Review: Past Perfect by Leila Sales

Past Perfect by Leila Sales
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: October 4, 2011
Source: GalleyGrab
Author website

All Chelsea wants to do this summer is hang out with her best friend, hone her talents as an ice cream connoisseur, and finally get over Ezra, the boy who broke her heart. But when Chelsea shows up for her summer job at Essex Historical Colonial Village (yes, really), it turns out Ezra’s working there too. Which makes moving on and forgetting Ezra a lot more complicated…even when Chelsea starts falling for someone new.
Maybe Chelsea should have known better than to think that a historical reenactment village could help her escape her past. But with Ezra all too present, and her new crush seeming all too off limits, all Chelsea knows is that she’s got a lot to figure out about love. Because those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it….

(Goodreads)

Oh, how I love a good contemporary YA. I've said this so many times this year, but it's true. I have yet to be disappointed! Past Perfect is yet another engaging, unputdownable sort of book.

I've spent most of my life below to Mason-Dixon line, but it's only been the last two years that I've considered myself to live in the "real" south, in Virginia. I live near not one but three Civil War battlegrounds, there's a Civil War cottage industry in my town, with reenactments every summer.

Past Perfect is also set in Virginia, so that's one reason to love it, but it's also just a great, easy read. There's romance, history and quirky characters.  Best of all, Chelsea has parents with no real issues. Sure, she doesn't get along with her dad that well, but hello, neither did I at that age. She's still in love with a boy that really doesn't deserve her love, but she grows so much as a character that you can't help but cheer for her.

Past Perfect is a book that encompasses everything I love about young adult literature. It was definitely one of my favorite reads of the year so far!