Eighteen-year-old Leah loves to fly. After moving to the trailer park at Heaven’s Beach, SC with her deadbeat mother, she began working at the neighboring airport, first as a secretary, and then as a pilot flying for Hall Aviation’s banner business. She can’t imagine her life without her one escape from the stark realities of a poor life with no opportunities. It’s no wonder she fears all is lost when owner and mentor Mr. Hall suddenly dies. Despite working for Mr. Hall for the last three years, she’s never gotten to know Hall twins Grayson and Alec, who will be taking over the business. Just when she thinks her flying career is over, Grayson blackmails her into staying for reasons he can’t disclose. Caught between good boy Alec and hardened Grayson, Leah is set for a summer of rushes, discoveries, and of course, flying.

I’ve had good intentions to pick up another book by Jennifer Echols since reading the delicious Going Too Far, where teen cop John After and teen remedial badgirl Meg fall for each other. Unlike her previous two novels, I came across several comparisons of Such a Rush to the former which made its presence on my shelf in the immediate future a given. Adult or young adult contemporary romance pick-me-ups are always needed, and I would love another reading experience like Going Too Far. After receiving the ebook for my birthday, I downloaded it to my new Nook and happily settled in.

The premise of Such a Rush intrigued me from its breezy-paced beginning to its heart-beating ending. Leah’s trailer trash stereotype is not the average characteristic of a YA protagonist. Add her teenage flying career to her background and she really stands out. Honestly, I did wonder about the plausibility of a teenager working as a pilot in real life, but I was able to suspend my disbelief for both her job and Grayson’s ridiculous blackmail. For all his misguided intentions his actions are well-meaning, and I liked him in spite of his irrational behavior. I liked Leah, too. The emotional rightness she feels when flying leaves you in no doubt of her hopes and dreams. Some of my favorite moments were when I was in the plane with her, vicariously experiencing the pure joy of flight. Grayson’s younger twin Alec is less clear, but he’s likable as the fun-loving buffer to Grayson’s somber responsibility. Despite some heavy-handedness in the “rush” theme, Such a Rush and I were getting along more than fine, welcoming multiple steamy passages until Leah discovers the truth behind the blackmail. Her rash, out-of-character reaction sent the story spiraling down into improbable soap opera. It’s unfortunate because I enjoyed the restraint and tension exhibited in the majority of the novel, but the ending felt both melodramatic and sentimental. While its conclusion killed my rush, Such a Rush should appeal to fans of more mature YA contemp and the emerging New Adult genre.

Second Opinions
Annette’s Book Reviews-”a disappointment with its partly unbelievable plot…”
Clear Eyes, Full Shelves review-”a sensitively-crafted story…”
The Book Scoop review-”I was so freaking satisfied with everything … that I sighed myself to sleep.”
The Reviews News review-”a convoluted novel that’s both intense and grilling.”
YA Bliss review-”ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.”