Kai's Reviews > Caleb + Kate

Review posted at Amaterasu Reads

It's a Romeo and Juliet re-telling with a different twist. One that goes deeper and more complicated. It's about family, faith, love and the sacrifices we need to do in order for us to be happy.

Kate thought she had it all. She's rich, she attends a prestigious school and have two of the best friends anyone can have. She thought she wouldn't ever be in love. Not in the foreseeable future anyway. But that was until she meets Caleb, the son of the maintenance guy, from Hawaii, tattooed and a bad boy. Everyone keeps on saying he's bad for her, but Kate thinks otherwise. When it seems like Caleb feels the same way and they both gave in to their feelings, will their relationship survive a family feud, different social statuses, and ultimately, their fate for their love for each other?

I am still reeling from the intensity of Caleb and Kate's feelings for each other. It's the kind that's instantaneous, that's just suddenly there but you know you can't do anything about it. It's the kind of love that just doesn't seem to make sense, yet feel so right. Or wrong, but still you know you won't be able to resist it whatever you do. I am not a fan of insta-love but Caleb + Kate makes readers believe that it can happen. It's about first love and the overpowering feelings that can grip you. But it's also about the kind of love which will make you think of what you have, and what you will lose if you decide to fight for it or forget it.

Oftentimes when either of them seem to lose their way, Caleb and Kate turn to God for guidance. It's also one of the aspects I love about this book, how they try to work things out and still rely on Him to guide them through whatever difficulties they will encounter. Faith plays a big part in this book, because sometimes it's what's left for Caleb and Kate to rely on. Frankly speaking, I don't really get how the feud can get between Caleb and Kate, but I guess that's how it works for wealthy families. It's not an issue whether Caleb is poor or not, but it goes back to the bitterness between two people, and the anger which they can't let go.

There were a lot of interesting characters in this book, each of them had their own stories to tell. Readers will love Caleb, but you won't help but think of people like Oliver. He's the kind of guy friend that is there for you even when his life is even more messed up than yours.

“You know, my Katie, if I could be someone who could take care of you, fall in love with you, make you fall in love with me, you know I’d do it. It would keep us together. I don’t want to lose you. But I can’t seem to fall in love with anyone who is good for me.”

Caleb + Kate is an awfully romantic tale between two people who brave the odds for love. It's a tale that will make you believe that true love does exist, something that will appeal to every girl and every boy's romantic side.