Emery Lord's The Start of Me and You was featured in many favorite lists from last year from some of my trusted blogger friends. After reading several glowing reviews, it was high on my reading pile for this year. I'm so glad I found time to fit this book in because I really enjoyed it.

Description: It’s been a year since it happened—when Paige Hancock’s first boyfriend died in an accident. After shutting out the world for two years, Paige is finally ready for a second chance at high school . . . and she has a plan. First: Get her old crush, Ryan Chase, to date her—the perfect way to convince everyone she’s back to normal. Next: Join a club—simple, it’s high school after all. But when Ryan’s sweet, nerdy cousin, Max, moves to town and recruits Paige for the Quiz Bowl team (of all things!) her perfect plan is thrown for a serious loop. Will Paige be able to face her fears and finally open herself up to the life she was meant to live?

Review: The Start of Me and You is a terrific pick for Valentines Day or any day you are in the mood for a second chance story with a sweet romance and a great cast of characters.
  Paige Hancock wants to begin her senior year of high school with a fresh start. She is determined to redefine herself one year after her boyfriend, Aaron, drowned. She wants to shake off the label of "the girl whose boyfriend drowned" in her small-town Oakhurst, Indiana. Paige begins with a checklist of things she wants to accomplish: becoming social again, gain more friends, apply for a screenwriting program, and maybe a second shot at romance.
  I loved Paige. She embodied resilience, strength, yet vulnerability. Her introspective voice made her instantly relateable and you could not help but to root for her. Paige grows throughout the story at her own pace though the road she faces has plenty of bumps and setbacks. Though tragedy is mentioned in the story, the book is never weighed down thanks to the varied and numerous positive relationships found in the book, whether it is from her own parents who are also starting a new chapter in their own lives to her solid best friends with their unwavering support, and her unexpected romance.
   The romance in this book was also very cute and slow burning. I did get annoyed with Paige's relentless swooning over the popular and handsome Ryan Chase even when she admitted that her attraction to Ryan was a superficial one. Though Paige has her eyes set on Ryan, Ryan's cousin Max stole my heart. Like Paige, I instantly adored the smart, witty, and adorkable Max Watson. I thought Max and Paige had a lot more chemistry and they suited each other very well,  In the end, I was happy with how the book ended, but I would have loved more page time with Paige and Max.
  The Start of Me and You is not just another book that deals with grief and death. As its aptly title suggests, it is an upbeat story that will inspire teens to persevere during their dark points in their life. I would highly recommend this title to readers who enjoy a romance with depth.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is some minor language and reference to a teenage party where underage drinking takes place. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try: The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen, Breathe, Annie, Breathe by Miranda Kenneally