Reviewed by Donna
TITLE: A Good Enough Reason
AUTHOR: C.M. Lievens
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 220 Pages
RELEASE DATE: May 23, 2016
BLURB:
High school seniors Ellis and Dale are as different as day and night, or so Ellis believes. Ellis loves to write, while Dale loves soccer. Ellis has only a handful of friends, and Dale is Mr. Popularity. But when they’re partnered up for an AP English project, Ellis learns different can be good. Really good.
Dale Stephens has it all: friends, a hot girlfriend, mad soccer skills—and a secret. He’s bisexual, but because he’s never been in love with a boy, it’s always been easier to keep that part of himself hidden. Until Ellis changes everything.
As their love grows, Dale realizes it’s Ellis he wants to be with—only he’s not ready for the world to know about them, especially after the way his mom reacts to the news.
But when they are outed by a bully who has made a career out of tormenting Ellis, Dale and Ellis must face down their fears and try to stay together. What will happen when the bully goes too far? Will Ellis come out of it unscathed?
REVIEW:
“Everyone needs romance. It’s what makes life bearable.”
I was already a fan of Catherine Lievens and her shifters. The books are dreadfully addictive and I’ve yet to miss any of the stories in either of those crazy long series. But here, writing young adult books as C.M. Lievens, I think this author has really found her place to shine. This is easily my favourite book from Catherine Lievens to date, and I truly hope she continues to provide new tales in the same vein.
Ellis and Dale have been attending the same school for years, but until now, Dale has never really noticed the rather bookish boy. Ellis, of course, knows who Dale is – he’s one of the most popular boys in school, and he’s definitely straight as they come. But when the two are partnered up for an English assignment, Ellis is confused by Dale’s behavior. Could Dale actually be flirting with him? And what about Dale’s girlfriend?
What I loved most about this story was the fact that our two main characters actually felt like real teenagers. I work surrounded by teens and I have to laugh at the thought of them giving the flowery speeches and making the selfless decisions that you sometimes find in young adult romances. In real life most teenagers are selfish, confused and awkward, and they’re definitely three words that would come to mind when describing Ellis and Dale. Especially Dale. I have a feeling that some readers won’t like Dale, our bisexual leading man who keeps his girlfriend and Ellis both on the hook as he decides whether Ellis is worth the pain of coming out. I confess, his behavior bugged the hell out of me, and the ever-forgiving Ellis annoyed me sometimes too. But there’s no denying that both Dale and Ellis were true to character and also true to life. This author has a great grasp of teenage behavior. Especially when it comes to bullying.
Along the same lines, I appreciated that both boys, having committed to a relationship with each other weren’t rushing to “officially” come out and shout the fact that they are gay/bisexual from the rooftops. I totally understand the reason that the majority of YA LGBT stories encourage out and proud characters, but I kind of liked the fact that this book was more like – if you’re not ready or comfortable then the closet is ok for now. It’s not saying these boys want to hide forever but they aren’t in any rush to let people know about them.
There are some great secondary characters who offer support and love to our two confused boys, but strangely enough, I kinda lost my heart to Ellis’s bully. The author managed to include such emotions in some of his scenes that I couldn’t hold his behavior against him. Well, to some extent. I’m glad that the boys had the sense to involve adults, and that Mark would be punished, but I also hope he maybe gets his own story and we see some redemption.
So, while I loved this book, I really would only recommend it to those readers who enjoy young adult romances. Like I said, C.M. Lievens nails realistic teenage behavior which will either turn some readers off, or make you fall in love with these kids like I did.
RATING: 
BUY LINKS: