"There were definitely perks to being a Montgomery. Maybe I should start to use them."

This is something else I'm really loving about this book. I'm only halfway through and Alexis' character has made some amazing improvement and growth. Though not initially a selfish or bratty character, she did grow up privileged and still is. She acknowledges this quite a few times and has even commented on her lack of "street smarts" because of her elevated "book smarts" and cushy lifestyle. First of all, it's amazing to see a character come to terms with their privilege. That's the first step to doing something about it. She's also acted on it a few times now: using her influence over her shitty friends to get extra (deserved) money for Daniel; taking extra supplies from her hospital to bring to Daniel's town to help his community; and taking liberties at her job to make medical experiences easier for her patients. I think Daniel's involvement in her life has had such a great influence on her. She sees up-close and personal what it takes to work hard to make ends meet in a small town. Essentially, she sees the opposite of privilege and it has an effective impact on her. Jimenez has done such a great job at writing a relationship where they affect each other so positively, especially Daniel for Alexis. This is what it means to rub off on your partner positively. Not only is this book laden with entertaining, feet-kicking romance, but also fantastic introspection and a great grasp on real issues/dynamics. I'm in love with this book