Unfortunately, there are no right answers to these questions. What’s the difference between “literary” and “good?” What’s the balance between “entertaining” and “intellectual?” To what extent should a book appeal to a wide audience over a small, discriminating one? Some critics don’t think that pulp mystery novels can be “good.” You’re never going to find The Notebook on the shortlist of major literary awards, but the book has jerked countless tears from millions of readers. The perception has changed in recent years, but it’s still there to some extent. Some critics see the category of Young Adult as less “literary” than others. Some of these groups are seen as “lesser” in some ways and at some times. And yet, books are classified, just as people are separated into groups, for better or worse. The writing community is not a monolith everyone is a little bit different, just as our books represent a unique piece of our selves. Glines did precisely what she set out to do: to tell a romantic story about a slightly bad boy who falls in love with and protects a good girl who needs an awful lot of love and understanding. Some books and writers deliberately attempt to confuse or bore the reader. Glines puts her audience and herself first. In fact, it’s a stroke in the book’s favor that it doesn’t pretend to be something that it isn’t. Glines is not trying for a Man Booker Prize with this novel and I don’t believe many MFA students will read and analyze Rock and Trisha’s story. Until the End is not the kind of book I usually read…and that’s why I picked it up. Let us not forget another thing that her readers want: tastefully described R-rated sex between the protagonists. Abbi Glines unashamedly gives her readers what she wants: two attractive people who overcome internal and external struggles to make a connection in this crazy, sometimes depressing world. Through the course of Until the End, Rock and Trisha engage in the good, old-fashioned bob-and-weave that characterizes all just about every romance ever.

Even though her heart rate increases every time Rock is around… The course of true love never does run smooth, of course, and Trisha has too many problems at home to even think about spending that valuable time and attention with Rock. He sees Trisha in the schoolyard one morning and it’s love at first sight…for him, at least. Rock Taylor was the Big Man on Campus, destined to accomplish big things in college football. She had to grow up fast so she could protect her brother from their abusive mother and the procession of perverted boyfriends that went through their too-small home. Trisha was a mother even before she had any kids.

Until the End by Abbi Glines