Review: Celia on the Run by Sarah Mandell

Celia on the Run

By: Sarah Mandell

Pub. Date: February 29, 2012

Publisher: Untreed Reads

Pages: 173

Source: ebook from Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Nick Novaczek is a cautious soul, a 17-year old with a boring life, a predictable future, and a quiet thirst for danger. On the eve of his beloved grandmother's funeral, danger finds him by the motel swimming pool. Her name is Celia and she's everything he's not. This foul-mouthed beauty is hitchhiking across the country to make amends with her estranged father and doesn't carry an ounce of fear or hesitation in her tattered suitcase. She's bad news all around, but for a rule-follower like Nick, she's intoxicating.

Twenty-four hours after speaking to Celia for the very first time, following one extremely lucky night, Nick is hopelessly hooked and "borrows" his parents' car to join her cross-country mission, even though her story is full of holes. It's the mistake he's been waiting his whole life to make. Together, they dodge a train, jump off a bridge, and scam everyone in their path. Nick is blossoming into a teenage fugitive, just like Celia, and he's never been happier. She may not be who she says she is, but she's got his vulnerable heart.

After weeks of detours, with hundreds of miles left to go, their wild adventure starts to unravel. The money dries up, Celia's dark secrets begin to surface, and it's clear they both want vastly different things out of this partnership. Celia is all about no strings attached and severing whatever they may have between them once they reach their destination, while Nick is head over heels in love and wanting a future with the girl in his passenger seat. They seem to reach a new low on a daily basis, but she won't turn back, no matter how desperate things get. After all, this is her trip and Nick is just the driver. Celia's got a charming smile to pay her way, a willing accomplice, a hidden agenda, and an endless supply of lies. Not to mention a gun.

I love books that involve road trips, so I was very excited to start this one. Celia on the Run is a fast paced and exciting read. I never knew what was going to happen next and I was on the edge of my seat for most of it!

Nick is 17 and has never done anything rebellious his entire life. He has never stayed out late, never tried a cigarette, and never gave his parents a headache. How many teenagers can say that? On the eve of his grandmother's funeral he meets Celia at the motel that he and his parents are staying at. Celia is a runaway that Nick saw hitchhiking earlier that day. Nick wants to know this girl. He wants to know everything about her. He decides that for the first time in his life he is going to do something dangerous. He steals his parents car, and takes Celia across the country to New Jersey so she can be reunited with her father.

The story had a slow start for me, but once the two of them were on the road, that is when the story really took off. I really loved watching Nick grow from a young, innocent boy, to a man. I also enjoyed learning more about Celia and her past.

The writing was very easy to follow and flowed together nicely. I was impressed with how well the characters were fleshed out. I am excited to read other works by Sarah Mandell!