Andie had it all planned out.
When you are a politician’s daughter who’s pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future.
Important internship? Check.
Amazing friends? Check.
Guys? Check (as long as we’re talking no more than three weeks)
But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life. Because here’s the thing – if everything’s planned out, you can never find the unexpected.
And where’s the fun in that? (taken from morganmatson.com)
Of all the books I read this summer, this was probably one of my favorites. Morgan Matson is one of the authors that really got me into reading. It was her book “Second Chance Summer” that really had me fall in love with YA contemporary novels. I read her book “Since You’ve Been Gone” and I really wasn’t the biggest fan of that one. So when I saw this one at Target was I was a little nervous to pick it up, I didn’t want to get my hopes up for it and end up feeling like I was forcing myself to finish it like I did with the other one I had read.
I started reading the first page but put it down after. It wasn’t that I wasn’t interested in the book, it was that I had many other books waiting for me back in camp and I had other books to read. But once I finished the other books I was reading, it was time for me to start this one. And I couldn’t put it down. I brought it with me everywhere, in hopes off having a few minutes to read it. I would keep it in my backpack during activities with my campers, in hopes of having a few minutes to myself to read. I even would have book club with my kids in my room, hoping that they wouldn’t want to go to the scheduled activity and we could just sit and read instead.
This was by far one of the most satisfying books to read this summer. It had everything a summer book needs plus more. It had cute boys, best friends, cute dogs, a love triangle, lots of Pizza and so much more.
In most summer set books, the parents aren’t around and the teens seem to run wild. But not in this one, while Andie’s dad hasn’t been involved in her life for over a few years this summer is the first time the two of them are forced to spend the summer together. Her summer internship fell through and she takes up a job in her town, which gives her the ability to spend the summer with her friends.
Alright, I think that was a good synopsis and summary of the book. Now to my thoughts and feelings on it.
At first I didn’t really like Andie, I thought she was going to be angsty and stuck up. But I was very wrong. The more we get to know Andie we see how funny, neurotic, smart, loving, caring and somewhat of a free spirit she is. Her friends keep her grounded and she loves moving from guy to guy. This is where Topher comes in. At first, I fell for him. Pretty boy who comes from a powerful family, who is smart but also knows how to let loose. He’s fun and convenient, always there when Andie isn’t with anyone. But as the story goes on, Andie meets Clark and all my thoughts before hand were just gone.
Clark is nerdy, cute, smart and awkward. He brings Andie back to life after a hard couple of years. He is driven just like she is and also gets his summer turned on its head. He experiences what its like to have friend group and gets to live a little.
This book has tons of different relationships that grow and change. Andie and her dad is one of my favorite ones. Her dad is probably one of my favorite characters in this book. He’s used to be busy working all the time and allowing Andie to fend for herself, but due to changes in their life he has to be home and is finally playing the role of her dad. The two bond and become closer, even going on some adventures together. The one thing I loved the most about him is how he is actually there and involved. Most parents in YA books suck. I’m not going to lie, I usually hate the parents in the books I have read or we don’t even know the parents exist because they are only mentioned in passing once or twice.
We have her best friends: Bri, Toby and Palmer. The three of them are fun and bubbly, but very different at the same time. Bri and Toby are attached by the hip, always having Toby in Bri’s shadow. And Speaking of Bri, I wasn’t sure of her ethnicity, at points it seemed like the author was telling us she was a girl of color but at other times I thought she was white. Toby and Bri’s friendship go through some strains while Palmer and Andie try to help it all stay intact. The three girls are dynamic, smart, funny and all complement each other and the MC.
The book was a long read, over 500 pages. I do wish it was shorter but at the same time I liked how I was reading everything she went through that summer. The character development in this book is unreal. I could relate to Andie and her need to plan everything out, the way the summer unfolded and how it really wasn’t what she expected to happen. It was a story of firsts, love, learning and growth. I would recommend that everyone who loves YA contemporary should read this.