Review: Between The Sheets by Julie Prestsater

I only really started BETWEEN THE SHEETS, book #2 in Julie Prestsater’s Against the Wall series, because I’m a series completionist and I hate not knowing how things end. I’d been only lukewarm about AGAINST THE WALL but had been thoroughly entertained by Melissa, so I was intrigued to read her story. BETWEEN THE SHEETS picks up right where AGAINST THE WALL left off, so this is definitely a series where reading the books in order is highly recommended, especially since so much of the groundwork for the characters is laid in book #1.

I was expecting some more of the same irreverent, foul-mouthed, feels-kind-of-like-high-school-fanfiction lighthearted fun of book #1, but BETWEEN THE SHEETS reads like a completely different book written by an adult for adults. It’s less of a The Hangover-esque romp and more of a straight-up contemporary romance of the I’ve-secretly-been-in-love-with-you-half-my-life persuasion, and it’s astonishing just how much more polished Ms. Prestsater’s writing has become in the intervening time between books whilst retaining that characteristic realness and humour that made it appealing in the first place. Heroine Melissa and BFF Shelly actually behave like adults rather than immature teenagers (though they still have the occasional hilarious gangsta moment that will have you laughing out loud), and the sisterhood between them feels much more heartwarming and real when I’m not tempted to call for an adult to chaperone the two of them or put them in a time-out. This newfound maturity doesn’t detract from what made Melissa such a great character in AGAINST THE WALL that she stole the show: she’s still hilarious and kicks ass, but we get to see a softer, more vulnerable side that adds emotional depth. Like previous hero Matt, Tyler is almost too perfect, but he does put his foot in it enough times in his relationship with Melissa to make him relatable and make you root for the two of them and their inevitable HEA (and wish they would just TALK to each other instead of making incorrect assumptions). Though that bit at the end? Sweet, but way too public for my tastes.

The narrative is again in the first person from Melissa’s point of view, though with the added twist that some chapters are told from Shelly’s perspective. While perhaps a bit odd initially, it really works because we not only get a glimpse of what life is like after the HEA for Shelly and Matt, but we get insight into Tyler’s view of his relationship with Melissa and the issues surrounding it, and what it’s like for Shelly to be caught in the middle having to play best friend and little sister when both parties are keeping secrets. Not to mention the fact that there are definitely things about your siblings’ sex lives that you don’t want to know! The sex is much more frequent and steamier than in AGAINST THE WALL, though not particularly explicit, and is essentially the only time(s) Tyler & Melissa communicate openly. The action takes place mostly away from school, so there’s more of a focus on the dynamics of Tyler & Melissa’s relationship and the issue of distance than on the Carver High community, though Ms. Prestsater does include enough of home-wrecker Summer to set up the next book in the series.

Overall, I enjoyed BETWEEN THE SHEETS more than AGAINST THE WALL. It’s equally laugh-out-loud funny and cute with just the right amount of drama to make it interesting, though much more polished. The shorter length also works in its favour: short enough to be read in one sitting but long enough to provide a complete story without dragging. A fun, sweet addition to the series, and definitely recommended if you enjoyed book #1.

**Copy provided by Author's Taproom**


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