Love's Prey

“Love’s Prey” is the story of one girl’s coming of age and her first romance—though neither is without its obstacles from her mother and the small-minded town in which she lives.

Xirena is a social outcast—she wears baggy threadbare clothes, hasn’t smiled in years, and faces physical and emotional abuse from a mother who sees her as nothing but a burden. She’s focused on one thing: making it through a few more years until college, when she can start a new life. When the new neighbor boy, Kai, asks to paint her, her life begins to change and the ice in her heart begins to melt—even if it’s against her will. He asks to paint her portrait, and though she resists him at every turn she’s attracted to him; the attraction grows as they also forge a friendship. Problems abound, though—Kai is surrounded by beautiful girls who want to make him theirs, his mother dislikes Xirena, and Xirena herself doesn’t trust her own heart.

I enjoyed “Love’s Prey,” in large part because of Xirena’s personality. She’s strong and feisty—when tormented by classmates, she fights back in devious ways that command respect—but she’s also flawed in that a tragic event in her past (as well as her mother’s daily cruelty) has left her shut off to others. Seeing her slowly thaw into a more vibrant person capable of love is both emotional and enjoyable. Kai is also complex—he doesn’t always take the right actions for Xirena to trust him, especially in regard to the deputy mayor’s beautiful daughter, but he’s still patient and appealing. The obstacles that arise to their relationship lend suspense to the story and keep the plot moving, though to me the highlight (as I’ve mentioned) are the two main characters.

I would recommend “Love’s Prey” to readers who enjoy stories of first love, romance in general, YA fiction, and romance set in other cultures.