Review: One Moment by Kristina McBride

One Moment
by Kristina McBride

Published: June 26, 2012

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Available: Amazon

Synopsis:

"This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie's life. Now it's the one she'd do anything to forget."

Maggie remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party. She remembers climbing the trail with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can't she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below-dead?
 

As Maggie's memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?

Review:
I find myself really torn about One Moment. I enjoyed the book, reading through it in one sitting, but there was such predictability to it that I can't really say that it was an amazing read.

The book started off really strong, and I immediately became engaged in figuring out what exactly happened on the top of that cliff. This aspect of the plot reminded me of Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf, but I was pleased when the further along I read the more different it became.

One Moment focuses on it's characters, and the friendship they have. Everything between these friends changes when one of them dies, and it's not in the way they expect. At the center is Maggie, who is the only witness to the last moments of her boyfriend Joey. Her conflicted feelings over Joey and her lack of memories was nicely done. I could understand her reluctance to believe her doubts and especially her anger and despair when she finally knew everything that had been happening.

The supporting characters were a nice mix of personalities and it was believable that they would have been friends. There was nothing extreme about their circumstances or actions that felt forced.McBride did a great job of building them in a way that kept them grounded in reality.

Overall, One Moment was a good quick read. I will definitely be picking up more from McBride.