I See London by Chanel Cleeton Book Review & Teaser!

Hey All,

So I’m still dipping my toes into the New Adult genre. I haven’t really known where to begin, so I’ve been reading books that I find randomly (usually through my emails or on my Twitter feed). This particular read; however, was planned. I See London by Chanel Cleeton is a debut novel of Cleeton’s for 2014 and the first one I’ve read for the 2014 Debut Author Challenge
hosted by The Story Siren. I’m a bit behind on this challenge, but I’m hoping to catch up during the summer! If you’re working on this challenge too, let me know! Also if you have any debut author recommendations, that’d be awesome to hear about as well!

Ok onto the Review 😉

Maggie Carpenter is ready for a change— and to leave her ordinary life in South Carolina behind. But when she accepts a scholarship to the International School in London, a university attended by the privileged offspring of diplomats and world leaders, Maggie might get more than she bargained for.
When Maggie meets Hugh, a twentysomething British guy, she finds herself living the life she always wanted. Suddenly she’s riding around the city in a Ferrari, wearing borrowed designer clothes and going to the hottest clubs. The only problem? Another guy, the one she can’t seem to keep her hands off of.
Half French, half Lebanese, and ridiculously wealthy, Samir Khouri has made it clear he doesn’t do relationships. He’s the opposite of everything Maggie thought she wanted…and he’s everything she can’t resist. Torn between her dream guy and the boy haunting her dreams, Maggie has to fight for her own happy ending. In a city like London, you never know where you stand, and everything can change in the blink of an eye.
This is a New Adult romance recommended for readers 17 and up.

The Review 

I See London  follows Maggie Carpenter’s adventures attending the International School in London. She needed a change from her ordinary life in South Carolina & when she got a scholarship to attend a school in London–she took a deep breath and accepted it. Now she’s living in London and attending a university filled with the privileged offspring of diplomats and world leaders. This leads to nights at the hottest clubs and wearing designer brands borrowed from new friends. Soon, Maggie finds herself swept up in the life she’s always wanted while also dating older, twenty-something Hugh. There’s just one problem. Maggie can’t seem to keep her hands off the hot, yet very arrogant Samir Khouri. Half French, Half Lebanese, and ridiculously wealthy, he seems way out of her league. Plus, he’s not the one-girl relationship type of guy–leaving Maggie torn. But in a place like London anything can happen and everything could change in the blink of an eye.

This novel had a different style than what I’m used to. I haven’t been reading a lot of contemporary in a while and it was refreshing. Maggie was a little annoying in the beginning, but I’m going to just blame it on her age and let it go. She does grow tremendously throughout the novel–a reason I’m really enjoying the New Adult genre. Maggie transitions from the 
childishness of her teenage age into the semi-maturity of  womanhood as a young adult. What I really enjoyed in this novel was seeing this evolution in Maggie. Watching her adapt to her new surrounding, make mistakes and grow from all her experiences. I think I enjoyed this part the most (and this genre as a whole) because I relate to it so well as someone in her early twenties. I’ve been through those transition years, but I’m also still growing into adulthood. It’s great being able to see this in fiction (not that I’m dissing my YA, cause I LOVE ME some YA!). Cleeton does a great job of illustrating this and I See London fits seamlessly into the New Adult genre.

I do have to admit that I wasn’t the biggest fan of either of Maggie’s love interests. Hugh never really did anything for me and Samir took a while for me to like. However, I appreciate the way Cleeton wrote Samir. He had faults and the reader, like Maggie, wasn’t really suppose to like him either. Even so, as the story continues the reader and Maggie begin to see a clearer (more rounded) picture of Samir and the world his character lives in.

Maggie comes across a lot of new experiences and faces some challenging choices, especially when it comes to her love life–one that was non-existent before London. Her struggled attraction to Samir was a major challenge in the novel and Cleeton did a great job with their sexual tension.

In the end, I really enjoyed this novel. From Maggie’s growth as a character to her relationship with Samir, this novel was really enlightening and entertaining. In true New Adult fashion it had growth and romance. This genre is quickly becoming a new favorite of mine 🙂 I can’t wait to pick up the next installment in Maggie’s time abroad: London Falling!

*Extra:

Bah it’s on sale for only $.99! I say you’d best get it soon before this ends 😉 Also check back tomorrow for some London Falling teasers and information!

Have you read I See London? What are your thoughts on Maggie and Samir? Loving the New Adult genre? Let me know in the comments below! I’d love to hear your thoughts 🙂 

As always,

Happy Reading!

xo,

NicoleLynn