Series: None
Author: Kate Marchant
Published February 22nd 2022 by Wattpad Books
Goodreads Synopsis
A heartfelt summer read for fans of Sarah Dessen and Jenny Han about holding on and letting go.
Waverly Lyons has been caught in the middle of her parents’ divorce for as long as she can remember. This summer, the battle rages over who she’ll spend her vacation with, and when Waverly’s options are shot down, it’s bye-bye Fairbanks, Alaska and hello Holden, Florida to stay with her aunt.
Coming from the tundra of the north, the beach culture isn’t exactly Waverly’s forte. The sun may just be her mortal enemy, and her vibe is decidedly not chill. To top it off? Her ability to swim? Nonexistent.
>Enter Blake, the (superhot) boy next door. Charming and sweet, he welcomes Waverly into his circle. For the first time in her life, Waverly has friends, a social life, and soon enough, feelings . . . for Blake. As the two grow closer, Waverly’s fortunes begin to look up. But every summer must come to an end, and letting go is hardest when you’ve finally found where you belong.
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
After discovering that her divorced parents have decided she won't be joining either of them on their research trips, Waverly Lyons finds herself in Holden, Florida for the summer. It's a very different experience to her usual life in Alaska, and that's not just the weather. With an aunt who is truly welcoming, and making friends for the first time ever, Waverly might just have the perfect summer. However, the hot next door neighbour, Blake, seems to dislike her, and the fact she can't swim either, is set to put a spanner in the works. When the sparks start to fly, will Waverly be able to keep afloat?
I was really pleasantly surprised by this book. I thought it would be a cutesy summer romance - and it was - but there was substance there, and I really liked the characters. I started off feeling really sorry for Waverly, who's super smart parents were a mess, and she was always held up to higher standards and expectations, doomed to disappoint, and when she saw how loving and welcoming her aunt was, it nearly made me cry. Okay, yes, she was stupid to go into the ocean when she couldn't swim, worried that her new friends wouldn't like her, but I can sort of understand it. She really grew over the course of the book, and definitely for the better. The secondary characters, from Blake, to Alissa, Lena, and Jesse, all had faults, but that made them real, and seemed true to today's teens. A really fantastic debut!
Dates Read:
February 8-9, 2022
Rating
4 Stars
