Challenge Corner discussion

She has a dream. He has a plan. Together they’ll take a leap of faith.

Ren has never held an iPhone, googled the answer to a question, or followed a crush on social media. What she has done: Read a book or two, or three (okay, hundreds). Taught herself to paint. Built a working wind power system from scratch. But for all the books she’s read, Ren has never found one that’s taught a woman raised on a homestead and off the grid for most of her twenty-two years how to live in the real world. So when she finally achieves her lifelong dream of attending Corona College, it feels like her life is finally beginning.

Fitz has the rest of his life mapped out: Graduate from Corona at the top of his class, get his criminal record wiped clean, and pass himself off as the rich, handsome player everyone thinks he is. He’s a few short months from checking off step one of his plans when Ren Gylden, with her cascading blonde hair and encyclopedic brain, crashes into his life, and for the first time Fitz’s plan is in jeopardy.

But a simple assignment in their immunology seminar changes the course of both their lives, and suddenly they’re thrown out of the frying pan and into the fire on a road trip that will lead them in the most unexpected directions. Out on the open road, the world somehow shifts, and the unlikely pair realize that, maybe, the key to the dreams they've both been chasing have been sitting next to them the whole time.

Ela, when would you like to start? I think I have 10 days left on my loan

I think I’ll be able to finish my current book today so would starting tomorrow work for you?

Sure would and if I get too far ahead I'll read something else

Through chapter 5
(view spoiler)[
Ren's name is easy enough but everyone seems to get it wrong that it shows as a society we don't listen well.
Can you imagine not having a phone? Yikes, I think maybe I should not have assumed you have one🙄🙄🙄. So far I like Ren, her enthusiasm is contagious and I can't wait to read more. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 6
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I don't know what to think of Fitz. I think it's great that he is trying to flip his life around but I'm not so sure that I like that he sees Ren as an obstacle to getting what he wants
I love how these two write together it just seems to flow flawlessly book after book.
(hide spoiler)]

Through chapter 12
(view spoiler)[
This car ride certainly shows how naive Ren is. I feel bad for her at times. I absolutely love her character and am intrigued to see how the meeting with her father goes (hide spoiler)]

Laura wrote: "Through chapter 5 ..."

(view spoiler)[ I didn’t even think of that but it makes sense.

😂 It is hard to imagine. Not just when it comes to the social aspect but also not being able to search something up quickly and not having something to do when you’re bored.

I like Ren too. The enthusiasm could have ruined her character but I like how her character’s written. I’m curious about Fitz’s story and while I guess it makes sense to time jump and show the article, I would have liked to see one or two more scenes of her learning life on campus and getting to know people in her classes.
(hide spoiler)]

Laura wrote: "Chapter 6..."

(view spoiler)[ I like Fitz (his name could be better though), and I don’t mind how he sees Ren because it makes sense. Now I want to see how they get past that. I wonder what he did to get a criminal record.
(hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[stealing? To get his father's attention
Break and entering? I hope we get to know (hide spoiler)]
Thoughts on his record

Laura wrote: "Thoughts on his record"

(view spoiler)[ I’m wondering if it was something that his father did and blamed him for it because it mentioned that Fitz wants to get rid of his criminal record and get into law school to give his father what he deserves.

Fitz mentioned a few names without going into detail about who they were so maybe they’re his siblings and his father is abusive but he has money to bribe people so the only way out is for Fitz to become a lawyer/prosecutor.
(hide spoiler)]

Up to chapter 20

(view spoiler)[ This feels more like a road trip story where the reveal about Ren’s father is only going to be at the end without enough details.

The fact that Ren is calling her parents by their names makes sense especially when it turns out that they kidnapped her, but it’s making me confused when it comes to Fitz’s backstory. Is Mary his mother?
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Chapter 29

(view spoiler)[ It probably makes sense that Gloria was able to manipulate Ren so easily but that doesn’t change how annoying it is. Is Fitz going to go to Ren’s father’s house and that’s how the kidnapping is going to be revealed?
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My plan is to catch up after I unload the dishwasher!!

I 'm somewhere in chapter 20, not quite caught up

Through chapter 21
(view spoiler)[ I agree with you Ela, it absolutely feels like that
I do think Mary is his mom or his stepmom and your earlier suggestion of Fitz's's father abusing him makes sense. Ren doesn't remember anything before she 3 and they really sheltered her that the kidnapping idea also makes great sense. I don't like her parents (hide spoiler)]

Laura wrote: "Through chapter 21..."

(view spoiler)[ Yeah, they're very controlling and seem like they take advantage of Ren.
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Chapter 29
(view spoiler)[
Oh no, wow, I guess I should have seen that coming but I didn't
Poor Ren so easily manipulated by her mom, again
Now I'm really interested in seeing how this plays out (hide spoiler)]

In chapter 34
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I just can't imagine my kids being kidnapped
I'd be devastated
Parent 's worst nightmare (hide spoiler)]

Finished
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I liked the book. I enjoyed Ren and Fitz. I'm glad she got to meet her dad and try to build their relationship.
The swat operation was not expected but I'm glad Ren found out the truth about the people who kidnapped and raised her as with everything else in her life she handled it well.
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End

(view spoiler)[ I agree - I liked Ren and seeing how she experienced life, and I liked Fitz and how he slowly fell for Ren.

Even though there were slightly more details at the end than are usually given in similar situations in (mostly suspense) books, I still thought that more could have been shown on what they were going to do now and Ren getting to know her biological father. Also, I know that Ren's story was supposed to be the main focus, but since the authors included Edward's backstory, I wanted more details about what's happening with his adoptive father (and mother who doesn't seem to exist) and Mary and her sons as well as the deal he had with the judge.
(hide spoiler)]

Thanks for reading this with me