REVIEW: The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

September 10, 2013

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

 So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

 She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.

The writing wasn't particularly spectacular but The Distance Between Us shined with it's witty and sarcastic dialogue filled with dry humor. Awesome protagonists, a cute as a button romance and even a doll shop. This book was obviously for me!

The Distance Between us stars a girl named Caymen Meyers who believes the rich have no soul. Whilst Caymen was raised with her single parent struggling and constantly working in the family Doll shop, Xander is the type who would probably own about 400 of her stores. Caymen and her mother view the rich as their personal joke and having studied enough of them from working at the store.. Caymen has sworn to never trust a man with more bucks then brains.  So never would Caymen imagine herself slowly enjoying the company of the handsome and rich Xander Spence who surprisingly understands her better then most.

Caymen was a character I found my self loving because not only was she hilarious, but just so REAL. She was considerate of others and always put their needs before her own. She had the best sense of humor which made the whole experience so enjoyable and I really wish I had the ability to create such awesome one liners. Caymen had this genuine sense of realness that made it really easy to connect with her as a character. She's definitely someone I would love to have as a friend and she's possibly one of my favorite protagonists.

Xander our male lead, was so darn cute. He was so sweet and really the unsuspected yet perfect match for Caymen. From the first meeting between the two there was a perfect understanding of each other and the two were quite similar in ways.  Even though Xander was raised in a posh environment, he was very much a normal guy and yet another fictional character I fell for. He did a perfect job at charming the pants out of me.

The Distance Between Us looks at the gap between rich and poor and the stereotype that 'rich people couldn't possibly be interested in anyone from the lower class as they are all shallow snobs'. That is essentially what our main character was lead to believe her whole life until she finds someone who could be the exception to that rule. On that note, The sub plot of Caymen's family fit nicely with the central plot. It worked in with both the rich storyline but also Caymen finding her own feet. Both these story lines added quite a lot of depth to the story as well but it didn't cancel out Xander and Caymen scenes, because that would be a no. Most of the secondary characters didn't really grow on me because I didn't really feel the connection between Caymen and her friends.

The romance in this novel as you might be able to tell was probably my favourite aspect of the whole story because I was such a fan of the two main characters. Saying this there were a lot of feels. I read this all through school and was told many times to stop reading but just couldn't. This was me when reading it.

- Aww this novel - 15 minutes later: I hate the world it's such a bad place (I said this aloud so my teacher then said: 'That's why were here to make it a good place'. Awkward) - 10 mins later: BEST BOOK EVA

Yeah I think my friends were about to take me to the councillor as I said this aloud while we were eating lunch. Correction: they were eating, I was reading.

Anyway, I really loved the doll shop as the backdrop to the story and thought it was quite unique. I would recommend this if your looking for a light not all too serious but full of fun and swoon read. It had a few similarities from 'This Is What Happy Looks Like' by Jennifer E Smith, which is funny because they are my two fave contempory romances. I'll definitely be reading more of Kasie West as she has made a fan out of me. Can't wait to read her other novel Pivot Point!



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11 comments

  1. I really want to read this book! Great review darling

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  2. I really loved this book :) I agree with you about the romance being super sweet. Great review!

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  3. DAMN IT NOW I HAVE TO GET A COPY! So glad that this one was hilarious, if a book has humour in it, I'm going to love it :P Yaaaaaay for finding a new favourite and boooooo for awkward moments with the teacher :P
    Lovely review, Sunny :)

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  4. Ill be sure to pick this up now :)

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  5. For starters, that cover! 0-0 SO PRETTY!:D
    Overall the book sounds really good, and I haven't read something with a lot of humor recently, so I really need to get this!
    Great review!
    ~Cambrie @http://andsothebookbegins.blogspot.com/

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  6. I loved this book as well. I loved the MCs and especially Caymen and her snarky sense of humor. The book just made me smile the whole time with the bantering back and forth between Caymen and Xander. Kasie West can definitely write good dialogue! I enjoyed Pivot Point as well so I will be reading more of this author. Great review! ~Pam

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  7. Naww Caymen and Xander just sound so cute and perfect for each other! I love how this novel is about class division. Great review!

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  8. Ooh, everyone's raving about this! So glad you liked it, I'll have to pick it up soon because it looks like my kind of book. Great review, Sunny!

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  9. I love considerate, caring characters so I'm sure I'd love Caymen and I'm glad the love interest was cute! A cute love interest is a must! ;)

    It's good that you loved this book, but I don't think it quite sounds like something I'd like. But maybe one day I'll pick it up... you never know. ;D

    Great review!

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  10. I just got a copy of this and I sooo excited to read it, the sound of the romance makes me swoon and I can already tell I will love the characters. Another positive is that is deals with serious issues pretty realistically.

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  11. Heeheehee. This sounds awesome, LOL. And have I mentioned that your blog ROCKS SOCKS as cuteness? Love the design, Sunny! I hope that I get to read this one soon, because it really looks like something I'll like. Is it sad that I haven't read either of your favorite contemporaries? I'll just assume that it is. LOL.

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