Love Notes

How do you cope when the people you care for hurt you the most? When the way you feel on the outside, smothers you on the inside. And when you are left to face your demons alone, will you learn that only you have the power to overcome them?

Charlie has never had it easy. Between the constant moving and the incessant fat comments and jokes from her father, her self-worth is nonexistent. Her reflection in the mirror shows her nothing but a plain Jane. Music is the only thing that keeps her sanity in check.

Charlie catches the eye of the town star quarterback, Maverick. With her curves, her brunette hair, and the voice of an angel, Maverick has never met anyone like her. Everything that is different about Charlie just makes Maverick like her more. Unfortunately, Charlie doesn’t see it herself.

Proving it to her may deem harder than he thinks, especially when tragedy strikes and tears them apart.

Now standing on her own two feet she may finally learn exactly who she is, what’s she’s capable of and how very un plain Jane she really is.

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Reviews
5 stars from Emily on Goodreads

Dear Heather,

I came across your book on Smashwords. I was looking for a book, that I am pretty sure did not have love or notes in the title, so I was pretty surprised when Love Notes was my search result. I read the synopsis and knew instantly that I needed to read it. What I read was nothing that I was expecting, it brought forth so many past emotions that I couldn't help but fall in love with it.

"You clearly don't care if you repulse anyone. You really should have tried harder to lose weight. I think you may have gained a few pounds over the summer. You’re dismissed."

It was that sentence that made me audibly gasp, "Oh my god, this poor girl." I knew at that moment things are more than likely going to get worse, before they got better. My heart hurt for her and not just because of the obvious reasons but, because I was in her shoes at one point in my life. The way you told things from Charlie's POV, were raw and exposed. I could feel the emptiness that Charlie felt, the confusion of not knowing what she is doing to cause such hostility from someone that is supposed to love her unconditionally.

"Not only do I bump into this person, I fall and I fall hard! I tumble all the way straight down on my very padded ass. This was not the first impression I was going for. Without even looking up I feel mortified and am internally slapping myself for my stupidity. The instant that I look up I’m captivated by a set of perfectly bright blue eyes."

With Charlie's last year of High School, she seems to make a great first impression on the popular boy at school, Maverick. I loved how you brought Maverick's POV to the story. To see Charlie through his eyes, to see what her father has made her feel verses what she really looks like. Now, my favorite thing about this story, you didn't make Charlie become miraculously cured of her body image issues. I have read so many books where in the beginning of the book, the female has self-esteem issues and when the popular guy or millionaire playboy says, "You’re so hot, I wanna do you", poof she's Cinderella and never again thinks she's ugly.

"What he doesn't understand, is that I still can't believe that this is real. That this guy actually likes me. I have a hard time looking at myself in the mirror, let alone a guy like Maverick thinking of me as pretty—more than pretty. I can't escape how I feel about myself and automatically forget everything that I’ve dealt at home, just because some hot guy shows interest in me. I’m trying, but it isn't easy and it still feels like a dream that I could wake up from, at any moment"

Maverick had to work really hard to get her. I'm sure he would have had to work a lot harder if it hadn't been for Tori. The girl who sees something in Charlie that Charlie hides from the world. I loved Tori. How she took a hold of Charlie and tried to make her see the amazing person that she is. When Tori and Maverick tell Charlie how beautiful she is, I could see the disbelief on Charlie's face. I could feel her reluctance to believe the words. Her father constantly telling her she's worthless, was definitely not working in Maverick or Tori's favor.

This story that you wrote, is nothing short of incredible. Authors like you are why I read, why I love reading. You exposed yourself. You opened yourself to the world and let them see every imperfection, we often hide. For that I Thank You. Things that you wrote in this book, I related to on so many levels. The part where Maverick meets her parents was like reliving every moment I had to bring a friend home. Charlie living two different lives, one where she is carefree and happy at school and the girl that goes home hoping she will never run into her tormentor.

I didn't go looking for your book but, your book found me. This story will forever be close to my heart. Thank You, for writing a story for every person out there that has ever been made to feel like they are less than the person they are. That no matter how people hurt us and make us feel unworthy, that there is always someone standing there to say, "You’re beautiful to me."

"I alone define my own self-worth. Not a boy, but me. No one else can make me feel good about myself. My own personal value is what matters, not what anyone else thinks or says. But mine."

5 stars from Jennifer H on Amazon

I'm going to start by stating that this book was Heather Gunter's debut novel and I have to say she knocked it out of the park. I thought this book was fabulous. I am a totally sucker for a sweet YA love story that is based in high school. Sometimes it is totally refreshing to read a book about the love and feelings in a relationship without all the sexual content interfering. With that said I will say that even though Maverick is to young for me, he still made my book boyfriend list. He was so sweet and amazing, even if he does screw up for a short time. In this book Heather touches on the very serious subject of abuse. Now when I say abuse everyone just assumes that I am talking about physical abuse but not in this case. Heather shows us a side of verbal abuse that is just as damaging as physical abuse can be. What Charlie has to endure at the hands/mouth of her father was just horrible. I truly wanted to drop kick her dad so many times in this book. We do finally find out why her dad is so horrible to her but to me it's just not a valid reason to treat someone that way. Her mother is just as bad. I don't want to say much more on that subject just because I think everyone should read this book to get the full idea and feelings this book has to offer. I was so proud of Charlie by the end of the book and so happy that she realized she needs to work on herself to make herself happy. I know I listed this as a HFN ending because the way the books ends you just know that Charlie is a good place but that there is more there. I was thankful that Heather included the Prologue of the next book Heartstrings, because that really wraps up the end of Love Notes. It explains what came about with both Charlie and Maverick. I thought Tori was an amazing friend and character. I loved how she stood next to Charlie no matter what and never judged her. I look forward to reading her book when it comes out. I'm dying to know her secret.