Review: Callum and Harper by Fisher Amelie

Title: Callum and Harper

Author: Fisher Amelie
Publication date: December 24th 2011
Age group: New Adult/Upper YA
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Thriller
Cover rating: 5/5
Content rating: 4/5
Buy: Amazon

Description:

Life sucks for orphans Callum Tate and Harper Bailey.  

Kicked out of their foster homes because they suffer the 'eighteen disease' with nothing but a hundred dollar check from the government and a pat on the back, they're forced to rely on a system that failed them miserably.  

So they sit. They sit inside Social Services, waiting for their social workers to call their names and offer them the miracle they know will never come but they sit anyway because they have nowhere else to go, no other options on their very literal and figurative empty plates. 

But as they sit, they notice the other. Although captivated, they each come to the conclusion that life is complicated enough without throwing in a boiling tension that can't ever be acted upon because they're both too busy thinking about where their next meal will come from but when their names are called and both are placed on a year long waiting list for permanent housing, suddenly relying on each other seems like a very viable plan B. 
And, oh, how lovely Plan B's can be.  

Well, except for the psycho from Harper's past that haunts her and, oh, yeah, there's the little issue that neither of them knows they're in love with the other. 
Needless to say, Callum & Harper's life just got a bit more complicated.

My thoughts:
Callum & Harper was an interesting read, to say the least. I've wanted to try it out for ages now. I adored the cover and the Kindle sample really had me hooked and eager for more. Callum and Harper's story really did end up grabbing me from the moment I met them until the moment I finished the last page. While I wouldn't say it was a perfect novel or that it would be everyone's kind of thing, I personally enjoyed it and I'm so glad I took the time out to read it. It was definitely unique and will stand out in my mind for a long time.

This novel revolves around two orphans, Callum and Harper. They've both been thrown out of their foster homes for no reason other than they've turned 18. Callum and Harper find common ground because of this and start to take care of each since they're now both homeless. At first, I was worried because it seemed like some major insta-love was in store but I was wrong! They fall for each other quickly but their journey is slow, bumpy and full of misunderstandings. This is no sweet, predictable love story. It is so much more than that.

For a while, Callum & Harper felt like a regular contemporary romance novel, albeit with some heavier themes than usual. However, the first half of the book has a totally different feel to the second half. It takes such a big turn in mood and tone. At parts of it, I actually felt like I was watching an episode of Criminal Minds or something. It gets really creepy and terrifying and a few bits were actually hard to read! It was way more intense and scary than I was expecting it to be and is certainly not all about romance at all!

My only issue was with the unpolished writing. The first half contained some typing errors and a wrong name was used once. The actual writing itself was gorgeous though and I loved how all the characters spoke and interacted. All of Callum's friends are very different people but they all love and look out for each other. Harper fits in really well with all of them. Harper and Callum make some crazy decisions but I can see why they made them. They are struggling to get by and are just trying their best to secure a future for themselves. Overall, I really liked this book and will be rushing to buy anything else Fisher Amelie publishes!