The Start of Me and You
Series: The Start of Me and You #1
Author: Emery Lord
Published June 29th 2017 by Bloomsbury Children's Books 

Goodreads Synopsis
Can you plan happiness?

It's been a year since Paige's first boyfriend died in a swimming accident and it's time she rejoined the real world.

So she makes a plan:
1. Date a boy (long-standing crush Ryan Chase seems like the perfect choice)
2. Attend parties (with best friends by your side: doable)
3. Join a club (simple enough, right?)
4. Travel (might as well dream big)
5. Swim (terrifying. Impossible)

But when she meets Ryan's sweet but so nerdy cousin, Max, he opens up her world and Paige's plans start to change. Is it too late for a second chance at life?

Brimming with characters so real you feel you could pick up the phone and call them, The Start of Me and You will prove that it's never too late for second chances. Perfect for fans of Rainbow Rowell, Jennifer Niven and John Green.
Goodreads

Review
The Start of Me and You covers Paige coming to terms with her grief after the loss of her boyfriend a year ago, and starting to let herself be open to the possibilities of new relationships. When the new school year starts, she doesn't want to be remembered as the “The Girl Whose Boyfriend Drowned", so she makes a plan of attack, of five different things she wants to do. She wants to go on a date, go to parties, join a club, travel, and swim; the last being the most scary and difficult one to face. The club she joins is the Quiz Bowl, and she meets the cousin of her crush, Max, and he's cute and fun, and so sweet, and might be the person with whom she can explore school, and life, and get through the next year.

The first book I read by this author I had to DNF because I disliked it so much, so was a bit apprehensive about reading this one when I realised I had it on my book shelf, but I found myself pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. Paige, as a main character, was so much better than Vivi, and I really found myself appreciating her and what she was facing so much more, because of her character. She felt both guilt and anger over the death of her ex-boyfriend, especially when they had only been together two months, and everyone was treating her like a pariah because he died. She has her whole group of girl friends around her, who are fantastic, and the relationship with Max was so well done. It started as a tentative friendship, weaving its way into more and more and both felt vulnerable at times to let the other in. It definitely suited this kind of story, and I'm overjoyed that there's going to be a sequel coming out this year. This book has made me willing to get over my hatred of When We Collided, and try more of Lord's books!

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