Relatively Honest by Molly Ringle

STORYLINE:  Daniel Revelstoke is all about fun and games in the relationship department. That’s until his family relocates from Britain to America and he falls in love with a family member. Things become even more complicated since his cousin doesn’t know she’s his cousin and Daniel hopes she won’t find out until she’s in too deep to end their relationship.

PLAYERS:  Daniel Revelstoke is eighteen and a girl’s man, who doesn’t tarry long in relationships. He first comes across as shallow, but doesn’t deliberately hurt other people’s feelings. He does, however, go after what he wants and can be charming and devious while he’s at it.

Julie French is a sensible girl who doesn’t fall for Daniel immediately. She knows what to expect from him and becomes friendly with him over time. She’s a strong young woman, who eventually makes the decision that’s best for her, despite opposition.

I LIKED: watching Daniel move from a guy who treats relationships lightly to one who genuinely cares about his friends and the girl in his life. It was also touching to see his concern over his mother as he tried to figure out what was going on with her. Although confident, Daniel has his own insecurities which makes him less than perfect.

Relatively Honest also does a great job of demonstrating that making good decisions involves hard work. Then there’s the matter of determining sexual preferences and coming to a deeper understanding of who we are as individuals.

I COULD HAVE LIVED WITHOUT the anxiety that came from seeing how things would work out for Daniel. I also had anxious moments over what would happen when Julie found out about his secret.

COVER NOTE: The models on the cover hint strongly at the fact that the book is targeted at young people, which works well for the story.

OVERALL COMMENTS: I haven’t read a lot of fiction about people at college age and wondered how serious people at this age can be about each other. Relatively Honest helped to convince me that the younger set can, and do, feel deeply when they find someone they genuinely care about. I’ve read other books from Ms. Ringle and look forward to reading more from her.

SOURCE: I received Relatively Honest from the author.