Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

For my book review, I read Just Listen by Sarah Dessen. This book could be classified as either a romance or a realistic fiction. The main characters in this book are Annabel Greene and Owen Armstrong. This book takes place in the present day, but it does not mention where it takes place.

Teenage model, Annabel Greene is not looking forward to her junior year of high school. Over the summer, Annabel had a falling-out with her best friend, Sophie. Something happened to Annabel over the summer, and it’s a secret that tore Sophie and Annabel apart. Her other friend, Clarke, hasn’t talked to Annabel since she decided to ditch Clarke for Sophie. Since her two best friends won’t talk to her, Annabel is forced to sit on the wall of her school next to loner Owen Armstrong during lunch, who is always listening to music. Because he always wears headphones, they never talk. At home, it is not much easier for Annabel there, either. Her sister, Whitney, has been staying with Annabel and their parents because of being treated for her eating disorder. Annabel’s mother seems to only care about Annabel’s modeling, even though Annabel wants to quit. She has not had the courage to tell that to her mother, though, because she feels that will break her mom’s heart.

Things start to get better when Annabel starts talking to Owen, who is obsessed with music. Every lunch period, they discuss, and argue, about his taste in music, even though Annabel is terrified of telling people what she thinks. Annabel starts looking forward to lunch every day, because she gets the chance to talk to Owen. Although everything seems to be going fine, Annabel runs out on Owen one night and won’t tell him why. Annabel becomes isolated again, since that one night. Owen hasn’t talked to her for months, and everything seems to be falling apart just when it seemed like it was coming back together. What happens next? You’ll just have to read to find out.

I would rate