Severed Heads, Broken Hearts by Robyn Schneider

Golden boy Ezra Faulkner believes everyone has a tragedy waiting for them - a single encounter after which everything that really matters will happen. His own tragedy waited until he had everything to lose - in one night, a reckless driver shatters Ezra's knee, his athletic career, and his perfect life.
No longer part of the popular crowd, Ezra finds himself at the table of misfits, where he encounters Cassidy Thorpe. Intelligent, effortless and wonderfully weird, she is unlike anyone Ezra's ever met before. Together they discover flash mobs, buried treasure, secret movie screenings and a poodle with a questionable history.
But as Ezra dives into new friendships and new love, he is forced to ask: if you've managed to survive disaster, what happens when it strikes again?

Ezra thought he knew who he was - tennis star, most popular guy, great girlfriend on his arm - until a car accident screws the ligaments in his knee and he can't play again. His friends don't visit him at hospital and he is lost without purpose. But he finds new friends and a new reason to have fun in his life.

Alongside Ezra we had a mad collection of supporting characters. Toby was hilarious, an old friend from Ezra's childhood but fate, or maybe Ezra's ambition, let them drift apart. The rest of the guys, the debate team, were all funny and smart and bought out the best in each other. As for the love interest, Cassidy was an interesting character. Obviously she works very hard to appear as carefree and without worry but she doesn't reveal anything about herself.

Ezra basically rediscovers himself; though it might have been a horrible accident that made him this way, it actually allows him to shed all preconceptions about himself and start anew. It was all about being yourself and not letting the public perception of you get in the way of happiness. It was so very funny and very well written; the debate group always spoke like they were trying to win a game by out-witting each other using one liners. But the tragedy isn't out of Ezra's life and things get a little complicated when Cassidy finally reveals something about her past and why she moved here. All in all, a great story, amazing characters and an unforgettable message of being happy with yourself.

Published 15th August 2013 by Simon and Schuster.