What happens when a friendship on paper becomes a relationship in real life?

Punk 57, by Penelope Douglas, was recommended by so many people, I knew it had to be my next read. And boy was it a good one. If you are in the mood for a real page turner, this is the book to read.

To summarise the plot, Ryen and Misha have had a long-term friendship brewing, facilitated through the classic method of sending letters to each other. No pictures of each other, no telephone numbers and a rule to keep their relationship strictly on paper. However, as time passes, the letter sending becomes less frequent, and in a turn of events, the two find themselves in closer proximity to each other in real life than they may think.

Misha ends up joining the same school as Ryen, disguised under the pseudo name of 'Mason'. Ryen, completely oblivious to the fact that Mason is Misha, actually ends up falling for 'Mason'. But, Misha is well aware that Ryen is his pen-pal 'bestie'. Which you already know is not going to end well when Ryen finds out Misha has been aware of who she is all this time.

So, what happens when a two pen-pals meet in real life? Drama, a whole lot of it. Tension, insecurities, doubts and uncertainties. But excitement, thrill, closure, companionship and ... intensely romantic encounters. It's clear the two have undeniable chemistry. But, that coupled with struggles with high school, friendships and family will test the two's relationship like it has never been tested before.

I loved this book. The plot is so unique I really can't think of another book like this one. I also enjoyed the fact that the main characters are not perfect. And at times, I actually really disliked Ryen. But to see her character evolution as the story progressed was extremely gratifying. I also loved the fact that the story did not drag at the beginning. It ensured the author could really focus on telling the story of Misha and Ryen's real-life encounters.

But what also makes this book so special is the focus on bullying. Ryen was kind of a bully to certain classmates. But, to see her turn the situation around and make things right is a really important message to teach readers. Because as much as a steamy romance novel, Punk 57 is also about being true to yourself, treating others how you wish to be treated, and standing up for what is right. And the addition of Ryen's letter to Delilah at the end of the book was a touching ending to further elevate the impact of the book.

So, what didn't I like? I was not too crazy about the epilogue. Yeah it's nice to see that Ryen and Misha end up getting married and Ryen's pregnant!! But, I think ending the book with the letter to Delilah would have been enough - a solid ending to round up the book.

But, all in all, a great read that I would certainly recommend!