REVIEW: Easy by Tammara Webber
Dear Ms. Webber:
Warning: Triggers ahead
I was looking for a college set romance and author Julie Cross recommended this self published title. The minute I was done, I went and bought another Webber title. That’s how much I enjoyed “Easy”. I like college settings more than young adult because the characters are independent, more mature, and readying themselves for the rest of their lives. It is easier to believe in the commitment two people make to each other following college.
The female protagonist, Jacqueline, followed her boyfriend to state college instead of pursuing her dream of attending a musical college like Oberlin. A few weeks into their sophomore year and her boyfriend of three years decides that he wants the freedom to nail other college girls. Kennedy tells Jackie (as he calls her) that he has honorably restrained himself from cheating on her but that they shouldn’t see each other any more.
Jacqueline has an economics class that she took with Kennedy and in her post break up grief, she skips class for two weeks and misses an exam. Her roommate and college best friend, Erin, gets Jacqueline to return to class but her grade is in jeopardy. Jacqueline throws herself at the mercy of her professor and he allows her to makeup the missed quiz and puts her in touch with his class tutor, Landon Maxfield.
Jacqueline realizes that during the past three years, she has done everything to become Kennedy’s girlfriend, from the big things like giving up her dream of being a musician to the little things like allowing Kennedy to rename her from Jacqueline to Jackie. She begins the process of self-reclamation by taking back her name:
Three years had passed since I’d gone by Jacqueline, and I fought daily to regain that one original part of myself that I’d put aside for him. It wasn’t the only thing I’d given up, or the most important. It was just the only one I could get back.
Much of the book centers around Jacqueline’s economics class and the two young men that come into her life through the class: the tutor, Landon Maxfield, and a class hottie who sits in the back sketching, Lucas. Jacqueline’s emails with her tutor become increasingly flirty but scheduling conflicts prevent them from meeting in person.
Landon, The worksheets are definitely going to help. I already feel less scared of failing this class. I did the first two – when you have time, could you look them over? Thank you again for wasting your time on me. I’ll try to get caught up quickly. I’m not used to being the student who’s a pain in the butt. I had two freshmen from rival schools in competition with each other at regionals. Both asked me, separately thank God, who was my favorite. (I told each of them, “You are, of course.” Was that wrong??) They were very smug with each other when they came to get their basses from my truck, and I prayed that neither would mention the favorite status in front of the other. BOYS. Engineering? Wow. No wonder you seem so brainy. JW
Jacqueline, The worksheets look great. I marked a couple of minor mistakes that could trip you up on an exam, so check those. Ah, sounds like your freshmen have crushes on you? Not surprised. A bass-playing college girl would have rendered me speechless at 14. Of course I’m brainy! I’m the all-knowing tutor. And in case you’re wondering – yes, you’re my favorite. ;) LM
Jacqueline and Lucas see each other around campus. Lucas works a dozen different jobs from a barista at the campus Starbucks to parking enforcement. Their contact is limited text messages and charged stares. They are both mysterious to Jacqueline. The main complaint that I had about this book was the shortness of time between Jacqueline’s breakup to the new romance she develops which is about seven weeks. Further, much of personal self confidence seemed to be regained through her interactions with Landon and Lucas.
But for all the slut shaming books out there, I felt like this was a very girl positive book. First, Jacqueline and Erin have a close and supportive relationship. They care about each other and the breakup and subsequent events suffered by the girls in the books bring them closer together. The book starts out with an attempted rape against Jacqueline by a fraternity brother of Kennedy’s. When Erin finally finds out, she signs both her and Jacqueline up for self defense classes. When another girl is raped (this is not described in any detail), the females in the book stand up for each other including the president of a popular sorority. I almost wanted to clap during the sorority president’s speech:
She drew herself up and crossed her arms over her chest. “And you’re worried about who’ll look bad if they tell? Screw that. Dean and D.J. and Kennedy and every frat boy on this campus can all go fuck themselves. Are we sisters or not?”
The male protagonist was delightful despite his sometimes (but thoroughly understandable) wariness with Jacqueline. The girl positive message was just a bonus. There are explicit love scenes in the story up to coitus. In college terms, everything up to third base is described with some detail but the home plate is fade to blake. More like this please.
Best regards,
Jane
I totally agree with you on this book. I loved it so much–and loved her voice that I bought the Between the Lines series (haven’t yet read them, but will be doing so this weekend). This was just a wonderful book, and Lucas is a to die for hero.
I really liked this one. At first I was afraid that it was going to be one of those books in which the heroine gets dumped by the douche boyfriend and the hero saves her from a miserable life, thus sending the message that the only way to be happy is to be in a relationship. So the fact that she learns how to be independent is good. She obviously gets a guy that’s conveniently too perfect, but there’s a part in the book where she thinks that she survived the breakup, she survived the attack, so if things don’t work out with Lucas she knows she will be fine. I really liked that, and I think this book had a positive message, something I really appreciate especially when the characters are young. I also enjoyed the portrayal of female friendship in the book.
Yes! More like this, please. I hope this thread will be full of recs.
I just read Between the Lines and LOVED IT. I have Easy next and then I want to read the rest of the other series. Love Tammara Webber!
Purchased! I feel like all of a sudden I’m seeing Tammara Webber’s books popping up everywhere but I haven’t read them yet. Was a bit leery but it sounds like I’m in for something good!
I was so excited for this book to come out. I found it on a list over at goodreads earlier this year and thought about it for weeks before it was finally available. I wasn’t let down. Although a little on the long side, it kept my attention and I finished it in day. Can’t wait for this author to do more! The Between the Lines series is OK, but I enjoyed this one much more.
I’m really looking forward to reading this one. Especially now that I know you and Elyssa liked it. Thanks for the review, I was looking at it yesterday wondering if I knew anyone who’d read it.
I just finished this book last night and absolutely loved it. I adored Lucas.
I read Good For You based on a mention here at DA, and last night read the other two in that series (Between the Lines and Where You Are) and started Easy this morning.
I hesitate to say this, (mostly because sweet has somehow become a negative and melodrama a big selling point and I don’t want to mislead anyone, because these are on my recommend list as well), but these books manage to be sweet without being cloying and have meaningful stuff happen to the protagonists without falling over the ledge into angst and melodrama. The author’s voice is appealing and distinct, even when hopping back and forth between 1st person protagonists.
This was not my first book by Tammara Webber but it was one of my favorites for many of the reasons mentioned in your review.
After I finished ‘Easy’ I downloaded the 3rd book in her Between the Lines series. Since I hadn’t liked the main character Reid Alexander in the prior books I had low expectations for his story, ‘Good for You’. Guess what? I loved it!
This was a great book, I enjoyed it a lot. Thanks for the recommendation. I saw your post on Goodreads a few days ago, and it looked like something I was in the mood for. I never heard of this author before, and I rarely read YA, but I took a chance since it is considered ‘YA-mature’ . I liked all of the characters, and I enjoyed the interaction she had with Lucas and Landon. It had a good dose of steam for a YA, but was tame by adult romance standards. The romance and ending was age appropriate too, nothing too heavy and unbelievable. I can’t wait to see what she writes next.
I just went and bought it, thank you! :) Your recommendations always work for me really well!
@Anne V: “these books manage to be sweet without being cloying and have meaningful stuff happen to the protagonists without falling over the ledge into angst and melodrama.” – Definitely this. I thoroughly enjoyed Good for You, and I’m looking forward to reading her other books, especially Easy. Tammara Webber is now on my author watchlist.
I skimmed through Book 1 and read Book 2. They were only okay for me. Book 3 “Good for You” rose above because only a fairly skilled author could redeem Reid and make Dori come across as genuine and sincere instead of prosy and self righteous. Further, the topics that she dealt with were very genuine and in some ways brave.
You know I usually avoid breakup/post break up books (especially in the Contemporary category which I’m only just now branching out too) and I always seem to find the ones you mentioned wherein the one dumped finds their happiness in the arms of another person, which leaves a sour taste in my reading mouth. But this sounds refreshing and well…kinda cool. I think I’m going to see if my library has it.
@Marumae – I forgot to put into the tags that this book is self published. I don’t know if the author has made it available to the library.
Thanx for this–I already had it on my wish list so I guess I need to clickety-click it now.
I really really loved this book, probably the first het romance I loved (truly loved, not just liked) in ages besides Kate and Curran (but those books are urban fantasy), so that should mean something. Thank you so much for this review – awesome book.
Tammara Webber has rocked my world… I haven’t slept much last week because I was sooooo absorbed/addicted in/by Between The Lines trilogy. I haven’t felt like that for a long time (and I wasn’t sold to the premise). Now, Easy is still very, very good but I didn’t dive into it the way I did with her trilogy… But, really, I’d strongly recommend this author. She’s going to go very far!
Loved, loved, loved this book. If I could find even 10 more like this, it would totally make my week.
This a wonderful book and a wonderful review. I would recommend this book time and time again, and have, with always same results. Everyone I know who has read it, has done so in about a day and then purchased this author’s other three books, and loved them as well. The author responds to fans on facebook with such enthusiasm. She seems so humble and is just a delight who recommends other books as well. You can tell she loves books. This is a fantastic up and coming author who writes with ease, intelligence, and just enough spice to make it interesting without sleaze. Pure joy to read.
Easy was an amazing book and would defiantly recommend this amazing book! i want to read more about Jacqueline and Lucas! hope she writes a second installment of the book! one of the best books i have read in a long time