Skipping a Beat by Sarah Pekkanen

Often times in novels, the relationships between people are very two-dimensional. It is a difficult thing to capture the different shades of gray that a relationship can live in. This author does a superb job of taking the reader through the different stages and depth of the relationship of Julie and Michael. Instead of an obvious protagonist, just like in real life, both characters have good and bad characteristics. This book was a surprisingly quick read considering the subject matter. A near-death experience proves to be the thing that forces these two to examine what is truly important. I don’t think the answers will surprise anyone, but it is nice to see both the characters get to similar understandings. The range of emotions that Julie has to go through kept me engaged and rooting for her. I must admit there were a few tears on my part, which isn’t generally my favorite thing, but they were necessary and had me feeling connected to Julie’s story.