Review: This Raging Light by Estelle Laure

Can the best thing happen at the worst time?

Her dad went crazy. Her mom left town. She has bills to pay and a little sister to look after. Now is not the time for level-headed seventeen-year-old Lucille to fall in love. But love—messy, inconvenient love—is what she's about to experience when she falls for Digby Jones, her best friend's brother. With blazing longing that builds to a fever pitch, Estelle Laure's soulful debut will keep readers hooked and hoping until the very last page.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4 Stars

Note: there will be some spoilers in this review. Please be advised if you have not read the book yet.

I liked this book for a couple reasons. 1. It reminded me of a few books that I'd loved (Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt and Paper Things by Jennifer Richard Jacobson). 2. It still carried it's own weight and the journey was engaging.

One of the things that both surprised me and that I ended up liking was the heroine's ability to keep it together. A lot of teenagers I know wouldn't have done it, which I believe Lucille is told a dozen times. She lucks out, though, in that the adults that do know about her situation don't report her. I wasn't sure how I felt about that because that was another part that I thought would be unlikely in real life. The outcome, however cheesy, felt nice.

As much as I liked how the main character, there was one major problem that I had. I'm not sure whether to chalk it up to her age or personality, but it bugged me. As much as she "loves" Digby, she knows throughout the story that he has a girlfriend and a rather serious one at that. Elaine, the girlfriend, even shows up to talk to her about their relationship when she realizes what might be going on between Digby and Lucille. Lucille doesn't respect this at all. She acts like she wants to, but her actions speak differently.

Another thing that bugged me was that there were at least two unresolved plot points. Sometimes this can be good, especially if it's going to be a series, but from every angle this looks like a standalone. 1. What happens with the mother? There's no mention of what happened to her, where she went, etc. I can't believe after that being such a big point that there's no resolution. 2. What about Eden? Her situation is precarious at best toward the ending and the cliffhanger at the very end felt like a cop out regarding her.

For its fault, I'd still say this was a great book with a strong, if at times faltering voice.

Music Recommendation

I think this song speaks to Lucille's situation and how hard it is on her. Within Temptation: The Whole World is Watching.

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