This book pulled at my heartstrings and had me weeping in the most pleasant way.
This is the fourth book I've read by Jennifer E. Smith, and definitely her best work yet. The characters drew me in completely and I had to stay up late to finish this and find out what happened.
Aidan wants them to stay together, and Clare has been rational and decided that it would make more sense for them to break up as she will be attending school in New Hampshire and he in California. I've seen the debilitating effects long distance relationships, especially in the first year of college, can have on people and found this to be a delightfully novel premise.
Both of them are pretty ordinary characters, yet they have their own quirks and interests that make them really fun to read about and relate to. Aidan plays lacrosse, but isn't a completely dude-bro like most lacrosse players seem to be. Clare reads science magazines for fun, but despite being super organized, has no idea what she wants to study in college or what she wants to do. So easy to relate to.
I loved the stops they took, both planned and unplanned, both typical high school and strange but fun. I love the mementos they collected and the memories that each stop represented. I loved hearing about how their relationship had begun and evolved during their two years of high school.
Smith's writing is fluid and fun to read, and the story also featured a couple of subplots that caused tension and added to how the two saw themselves and each other.
The ending is perfect and I will say no more on that topic.
I loved this one. I really did. Even though it made me cry a little bit too much. I highly recommend this for anyone nearing the end of their high school career or having just begun college, for anyone who's had to go through a long distance relationship, or for anyone who likes that butterfly feeling they get when love in a book is real.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
5
