180 Seconds

By: Jessica Park

Narrated by: Arielle DeLisle

Length: 10 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's Summary

Some people live their entire lives without changing their perspective. For Allison Dennis, all it takes is 180 seconds...

After a life spent bouncing from one foster home to the next, Allison is determined to keep others at arm's length. Adopted at 16, she knows better than to believe in the permanence of anything. But as she begins her third year in college, she finds it increasingly difficult to disappear into the white noise pouring from her earbuds.

One unsuspecting afternoon, Allison is roped into a social experiment just off campus. Suddenly, she finds herself in front of a crowd, forced to interact with a complete stranger for 180 seconds. Neither she, nor Esben Baylor, the dreamy social media star seated opposite her, is prepared for the outcome.

When time is called, the intensity of the experience overwhelms Allison and Esben in a way that unnerves and electrifies them both. With a push from her oldest friend, Allison embarks on a journey to find out if what she and Esben shared is the real thing - and if she can finally trust in herself, in others, and in love.

©2017 Jessica Park (P)2017 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Review: 180 Seconds, by Jessica Park

I’ve read most of Jessica Park’s work and have been blown away by her writing. With her latest novel, 180 Seconds, this hasn’t changed. I’m not sure this author has a bad book in her.

It’s hard to come up with just one reason why this book made me want to keep reading and reading (even though, because of life, I couldn’t do that). The characters were great. They probably top the list of reasons. They were so real, relatable, and knew they were flawed. I think that last part was what made me like them even more. They knew they weren’t perfect, and that worked into their actions.

I also thought Park, like always, was able to work current trends and culture into the story, while still being able to keep the interest of a reader (me) who might not be up on what characters in college might be into and using the internet for.

This book isn’t all fun and games, though much of it is. Neither Allison nor Esben doesn’t have a great past. Their present has obstacles. But it’s how they get through them and build on where they came from that makes this book a necessary addition to my top reads list.

It just wouldn't end!!

This book started off ok. Then.. there was a perfect place for an ending and it just kept going and going.... getting more and more depressing and weird... just.. NO. I want my time back.

Couldn't finish it

The first several chapters were depressing and unrelatable. Then, it got interesting with the 180 second experiment, but unbelievable results. Then, it just got eye-rollingly annoying. There are still 5.5 hours of the book left and I just can't do it. There is nothing great about the writing that has me buying into the characters or plot.

Eye Rolling...

I have always loved Jessica Park's books but I cannot even finish this one. CHEESE fest!! Everyone is so perfect and the cliches are bountiful. The social media and hashtag portrayal made me gag....

Better than the Reviews Make it out to be

I don't understand why people kept giving this negative reviews claiming it should've ended long before it did. A good book has conflict, it doesn't have a perfect happy story the entire time, that's boring. I think that is what frustrated people. I think it was very well done and it left me satisfied. I would recommend.

Cheesy

This book was so cheesy. I thought it was very immature. Perfect for a junior high girl looking for a summer read.

Had a Flat-Out-Love feel.....

The writing style had a Flat Out Love feel to it which I liked. Had a good story and a sweet ending so I thought it was worth the credit if you liked Park's earlier work. Had some creativity to it which kept me hanging on.

All the emotions you could ever feel

this book made me laugh, cry and feel love. I was wrapped up so in the characters that I cried at the end. I didn't want this book to be over and I want to know what happens afterwards.

Great quick read or listen

Love it. Great story amazing narrator. I listen while I run and this book had so much of my attention that I missed my ques.

Too full of drama and an almost perfect Hero

This one started realistically but quickly took a nose dive once newly adopted Allison met social media phenom Esben.
It was a cute story but unnecessary drama made it feel over the top and it began to drag. I did appreciate the lessons of adoption and the emotional trauma of being in the foster care system. That will remain with me more than the romance story.
I did like Esben but i don’t like perfect hero’s. I loved her father Simon and would love to see if he gets a happy ending too