Review: The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines

Title: The Vincent Boys (#1)

Author: Abbi Glines

Published: February 13, 2012

Pages: 288

Series: yes (second installment out)

Source: purchased

Good to know: some explicit inappropriate content for younger readers

Amazon Summary: Being the good girl isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Ashton Gray has grown weary of playing the part to please her parents, and to be worthy of the town’s prince charming, Sawyer Vincent. Maybe That’s why she’s found herself spending time with Sawyer’s cousin, Beau, while he’s away for the summer camping with his family. Beau is nothing like her perfect boyfriend. He’s the sexiest guy she’s ever seen, dangerous in ways she’s only day dreamed about, and the one guy she should stay away from.

Beau never envied Sawyer his loving parents, his big nice home, or his position as quarterback. He loves him like a brother. Which is why he’s tried everything in his power to keep his distance from Sawyer’s girlfriend. Even if he has loved her since the age of five, Ashton is Sawyer’s girl, so therefore she’s off limits. But when Sawyer leaves for the summer, Ashton, the one girl Beau would move Heaven and Earth for, decides she wants to get into trouble. Stabbing the one person who’s always accepted him and stood by him in the back, is the cost of finally holding Ashton Gray in his arms. Is she worth losing his cousin over?…. Hell Yeah.

**REVIEW**

Honestly, I’ve been coming back to this review, not being entirely happy with it. When reading ‘The Vincent Boys’ I wanted to like it more than I ultimately did. It’s an all-around good book - simple storyline, okay characters - but there was just something that irked me.

Without hesitation it was the infidelity. It probably occurs much more in YA books than you acknowledge (usually just a kiss) but for me it was a first that the protagonist was the one doing all the cheating. And so guiltlessly.

I just didn’t found it believable that Ashton and Beau hadn’t spoken or acknowledged each other for so long, even going to school together and having the same classes, but suddenly couldn’t resist each other for the life of them.

I liked that there wasn’t any lazy reading for 50 pages, the story immediately starts off. On the other hand, it also instantly goes into the wrong kind of action making it so much harder to approve of Ashton and Beau. What really bothered me was how snap-your-fingers easy it was for Ashton to go there. I wanted to just burst out at her, "Girl, wake up! Come to your senses!" We’re talking, the second time they ever hang out in a couple of years, she “unconciously” makes a move on him. She just has no mental resistance or reality over crossing lines at all.

I would’ve preferred having Ashton and Beau start by slowly spend more time together, being friends - having the thought of them grow on the reader before jumping into the deep end right away. So, as I’m sure has come across, I had a hard time liking Ashton and Beau. I might’ve even liked Ashton less than Beau, just because less was expected of him.

Sawyer I felt sorry for, he really did come across as a good guy and I was a little disappointed he was pushed into a certain frame, ending up having tried changing Ashton in their relationship. I found myself hoping Glines wouldn’t go trying to put down his character to rise Beau. I was at least glad he had a chance of showing himself and have a say.

The cover of ‘The Vincent Boys’ certainly caught my attention. The plotline wasn’t original or impressive but still enjoyable.

I’m thrilled to learn that 1) there’s a sequel 2) that comes out in June and will be about Sawyer trying to win Ashton back. I think the fact that ‘The Vincent Boys’ has a sequel upgrades the book and I’ll be on the lookout for the second one.

(3/5)