Blog Tour Stop : Perfect Couple by Jennifer Echols

Summary (from Goodreads) 

Title : Perfect Couple (Superlatives #2)
Author : Jennifer Echols
Publication Date : January 13th 2014
Publisher : Simon Pulse 
Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes & Noble

Perfect Couple is #2 in the Superlatives series about seniors at a Florida high school who are selected for their class's superlative categories in the yearbook, and how the labels change the way they view themselves and alter the course of their lives.

Can your heart be put to a popular vote?

As yearbook photographer, Harper is responsible for capturing those candid moments that make high school memorable. But her own life is anything but picture perfect. Her parents' bitter divorce has left her wondering what a loving relationship would look like. And ever since the senior class voted her and star quarterback Brody the “Perfect Couple That Never Was,” her friends have been on her case to ask Brody out.

Brody doesn’t lack in female admirers, but Harper can't see herself with him. He seems confused about why they were matched together, too. They’re total opposites—the last people in the world who would ever be compatible, let alone the “perfect couple.” Yet ever since the class paired the two of them, they've found themselves drawn together--first by curiosity, then by an undeniable bond.

The trouble is, though they're very attracted to each other and both of them admit this, they have a hard time getting along or even communicating clearly. If they’re the perfect couple, this shouldn’t be so difficult! Soon it becomes clear their class was wrong, and they throw in the towel. But after they walk away, both of them feel so changed from making the effort that they can’t forget each other. What if that means this match made in hell is the perfect couple after all?

Personal Thoughts

The first book in the Superlatives series, Biggest Flirts, was a big hit for me. I really enjoyed the characters and the romance was very sweet. Knowing that Perfect Couple would feature Harper and Brody as main characters, I was beyond thrilled. While I wasn't wowed with this one as much as I was with Biggest Flirts, I still thought this was a fun and entertaining read, perfect for a nice lazy summer day at the beach.

Harper was the shy, quiet girl in her high school. But she wanted to really break out from the stereotype surrounding her. It was easy to really enjoy Harper's character. She wasn't entirely memorable, but I liked that she was a "normal" girl who readers could identify with. I think most of us bookish nerds will relate to her and her story. Brody was the opposite of Harper. He was popular, an athlete and had all the girls swooning over him. I really liked Brody too although there were times I had a hard time grasping his actions. I really wanted to know what was going on inside that head of is. Because of that, I would have loved to have been privy to his thoughts in addition to Harper's to feel connected to him. As much as I liked the characters in Perfect Couple, I also had some issues with them. I got that they were teenagers and teenagers are always "experimenting" and still growing up, but some of the decisions that Harper and Brody made had me shaking my head in frustration. I tried to remember what I was like at that age (and it wasn't too long ago), but I still don't think I would do what they did.

That being said, I though Brody and Harper had some great chemistry together. Sparks would fly off the pages when they were together. I have to say though that I didn't enjoy the romance as much as I did in Biggest Flirts. I think I would have liked it much better had they ditched their significant others early on in the book, because I'm usually uncomfortable with cheating in books. What I did love about Perfect Couple was the cast of secondary characters. I love all of them, but my favorite has to be Sawyer. He was such a crazy goofball and it was so cute how he would pine over Kaye from afar. I honestly can't wait to read his book next. I can tell that his book is going to be my favorite because I'm already a huge of Sawyer. I also loved that we got to see Tia and Will. Tia, continued to remain that sassy girl that she was and I was glad that she was there to be a good friend to Harper and lead towards the right road. I loved how the characters in this book were all different and had these unique personalities that really stuck with me. In addition, I liked how Jennifer Echols didn't rely on high school stereotypes in this book. It's refreshing not to have to encounter the typical mean girls and such.

Overall, Perfect Couple was a fun read and even though I had some minor issues, this was definitely a book I recommend to fans of cute YA contemporaries.

Rating

Cover : 4/5
Plot : 3/5
Characters : 3/5
Writing : 4/5

**Overall Rating : 3.5/5**

Author Biography

Jennifer Echols was born in Atlanta and grew up in a small town on a beautiful lake in Alabama—a setting that has inspired many of her books. She has written nine romantic novels for young adults, including the comedy MAJOR CRUSH, which won the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the drama GOING TOO FAR, which was a finalist in the RITA, the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the Book Buyer’s Best, and was nominated by the American Library Association as a Best Book for Young Adults. Simon & Schuster will debut her adult romance novels in 2013, with many more teen novels scheduled for the next few years. She lives in Birmingham with her husband and her son.

AUTHOR LINKS:
Website: http://www.jennifer-echols.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7778661.Shallee_McArthur
Blog: http://jenniferechols.livejournal.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jenniferechols
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenniferecholsbooks
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/echolsjenn/
Tumblr: http://jenniferechols.tumblr.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/echolsjenn

Giveaway 

Prizes :
- 5 copies of either Biggest Flirts or Perfect Couple (US Only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to check out the other stops on this tour here.

Thank you to The Fantastic Flying Book Club for letting me part of this tour and Edelweiss and Simon Pulse for the e-ARC of Biggest Flirts.