Goodbye Perfect by Sara Barnard

Goodbye, Perfect by Sara Barnard

Eden McKinley knows she can’t count on much in this world, but she can depend on Bonnie, her solid, steady, straight-A best friend. So it’s a bit of a surprise when Bonnie runs away with the boyfriend Eden knows nothing about five days before the start of their GCSEs. Especially when the police arrive on her doorstep and Eden finds out that the boyfriend is actually their music teacher, Mr Cohn.

Sworn to secrecy and bound by loyalty, only Eden knows Bonnie’s location, and that’s the way it has to stay. There’s no way she’s betraying her best friend. Not even when she’s faced with police questioning, suspicious parents and her own growing doubts.

As the days pass and things begin to unravel, Eden is forced to question everything she thought she knew about the world, her best friend and herself.

My Thoughts

There is something so wonderful about YA books that take you both on an emotional journey and also show how rocky life can be. Goodbye, Perfect manages both of these things effortlessly. I have been a fan of Sara Barnard for a while, having devoured both of her previous books and thus I was somewhat excited about this third book. I was also scared too. Fortunately I didn’t need to be. This book sucked me in with Sara’s writing style and her excellent storytelling from the very first page. Just as her other books did too. She is a truly talented writer and I am very much looking forward to seeing what she writes next.

Goodbye, Perfect is a book with a very controversial topic at its centre which may split audiences but I personally thought it was dealt with very well. But what is also central to this book is that it is also a friendship book. It’s a book about two girls who have been friends forever and then something happens to make everything shake between them. It’s about knowing that sometimes you have to do the right thing, even if it’s not easy. That is why this book is incredibly important and why many teens may find it useful as well as entertaining.

One of the things that always keeps my attention glued to a book are the characters. I need strong, interesting and powerful characters and this book definitely has those. I found myself hoping for things to change, urging the protagonist to do something and also cheering on the little victories that occurred throughout the book too. Not to mention breaking down in to a puddle of tears after a certain moment in the book as well. With strong characters, Sara really manages to evoke an array of emotions in the reader as you get fully invested in the story.

All in all, I truly loved this book. It was addictive, emotional and entertaining. I loved the themes running throughout it and I loved how well Sara handled the topic as well. Not to mention that I also really love friendship books. Especially the ones that show how raw and painful they can be. Sometimes breaking up with a friend can be harder than breaking up with a loved one – especially as a teenager. I would highly recommend this book and as said above, am highly anticipating the next book from Sara Barnard.

** I received this copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. **