The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Author: Kasie West
Publication: July 2, 2013
By: Harper Teen
Genre: YA
4.5 STARS!
Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

*love the cover*

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.

Thank you YABC and Harper Teen for this ARC! I was really looking forward to reading this!

What I Loved: Caymen is a champion for sarcastic girls everywhere and I loved her!  She has spent her whole life living with her single mother above their creepy little doll shop in the same small town believing that rich people are of the debil. Okay, so maybe that's a bit extreme, however, her mother has done a pretty decent job of clouding Caymen's judgement where people with money are concerned. There is so much Caymen would like to see and do and experience but she doesn't dare pursue it because she knows without her, the shop would fall apart and where would that leave her Mom?

Everything changes when tall, dark and persistent Xander walks into the store one day.  He's not only rich, but he's cute, funny and he "gets" Caymen's dry sense of humor. Together they embark on a journey of "career days" where they take turns trying to help each other figure out what it is they really want to do with their lives, because you see, even rich kids have expectations put upon them by well-meaning parents. 

The more time Caymen spends with Xander, the more he unnerves her.  Xander is one of the few people in her life, besides her BFF Skye, who can see right through her veneer, can tell when she's using her sarcasm as a defense mechanism.  He doesn't let her make excuses or settle and he's constantly encouraging Caymen which makes him all kinds of swoonilicious. All.Kinds. 

But then the unexpected happens and Caymen's world is turned upside down leaving her hurt, confused and faced with the truth that she and Xander may be more alike than she ever imagined. 

What Left Me Wanting More: Nothing. 

Final Verdict: Intelligent, witty and romantic. Makes for a great summer read!

Favorite Quote(s): "In case of fire there is no clear exit to the door. I'd be pushing babies out of the way to escape. Fake babies, but still."

"Redrum."

Review also posted at YABC.