Well, that was tense and stressful, with a side of heartache. My goodness. Erin Watt knows how to twist my insides up. I had to read fast before my heart exploded.

This book was about forgiveness and love and how, no matter what happens, you need to have both if you're going to be able to move on.

What a wild ride. I was cheering Beth and Chase on the entire time. I realize they both made mistakes, but I'd like to think that they made the right decisions when it counted. They focused on moving forward and trying to find the best of this situation.

4.5☆
One Small Thing is such a thoughtful read. The characters have unique situations that really test who they are as people. I think it really showed how someone's past doesn't determine their future. Chase and Beth are both incredibly strong and they both have their own personal journeys that they go through to become the best they can be. I really enjoyed this story!

Beth can't get the boy from the party out of her mind, he's a bright spot in her dim, prison-like life with overprotective parents. She thinks she's hit the jackpot when she arrives to school and finds Chase is the new student, except people can't stop pulling her away from him and whispering behind his back. Discovering Chase has ties to the night her sister died should stop anything from moving forward, but Beth can't shake the feeling she has and she can't stand what her so-called friends are doing to him. Willing to give him a second chance the two embark on a forbidden friendship that soon turns into a romance.

One Small Thing is about friendships, family, and forgiveness. Beth needs to learn to forgive, Chase needs forgiven, and all of them need the compassion of their friends and family. It's a coming-of-age tale built on a dark event, but handled in a fairly light manner. There's bullying, that really needed handled better, and there's secret rendezvous. It's typical teenage romance and drama, the sort of novel that is usually fun to escape into. Beth is a bit younger in maturity than her age lets on, she sneaks out of her parent's home, bends quite a few rules, and doesn't seem to understand where her friends and family are coming from. Then again, her method of dealing with her sister passing away is not what I'd consider typical. Chase is hell bent on punishing himself after his involvement in Beth's sister passing away, but he is really the saving grace of this story. He's sweet, smart, determined, and far kinder than any male teen character I've seen in a book. He comes bearing words of wisdom, shining light on a story that could be a typical drama novel and makes it the romance it is. Their connection and interactions, as well as those with secondary characters, is over the top, but to be expected with YA angst. I just think it was missing something, some sort of further development and this one might've been a hit for me.

I really wanted to like One Small Thing, the plot of overbearing parents and falling for the boy who caused your sisters death could've made for a fantastic YA/NA romance. Bring on the drama. Unfortunately, the blurb gives much of the story away and I really just never liked Beth a whole lot. She is quick to anger, her moods are volatile, and she makes choices that I think she knows better than to make. She's acting out of anger, sure, but I think she is much more level headed at her age than she acts. She puts herself in dangerous situations and I really struggled with that. Chase is far more adult, likely due to his time spent in a juvenile detention facility, and I couldn't see how he carried a flame for Beth. She puts them both in bad positions and, as he calls out, fails to own their friendship in public. He's nicer than I am. I'll give them this though, how it works out is sweet, if not easy and expected.

I think One Small Thing is one of those situations where it's not you, it's me. I think this book is definitely more age appropriate for the YA readers, though maybe all around YA fans will enjoy it as well. Personally, I think it could've been more advanced, the story had the bones to be better. One Small Thing is filled with angst, romance, and coming-of-age truths. I loved the background on the book's title and think it, and Chase, are the reason why I ultimately enjoyed the novel.

Erin Watt books are a one-click for me, I love them all, this one however was a little bit slower than the ones before. Beth struggles after losing her sister to overbearing parents, who are unable to cope with losing their other child.

Chase is the town outcast, also strugguling to get away from his past and find a fresh start, when Beth and Chase meet, they are conflicted, they know how it will afect their relationship but they find themselves relaying on each other.

This series are the best for teenage drama, I absoloutely recommend reading them all.

Overall, I was pleased with this book. It was a really interesting read about two characters trying to deal with the same traumatic event where one is the victim and the other caused it. There was such a fascinating dynamic to this story and I loved every second of the forbidden love aspect. I also liked the tie-in with the title of the book. The idea is that you just need ‘one small thing’ to get you through each day. It was a really nice input into the story and it was something that I could really relate to within my own life. The writing wasn’t overly fancy or complicated so it made for an easy read of a story I really enjoyed. I liked most of the characters well enough but adored our two main characters. This was a nice quick read with a great story.

I’ve been on the Erin Watt train since the beginning. The Royals had enough drama and angsty tension that I just gobbled it up. One Small Thing captured that same energy that book one did, and I loved it!

Beth decides to rebel with a one night stand, but lo and behold, her one night stand ends up being with the guy who ran into and killed her sister. Forbidden hero? Hell yeah. We got it here, folks. I mean, I can’t think of a bigger conflict than this right here, and I liked how these two authors treated it.

This really focused on Beth’s journey through grieving and growing up and dealing with her parents who still act like Beth’s sister will come back. It’s a heartbreaking read, but it’s also pretty angsty where Chase is concerned. He has done the unforgivable, but what if there’s a way to be forgiven?

This book had me really vocal. I think I yelled at it quite a bit, and other times, I had to put it down because arrrghh! Be prepared to invest yourself because there isn’t a way you can’t get caught up in it all. The ending also left me in happy tears, though, so mega worth it.

Enjoy the ride!

4 stars!

One Small Thing is about family relationship, friendship and romantic relationship.

Beth is trap in her parents strictness and decisions. Her future depends on her parents decisions. It started when her sister, , died in a car accident. She met Chase in a party and instantly got attracted. She found that Chase was responsible for her sister’s death and she completely understand it. Chase, on the other, got out of the juvie after he got involved in a car accident that killed Beth’s sister. He is in guilt and even though attracted to Beth, he couldn’t risk a possible relationship.

Beth’s parents strictness is similar to Filipinos. They always want to dictate and control their daughter’s future. Some feels that it is suffocating and they rebel, just like what Beth did. Honestly, I can’t blame Beth if she rebels because she feels that she don’t have any power over herself. Funny how her father removes the “door” of her room as part of her punishment. However, I can’t also blame her parents strictness because they do not want to lose her, they are just protecting her. But at some point, they are being irrational and close minded, especially her father. Further, at some point, Beth is kind of annoying because she keeps on thinking about their (she and Chase) one night stand every time she sees Chase. I don’t know if it lust or love anymore.

Moreover, everyone around Beth is being an idiot. YES, even her beat friend Scarlett and especially her sister’s ex-boyfriend, Jeff. Jeff is insensitive, arrogant, conceited jerk who is too full of himself. Surprisingly, Scarlett as a best friend does not act as a best friend. She believed Jeff more than she believed Beth. It came to a point that I hate Scarlett for doing that. Well, there’s a part where Beth think that Scarlett is just blind by love and I couldn’t agree more. Love really blinds people.

On the hand, Chase is described as likable and lovable character here. A bad bot with imperfections but perfect in Beth’s eyes. Who wouldn’t fall for Chase if he always look for other’s feeling before he prioritize his. I love how he talks and comforts Beth when she needed it. Aside from that, I like it how Beth’s and her parents grow and mature in the story. The last turn of event really surprise me and if it didn’t happen, Beth’s parents won’t forgive and realize important things.

The character the development is good as well as the plot. Although some parts are predictable but bearable. I enjoyed reading this one. It’s a page-turner for me and the writing style is commendable. It’s not hard to read and it is in good pace.

One Small Things sends positivity. There are so many things to ponder after reading this book. Highly recommend this one for those who enjoys reading contemporary, and somewhat “forbidden” love.

P. S. The book mentions One Direction and it really flutters my heart. It made me miss them so much. Read the book with 1D’s song in the background.

One Small Thing... I have been waiting for this book with bated breath.
Sadly, This one was almost put into the Dnf category for me.. It wasn't even the fact the characters annoyed me.. I just found the whole premise uncomfortable to read.

Now, I will admit something, a lot of people are complaining about how they didn't enjoy the character Beth... trust me... I get what you mean. I understand the frustration of having to read a character that's so annoying that you'd rather get a few brain freezes. The logical part of me understands all that: the stupidity, the reckless choices and the rebellious nature. I mean she's 17 years old! But..come on! I am sure no one is that naive!

It's hard to write this review because I did enjoy certain parts of the book like Chase. He is the no frills kind of guy. what you see is what you get type of character.

It is also hard to admit that this being an Erin Watt book, I wanted to love it to bits. But the truth of the matter is that I hated it yet I liked it. This book threw me into a loop.. from feeling a sense of empathy to rolling my eyes at characters that were meant to leave a footprint into my life... One Small thing is a conundrum for me.

I loved the idea of loving one small thing each day... This book was sadly not one of those things.

n emotional and angst filled story of love, and really not being able to change who you fall in love with!

Ever since Beth's older sister died a few years ago, she has been hugely smothered by her over protective parents. Her parents have a huge fear of something happening to Beth in the same way as her sister.

As a reader this really frustrated me.... I got so cross with her parents for being so overbearing, they were actually unreasonable, and can't really see that Beth did anything wrong apart from be a normal 17 year old teenager!

Chase was a great character. I loved him and loved the way he dealt with everything that was thrown at him, yet he lives with incredible amounts of guilt for his past mistakes. I just wanted to give him a big hug!!

The story deals with some interesting and thought provoking issues, creating a very good and well written story. I really enjoy the Erin Watt books from this great duo, and this was no exception.

“What’s your small thing for today?” - “You.”

Eine kleine Sache ist, dass Beth eine typische 17 jährige ist, die oft hilflos, frustriert und mißverstanden wird.

Eine kleine Sache ist, dass Chase kein typischer Roman Badboy ist.

Eine kleine Sache ist, dass ich viele Schmetterlinge beim lesen hatte, sobald die zwei alleine waren.

Eine kleine Sache ist, dass ich, obwohl es sehr vorhersehbar ist, ich die Story trotzdem gerne gelesen habe.

Eine kleine Sache ist, dass obwohl das Ende zu schnell „passierte“, ich das Buch trotzdem sehr mochte.

Eine kleine Sache ist, dass die einzigen Charaktere, die ich in diesem Plott liebe, tatsächlich nur Beth und Chase waren.

Eine kleine Sache ist, dass diese Geschichte von Erin Watt mich wieder mal gefesselt hat.
***
Klappentext
Seit dem tragischen Tod ihrer Schwester ist im Leben von Beth nichts mehr so, wie es war. Sie vermisst ihre engste Vertraute schmerzlich, und ihre Eltern sind seither so ängstlich, dass sie Beth auf Schritt und Tritt bewachen. Doch eines Nachts schleicht sie sich heimlich zu einer Party. Dort trifft sie Chase, einen attraktiven und charmanten jungen Mann, der gerade erst in die Stadt gezogen ist. Sofort knistert es zwischen den beiden, und Beth schwebt im siebten Himmel. Bis sie erfährt, dass Chase ein düsteres Geheimnis hütet, das mit dem Tod ihrer Schwester eng verwoben ist ...
Erscheint am 4. September beim Piper Verlag

One small thing is the next emotional read by Erin Watt. I honestly think this is possible their best work yet as they nailed the story by making it intense and very raw. The story was about forgiveness, understanding and most importantly how to move on after such a tragedy.
How does a girl move on and forgive the person who killed her sister? At the start I was thinking "hell no" there is no possible way that could happen but then you get in to the story, learn things about that dreadful night and the aftermath of it to for both Beth as well as Chase that you then find yourself routing for them to be together and heal each other.
Beth showed maturity beyond her years through the book. I loved her vulnerability and how she chose to deal with her sisters death.
Chase had dealt with a lot since that dreadful night. He's left with self hatred, feels he should be punished by others,so puts up with all their abuse towards him and has a lot of issues to deal with in the story to. But I liked that his character was adjusting and very mature about things when Beth at Times was immature.
I hate Beth's,parents! Yes they've dealt with a lot and I can understand some of their behaviour at times but smoothing Beth and causing hell in her life at every turn because there so worried they would lose her to so a bit much at times.
The story was told at a good pace and there was a lot of drama to keep you entertained and flicking through the pages at a fast speed.
I think the dynamic duo have done it again and I'm excited for there next book what ever that will be.

Another book that I really wanted to love but just couldn’t. It’s a good read but not great and I hate that.

Beth’s sister, Rachel, was in a car accident and passed away. Beth’s parents are smothering. Controlling. She wants to be a normal teenage girl but her parents won’t allow her to do anything.

Chase has a dark past that he wants to keep hidden. That is until he meets Beth. He struggles with doing the right thing and that’s telling her his secret. Something that could ruin her.

Their chemistry was great. I loved that their relationship flowed easily. The characters are well rounded and the overall story was good. It had the potential to be something amazing.

It was slow at parts and confusing at times. I questioned myself about their age group. How far apart in age they were at times. I also found myself putting it down more times than I should. The ending was also rushed.

It’s emotional and touched on things that teenagers could relate to. I just wish it was more.

One Small Thing is a young adult / high school type romance. I feel like I am too old for this type of genre because the characters are not quite mature in their thinking and decision making as well as the drama that went along with the high school crowd. That’s just me though – too old The plot is unique though and the romance is much lighter (not too much sex) than what I usually read which is perfect for younger readers.
Beth lost her sister from a car accident and her parents became overly protective (fear of losing the last child) which does not sit well with Beth. She is a typical teenager and obviously thinks she got everything under control. The more rules her parents enforced the more rebellious Beth gets. One night she sneaked off to a party and met Chase. Beth ended up with a one night stand (her first time was basically with a stranger). Beth’s life is about to get much more complicated when she found out who Chase really is … and that they are connected in more ways than Beth ever expected. Let’s just say her parents are livid and the entire town is against Chase … How will Beth and Chase make it works under such difficult circumstances?
I like the forbidden romance feels to the story. I love Chase. I think he pays his due for something that isn’t entirely his fault. I like the calmness in Chase even though everyone despises him. Chase seems matured beyond his year: his decisions, his advises for Beth, his desire to make something of his life. Beth is naïve but I like that she stood up to the bullies including her closest friends. She fights for what is right, stands up for what she believes in, and that’s the most important lesson the author could convey to her young readers. This story is about loss, heartbreak, sacrifice, forgiveness, second chance at life and finding brighter new beginning. Very suitable for young adult readers.

The premise of this book set the angst level for me...a twisted Romeo and Juliet, if you will. I wanted to hate the book, to hate Chase. But I couldn't. I found myself vacillating between each character's POV. I felt the mother's loss and need to preserve her lost daughter's memory. I burned with the father's need to protect his family and living daughter. I ached with Beth's need to step out of her sister's shadow and then confusion over her feelings for Chase.

At each turn, I found my dislike for the story line grow because I hated my inner turmoil. I hated it it until I realized that I didn't. This book made me think about the unpleasant and sad aspects of life, But most of it, it reminded me that we can be wrong, even when we're deathly certain we're right and it hurts to admit it. This is what made me like the book.

It isn't pretty. It's kind of gritty. It even feels feels a bit like a Jodi Picoult book. End of day....GREAT JOB, Not everyone will like it, but I did.

Erin Watt is a new-to-me author. One Small Thing is a story about life, love & loss. It is emotional and touching with a dose of angst.

Beth’s sister Rachel died three years ago. Her family struggles to move on. Beth feels trapped. Her parents hover over her every move and refuse to go forward, keeping Rachel’s things in place like a shrine. The story can be raw and intense at times.

"Rachel is everywhere. Her room is in the exact condition it was the night she died, except Mom has made the bed."

Beth rebels for a while by sneaking out and going to parties. She meets Chase at a party and they hit it off. Neither one of them realizes the connection that they share. Beth finds comfort in Chase. And eventually, they find comfort in each other. Her parents, her friends, her teachers all have an idea or expectation of the way that Beth should grieve the loss of her sister.

"All of them expect me to react a certain way, but I just want to be me. If I knew who me was. I’m trying to figure that out."

Chase has his own demons to fight as well. He has put his own harsh expectations on himself for his involvement in Rachel’s death. He has an overwhelming sense of guilt. There are many turbulent times at school to feed into his self-loathing. Chase has gained a lot of perspective while in juvie and this helps him to give some of that perspective back to Beth. I loved Chase! Having a life altering event happen can break anyone, and yet he persisted and came out a kind, quiet and sweet guy. I just wanted to hug him!

“I focused on one good thing instead of all the fuck-up stuff” One small thing."

I really enjoyed the story. It was well written. The writing flowed and the characters were relatable. There were many other issues in addition to Rachel’s death that were addressed as well. I will definitely be reading more of Erin Watt in the future!

"If you ask my parents, Rachel spoke the language of unicorns and pooped out rainbows. She was a perfect, wonderful angel."

Rating: 5 stars

One Small Thing was wonderful. Beth has gone through a lot since her sister died. Not only did she lose her sister, she lost her freedom. She’s told what to do and how to act every moment of the day. All she wants is a little fun. She gets a lot more than she asked for when she meets Chase.

Chase just wants to start over. His demons from the night Beth’s sister died still haunt him. All he wanted was to have a little fun. He gets a lot more than he asked for when he meets Beth.

One Small Thing is about

Love.

Forgiveness.

And finding yourself among the chaos.

I have loved every book I’ve read by Erin Watt, and each time they just knock it out of the park. Their stories are beautifully woven together. Out of all their books though, this one made me feel the most. Make sure to pick this up when it releases on June 26th! You won’t be disappointed.

*4 Stars*

ARC kindly received in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book, and most of the time I couldn't put it down, however the characters did annoy me at times. So let me get that out of the way. Sometimes, Beth was just plain dumb. And yes I know she was going through something horrible, and dealing in her own way, but I questions alot of the decisions she made regarding the parties and such. Also, Jeff, I wanted to smack him upside the head. You'll know why when you read the book.

But getting all that out of the way, the book has a fair bit of depth to it, in terms of the issues it deals with (grief, finding yourself and your place after tragedy, growing up, among other things) and because of that I really wanted to know what was going to happen. When would things come to a head? Who would do what?

I liked Chase. He was probably my favourite character of the story to be honest. He seemed the most mature and well adjusted, considering everything that had happened. Yes, he had issues to deal with still, but he just seemed to be moving on in the best way.

In a way, this story also reminded me of 13 Reasons Why (the show, I haven't read the book yet) - and I think that's because there is a huge amount of bullying in this book. Our words and actions, particularly in a place like high school, affect others, and I think thats really highlighted in this book.

Overall, I sped through this fairly fast and I did enjoy the storyline. A horrible situation that yes, does happen in real life, so it gives you something to think about, and feel for the characters. I definitely felt different emotions whilst reading this one.

Not my fave of Erin Watt's books, but I still recommend.

I think this book leans more towards being more like The Royals series as far as story and pacing goes than When It’s Real. The story is as addicting as any Erin Watt story and I yet again managed to finish this book all in one sitting. There is a LOT of drama with teenagers being awful to one another, and adults who should act like responsible adults but don’t. I don't know what it is, but these books are like catnip to me and I enjoyed reading this book.

One Small Thing is told solely from Beth's perspective. In the years since her sister died, Beth has come to terms with her death, but her parents have not. Beth's parents have become overprotective and doesn't really let Beth out to do anything at all besides school and her volunteer work at the dog shelter. Beth starts feeling closed in and wants to do something wild for once in her life. She lives in a more affluent part of town and decides to go party with kids from another school. It's all made up of people she doesn't know, and that's when she meets the hot kid brooding in the corner, Chase. He's mysterious and while everyone knows his backstory, Beth does not. She never really puts everything together until it's too late.

Content warnings include emotional and physical abuse, sexual assault, bullying, and slut-shaming.

I loved Chase. He asks for consent and comes across as very responsible. He's faced the consequences of what he did three years previous and definitely did his time. We see that he lives with regret for what he did, and I believe that he doesn't spend a single day not thinking about it.

Beth. Well. The story is all told from her POV and, for the most part, I like her and liked reading from her voice. It’s just that if the POVs and situation were flipped...I think that Beth was very forceful throughout the book and never once really considered that maybe Chase’s no’s meant no. And that does make me uncomfortable, because I don’t think Beth backed off even once and kept pushing Chase to meet with her and talk with her. She even uses a fake pregnancy scare to coerce Chase into meeting with her one night.

For reasons I don't really understand, Chase has to attend the same school as Beth, called Darling High School, when it's clear that him being there is the worst decision ever. His mother recently married the mayor of the town, so maybe it's because it is seen as the ~rich school compared to those his friends seem to go to. Chase used to only spend the summer with his mother, and the rest of the year with his father, but things happened and now Chase lives with his mother year-round. At Darling High, Chase is bullied constantly by the students, and the teachers certainly don't care to intervene.

Beth, even once she realizes who Chase really is, can't help but to fall for him. She doesn't outright help him out, but it's frowned upon by everyone that she would go near him at all. I know this book paints Beth's parents in a poor light, but I do appreciate that it is mentioned that they never went to see a therapist when Beth's sister, Rachel, died. As a result, everything spiraled, and they only winded up controlling their remaining daughter's life more than parents should.

I'm barely scraping the surface of what's in this book. There's Beth's best friend, Scarlett (who we never really see that much of except when she's hanging around Jeff) and Jeff (Rachel's boyfriend). That entire storyline was so unnecessary, but does work to explain some things at the end.

Overall, I thought this book was just okay. It certainly has the same addictive quality as all the other Erin Watt books. I think this story is more fit for readers who loved reading the drama-filled series The Royals more than the author duo's other YA standalone, When It's Real. As always, I can't wait to see what comes next for Erin Watt, because I'll be sure to read it! <3

***Thanks to Harlequin Teen for providing an ARC via NetGalley***

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
Following the death of her big sister, Beth meets Chase at a party and they have a one-night stand. When senior year begins and Chase is at her school, Beth learns his secret and things between them become complicated as does Beth’s life. Beth and Chase have a strong connection in a way they shouldn’t have given their circumstances. I haven’t read a forbidden romance like this before and I really didn’t know where it was going.

Chase’s ability to keep calm while he is harassed and bullied by pretty much everyone shows amazing strength. He is a guy who, at times, has wisdom beyond his years and he helps Beth see some things in a different light, helping her grow up. I loved their relationship and I think that fact that it is difficult made it that much sweeter.

Beth struggles with her ridiculously controlling parents. They are weighed down by grief, and Beth’s fight to have her voice heard, either by her peers, her parents, or her teachers, is an immense source of frustration for Beth. I was right there with her, feeling everything she felt, angry and frustrated on her behalf.

There is plenty of teenage drama in this story coming from Beth’s friends, classmates, and her sister’s ex, Jeff, who quickly shows Beth he isn’t who she thought he was.

I started reading One Small Thing on a cold and rainy Sunday morning and I didn’t get out of bed until the book was finished four hours later, happy and a little emotional. One Small Thing is an excellent young adult novel about grief, forgiveness, love, and growing up.


Kris – ☆☆☆☆
I really enjoyed this book, it had the perfect amount of drama and teenage angst to keep it easy to read without wanting to scream at the characters too much for being idiots.

Beth is going through a major change in her life, she's acting out and trying to find herself after her sister’s unfortunate accidental death. Beth's parents keep holding tighter and tighter every time Beth tries to break free, they're worried about losing their other daughter. Understandable from a parent’s perspective, but it was almost over the top what this mother and father were doing to their remaining child. I got angry at them numerous times! I have no idea how I might react to losing a child and can’t really say for sure I wouldn't put alarms on all the doors and windows, but… maybe? Chase is also going through a major life change, having just been released from juvie for an accidental death charge, he's at a party and hooks up with a girl who's looking to have some fun. Sure didn't know it'd be the sister of the girl he hit with his car three long years ago. I think Chase was written perfectly with just the right amount of self-loathing but wanting to be a better person. I fell in love with his character quickly!

The mean kids at school added a good dynamic of "us against the world" to the fledgling relationship between Chase and Beth and I was quite invested in the entire story. I felt the ending was a good way to pull the story together and help Beth's parents understand that accidents happen, and maybe forgiveness is the key to moving on in life after a tragedy.


Jordan – ☆☆☆☆
I first read Erin Watt’s The Royals series, which immediately had me hooked. Now, I never pass up the opportunity to read a book by Erin Watt. This writing duo knows exactly how to grab my attention and keep it from start to finish, which is how I always seem to find myself reading until the sun comes up.

One Small Thing follows the story of Beth, who is just starting her senior year in high school, which should be an exciting milestone for her, but nothing has been the same in her life since her sister died. Her parents can’t stop hovering over her every move, but Beth can’t handle being smothered by their fear of losing another daughter. After sneaking out one night to a party, she meets Chase, who is finally out of juvie and ready to start fresh. When Beth learns about the role Chase played the night of her sister’s death, she knows she shouldn’t have anything to do with him, but she can’t seem to stay away.

One Small Thing wasn’t exactly my favorite by Erin Watt, but it still has that perfect addictive quality that I have always found in this writing duo’s books. Plus, let’s not forget their ability to make the most swoon worthy book boyfriends. However, it just felt like some characters’ reactions to certain scenarios seemed so extreme and the only level-headed character was Chase. This doesn’t change the fact that I still found it to be an enticing read and can’t wait to see what Erin Watt has in store for us next!

4 STARS for Erin Watt’s One Small Thing


Sarah – ☆☆☆
OMG – the DRAMA!!! This angst-fuelled young adult romance takes the tired good girl/bad boy trope to another level when Beth accidentally sleeps with the boy who killed her sister.

Beth and Chase’s attempts to reconcile their attraction with the pain Chase inflicted on Beth’s family are deliciously gritty, but I didn’t completely love either Beth or Chase. Beth gets increasingly whiny and miserable and I found her more childish behaviour difficult to connect with. Chase takes the strong, silent self-loathing thing a little bit too far. He is monosyllabic for most of the book and is never quite worthy of Beth’s starry-eyed adoration

While Beth and Chase were both interesting enough to hold my attention, the other characters are predictable stock YA clichés. The bland, generic ensemble cast includes super strict parents, spiteful mean girls, misfits from the wrong side of town, and a rich kid who isn’t quite as nice as he seems. The characters are neither convincing or interesting.

I was intrigued by the premise of this story, but the concept is better than the execution. The plot circles around tediously normal high school life and Beth’s endless emotionally incontinent cycles of rebellion/rage/lust/heartbreak/isolation. Chase’s whole story doesn’t quite make sense to me and without more dynamic characters, the book doesn’t deliver the emotional impact promised in the blurb.


Erica – ☆☆☆
3 FRUSTRATING Stars

One Small Thing is a standalone.

Even with a few major discrepancies, I was hooked from the start and read feverishly in one sitting to the very end. I was eager to know what happened next, finding the novel to hit most of the notes that draw me in and resonate. A side of angsty deliciousness with the entree being frustration.

Beth lost her elder sister three years ago when she was hit by a car, losing not only her sister but the way of life she was used to living. Her big sister and her boyfriend, her parents seeing her as a human being, and her autonomy.

Chase is the brooding bad boy, who beneath all the black and monosyllabic grunts is a self-sacrificing martyr.

Other than Beth and Chase, every other character in the novel was 'off', written in a bizarre fashion outside of how people act/react/behave.

The frustration begins with Beth's parents lost in their grief, stifling her to the point she feels imprisoned in their 'love' and need to constantly keep her safe. While I understood this from an emotional level, it was hard to swallow from an intellectual level, because Beth's parents were the extreme of irrational, creating what they feared the most. In fact, I felt every adult in the novel irrational and acting outside of how human nature dictates to create this almost Twilight Zone level of voicelessness.

Parents. Teachers. Guidance Counselors. Principle. School Board. Students. Friends. Police. All pod people.

While frustrated, I ate up the voicelessness and powerlessness as the angsty deliciousness it was meant to be. In fact, I felt Beth and Chase the only sane individuals in the novel. Perhaps the authors planned it in such a way, but the only characters who acted within the bounds of human nature were Beth and Chase.

Beth lashes out, doing things most teenagers do to test the limits of her tether to her parents, while flexing her wings and demanding independence. Some of the things she did were dangerous, but she is seventeen, lacking the emotional maturity and actual brain development to fully predict the consequences of her actions. Beth wasn't being treated like a human being, rather a placeholder with zero connection to her parents, standing in for the lost sister.

Beth has an instant connection to a boy at a party and a hookup changes the course of her life.

The side cast of characters drove me batshit with how irrational they all behaved – brainwashed or grief-stricken to all act like pod people. Every friend you have had since kindergarten would NOT call your parents and tell them every move you make. While I enjoyed white-knuckling my Kindle in frustration, the major dependencies took away from the overall experience.

Beth's big sister's boyfriend took off to England to live with his grandparents to deal with his grief. Rachel and her boyfriend were the same age, in the same grade, their next school year would have been senior year... .... .... Beth kept mentioning how they were in high school when she was in middle school and she looked up to them because they were older and wiser and she was still a little girl... .... THREE+ years later, Beth has her first day of senior year, and Rachel's boyfriend is in the same grade as her. No one takes three years off of school and is allowed to come back. THREE YEARS. He is a grown man, turning 20 while in a school with 14-18 year-olds, and I also think his age was off by a year, judging by the timeline. He would have turned 21 that year, no one able to legally buy their classmates alcohol would attend class beside them. As Scarlet voices, Jeff easily influences them because he's older and wiser than they are, which is why no school district would allow this. I had brand-new teachers his age when I was a freshman in high school. Yes, there are older kids in high schools everywhere, those who failed a grade or several and never left for three years – they have continually attended school, always enrolled as a student. The molestation and statutory issues that could arise from Jeff dating his classmates, depending on the age of consent laws in that state. He would have been at least a sophomore or junior in college, not a senior in high school.

Another point of contention: juvenile detention = / = prison. Not the same thing. Prison is used 99% of the time. Mayor or not, Chase was an adult, a felon, gone for three years. He would have attended classes in the detention center, as he was a school-aged minor. Unless he is emancipated, it's required by law that he get an education. He would have had a GED, not went back to high school after spending the entirety of his high school career in a detention center. He would have missed three school years and would not have been advanced to a grade when he didn't earn credits to be in that specific grade.

That's not how ANY of that works.

The ages and timeline were off for Chase and Rachel's boyfriend, Jeff, and I watched as the authors slowly made them younger than they would have been to rationalize them being in the same grade with Beth, after hammering home how Rachel died THREE years ago when Beth was still in middle school and Rachel acted so very adult. Suddenly, more than 25% into the novel, the age-gap shrunk to only 2 years, but that contradicted everything shown prior to that, since ages weren't given for driving-age high school juniors three years ago when Rachel died.

How are both grown men, who were 16/17 year-old high schoolers THREE+ years ago, who would have attended their senior year years ago, suddenly sharing the same grade with Beth?

A gap-year is for college kids, not high school kids who attended juvie for three years. Abroad or not, Jeff would have never taken three years off of school and then did a do-over as a grown man attending class alongside minors.

No matter how far I fell into the story, into the angst, into the yummy drama deliciousness, I couldn't let that go. It was the foundation of the story. Beth, Chase, and the rest of the cast were in Advanced Calculus, but the math never added up.

I loved every second of the novel but the major discrepancies, and I highly recommend to those who love angsty young adult, provided these issues aren't hard limits for their reading enjoyment.

I've always enjoyed the unique and captivating stories written by the duo Erin Watt. This being said, One Small Thing was a completely different reading experience for me. It had a great premise with its story of finding hope, forgiveness, and happiness during even the most difficult times, however, it left me filled with mixed emotions.

I really felt for Chase and Beth's characters on all levels. They were so desperate to find a fresh start, both imprisoned by their circumstances and dealing with the grief from Rachel's death. Beth took more of a rebellious route, feeling smothered by her parents, and fighting against the constant reminders of her. Chase was almost a glutton for punishment, feeling like he didn't deserve forgiveness and enduring the bullying from his classmates and teachers. I sympathized with both of them, and their difficult situations really broke my heart.

Chase and Beth had a very unconventional relationship in everyone's eyes. There were challenges at every turn, and I was very surprised at Beth's easy acceptance and pursuit to be with Chase. As their story evolved, I could see how well they related and understood each other's pain, but it still seemed a little odd to me. Although I wasn't sure if it was ever going to happen, I did root for Chase and Beth to find happiness together.

The story itself was very interesting and addressed a lot of tough topics that teenagers face today. Both as parents and siblings, dealing with the death of teenaged loved one would be very difficult and finding a way to move on from that, even more so. Knowing you were the cause of the loss of someone's life and having that hang over your head forever would also be more painful than I could ever imagine. High school bullying and the cruelty of words and actions is yet another. I liked that Erin Watt brought attention to these situations, and they wrote them in a relatable way, really pulling on my emotions.

Where it fell short for me is that this had so much potential to be an incredibly inspiring story of finding hope under terrible circumstances. Even the cover, which is gorgeous, looks inspiring to me. However, I think that the execution of the story really took a lot of the impact away. I always enjoy angst, but everything seemed so dysfunctional and sad throughout the whole story, and all of Chase and Beth's happy moments were constantly clouded with negativity. Only in the very end was their happily ever after revealed, which was way to brief! Needless to say, I would have liked more development and reward with the ending, and it might have given me more closure and left me feeling like this was more of an uplifting story. However, I did appreciate the overall theme in finding something positive, no matter how big, to focus on when you can't find any light in your life at all.

So, my emotions are really all kinds of mixed up on how I feel about the story overall. Perhaps I went into it with the wrong mind-set, and possibly it's just me. As much as I thought this was an interesting and good story, I can't say that it was a really enjoyable read. Maybe Erin Watt's goal was to share the cold hard truths of life and growing up, and they definitely did that very well.