My favorite part of this book was the mother-daughter relationship between Kaylee and her Olympic champion mother. The drama between the two, even though it was far from my experiences, felt so real and raw. I loved their character growth arcs as they finally communicated honestly with each other.
The adult friendships that were portrayed are also refreshing and ones I rarely see played out in young adult or middle grade books. Seeing how adults act and react to each other and learn from their own mistakes was inspirational.
My heart ached for Kaylee and Dean and also swooned at times when they interacted. I enjoy both athletic and artistic characters in the novels I read and Kaylee's volleyball training and emotions felt authentic as did Dean's passion for photography and finding the beauty in everything. And the setting is my happy place--sandy ocean beaches--ahh!
This book made me cry, want to pace, smile, and laugh out loud as I rode out this twist on the best-friends-to-more romantic trope. I will be seeking more books by this writing duo.
The adult friendships that were portrayed are also refreshing and ones I rarely see played out in young adult or middle grade books. Seeing how adults act and react to each other and learn from their own mistakes was inspirational.
My heart ached for Kaylee and Dean and also swooned at times when they interacted. I enjoy both athletic and artistic characters in the novels I read and Kaylee's volleyball training and emotions felt authentic as did Dean's passion for photography and finding the beauty in everything. And the setting is my happy place--sandy ocean beaches--ahh!
This book made me cry, want to pace, smile, and laugh out loud as I rode out this twist on the best-friends-to-more romantic trope. I will be seeking more books by this writing duo.