Book Review: Tonight the Street Are Ours by Leila Sales

Don't ask me why I choose to read books by authors who I've had a bad experiences with over the ones I love?

From Leila Sales, the author of This Song Will Save Your Life, comes a compelling and relatable story about the hazards of falling for someone you haven't met yet. Seventeen-year-old Arden Huntley is recklessly loyal. Taking care of her loved ones is what gives Arden purpose: it makes her feel like she matters. But she's tired of being loyal to people who don't appreciate her - including her needy best friend and her absent mum. Arden stumbles upon a blog called 'Tonight the Streets Are Ours', the musings of a young New York City writer named Peter, and it feels like she's finally found a kindred spirit. When Peter is dumped by the girlfriend he blogs about, Arden decides to take a road trip to see him. During one crazy night in NYC filled with parties, dancing and music - the type of night when anything can happen, and nearly everything does - Arden discovers that Peter isn't exactly who she thought he was. And maybe she isn't exactly who she thought she was either.

I never liked the "This Song Will Save Your Life" so of course I had to pick up this book. In fairness, I do like this one better and there nothing wrong with it per say.

This novel was okay, I guess its about love, though not really romantic in my opinion. It's a character book with no interesting characters. There's something there with Arden and Lindsey's friendship but Lindsey is more like a side character and plot device more than a real person. Arden's family dynamic that's touched on and while the centre to the plot, we don't get a lot of time with her family so it didn't feel explored enough for me.

There isn't any romance in this book, despite slight love triangle action going on. Sure, the character has a boyfriend and developed a thing on someone from the internet from reading his writer. This doesn't work as the writer, Peter automatically becomes clear as being a pretentious, spoiled brat. I don't get why Arden decides she likes him.

The book ends the only way it could really and be satisfying, at least for me. 

Overall, I give this book 3 out of 5 stars for Just-Like-Me-Dolls. It was an okay read, it had interesting elements but they were overshadowed by romance elements that didn't really go anyway. While they do support the better elements, I just wish they had been more focus.

I got this book for review off Netgalley and it is publish by Pan Macmillan.