Release Day Review - Since You've Been Gone

Since You've Been Gone

by Mary Jennifer Payne

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Synopsis:

Is it possible to outrun your past? Fifteen-year-old Edie Fraser and her mother, Sydney, have been trying to do just that for five years. Now, things have gone from bad to worse. Not only has Edie had to move to another new school she's in a different country.

Sydney promises her that this is their chance at a fresh start, and Edie does her best to adjust to life in London, England, despite being targeted by the school bully. But when Sydney goes out to work the night shift and doesn't come home, Edie is terrified that the past has finally caught up with them.
Alone in a strange country, Edie is afraid to call the police for fear that she ll be sent back to her abusive father. Determined to find her mother, but with no idea where to start, she must now face the most difficult decision of her life.

Rating:  3/5 Stars

Review:

This was an interesting read that I feel has very high potential to be great.  Edie has been on the run with her mother for several years, trying their best to hide from Edie's abusive father.  The duo traveled all over Canada, always eventually being found, causing them to run away again.  After being caught for the last time in Canada, Edi's mother goes to the extreme and takes her daughter to London, hoping to shake her ex-husband once and for all.

Once in London, Edi's mother gets an under the table job cleaning posh buildings in downtown London.  After her first overnight shift, Edie's mother never returns home from work, causing Edie to tumble down a rabbit hole of theft and running from community enforcement.  She quickly pairs up with Jermaine, the boy that is taking the blame for her theft.  The pair works together to try to solve Edi's mother's disappearance as quickly as possible.

Although I did enjoy this story, I felt that it could have been a little bit more fleshed out.  I found that the characters were fairly flat, they needed just a bit more oomph to get me really into the story.  I feel that with a little bit more details, this story could have easily been a five star book.  As is it, I feel that it reads a bit like a rough draft; enough story to get the plot down, but needing more details to bring it to life.

Although I found the story in need of some work, I feel that this author shows a great deal of promise and I will definitely read more from her in the future.