Someone Like You

Why is it that all the books I've been reading lately involve a conflict between the main character and their parent? In Twisted, it was Tyler and his abusive dad. In Boy Girl Boy, Elliot's parents had issues with his girlfriend. Even in Dear John, John's having trouble forming bonds with his dad that may have Asperger's Syndrome. Someone Like You is no exception. In this book, one of the main struggles occurs between the main character and her mother.
Halley is having trouble surviving her mother, which is odd because they used to be best friends. At least, up until the point where she and her best friend Scarlett start sneaking out with Scarlett's wild friend Ginny. (WAY different than the innocent, beautiful Ginny Weasley.) Things really start to change when Scarlett's boyfriend Michael is killed in a motorcycle accident. Later, Scarlett discovers she's pregnant-- with Michael's baby. *gasp!* Halley's trying to be there for her best friend, break free from her controlling, overpowering mother, and date Michael's best friend Macon whom she truly thinks she is falling in love with. But is he really as sweet as the candies he keeps leaving for Halley?
I've always been a big Sarah Dessen fan, but it's fun to see how she's grown from her earlier works. I've read This Lullaby, which I found hysterically funny, and this book definitely has a more serious tone with a good message about true love and where your priorities should lie. At least, that's what I got out of it.
Also I loved the climax. I have a thing with quoting the climaxes of books. See the excerpt from Twisted if you don't believe me.

The truth was I knew, after all those flat January days, that I deserved better. I deserved I love yous and kiwi fruits and flowers and warriors coming to my door, besotted with love. I deserved pictures of my face in a million expressions, and the warmth of a baby's kick under my hand. I deserved to grow, and to change, and become all the girls I could ever be over the course of my life, each one better than the last.
(pg. 243)

God, that paragraph says a lot. Of course, it means more if you read the whole book first, but whatever, it was such a good paragraph I had a need to post it.