Arden Reviews: Chose the Wrong Guy, Gave Him the Wrong Finger by Beth Harbison

High school love holds a certain magic to it. So many firsts are wrapped around that one person… first kiss, first dance, first date, on and on and on. When Quinn Barton’s high school sweetheart/ex-fiance Burke returns to their hometown, 10 years after she left him at the altar, she finally has to face that magic and see if it’s still real.

And, just to make the story a little more interesting, Burke’s older brother and constant rival, Frank, joins the party.

Author Beth Harbison captures a cute story with a bit of a surprising ending (but one you’ll want) in Chose the WRONG Guy, Gave him the wrong FINGER. Our main character, Quinn, basically stopped growing and living after she left Burke at the altar. As we read her story, we learn she wrapped her identify so firmly into this man, and his family, she didn’t know who she was when she left him.

We’re dropped into the story ten years after the jilting. Frank and Burke no longer live in town, but their grandmother (the woman who raised them) does. And she’s getting married!!! She’s at Quinn’s shop (Quinn designs and sews wedding dresses–did I mention that?) making her request and announcing “the boys” will be back for the wedding.

Quinn panics. Her best friends steps in with a plan, but this is my favorite part of this book – his plan isn’t to get her back with one of the boys OR to help her give over this ten-year hold they have on her. It’s get her to start living a full life again.

Truthfully, the backstory with the best friend’s shenanigans is what I enjoyed the most about this book. I liked see Quinn try to go through speed dating (if you’ve never been it’s as terrible as it sounds), get day drunk on mimosa by 11 a.m., and go commando for a day. What seemed like pointless stunts allowed her to grow out of who she was and into who she was meant to be.

And, for so many who have had a traumatizing experience, sometimes it’s the out-of-the-ordinary scenarios that can push us forward quickly and force us to deal with ish.

Overall, the book is cute. It’s predictable. It’s a perfect beach or pool read. If you put it down to go play with your kids, you won’t have a hard time picking it up and staying right on track with the story.

****

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