scene/sub-plot, she goes just a little bit further than the previous time ~ giving more depth and insight into her characters lives, relationships and what makes them the way they are. What Happened to Goodbye has no huge inciting incident or great source of tension.

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen