Picture Imperfect by Jelsa Mepsey
Publication
Date: Sept 22, 2015
Publisher:
Swoon Romance
Genre:
YA, Contemporary
Sixteen-year-old
Max Prescott knows all too well the joys of cheating girlfriends and traitorous
friends. He’s not eager to have his heart trampled again, but money and a fresh
start can mean the difference between happiness and a dark path with his name
on it.
So
when Melly Hewson, a perky and enigmatic classmate, asks him to be her model
for a year-long photography project, Max agrees. Melly Hewson is everything Max
isn’t. She’s outgoing, witty and always knows the right words to say. And
despite his best efforts, Max finds himself drawn to her.
Still,
he isn’t stupid. He knows a girl like Melly will only use him and then never
speak to him again. Besides, he’s been to that rodeo. As long as he keeps his
feelings off the market, he won’t make the same mistakes as last time.
Yet
underneath Melly’s sweet smiles lies a secret she’d rather kept hidden. And as
the year goes on and the photos pile up, Max and Melly will find themselves
developing through the negatives, a story that when told could push them to
opposite ends of their world. But the only thing worst than the truth is, the
facade that surrounds them.
Guest Post
Melly
asks about the therapy session in History. I stick my tongue out, and she takes
a picture. Tuesday, she literally bounces all the way to her house. She hands
me a rake while Waffles scampers across the lawn. I pet the dog and stare at
the leaves.
“Am
I supposed to rake those?” She nods. I groan. “Why? I’m not free labor.”
“You’ll
see.” Melly starts raking. “Help me make a pile.”
I
frown. “I’ve never made a pile before.”
“You’ve
never … ” Melly shakes her head and rakes faster. “Just hurry!”
I
continue raking at the same pace. “What’s so special about this?”
“Shut
up and work, Max!”
We
end up with a decent pile of leaves. Still don’t know what this is for. Waffles
runs to the pile and dives in. Melly laughs and pulls him out, grinning. “What
are you waiting for?” She drops the dog and pushes me toward the pile. “Your
turn! Go!”
“Are
you sure this is gonna be fun?”
She
rolls her eyes. “Just jump in!”
Here
goes. I dive in. Leaves scatter, blocking my vision. Kind of like jumping on
the trampoline or my bed. I shove a few layers aside, revealing blue sky. I
rise from the pile. Melly laughs while I brush leaves out of my hair.
“How
was it?”
I
shrug. “Just okay.”
“Just
okay?”
I
laugh. “Actually, it was pretty awesome. Let’s fix the pile so you can jump in
too.”
Waffles
occasionally interrupts our attempts to fix the pile, but we get most of the
leaves back into a mountain. Then Melly jumps in, shrieking in laughter.
There’s enough room for me too, so I jump and land next to her. We poke our
heads out of the pile. Melly smacks my arm. “What if you landed on top of me?”
“I
didn’t.”
“True.”
She steps out of the pile. “Stay there. I’ll take a picture.”
Waffles
dives in, landing on top of me. Melly and I both laugh. She takes the shot,
then puts her camera away. “Wow. You actually looked really happy in that
picture.”
We
go back to raking leaves and jumping. How is this actually really fun? Is it
because of the pile of dead leaves or the girl I’m with, who’s very much alive?
Hope
you guys enjoyed a little M&M cuteness! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Purchase Links
ABOUT JELSA MEPSEY
Jelsa
Mepsey writes young adult contemporary romance fiction, drawing inspiration
from daily life. With her work, she is dedicated to spurring people to think
about what they have taken for granted and to shed light on the issues people
avoid talking about. As an Asian-American in her 20s, she is excited to explore
more of the human experience as she herself journeys through life. Writing,
rock climbing 5.12 routes, and playing various instruments have resulted in the
formation of many calluses on her hands over the years. When not engaging in
her previously mentioned hobbies, Jelsa can be found at her local library with
a stack of at least ten books, naming her various pens, or staring at her dog
Waffles for inspiration.
Connect with the
Author
One (1) winner will receive a digital copy of Picture Imperfect by Jelsa
Mepsey, and a $10 Amazon GC (INT)
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