From the author of Before I Go comes an unconventional love story perfect for fans of the emotional novels of Jodi Picoult and Jojo Moyes.One time a boy kissed me and I almost died…
And so begins the story of Jubilee Jenkins, a young woman with a rare and debilitating medical condition: she’s allergic to other humans. After a humiliating near-death experience in high school, Jubilee has become a recluse, living the past nine years in the confines of the small town New Jersey house her unaffectionate mother left to her when she ran off with a Long Island businessman. But now, her mother is dead, and without her financial support, Jubilee is forced to leave home and face the world—and the people in it—that she’s been hiding from.
One of those people is Eric Keegan, a man who just moved into town for work. With a daughter from his failed marriage who is no longer speaking to him, and a brilliant, if psychologically troubled, adopted son, Eric’s struggling to figure out how his life got so off-course, and how to be the dad—and man—he wants so desperately to be. Then, one day, he meets a mysterious woman named Jubilee, with a unique condition…Close Enough to Touch is an evocative, poignant, and heartrending exploration of the power and possibilities of the human heart.
Spoiler-ish
Close Enough to Touch was a Netgalley recommendation. It was a time where I seemed to have nothing to read and it was compared to Colleen Hoover. I’ve never read any books by Colleen Hoover although one of my GR friend tries very hard to get me to read one of her books but alas I just don’t seem to be interested.
But getting back to my review.
Close Enough to Touch is a slow-paced book with moments that do make you smile that there are also times that the book never seemed to end. It was at these times that I felt like throwing in the towel.
The beginning of this book is fantastic. There is the right amount of humor, sarcasm and empathy towards the characters. They don’t come across as fake and they are real people, down to earth with day to day feelings.
Jubilee has a severe condition that has had a great impact on her life. She has been a recluse for the past nine years after a near fatal kiss. All because of a bet. The time has come where she has had to come out of hiding as she has been leeching off her mother and she has now passed.
Jubilee is an odd sort and as a female lead somewhat unusual after being a hermit she has still managed to keep her humor and I do find her really quite endearing. You can’t fault her for her fear of the world but you can for the fact that she is so unwilling to change anything however daunting it might be.
Eric is having his own difficulties he has moved to Jersey for his job. His fourteen-year-old daughter isn’t talking to him. His ex-wife is behaving like an ex-wife. He can’t find the coffee mugs and he goes after unobtainable women.
Several incidents lead to Eric & Jubilee to meeting in the library they have a kinship with one another and an attraction. They have a rocky start to their relationship although it is all quite trying between the two. They don’t really work it out and here comes a spoiler
Don’t get me started on the ending of the book. It is rushed and well suddenly she is there with Michael who loves her she “cares” about him and then after years Eric turns up and they have a passionate kiss and everything is cut off abruptly. Ah excuse me? But what kind of ending is that? Naff I tell you. Naff.
All in all, if you are looking for something unique, out of the norm with an emotional setting and great realistic characters then this is the book for you. It is a book that I normally wouldn’t have read. Oh and btw this book cannot get any sager than it already is.