Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction
Rate: 5 STARS
Rate: 5 STARS
Synopsis: In the tradition of Sarah Dessen, this powerful debut novel is a compelling portrait of a young girl coping with her mother’s cancer as she figures out how to learn from—and fix—her past.
Few things come as naturally to Harper as epic mistakes. In the past year she was kicked off the swim team, earned a reputation as Carson High’s easiest hook-up, and officially became the black sheep of her family. But her worst mistake was destroying her relationship with her best friend, Declan.
Now, after two semesters of silence, Declan is home from boarding school for the summer. Everything about him is different—he’s taller, stronger…more handsome. Harper has changed, too, especially in the wake of her mom’s cancer diagnosis.
While Declan wants nothing to do with Harper, he’s still Declan, her Declan, and the only person she wants to talk to about what’s really going on. But he’s also the one person she’s lost the right to seek comfort from.
As their mutual friends and shared histories draw them together again, Harper and Declan must decide which parts of their past are still salvageable, and which parts they’ll have to let go of once and for all.
In this honest and affecting tale of friendship and first love, Emily Martin brings to vivid life the trials and struggles of high school and the ability to learn from past mistakes over the course of one steamy North Carolina summer.
*Warning: Some
Serious Fangirling and Gushing and Nonsensical Words Below. Please don’t blame
me, it can’t be helped.*
First Sentence: Sometimes I think the White Oak tree
was listening that night last August.
You use the name Sarah Dessen, and I will read the book.
Most of the time, I’ll probably tell you that I was disappointed because not
much can match up to Sarah Dessen, but, Emily Martin, you can take the cake. Or
the prize. Or the award. Or anything you want, really, because after that book
that made me root SO badly for a relationship I knew almost nothing about, you
DESERVE everything you want!
“It was more than just
state lined dividing us. I missed you and I missed her and I needed to feel
something else. Something less.”
Declan and Harper, you guys, will be the first 2016 couple
that I will never forget. They were perfect – they knew exactly what the other
thought like, what the other person was like, their fears and insecurities and
even exactly where to hit, so that the bruise would hurt the most. More than
that, though, they had ALL this CHEMISTRY and this pining, and this love story
that should have been written in the stars. And I loved it. Every moment – the
good, the goofy, the moments that hurt even my heart, the pissed off ones, the
worst, the drunk and the best. Emily Martin created this ideal non-ideal (and
yet to me, ideal) couple that I could NOT get enough off!
Imma fangirl over the rest of the characters in order, now
that I got that out of the way:
CORY: BEST BEST FRIEND EVER, coolest boyfriend, dork
extraordinary.
Mackenzie and Gwen!
Graham!
Harper’s Mother!
HARPLAN! (Declan + Harper)
Okay. I don’t even know what I’m saying. These characters
are all just swirling around in my head and I want them to stay there FOREVER.
Okay, I don’t know what I said – comprehensive thoughts are
not forming in my head, due to serious sleep deprivation, economic exams, candy
crush and this book. I’m not going to keep you here any longer – go down, enter
the giveaway, tell me I’m a teeny bit crazy in the comments – but just one
thing before you do: BUY THE BOOK. BUY IT NOW. YOU NEED IT. TRUST ME.
Also, COOL FACT: Emily Martin and Laurie Elizabeth
Flynn who debuted with her AH-MAE-ZING novel, Firsts (REVIEWED HERE) are
CRITIQUE PATRNERS! So, aspiring writers, all of your dreams will come true, and
these two lovely ladies are proof. Of course, help will always be given at
Hogwarts to those who need it, so you can always take it from there too!
POINTS FOR: Coolest,
most realistic relationship, the above characters, swimming, practical jokes,
that storyline. And just EVERYTHING!
QUOTES:
“He’s heard it all.
Everything I never wanted him to find out.”
“I’ve been waiting all
summer to see that smile.”
“If you give someone
the power to break your heart, you sure as hell won’t see it coming when they
do.”
“My head falls into my
hands and I slump down to the pavement. He’s sorry. And I’m sorry. And it isn’t
enough to fix anything.
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Emily Martin lives and writes in the Greater Boston area, though she will always call Michigan home. She has a penchant for impromptu dance parties, vintage clothing, and traveling to new places. When not writing, she can be found hiking New England’s peaks, searching for the perfect cup of hot chocolate, or baking something pumpkin-flavored.
Emily’s debut young adult novel, THE YEAR WE FELL APART, comes out January 26, 2016 from Simon Pulse.
Sounds like a sweet romantic read!
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