Author: Jenn Bennett
This is the book that officially pulled me out of a reading slump a while back as I devoured it in just a little over a day. It’s got two of my favorite things: cutesy romance and a beachy setting. The interesting premise and dreamy summer California setting hooked me within the first chapter. When Bailey moves in with her dad who lives in small-town California, she doesn’t tell her long-time online crush Alex – who she knows happens to live in the same town. When she starts developing feelings for her endearingly annoying coworker Porter, Bailey finds herself left with a choice: hold on to Alex, or move on with Porter? Only she doesn’t know one thing – Porter has a secret himself. He is Alex, approximately. Bailey was such a relatable and lovable character despite her flaws. I especially loved her relationship with her dad and the way she interacted with her dad's girlfriend Wanda. It's not too often we get to see such healthy family dynamics especially when trauma or divorce is involved. However, I would have liked to see her improve her relationship with her mom (though I understand why this didn't happen) as well as have more conversations with Grace that didn't involve boys. I feel like these conversations could’ve made a book a bit more well-rounded.
With Porter, his family left me wishing we got to see more of them. I felt most of the characters, even the ones we didn't get to interact with too much, were well-rounded and developed. The diversity was also a quality aspect to the novel. There are so many things I could discuss about this novel, but I won't for the sake of being spoiler-free. If you're in a reading slump, give this a try.
Kaitlin S.