5 ⭐
I LOVED THIS!!) both rob and maegan go through so much and the whole book i felt so bad for them but everything worked out in the end :’) i loved how they were <33

Immediate Reaction: 4.5 stars - so heartbreaking but so good. I love the discussion about things not always being black and white. I really loved Owen, and also Meagan and her sister's relationship.

Full review:
Well, I know one thing. I can always trust Brigid to really hit me in the feels with her contemporaries. She manages to craft such heartbreaking stories with realistic family relationships. The push and pull of family and societal expectations and what would you do for those that you love? Where is the line between right and wrong and how big a gray area is there, really? There’s a lot of food for thought in this one that left me considering how I would respond in a particular situation. I really love that about her contemporaries – letting the reader be so invested in the story and the tough issues and situations her characters face.

Maegan and Rob are each going through their own personal trials and when they’re thrown together for a school project, it turns out that each other is just what they need. They’re able to have an outlet, an understanding listening ear. I really loved both of them and most of the time just wanted to give each of them a giant hug. Like, it sucks what’s happening! I really enjoyed seeing the evolution of their friendship. I feel like Brigid really nails the intricacies of friendship and relationships here. Especially with Rob and Owen and Connor! Owen was my favorite, he seriously was such a shining spot in this story. And what Rob goes through with Connor is painful but also so true to life, in a lesser degree to what happened with them. It just shows how friendships can change and evolve and how strong those ties can be.

The family issues are intense in this one, you guys. This really is an issue heavy book but I never felt like it was too much and instead just loved being in these characters lives. I think what really shines for me, as someone who doesn’t typically read that many serious contemporaries, is that the facets of ALL the relationships in this book are so real! I’ll always love Brigid’s contemporaries.

In Short…
Highly recommend this YA contemporary tackling tough issues that is heartfelt, emotional and so good. A realistic look at how there isn’t ever a hard and fast rule to right and wrong and what happens when things fall in between. Pick this one up if you’re looking for a story with characters you you will love and a story that will pull you in!

Brigid's writing is evolving with the times. She wasn't afraid to touch upon race, sexism, and classism in this one. Granted, you can only go so deep and only be so nuanced regarding all these topics in a 300 page book but she goes there.

Rob and Maegan are both privileged white kids experiencing unfortunate circumstances, some of their own making like Maegan's cheating, and some outside of themselves like Rob's parent's financial decisions. Regardless, their situations forced them to take a deeper look at the way they lived and how they experienced the world prior to their current situation and outcast statuses.

Rob has to learn what it's like to fail and admittedly, even then he fails up. He's a white kid and though he's going through the wringer socially, he still has the bonus that he is a white male. He'll ultimately be fine. He is the epitome of privilege. Drew, a Black fellow classmate, not so subtly points this out.

Maegan, a cop's daughter, has some very black and white views on the world. But once she starts engaging with others a little more, she's forced to realize that she doesn't live in a vacuum. People make mistakes. Circumstances change. She had to learn to adapt to that.

Brigid is always a solid enjoyable read.

cannot believe this is the same author who wrote a curse so dark and lonely (like that book is awful)

Meh.
It was fine. Her others (letters to the lost 1&2) are definitely better.

I enjoyed it, but as a parent, would have some cautions and talking points for younger readers:

No sex scenes, but gets pretty steamy a couple of times
Very inclusive for LGBTQ++ readers
deals with some VERY heavy subjects (not all in-depth, and mostly tastefully, however if my 12 year old was reading this I'd want to be ready for some discussions)
- suicide
- abortion
- homosexuality and "coming out" stories (with mixed reactions)
- ethics, lying and grey areas
- extra-marital affairs
- underage sex
- how parents decisions affect children's lives, and children's responsibility for parent's actions
- money, poverty and wealth
- forgiveness and grace

I loved this book. Brigid Kemmerer writes such heartbreaking but also hopeful stories.

Though this is a very entertaining, fast read, the main characters pose some thought-provoking questions that many real-life teenagers struggle to answer. I really enjoyed this book by Brigid Kemmerer.

3.5 stars
This was good, and I liked how neither of the characters was just "good" or "bad". However, I didn't feel connected to any of the characters