Have a Little Faith in Me

I have a thing for fiction about teenagers struggling with faith. Could it be because I myself was a teenager struggling with faith, and who knows what such books could have meant to me then? Nah, that can't be it. Have a Little Faith in Me has a good title and cover, and an intriguing premise. Ethan broke up with CeCe abruptly, and is headed to Christian summer camp. Unbeknownst to him, CeCe decides to show up, pretending to be newly saved, to win him back. You will be shocked to learn this does not go to plan.I was prepared to love this, but I had a hard time getting through it. Here's two reasons why:- CeCe and Paul have heart-to-hearts where they tell each other “stories” brimming with metaphors so heavy-handed it's aggravating. At one point I said, “this is the worst,” out loud. - The main issue I have is with pacing. The camp dynamics constantly shift. Big conflicts are introduced way too soon, then resolved way too quick. There's no build-up, just arguments that begin and end out of nowhere, so characters can give an update on who they are atm. There's not enough time for introspection between things happening, so characters feel inconsistent. Plus, as the book goes on, it becomes less and less about religion and more and more about sex. Which is a fine focus, but it feels like an essay where you write an introduction before you really know what your paper's about. I think Have a Little Faith in Me could have been much more interesting if the point of view switched between chapters. Switch between CeCe and Paul, or CeCe and Ethan, or all three. I do think the book contains some important messages about consent, shame, and finding support where you least expect it. I'd recommend if you like [a:Katie Henry 13756005 Katie Henry https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1491090685p2/13756005.jpg], [b:The Book of Essie 34503571 The Book of Essie Meghan MacLean Weir https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1515874042l/34503571.SX50.jpg 55628862], or [b:Autoboyography 28919058 Autoboyography Christina Lauren https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1490425916l/28919058.SY75.jpg 49135502].