Thursday, May 9, 2019

Blog Tour: This Is Not a Love Scene - S.C. Megale


This Is Not a Love Scene
S.C. Megale
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
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Lights, camera—all Maeve needs is action. But at eighteen, a rare form of muscular dystrophy usually stands in the way of romance. She's got her friends, her humor, and a passion for filmmaking to keep her focus off consistent rejection...and the hot older guy starring in her senior film project.

Tall, bearded, and always swaying, Cole Stone is everything Maeve can't be. And she likes it. Between takes, their chemistry is shockingly electric.

Suddenly Maeve gets a taste of typical teenage dating life, but girls in wheelchairs don’t get the hot guy—right? Cole’s attention challenges everything she once believed about her self-image and hopes for love. But figuring this out, both emotionally and physically, won't be easy for either of them. Maeve must choose between what she needs and what she wants, while Cole has a tendency to avoid decisions altogether. And her failing lungs might not wait for either.
REVIEW

Maeve was determined to not "die a virgin", but had, so far, been unlucky in love. Enter Cole, a strapping young man, who was strong enough to easily maneuver her chair, and more importantly, seemed to share some chemistry with Maeve. But, as Cole's interest ran hot-and-cold, Maeve had to decide if Cole was the "one" for her.

Maeve captured my interest, and my heart, from the very first chapter. I found her to have a wicked sense of humor, which always scores points with me. But, she wasn't just the funny girl in the wheelchair. She had a passion for filmmaking, was open to new experiences, and was not afraid to ask for what she wanted. She was 18, and what she wanted now was a little more freedom and be seen as a sexual being.

I have read adult novels, which took on the topic of sex from the perspective of a person with a disability, but I cannot recall reading any YA books, which did so. This was new territory for me, and I appreciated that Megale just dove in and took on the topic in a candid way.

One of the reasons I wanted to read this book was because it sounded like it would be quite funny, and it was, but another reason was because I love reading #OwnVoices books. Well researched fiction is fine, but there is a nuance and a perspective that can only come from someone, who had experienced it first hand. I will admit my knowledge of MD was limited to what I learned watching the MDA Jerry's Kids telethons. Therefore, there was a lot of new information presented to me, and I really enjoyed enhancing my knowledge of neuromuscular diseases and the everyday challenges it presents.  Megale did an incredible job opening that window for me to look into, and I wholly appreciated what she shared with me.

The plot moved along nicely, due largely in part to Maeve's wonderful narration. I enjoyed accompanying her on her many outings, being part of her movie making, and even getting to sit in on her doctor's appointments. The beauty for me was in some of the little moments, though, and one character, who stole my heart was Maeve's dad. Her mother was a fierce and feared tiger-mom, but her dad was this lovely, tender-hearted man, and there were a few moments with him, where I thought my heart might explode. I was really proud of all the progress Maeve made with her parents, as well, with respect to her autonomy. Sum total, they were just wonderful A+ parents.

This book was a solid 4-stars for me, and then the ending. Ugh!  I had this love-hate thing going with it. Part of it had me wanting to stand up and cheer, but another part of it frustrated me. I know this was because the story didn't go in the direction I wanted it to go, and I need to accept that it wasn't my story to tell. But, the alternate ending I wrote in my head was so much more satisfying for me.

There were a few things I wished Megale had done or handled differently in this book, but I still enjoyed the time I spent getting to know Maeve and to better understand what it was like being a teenager with a disability.

* ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

S. C. MEGALE is an author and filmmaker. She's been profiled in USA Today, The Washington Post, and New York Newsday, and has appeared on NBC’s “Today Show” and the CBS Evening News for her philanthropic and literary work. As a humanitarian, she's spoken on the USS Intrepid, at the NASDAQ opening bell, and to universities and doctors nationwide. She enjoys making connections all over the world.

Megale was raised in the long grass of the Civil War, hunting for relics and catching fireflies along the banks of Bull Run. A shark tooth, flutes, and a flask are some of the items that hang from her wheelchair, and she had a fear of elevators until realizing this was extremely inconvenient. She lives with her family which includes her parents, sister and brother, service dog, and definitely-not-service dog.

This is Not a Love Scene is her first published novel.





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25 comments:

  1. Now I am curious about this book and about that ending! I agree with you that #ownvoices books have the nuance and a perspective that only #ownvoices authors can provide. Will keep an eye out for this book. :)

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    1. This book is getting hammered by a lot of reviewers on GR. I understand some of the reasons, especially when it comes to the romance, but it didn't discount many of the other things I got from this book.

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  2. I think this sounds wonderful and I think i will not be reading hte reviews on GR for it. Definitely one I want to go in blind for.

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    1. I was not happy with one of the things many reviewers mentioned, but I feel as though a lot of people struggled with the MC, but I liked her and empathized with her situation. She wanted to enjoy the same things her peers did - having a physical relationship, going away to college, more freedom, and I like that Megale addressed these issues in the book from the point of view of a teen with a disability. There were things I liked and things I didn't like, but overall, I had a favorable impression of this book.

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  3. When I first read the synopsis I thought I read ''Cole Sprouse'' was the love interest, and it threw me off for a second xD

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    1. I like Cole Sprouse, this Cole, not so much, which I think annoyed a lot of readers. I am still trying to understand the author's intent with him, but my favorable view of the book came from other parts.

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  4. This one sounds so cute! And that title!

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    1. I can say there were a bunch of fun parts in this book, bust I won't say cute, because there are some heavier issues regarding mental health and the main characters physical health.

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  5. I'm a total sucker for a great book-dad. This book sounds like it's got a lot to offer! Great review. :)

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    1. Maeve's dad was wonderful! The book was not perfect, and I personally would have made a few different decisions, but the perspective Megale gave to us was so real and honest, and I cannot recall reading a book featuring a teen with a disability that took on this topic.

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  6. the tease cracked me up. sounds like fun
    sherry @ fundinmental

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    1. There's a lot of humor in the book and fun situations. Maeve was flawed, but I liked her.

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  7. We've talked about this, but I do appreciate your review! I did think Maeve was an interesting character, and she provided a perspective we don't often see, but I felt like she went about things the wrong way. I wish she hadn't thrown herself at Cole, especially with KC RIGHT THERE, but Cole was her something shiny. I am one of those people that didn't like Maeve as a character, but I appreciate that she wants to do everything everyone else does. She should have the same opportunities and experiences.

    Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? 💬

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    1. I abhorred Cole and definitely wanted things to play out differently, and this could have been a rock solid hit for me, had a few things been different. I acknowledge that we all have different hot buttons, and I understand what other reviewers felt about certain things, even if I didn't feel the same way.

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  8. Okay, you've done it. I'm officially curious... Another book onto the wishlist.

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    1. I think you have to be really open to a flawed character, who has one thing on her mind, and sometimes makes bad decisions because of it. I think I really appreciated what Megale was trying to tell us here, that even though the character was wheelchair bound, she still had desires and wanted to be desired. It's not a message I have see in before, and it was really meaningful coming from a OwnVoices author.

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  9. Sam this book seems so good "on paper" but nearly all reviews it got are rather mixed so I am not astonished by your review ...

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    1. They are mixed, and I understand some of the things people didn't like. Like I said, I was really not happy about certain decisions the author made for the character, but there were a lot of other things I did like.

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  10. Sounds like it had some good points and some drawbacks, but I'm glad you enjoyed it overall, even with its flaws.

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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    1. It's a debut, and it was not perfect, but I guess I sort of understood what the author was trying to accomplish, and even if I didn't agree with every last character decision, she made her point in the way she wanted to.

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  11. I hate when ending leave me frustrated and annoyed and I make up my own. I am sorry this happened. I am still glad you enjoyed the story tho.

    Mary

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    1. You ever read a book, where it seems like the author made the unpopular choice, but you think they made it so people wouldn't call them predictable? Part of me felt like that, but another part of me felt like it fit the overall feel of the book. To let the girl in the wheelchair be seen as a sexual being and let her get with the hot, popular guy.

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    2. I have read books like that before. I could go either way myself. If that is how the book was overall, I would say this was the authors intention. I don't know as I haven't read it yet. =)

      Mary

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  12. I am so glad that this one is own voices and also has some wheelchair representation as well - I am actually on the lookout for books with that as I am hoping to read some with my sister and also for a project I am trying to get going. So thanks for letting me know about this one! It sounds lovely and I am definitely going to be reading it x

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    1. I have read books with protagonists in wheelchairs, but have not encountered an MC with MD. It was tough to read about the disease, which I think is why I still enjoyed this story so much despite the parts I didn't like. It was a new view of someone with that disease, and I think it was important that it was OwnVoices.

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