ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This duo of authors keeps surprising me. I always expect them to deliver some big disappointment like the Royals series was for me, but they keep proving that they can go beyond and create stunning standalone novels.

Three years after the loss of her sister, Beth's family is still grieving with intensity. Even the people of her small town seem to be stuck with the terrible loss. For two years she has been the perfect daughter trying to please her parents, but this summer she is tired of the pity looks, of her parent's overprotection, and every move being dictated by the accident that took her sister. She is determined to have a fun night for her, without rules. She just didn't expect to meet Chase, to fill an intense connection with him and to have it all taken away because of his connection with her sister's death.

One Small Thing deals with the aftermath of losing someone you love. How deaths can affect and change us. But most importantly, it shows us how hard sometimes it is to forgive and move on.

I don't know how Erin Watt captured so many emotions and placed them on a young adult novel, but through the whole book, you can feel Beth's suffocation, her parent's pain, and Chase's remorse. You're living the drama with the characters and questioning your own morals. One moment you will be rooting for love, and the next you're going to be questioning Beth's actions.

In the end, the most significant lesson is to try to find the small things that make life better and appreciate them.

I really enjoyed this one! A great story with a pretty intense twist. I especially loved Chase, who was a genuinely good - while very broken - person. Beth was intense, but justifiably so. This is one I will likely reread in the future!

I voluntarily read and reviewed "One Small Thing" by Erin Watt. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

First Thoughts:

Can I say just how beautiful this cover is? I love it! From the now two books I've read from this author, "When It's Real" and now "One Small Thing" I love both covers. And best of all I love both books. They both tackle issues that are deep both physically and mentally; "One Small Thing" more than "When It's Real." This book had me both crying and cursing from one page to the next. I just loved so much about it, so let's continue...

Goodreads Summary:

Beth's life hasn't been the same since her sister died. Her parents try to lock her down, believing they can keep her safe by monitoring her every move. When Beth sneaks out to a party one night and meets the new guy in town, Chase, she's thrilled to make a secret friend. It seems a small thing, just for her.

Only Beth doesn't know how big her secret really is...

Fresh out of juvie and determined to start his life over, Chase has demons to face and much to atone for, including his part in the night Beth's sister died. Beth, who has more reason than anyone to despise him, is willing to give him a second chance. A forbidden romance is the last thing either of them planned for senior year, but the more time they spend together, the deeper their feelings get.

Now Beth has a choice to make---follow the rules, or risk tearing everything apart...again.

Plot:

This book had a lot of ups and downs in the emotions department. From the very beginning it started out strong, it only wavered in a few areas. But the pulling of the emotions was a bit exhausting but so worth it for the end result. This book did deal with a some-what difficult topic.This book even dealt with bullying, it was heard and devastating to read. To think people can be that harsh and ragged. Definitely hard to read at times. Also the issue with Beth and her sisters' death...definitely complicated. But it was so empowering to watch Beth develop over the course of the book and even her parents. I've never had to deal with parents like Beth's because my mother had always trusted me to be safe and take care of myself. But Beth was such a strong character that yes, I could understand why her parents were so protective, but to go through the extremes they did was unbelievable. Death of any family is hard but a sister or sibling must have been devastating. So throughout the book, Beth is dealing with coming to terms with dealing with her problems without her sister and letting her go. Being happy once more, and in the arms of perhaps her sister's killer. But there is definitely a big twist near the end, one that changes your view of a major situation. So be on the lookout!

Romance:

The romance was the major meat of this book. It focused on Beth's and Chase's relationship. It was definitely a forbidden romance from Beth's parents. Considering Chase was held responsible for her sisters' death it was understandable. But Beth had such a tender heart when it came to Chase, that I instantly rooted for their relationship. But at times it was broken and hard to read so be prepared for that....

Characters:

Beth like I mentioned above was a great character. She had her flaws but was easy to connect with but a bit immature at times.But I still enjoyed following her along her journey. Chase was harder to like from the beginning but after I got to know him and understand him I was able to connect with him. The other characters like Beth's parents added more texture to the book. Her parents were very hard to like but I guess that added to the story. Added more problems and sub-plots. I don't know but the only characters I truly enjoyed getting to know were Beth and Chase.

Transformation of the Character:

Beth did some transforming in the book. She transformed from someone who was vulnerable and a bit weak to someone willing to stand up for herself. I loved seeing her develop throughout the story; it was uplifting. Some other characters developed and transformed throughout the story as well but I don't think I should mention them in case they spoil the story for you.

Description:

I loved the description in this book; especially when it came to describing the characters emotions. It was like being inside Beth's head and experiencing every one of her emotions. Also the other characters were well described also. The scenery was also well described too. I remember the swing in the backyard, it was both a symbol and a link so it was important to describe it. The world was realistically described and so was the situations. In this type of book you need to be realistic, makes the book more enjoyable and fun to read.

Style:

This was written in first person and one POV. Being in first person allowed the reader to better connect with Beth. I was really able to experience the emotions in this book well. Even though it was exhausting, the emotion roller-coaster made this book. Also just being in Beth's point of view allowed the reader to better focus on Beth. To really get the feelings behind the book. The author's writing was excellent. I really enjoyed Ms.Watt's writing in the first book I read by her so I had just as high expectations as that book. She did not disappoint. It was captivating and intriguing all at the same time.

Quote of the Book:

"I'm tired of being patient. I'm tired of doing things other people think I should be doing. There's nothing wrong with the concept of us.

I won't let us be wrong."

Last Thoughts:

I really enjoyed the language and beauty of this book. Ms.Watt has a way with words that brings emotions to the surface and makes the reader want to jump off the cliff right with Beth. Loved the writing so much that I really can't wait to see what else this author has in store for her fans. I recommend this book to romance readers and to anyone who loves a good story with deep thought. So go out there and pre-order, trust me this book is worth your money.

Is One Small Thing as captivating as Ella and the Royals? No. But this sorry is still plenty fascinating and I enjoyed it immensely.

Beth lost her sister due to Chase's mistakes. Her parents can't forgive him for that, but she sees a remorseful spirit in him. He tries to stay away from her to no avail. This a story about mistakes and forgiveness. Beth can forgive him and even be friends, maybe more...but can Chase ever forgive himself? Can her parents?

Will her parents ever cut her a break with their overprotectiveness?

Find out in one small thing.

**3.5 Stars**

I love Erin Watt and I will always read any books written by the pair, but this one fell a little short for me.

What I loved about it was the content. The story line was interesting and heart breaking. I genuinely felt bad for Chase throughout the entire book, especially since they kept harping on the fact that this was an accident but not one single person would cut him a break. I liked the chemistry between Beth and Chase and I liked that Beth was kind to him. I didn't like that she had no backbone though. Sure she shouted at her parents, but she never made sound arguments and instead just admitted to herself that she was lying all the time and she SHOULD say this or that, but she wasn't going to. Pretty much her entire log was admitting that she should or shouldn't be saying something but then does the exact opposite. It got really frustrating never seeing any growth from her. Because of that, she wasn't someone I liked very much. I didn't hate her because I understand where her conflict came from, but I just didn't LOVE her.

The secondary characters were just awful people. I would have liked for Beth to have just one friend in her corner no matter what. I don't understand how she could continually forgive her friends when they kept turning their backs on her. I never saw them actually listen to her and she never confided anything in them. I feel like that's a missed opportunity.

Beth's parents were terrible, but I know they're supposed to be so I guess that didn't entirely bother me.

I guess what bothers me the most about this book was the unfinished feeling I get. The ending happens and then the epilogue was just quick and somewhat vague. I wanted to know more about Beth's parents beyond a two sentence description and I wanted to know more about her life. I just wanted more.

That all being said, I would recommend the book. I devoured it in a day and a half. It was captivating and it was intriguing. Can't say it was all together surprising, but it definitely held my attention.

I wanted to love One Small Thing, by Erin Watt, and there were things I did like, but overall it was just okay for me. The story is about Beth, a 17-year-old girl whose life has been severely restricted since her sister Rachel’s death, and Chase, the boy responsible for killing Rachel. They meet at a party, make an instant connection, but neither knows who the other is. Later when their identities become apparent, they try to avoid each other, but that’s really hard when they’re attending the same school, working at the same place, and running into each other at every turn. Rachel knows she should be angry with him, but she seems to be the only one willing to give him a second chance. Her parents certainly aren’t, and when Beth tries to rebel against them, they make her already strained home life even more oppressive. She has to figure out what she wants and what she’s willing to risk to get it.

Beth was kind of a hot mess in parts of this book. It wasn’t that it wasn’t understandable, but I found her hard to relate to because she was all over the place. That said, when she tried to work on her relationship with her parents, I could see the good in her, of course that’s overlooking the fact that she was sneaking out behind their backs to spend time with Chase in secret while supposedly adhering to the ‘behavioural contract’ she and her parents signed. Her parents were pretty much entirely unlikeable. Their level of monitoring Beth was highly disturbing. Again, I understood that they were reacting to losing a child, but they didn’t seem to care how miserable they made their remaining daughter or even really care that they had zero relationship with her. They were angry with her, disappointed in her, but they never talked to her. There was one instance of her mother trying to make things better, but that was it, and no trying from her father really. Beth’s friends didn’t seem like friends at all. They turned on her at the least little thing, so that was disappointing. A shout out to her guidance counsellor, the only adult who seemed willing to listen to Beth. Jeff, Rachel’s ex was creepy and manipulative. The authors wrote him really well.

Chase was decent. He was remorseful and took responsibility for what he’d done in the past. He did his best to stay out of trouble. I wish he didn’t give quite so many mixed signals, but they did help illustrate how hard he tried to stay away from Beth and how he tried to resist his feelings.

For those sensitive to it, I have to mention the attempted rape scene in the book. It didn’t go very far but it turned my stomach all the same.

For me, Beth felt pretty immature. She showed some character growth by the end, I just wasn’t convinced by it. The writing was decent, but the story felt a little lacking in depth. Maybe it’s better said that the depth came from the complicated connection between Beth and Chase, and not the plot. The story felt slow at times and too focused on Beth’s home situation resulting in a lot of miserableness and complaining. As a consequence, the story felt heavy and lacked a lightness that would have brought balance to the book.

I was able to get an e-arc of One Small Thing by Erin Watt from Netgalley in exchange for a review. thanks!

I went back and forth about whether or not One Small Thing by Erin Watt was a 3 star or a 4 star read, but it ended up being a 4 star read.

One Small Thing follows the Beth's life after her sister Rachel's death. Her family's and her own grief is consuming them and making them lash out at each other constantly. Things only get worse when Chase becomes a more prominent role is Beth's life and when Rachel's ex boyfriend moves back to town.

Overall, One Small Thing would have been a 3 star rating because I found that I was able to predict what would happen early on- within the first three or so chapters, but there were still some twists that I was not expecting.

The portrayal of the grief, mourning and abuse in One Small Thing is really what earned it a 4 star rating. It was so realistic and at times gave me flashbacks of past experiences that were very similar to Beth's story.

My only true issues with the book is how predictable it was and how fast it the story ended. The ending seemed very rushed and almost uncomplete.

Overall, I would recommend to friends, but would have to give certain friends a "trigger warning" of sorts.

While I don’t normally read more contemporary stories, I felt that this new work of Erin Watt was certainly a notable one, as her work in what I feel is the new adult genre has made a name for itself, and this story is no exception. I had read her Royals series in the past and while some features/themes from those books may seem apparent in One Small Thing, this tale is visceral in its own way, taking readers on yet another emotional roller coaster that they may be familiar with from Watt’s stories.

One Small Thing by Erin Watt was a book that I thought I would enjoy more than I actually did. Don't get me wrong, there was times I really enjoyed this book, but as whole I'm not much of a fan of contemporary as I am of YA fantasy.

It was an overall enjoyable read but there were little bits about the book that I didn't enjoy, such as the amount of cursing throughout the novel. I must say that although I never fully enjoy a book that is full of curse words, they at least made sense in this book (a highschool crowd, with a cast full of teenagers).

One thing that I think worked really well for this book was that it was so true to real life. It didn't take any shortcuts and portrayed the emotions of grief as well as highschool scenes accurately. At some points, I think the characters may have been portrayed as a little bit older than they were supposed to be.

I really enjoyed the whole theme of the book and how it ties to the title, One Small Thing. If you read this book, you will know what I mean, but I definitely think that it was a nice touch and it was well done.

I loved the character Chase/Charles Donnelly. He is authentic and as a character he is well formed. He is kind and yet he is filled with guilt because of what happened (don't want to spoil too much here!).

I have mixed feelings about the main character Beth/Lizzie/Elizabeth. At first, I thought she was totally annoying about disrespecting her parents and rebelling, but as the story went on, I started to side with her more and more.
Also, I just want to say that I really like the cover of this book!!

I recommend this book to anybody who enjoys reading YA contemporary, angsty teenage love, or books about life in highschool.

Trigger warning: This book contains some content that may not be suitable for all readers. There is death and grieving, mention of drugs and alcohol, and abusive relationships.

If you want to read more book reviews, check out my blog at www.sarahjuneblog.com!

This was a breath of fresh air wrapped up in a young adult world of letting go, forgiveness, and ultimately acceptance of things for which we cannot change. I've not read an Erin Watt story and was pleasantly absorbed in her words. This story hinges on what's left after tragedy strikes and how we choose to pick up the pieces of the wreckage. Watt's story crafting tells readers with utmost care and mindful compassion for all parties involved in such unfathomable circumstances.

What's comes of us after loss? It's a question everyone in this story answers for themselves in such different ways. Watt's highlighting of how each person is singularly affected really strikes a good chord with readers. We sympathize and understand on a deeper level thanks to her thoughtful writing. The two main characters are brought together and connect when they didn't need to but some inexplicable string pulls them taut. The evolution of the heroine after that connection was a remarkable change in growth for a young adult novel that I really adored. And while the love story is a slowly developing part of her bigger story it's always there holding everything together in both of their worlds.

There were a few elements of the story I wish would have been developed a little more and explored a bit deeper but overall I really enjoyed my first Erin Watt young adult story. It was a rising from the ashed type story of a broken girl who desperately seeks to put the pieces back together and I really enjoyed reading every word of it.

Beth feels trapped in a cage - her house - ever since her older sister died tragically. Fed up with not being seen or heard by either of her parents, Beth is looking for a little taste of control in her life. Sneaking out to a party in the next town and hooking up with a guy she meets is just what Beth needs. Afterwards, though, she begins to realize how monumental her decision was, and part of her feels regret. Luckily, she'll never see him again.

Now out of juvie and determined to live life under the radar, Chase attempts to assimilate with his former life. A welcome home party and a pretty girl who throws herself at him is just what he needs.

It isn't until Beth and Chase realize who the other is that they truly realize the impact of their connection. Forbidden from being together yet drawn to the other, Beth and Chase struggle with their feelings as well as with grief, guilt, and loss.

THOUGHTS: Initially drawn in by the cover and the title, One Small Thing left me feeling torn. As a parent, I can understand wanting to protect your child, but Beth's parents take protection to a suffocating level. Teens will devour this story of first love, desperate to know the outcome for Beth and Chase. Underage drinking and mature relationships make this more suitable to high school readers.

What a read. I like how Watt injected some humor in here with Beth, because this book was so deep. It really helped to soften the blow. I felt so ragey against every last one of the characters in this book except for Beth and Chase. Gah they were all such butt holes. I'm so glad my high school days were not like this. Everyone was trying to control Beth, even down to what name she wants to go by. Her parents, they were cray cray. I understand why the need was felt to do the things they did, it was all just overboard. Instead of loving and appreciating the child they still had they just kept pushing her farther and farther away. They redeemed theirselves a little bit in the end. I like how this story played out. Chase broke my heart with everything he had to go through. In all that went on he was still kind and humble. Such a good book.
Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity for an honest review.

I loved the first book in the Royal series and WHEN IT'S REAL is probably one of my top ten favorite books. But sadly, this book did not come close. To be honest, I didn't make it past 30%. The writing felt so forced from the first page and not really believable. What was happening with her mom wasn't believable. Then what happened with the random girls and the party then the guy, just not realistic and felt forced. I didn't have any connection with the main character because I was being told who she was and what was happening instead of being shown. By 10% I was bored and started skimming pages, looking for that Erin Watt spark I love. It wasn't there.

The cover is gorgeous. I really like how it kind of coordinates with the style/tone of her last book.

I do not plan to publicly post this review, only because I love the last book so much. And I'm hoping by posting these here, the editor, publisher and Watt will maybe figure out how to bring back that spark from the last book. I'm sure there will be plenty of people who will love this book and my review will be peanuts in comparison. And I look forward to whatever she writes next.

I LOVE ERIN WATT SO MUCH! EVERY book I have read written by her, I have been seriously crazy about and this one is NO different than the first 10. One Small Thing does not disappoint at all. Beth's only sister died in a car accident 3 years prior and the boy (Chase) who was driving is sent to prison for three years. Beth is being completely smothered by her parents with little freedom to have fun and be a teenager and she starts to rebel. Her parents are obviously in denial and she is in pain as well from missing Rachel. Beth meets Chase randomly and doesn't know who he really is until a few days later. Chase is super sweet and a nice guy and Beth sees beyond his actions and what others see him as and they slowly become friends. Amid many obstacles including her parents, her friends (who are super annoying and shallow), her sisters boyfriend of three years ago, completely oblivious teachers and some nasty bullying, they mange to become close. Their relationship is really special and nobody sees that but them. The story was extremely emotional and I finished it quickly only because it was such a good one. Well written, interesting story and characters, and so much going on between the two main characters who are very mature and really understand what is going in spite of so many other influences. The ending was a little rushed to me but it was all good. Definitely will read more from Erin Watt. Thanks so much NetGalley! LOVED this one!!

I couldn't stop reading. I had to know what was going to happen. With so many reasons for Beth to hate Charlie she never did. Yet if she had know who Charlie was when she first met him many things would have been different. From controlling parents to psyco boyfriends this story spun an intriguing story that held my attention and had me wondering how it was all going to okay out. In the end, I couldn't be happier with how the characters grew into themselves. Although I do wish there was a tidbit more as I want to know what happens next. Overall though I would definitely recommend to all the YA lovers out there.

I loved it!!! I love the books from this duo so, I didn't even read the blurb. It didn't take long to figure out where the story was going. It did, however, keep me on the edge of my seat to find out the details. I loved both of the main characters. They had both been through so much. Well, still going through so much. I couldn't put it down. I was really rooting for both of them.

I've loved everything Erin Watt has written, until this book. I just couldn't connect with it, and it just felt too forced. The story is about Beth, who's sister Rachel is killed in an accident, and the aftermath she faces from overprotective parents, Rachel's old boyfriend, and the person who killed Rachel being at Beth's school. This sounds like the start of a really good book but the problem I had was the beginning was too rushed and the storyline jumped forward so much I had a hard time trying to understand what was happening. One line of the story something is happening, and then the next line is something completely different, making the writing at the beginning of the book really disjointed. It did get better as the story progressed, however, I still had a hard time with it.

What I loved about previous Erin Watt books was they write with a certain level of realism that they stretch just enough for a great story. This time I thought the stretches were too much. First, the person who killed Rachel was in juvie but gets out and attends the same school as Beth; okay I can buy into that, even though the easier bet was getting his GED while in juvie. Second, the parents are borderline psycho in their over protectiveness; okay, I get that one too. But the final straw for me was Jeff, the dead sister's boyfriend, taking 2 years off high school and suddenly reappearing after a hiatus in England to finish school the same year Beth becomes a senior and the 'murderer' enrolls in the school. That was a bit too much for me, and at that point the story took a predictable and kind of boring turn. I did finish the book and have read enough of Erin Watt's other books to continue reading them, but I would not recommend this one to a first-time Watt reader.

This was the first Erin Watt book I have read, and after reading it I plan to find and read all the backlist titles. The writing is phenomenal in this book. I could not put the book down. I kept saying only one more chapter, and you know how that always goes...hello 1AM. This is a teen novel, set in senior year of highschool. The 2 main characters Beth and Chase have all the odds stacked against them in every finding an HEA.
I really enjoyed Chase's character. He was tough, strong, smart, and caring. He had no problem putting Beth in her place when she was acting out and making dangerous choices. I haven't been in High School for 20 years, and don't remember anyone going to the lengths of the bullying that goes on in this book. My heart aches for Teenagers that have to experience peer persecution everyday in real life at school. If this book gets only one point across, it is the power of forgiveness and healing. If you enjoy teen drama/romance novels, "One Small Thing" won't disappoint.

**********Honest Review given in exchange for ARC**************

Erin Watt is amazing with the edgy YA they write. I had a hard time putting this one down. It's a little tamer than their other books, but a great story nonetheless.

Beth has been heavily sheltered by her parents since her older sister died three years ago. She sneaks out to a party the weekend before senior year starts to have a night just for her. To rebel just a little. That’s when she meets Chase. Chase is her little secret, but he has a not so secret, secret of his own. Once she finds out Beth knows she should hate Chase, but she doesn’t. She honestly shouldn’t want anything to do with him, but she does. How do you fall in love with someone you shouldn’t? How do you forgive someone who should be unforgivable in your eyes? Read One Small Thing to see how a pair who shouldn’t be, are.

One Small Thing is ultimately a story about forgiveness, dealing with loss, and finding the bright side when you’re trapped in the dark. Somehow Erin Watt stuffs all of that into a coming of age YA novel tortilla, and boy is it tasty. Beth and Chase are both characters that grow throughout the story, and without each other I doubt the growth would happen. I think this story does a great job showing how people react to death in different ways, and how people forgive or not in different ways. Not only that but the sweet growth of young romance between Chase and Beth is fun to follow.

This story will get under your skin at some points. It will make you a little sad, a lot happy, and will make you think. It will even have you questioning your own morality in regards to forgiveness at some points, and it will also have you cheering the characters on as well.

All in all this is a great YA read. It was really enjoyable, emotional, and entertaining!