Confessions of a PK by Betsy St. Amant

Sixteen-year-old Addison Blakely has tireless played the role of PK—preacher’s kid—her entire life. But after Wes Keegan revs his motorcycle into town and into her heart, Addison begins to wonder how much of her faith is her own and how much has been handed to her. She isn’t so sure she wants to be the good girl anymore. Join Addison Blakely as she attempts to separate love from lust, facts from faith, and keep her head above water in her murky, fishbowl existence.

You know those feel-good titles that we all sometimes crave? That’s Addison Blakey: Confessions of a PK. Despite the title and exploration of Addison’s faith, which does play a big role, it isn’t a “preachy” book by any means. Instead, it’s a heartfelt story exploring Addison’s growth. Yes, her growth revolves around her faith and God, but it’s the sort of book that can likely be applied to most teens’ lives.

Addison struggles with wanting to stand out and be her own person, just like in any other great coming-of-age novel. She has always seen the world in very black-or-white terms, good or bad, with no in-between. She’s had a falling out with her best friend, and she’s stressed and kind of lost. Enter Wes, the new boy who is cute and oh-so-confusing, like most guys. Then there’s Marta, the new foreign exchange student who helps introduce Addison to a world outside her own “world.”

All in all, Addison Blakely is a bit cliche and predictable. The typical good girl falls for the leather-clad boy on a motorcycle, but it’s such a great story that I couldn’t help but be enthralled.

A little warning: There are references to teen drinking, peer pressure, eating disorders, sex, and obviously religion. They are all done in a pretty subtle way, but in true LIO fashion, I wanted to acknowledge them.

I received Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK in exchange for my honest opinion from the publisher.