Small Damages by Beth Kephart

Small Damages by Beth Kephart

Review of Small Damages

Title & Author:
Small Damages by Beth Kephart
Publisher:
Philomel
Publication Date:
July 19, 2012
Pages:
304
Source:
ARC Tour

It’s senior year, and while Kenzie should be looking forward to prom and starting college in the fall, she is mourning the loss of her father. She finds solace in the one person she trusts, her boyfriend, and she soon finds herself pregnant. Kenzie’s boyfriend and mother do not understand her determination to keep the baby. She is sent to southern Spain for the summer, where she will live out her pregnancy as a cook’s assistant on a bull ranch, and her baby will be adopted by a Spanish couple.

Alone and resentful in a foreign country, Kenzie is at first sullen and difficult. She begins to open her eyes and her heart to the beauty that is all around her and inside of her. – Goodreads

I’ve only read one other Beth Kephart book, You Are My Only, and while I thought it was unbelievably beautiful and moving, I had a feeling Small Damages might be more up my alley, and I was right.

Of course, I loved the setting of Small Damages. I’m a huge cheerleader for European settings in books, and while usually the stories end up being fun and flirty traveling abroad books, Small Damages was different. It was a lot heavier than most books, but very poignant.

There is so much character development in Small Damages. It’s slow, but realistic, and I loved all of the characters in this book. I loved Kenzie especially – experiencing her growth from a bitter and angry teenager to an accepting young adult.

I love Beth Kephart’s quiet but strong writing style and I feel like it worked so well for the story she was telling in SSmall Damages. Be sure to pick this one up in July. Small Damages is a moving story about important issues and beautiful characters.

Other Books by Beth Kephart

You Are My Only by Beth Kephart

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