Counting Stars

... is the book I finished earlier today. It's by Michele Paige Holmes, and was a very enjoyable read. She did a wonderful job creating realistic characters and in a very real setting. I really related to the main character in her romanticness. If you don't want to cry, don't read this book. It has a few very sad moments, but its all forgiven in the very sweet moments.
The only thing I didn't like was the last page. I would have been okay if she'd left out the whole last chapter, but I can see why she did. But the last page, specifically the last two paragraphs. I feel like the story just.... ends. I'm not sure if this is her version of a cliff hanger or if there was something implied that I just wasn't getting. Which, this does happen to me occasionally. I like to have things spelled out and sometimes miss implied things. I'm very straight forward like that. And actually, the whole side plot that the chapter ends with I don't find terribly necessary. There are whole sections that, while interesting and a good read, should just be part of a separate book. The character this side story focuses on is important to the story, but not so much that we really needed so much side stuff. He could have just told the main character what he had been up to for the past year instead of having us live it with him. Sometimes this is a very good thing. In this story I thought it was unnecessary.
But I really do like this book. I am recommending it to all those romancy, chick-flick lovers out there. This story has all the elements of a good chick flick but is so much better. It's not just happily ever after, but about working towards that, showing all the rough patches along the way. I love how realistic the story is in that aspect. So please, if you have time for a 300 (ish) page book, enjoy a good read.