This was a really beautifully written story.I loved how real Carmen was. I've been a violinist and while I never went pro or anything (obviously), the way she behaved with her violin and her dedication was realistic and genuine. It was clear how important the violin was, but also how important her independence became.I know a lot of people complain about how parents seem to disappear in YA, but Carmen's mom and step-dad were there with her all the time. They really cared about Carmen and her career, even if they didn't always makes the best decisions. They stayed involved. It was different and refreshing.Jeremy...oh Jeremy. Sometimes he pissed me off, other times he had me melting along with Carmen. I was so torn on his true motivation, but I think in the end I liked him. I liked him for Carmen and I liked what he did for her in the long run.I really loved the whole plot of this book. The love story and the violin and the anxiety problems. I like that it was something that could genuinely happen to a young violinist. And I liked that it wasn't predictable. There were things that happened that I didn't see coming and things that made me gasp and things that I still think about and shake my head. And the ending was perfect. Absolutely perfect.The writing was beautiful, really. It was gorgeous and flowed well and kept me hooked for the whole story. I'm hoping that all of Jessica's books are like this, because if they are, I will insist on getting all of them.I really, really, really recommend this book. It's absolutely fantastic, especially if you've ever been a performer.
