Rowan Slone novels (book 1 and 2) by Tracy Hewitt Meyer

Rowan Slone novels (book 1 and 2) by Tracy Hewitt Meyer 

Seven years ago, an innocent act by Rowan Slone turned her life into a nightmare. Since the age of ten she's lived with the burden of her baby brother's death. Now she is seventeen and all she wants to do is graduate high school, go to college, and escape the loveless family she has endured all these years—the same family that holds her responsible for his death. But no one holds her responsible more than herself.

When long-time crush Mike Anderson invites her to the Prom, suddenly her future looks brighter. Rowan's younger sister, Trina, however, is determined to ruin her new-found happiness, no matter the cost. And when Rowan discovers her mother’s long-held secret, she finds herself teetering on the edge of an abyss. Can Rowan find the strength to move toward the future or is she doomed to dwell in the past?

So this series. I've sat around trying to gasp at words to describe these books so far. I liked them, there's that but they lacked a few things or something didn't add up. The main plot was good though, I enjoyed her story and how she's come out stronger through it all as most authors who write about social issues do, but I do wish they'd see their plotholes.

For instance, in the second novel Rowan's boyfriend that keeps coming and a-going, we know he's breaking up with her. Why does she even stick out that long? He's a tool. It took the last three chapters of the first book to establish a relationship. I can't even deal with that.