Dragonfly (Dragonfly #1) by Leigh Talbert Moore

Blurb: Anna Sanders expected an anonymous (and uneventful) senior year until she crossed paths with rich-and-sexy Jack Kyser and his twin sister Lucy.

Pulling Anna into their extravagant lifestyle on the Gulf Coast, Lucy pushed her outside her comfort zone and Jack showed her feelings she’s never experienced… Until he mysteriously withdrew.

Anna turned to her internship at the city paper and to her old attraction for Julian, a handsome local artist and rising star, for distraction. But both led to her discovery of a decades-old secret closely guarded by the twins’ distant, single father.

It’s a secret that could cost her the boy she loves and permanently change all their lives.

5 stars

THIS BOOK IS PERMA FREE!!!

I ‘m a huge fan of LTM and it all started with this book.  Really all her books are great though. This series is deep, poignant and intense.  Her writing really catches the teenager wishy washy feelings and ever changing desires.

Anna is a superb character. She has depth, a rare and mature understanding of how the world works combined with an insatiable curiosity, making journalism a great choice for a career. She never really made having a relationship a priority, always preferring to prepare for her future.  And I love that about her, because that’s how I was in HS as well.  I didn’t want an SO holding me back from doing the things I wanted to to.  And it’s most likely why I can relate to her so much.

Jack is….not one of my favorite characters.  He is arrogant and overbearing, putting himself first a lot in this book. Even at the expense of Anna’s feelings.  It made me hard to like him or to understand Anna’s obsession with him. Yes, I say obsession because she was like an addict looking for a hit around him.  No shame, it was almost embarrassing to read.

And then we come to Julian.  Ah Julian, even his name is wonderful.  He was like the epitome of the perfect guy.  Laid back and easy going, except when it came to his passion, making art.  And understanding without coming off as clingy either, a hard balance to maintain. He wanted more than physical, he wanted to know her.   Which says a lot about him as a person. Hell, that’s a great story on its own, but then throw in the twist and you have a wonderfully layered and deep plot.  I enjoyed it more the second time around.