The Vincent Boys - Abbi Glines

**3.5 stars**

Mom had always told me Lucifer was beautiful.

Ashton had been friends with the Vincent cousins, Sawyer and Beau, since she was five years old. When they were 14, Sawyer asked Ashton to be his girlfriend, which caused a gap between Ashton and Beau. Fast forward three years later...Sawyer is on a camping trip with his family and Ashton saves Beau from getting behind the wheel drunk. Something happened in just those few short moments they spent together and Ashton finds herself in a bind between the cousin she's dating and the cousin she loves.

So, I'm guessing I set my expectations too high for the first book I ever read by Abbi Glines. Don't get me wrong it is a good book, but I was waiting for it to blow me out of the water from all the hype that her books receive. That didn't happen. Instead, I found myself asking questions like, "Why didn't Ashton tell Sawyer about Beau when she broke up with him?" I mean she could blame it other stuff but, let's be honest, it was because bad boy Beau has always been her love interest. I suppose she was trying to protect Beau's reputation, not that he had much of one to begin with, and news travels fast around a small town. To quote something I've read somewhere before, "In a small town, even when you don't know what you're doing, everyone else does." I have never heard a statement with more truth in my life. I know from experience.

I liked Beau, but I think giving his cousin/brother a concussion because he didn't protect Ashton from the bullies after they split, was a bit too much. Sure, most girls want a guy who will fight for them, but what would he have done if he found out they pushed her into a locker? Ashton was suppose to be hiding this tough girl inside, so why didn't she let her out to whoop some tail? Maybe I've just been out of high school too long to understand.

However, Mrs. Glines captured the essence of small country town life. She knows from experience too, otherwise she wouldn't be able to write about it so perfectly. I believe my favorite character was Grana, even though we only get a glimpse of her. She's the grandma that everyone wants, she means what she says and she's unapologetic. I laughed when she talked about Beau with his shirt off. I would still recommend this novel. I read it straight through in a few hours. Sometimes we tend to forget that a 3-star (or 3.5 star) rating still means it's good and worth the time. Besides, that's just my rating, there are plenty of 4 and 5-star ratings from other people.