Description
Publisher’s Summary
Some people just can’t stand each other. Kayla and Evan are definitely some of those people.
It’s annoying enough that they are plane partners and have to sit next to each other through the entire flight to Italy for their senior class trip, but things go from bad to worse when their plane makes an emergency stop. Their lives unexpectedly change as soon as Kayla follows Evan into a dark corridor and, right after, things just escalate from worse to tragic.
“I won’t begin to suggest that I know what you’re feeling, but I know what it feels like to love someone who doesn’t love you back.”
To add icing to Kayla’s wretched cake, she finds out that that Ben, her perfect boyfriend, isn’t so perfect after all and has been hiding a basket full of dirty secrets from her. Dead set on getting back at him, she turns to the only person she thinks who is just as hurt as her and crazy enough to sign up and play along with her plan – Evan.
“Be my fake boyfriend, Evan Winters. I promise never to love you, care for you or…well…you get the idea.”
But they’re just pretending. Except when one of them is suddenly isn’t….
A freak storm, stolen chickens, a language barrier, and a big adventure. The senior trip of their life. But will they ever be the same people once they go back?
Find out in this unexpected romantic comedy that has Kayla and Evan butting heads as they meet interesting people, end up in jail, learn valuable lessons, and experience heartaches, and new beginnings – together.
Bette –
Great Story, Great Audible Listen🎧 Original & Heartfelt!
The Best Part of Hello
A Young Adult Novel
By: Hollie Armstrong
Narrated by: Sarah Sampino
This is a terrific young adult novel, the storylines and characters are interesting and well developed. Hollie Armstrong captures the essence of the teenage mind in this wonderful story she created. She presented issues teens face, peer pressure, issues with friends and then thrown into a situation where they have to be responsible adults. Kayla, seemed mature for her age, as did Evan. The two became unlikely allies in the tragic situation they landed in as well as when Kayla finds out her long term boyfriend is a liar and a cheat. I liked the chemistry between the two. I really liked these two characters and her friend Sophie too. I also liked how they stepped up to help others when many did not or could not. Hollie Armstrong put a lot in to this story, drama, angst, some thrillling, suspenseful moments, she also lightened it up with some fun moments. Loved the friendships and romance she brought to the story as well. A great YA, enemies to friends to lovers. She also did a great job covering PTSD after they returned home. Thanks for this great story Hollie Armstrong, it is a heartfelt & entertaining one. It is a great accomplishment to be published at such a young age, I hope you keep it coming.
I listened to the Audible edition, narrated but the talented Sarah Sampino. She performs the voices of all of the characters, gives each their own unique voice and personality. She does a wonderful job covering both the male and female parts as well as the different accents. She brought a lot to this story, including heart. She is entertaining and a pleasure to listen to. Thanks for another great listen🎧
Jocelyne –
This was my first Hollie Armstrong’s book. This is a great, sweet and cute YA Romance. Kayla and Evan’s story is well written, fun, action packed, and original, filled with twists and turns. Their journey is captivating! I absolutely love the ending. Sarah Sampino did an amazing job with the narration. All characters were easy to distinguish. I enjoyed it!
Shan MC –
Interesting and entertaining story. The narrator did a good job and I’d recommend listening. I do wish there was more with the disaster scenario and a lot more of an ending. It ends fine, but is way too short after having to wait so long. I was loving the whole trapped because of a massive storm scenario; it added an interesting layer to the story between the characters. I liked the main characters for the most part and felt they were written well. Kayla is a little neurotic, but she has a big heart. These are teens so they do some stupid things sometimes, I was extremely disappointed with some of Evan’s actions; the club situation and his friendship with the girl that sleeps around. His actions made the feelings not seem as deep as I would have liked and his excuses weren’t up to par, but I still liked him. I liked the banter between Kayla and Evan; they have both had animosity towards the other, but mainly because they are both hard headed. It was great to see their friendship grow. Overall, entertaining story that didn’t quite go my favorite route, but was still an enjoyable story.
Patricia Reichardt –
New to me author Hollie Armstrong has written an action packed, coming of age story. Kayla and Evan are on their senior class trip to Italy when a horrible storm hits. Now stranded in the airport, this unlikely pair come together to help others and in the end really save each other. I loved this story for a couple of reasons. Armstrong has woven in the childhood friends into teenage years and how times and relationships change. Peer pressure,different interests and just growing up all leads to new feelings. It also adds in the dynamic of people teenage relationships as we see Kayla and her boyfriend and Evan and his good friend who is a girl. We get to experience all of this as it brings our own frame of reference to such times. She also adds in some witty banter, gallantry and real feelings of growth and love. It’s a wonderful story.
Sarah Sampino gives an excellent performance of this story. I love her voice, and she has a great talent for being able to switch between the male and female voices. I really thought she did well with the teen voices, giving them the credibility and feelings that teenagers have. A great listen!
Suzana Thompson –
Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes, and this book transcends the usual bickering found in these types of stories. The precarious situation they are in gives them bigger problems to worry about than being stuck together. I really liked the characters, and the narrator did an excellent job with all the voices and accents. She has a strong, clear voice, and her male voices are also very believable and honestly kind of sexy as well.
I enjoyed the build up of the romance, which was accomplished through deeds and time spent together rather than lust. I found that I didn’t miss the charged tension and barbs being flung back and forth that makes up the bulk of many love/hate stories. This one snuck up on me with emotion, and I felt their connection and yearning. I got the impression that it had been a lot longer for Evan while Kayla had been oblivious. I would have liked to find out exactly how their animosity began.
The only problem I had with this book was the odd choice to skip ahead sometimes and then go back and explain what happened. I think the story would have flowed better if the author would have kept it all in sequence. I’m also torn between loving the ending with its sexy and emotional impact and wanting more beyond that point after waiting so long for it.