Wilson Mooney: Eighteen at Last - Gretchen de la O

Chained by unfortunate timing and restricted by society’s expectations, every choice Wilson and Max make becomes pivotal to their future together.

Eager to take their relationship to the next level, Wilson returns to Aspen with Max to celebrate her eighteenth birthday. When an uncontrollable situation leads to a split-second decision, both will be tested like never before. Butterflies will soar, hearts will clash, and Wilson’s relationship with Max will spin into a silken cocoon with choices that seem too impossible to overcome.

Could it be…uncovering the deep ache that lays dormant in their hearts will become the real threat to their forbidden love? Or will the pressures of keeping their relationship a secret be too much to bear?

 

“What happened in the past…is the past.  Don’t let that define you.  Let right now be the most important moment in your life.”

 

Okay, so this book I thought was so definitely better than the first one.  I thought the steaminess was definitely higher in this book and I loved all the drama adding up to her turning 18.  I honestly couldn’t wait for them to get back to Colorado to get to spend some quality time together in their bubble. I feared their secrets around every corner and I absolutely hated the lying to his family.  I really felt like a part of what was going on.   

Have I mentioned I love Max? Because I really do.  And we truly get to see many sides of him in this book. 

I also loved seeing different sides of other people in this book.  We got to see more of Joanie (who I will definitely be adding to my best of the best friends list), and I actually really liked her character much more in this book.  She came off as kind of whiney/selfish in the first book, (not being able to be happy that Wilson was going away for the weekend and she wasn’t invited to go) but in this book she is nothing of the sort.  She’s helpful and there for her best friend.  She was the always the one Wilson could count on.  She proves that friends really are the family we choose for ourselves. 

Well also get to see a vulnerable side of Calvin in the beginning, or at least that is how I took it.  He feels he’s the child who is never good enough, and that is a hard life to live.   

We get to see a fun and competitive side of Frank.  Between him, Camille and Nancy I just couldn’t help but fall more in love with this family in this second book.  I really wanted them to be able to tell his family the truth, though I understood the reasons not to. 

Cindy is an even bigger bitch in this book, but that is what she is supposed to be…that character we love to hate.  And hate her I did! 

Here is my only issue…Wilson drove me a little crazy in this book.  I know, being driven crazy by the main character should be a big issue, not a little one.  It was feeling a little reminiscent of Kiera in Thoughtless, or maybe more Kiera in Effortless.  It was the insecurities and the second guessing and the wrong decisions… But like Kellan gets me through that series when Kiera is driving me crazy…Max and Joanie and even Nick (who I still have a little crush on too) and everyone got me through the parts where I wanted to slap Wilson around a little bit.   

All in all I thought this book moved along better and there were even turns I truly didn’t see coming, or didn’t see coming the way they did.  I got to the end, disappointed that it was over and cursing Trish for the fact that it isn’t known yet when book three will be out.  I will definitely be reading on! 4 stars!!!