‘Through to You’ by Lauren Barnholdt presents readers with a strong dose of the reality and complications that plague high school relationships. Penn Mattingly prides himself on being super cautious – with girls, life, and the secrets that threaten his peace of mind. It isn’t until he meets Harper that he begins to see a different path for himself – one that she plays a part in, and one in which hope exists. Despite being what can only be described as a typical guy, his attempts to be void of emotion project through mood swings that threaten all he knows and holds dear, including how he feels about Harper, and how he treats her.

Their relationship has its ups and downs, to be sure, and he isn’t always there for her like he should be. or even like he wants to be. She wants to give up on their relationship at times – if one can even call it that because they never truly define it – but something keeps drawing her to him, making her want him back. His elusive nature doesn’t help matters, and her attempts to stand tall and do what’s best for herself and not for him are hard-won battles at times. She cares too much, and, in her opinion, he doesn’t care enough. As she begins to question whether their meant-to-be may not really be so, life unexpectedly happens, forcing them to see new possibilities and how the other one fits into those potential future plans.

Rounding out the cast of characters are Harper’s best friend Anna and her friend/crush Nico, who give Harper a different perspective on how love and loss can affect someone. Harper’s mom, as well as Penn’s family add to the drama, showcasing the pains and triumphs that teenagers can go through during their high school years on the home front. Lastly is Jackson, Penn’s former best friend and baseball teammate, who proves that just because someone seems like a jerk doesn’t mean they may not have your best interests at heart all the while.

A story of sympathy and empathy, truth and uncertainty, ‘Through to You’ by Lauren Barnholdt is a story that is hard to put down because it speaks to the vast array of emotions that come over someone when they want what’s best for themselves but don’t know what the best choices are to make themselves fit to be in that position. I look forward to checking out more of Barnholdt’s novels as time goes on.

You can find ‘Through to You’ by Lauren Barnholdt here: http://amzn.to/1LsciZw