Blog Tour & ARC Review: Sunkissed by Kasie West
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Series: None
Author: Kasie West
Published May 4th 2021 by Delacorte Press
Goodreads Synopsis
A lighthearted and swoony contemporary YA romance by fan-favorite author Kasie West about a girl who finds that a summer spent at a family resort isn’t as bad as she imagined…and that falling in love is filled with heartache, laughter, and surprises!
After being betrayed by her best friend, Avery is hoping for a picture-perfect summer. Too bad her parents have dragged her and her sister to a remote family camp for the entire summer. And that’s not even the worst part. Avery also has to deal with no internet, a cute but off-limits staff member, and an always-in-her-face sister.
But what starts as a disaster turns into a whirlwind summer romance as Avery embarks on an unexpected journey to figure out what she truly wants and who she wants to be.
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
Avery Young always thought the summer before senior year would be fantastic, but after her best friend kisses her newly ex-boyfriend, and she's dragged to a family camp in the forest for two months, she's thinking it can't get any worse. With no signal, her and younger sister, Lauren, are completely cut off, and the drama from the fall out isn't worth it. It also doesn't help that there's a really cute boy on the staff, who is off limits, and seems to think she's a snobby rich girl and they get off on the wrong foot. However, when Avery realises that her whole family think of her as being static and so laid back she's uncomplicated, she decides to try out new things, including singing in Brooks' band at the end of the summer. But, will she manage to keep it a secret, and for her and Brooks to be together without it all backfiring?
I signed up for the blog tour for Sunkissed for three reasons. 1) it's a new contemporary by one of my favourite authors, 2) the synopsis and cover drew me in, and 3) I saw links being made between this and Dirty Dancing, and I was down for that. First of all, this is definitely a modern day retelling of Dirty Dancing, just up to date, and not in your face either. Unless you knew about the film, you wouldn't immediately think of it, but the similarities were definitely there. Avery is quiet, and wants to have an easy summer, with no issues, but soon finds herself intrigued by the handsome guitar player, and after the lead singer of the band is injured, steps in to sing in an important competition. Her sister (younger in this case) is in your face, extremely outgoing, and is horrified to discover there's no signal, because just how is she meant to keep on top of her channel if she can't upload her videos? The way Kasie managed to show off all of the characters as real people, with real issues, but also a proper family feel, was fantastic. I've had some difficulties with her most recent books, but this one has definitely made me remember just why she is a favourite author of mine. Her characters are so realistic, and the story lines utterly engaging, I don't understand it when I see people have never read any of her books.
Avery and Brooks romance was lovely to read, and though it seemed as though it was only a summer fling, when they discover how close to each other they live, and grow even closer together, you can see it lasting. But, it was their friendship that cemented it for me. Both of them got off on the wrong foot, but soon became friends, and were able to speak about difficult issues - like his father's illness, and her friendship dramas - because of how close they became. The romance played second fiddle, to be honest. There's also the friendship Avery and Lauren made with the other members of the band, and with the other camp staff - especially Maricela and Avery. I honestly can not wait for Kasie's next book, and hope it's as good as this one!
Dates Read:
April 2-3, 2021
Rating
4 Stars
Kasie West is the author of many YA novels, including The Fill-in Boyfriend, P.S. I Like You, Lucky in Love, and Listen to Your Heart. Her books have been named ALA-YALSA Quick Picks, JLG selections, and ALA-YALSA Best Books for Young Adults. When she’s not writing, she’s binge-watching television, devouring books, or burying her toes in the sand of the Central Coast. Kasie lives in Fresno, California, with her family
LINKS: Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
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