Book Review: Eleanor & Park

I read this book whilst I was still in New York, wrote the review and somehow never got around to posting it - oops. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell was another book on my reading list for 2015 - so the pile is diminishing slowly... This is still in the same vein as the books I've recently read by John Green. Boy meets girl, ones a bit weird and how their relationship develops. Except, I think I actually preferred this. I can't exactly say why, but I think it just felt a little more real. 
Eleanor is the new girl at school, she has bright red hair and is very overweight. Her mum is married to an awful man who treats them all terribly and so both her home life and school life is pretty crap. On her first day she sits next to Park on the school bus, and they aren't immediately that drawn to each other. They soon become friends and their friendship develops into more than that. Park saves Eleanor in more ways than she'd ever have expected. 
Eleanor & Park is a heartfelt, sweet story that delves into your first love. Whilst also showing how life is, in a violent, unhappy home. A lovely book that I'd recommend to people of all ages!