My review of There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones!

About the book:

Grief brought Finley to Ireland. LOVE WILL LEAD HER HOME.

Finley Sinclair is not your typical eighteen-year-old. She's witty, tough, and driven. With an upcoming interview at the Manhattan music conservatory, Finley needs to compose her audition piece. But her creativity disappeared with the death of her older brother, Will.

She decides to study abroad in Ireland so she can follow Will's travel journal. It's the place he felt closest to God, and she's hopeful being there will help her make peace over losing him. So she agrees to an exchange program and boards the plane.

Beckett Rush, teen heartthrob and Hollywood bad boy, is flying to Ireland to finish filming his latest vampire movie. On the flight, he meets Finley. She's the one girl who seems immune to his charm. Undeterred, Beckett convinces her to be his assistant in exchange for his help as a tour guide.

Once in Ireland, Finley starts to break down. The loss of her brother and the pressure of school, her audition, and whatever it is that is happening between her and Beckett, leads her to a new and dangerous vice. When is God going to show up for her in this emerald paradise?

Then she experiences something that radically changes her perspective on life. Could it be God convincing her that everything she's been looking for has been with her all along?



My review:

This was a more emotional YA read than any of the other books I have read by Jenny B. Jones. There was a lot to like about it. Cute snark, endearing dialog, and love pursuing and ordinary girl who doesn't think her life is worth much. Enter an unexpected inspiration that stirs up things in her life she isn't ready to deal with, but then provides a shoulder to lean on that is unlike any other person she has ever known.

I loved how the author showed the character's struggle with wanting to control her life because she felt so out of control and stressed. Her need for perfection took over her life but happened in such a subtle manner that at first it slipped by unnoticed. Thankfully people cared enough about Finley to not let her issues slip under the radar.

Her pursuit of God was inspirational and realistically shown. The journal her brother left her was a treasure indeed. I loved the ending and how things all came together for her. But the author didn't make it easy. She had to deal with death again and learn to take her eyes off her self long enough to help someone else who needed hope and forgiveness. That was beautifully done.

The style of this book was similar to other YA books by the author. I found that interesting. I suppose it's good to know  what to expect, though sometimes I like to be surprised a bit more. Nevertheless, this one is a keeper due to the power of the message and the deeper look at a real-life teen issue that hurts many young ladies. Hopefully someone with this issue will see themselves in Finley and ask for help. That alone makes this book a great read.

There You'll Find Me was published by Thomas Nelson and released in Oct. 2011.