More Reviews at Nicole About Town 
 I am usually very hesitant when reading a re-telling or re-imagining of a very famous story or play. More often than not, they have this tendency to just be really, really bad. While the overall idea of When You Were Mine intrigued me, the execution of the story left a lot to be desired. 
 I love the story of Romeo & Juliet, and pretty much anything by Shakespeare. I love it for what it is, a tragedy, and not for what everyone always tries to sell it as, the greatest love story ever told. It's not a love story and in When You Were Mine the author adheres to this theme; and for this I am thankful. Of course it all kind of goes down hill from there. 
 What really drove me nuts was just how unfinished practically everything is in the entire book. Even the things that are the root of all the problems and issues are just given a cursory explanation before it's on to the next thing. There are vague references to a feud between families, and the explanation given later in the book is just so glossed over it's not even funny. I love you, with no explanation why, and now I don't with no explanation why, etc., etc., etc. 
 Don't even get me started on the whole girl sets out to deliberately steal cousins pseudo boyfriend because of some unexplained grudge against said cousin that is never really explained. Even the reason for the eventual tragedy is just glossed over. 
 Honestly, the idea behind When You Were Mine was superb. It was the execution of the story that was severely lacking.