"Miss You" by Kate Eberlen

I loved this book! I realize that is a declaration, not a review, but I live for books that make me want to declare "I loved this book!" Sometimes those books are easy to identify before you pick them up. They are the ones everyone is reading. They are the ones on the best seller list and that have a waiting list at the library. But it's even more of a treat when you pluck a book off a library shelf,  knowing nothing about the book or the author, and discover a story to exclaim over. So exclaim I will:  I loved this story! "Miss You" is the story of Tess and Gus, two eighteen year olds whose paths cross briefly when they are both in Florence, Italy in August, 1997. They are recently graduated from high school and are planning to start university in the fall. Their encounter is random and brief, a mere blip on the radar screen of life. I loved the way Eberlen tells the story. The author alternates chapters between Tess and Gus- same month and year, but different life stories. Each has plans derailed by unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances (there wouldn't be a plot if there wasn't calamity). While their life paths occasionally intersect, the two fail to actually meet again - until they finally do. I won't say more other than the book was easy to get into and hard to put down. I loved this book!