Past Perfect by Leila Sales

Release Date: October 4, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 322
Series: n/a
Review Source: S&S GalleyGrab

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
All Chelsea wants to do this summer is hang out with her best friend, hone her talents as an ice cream connoisseur, and finally get over Ezra, the boy who broke her heart. But when Chelsea shows up for her summer job at Essex Historical Colonial Village (yes, really), it turns out Ezra’s working there too. Which makes moving on and forgetting Ezra a lot more complicated…even when Chelsea starts falling for someone new.

Maybe Chelsea should have known better than to think that a historical reenactment village could help her escape her past. But with Ezra all too present, and her new crush seeming all too off limits, all Chelsea knows is that she’s got a lot to figure out about love. Because those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it….

My Thoughts:
As a former history major what could be better than a YA novel containing a living history museum? Answer: a YA novel containing two living history museums, where the teen employees take part in a Jellicoe Road-like war against each other: Colonials versus Civil Warriors. Take that and mix it with Leila Sales’ incredible sense of humour, some awesome characters who have depth, and a swoony starcrossed romance, and you have a book that I adore.

This book was just so much fun. All the characters had personality: none of them were just stock characters. I adored the historical aspect, as mentioned. I loved how Chelsea saw history and how she felt about it. All those discussions really drew me in and gave the book some depth. This book is sweet, swoony, sad, and hysterically funny all at the same time. I don't often say "I wholeheartedly recommend it", but yes: I wholeheartedly recommend it. Definitely one of my favourite contemporaries of the year.

The Cover:
It's super cute, but I hate how it has absolutely nothing to do with the book. Like, at all. And I don't think the tagline represents what the book is actually about.

Rating:
[4.5/5]

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