99 problems, and a book ain't one

This book was like a time machine. It will take you back to a time when Summer was something magical. Full of possibility and lighthearted fun. I want to say a simpler time, but any age has it's complications, and that was also apparent here. It felt so familiar. Spending a Summer with your cousins, family drama, hot sticky days followed by nights cooling off in the lake, and of course a sweet boy to distract you from it all! I loved this story!

Richardson's writing was beautiful. This book is chock-full of wisdom and coming of age lessons to life by. 

"You were wholesome and you still are, same as anyone else. This is why the whole idea of virginity is stupid. Why all the focus on whether or not a girl has done it? Just because you've had sex, you're not any less precious. You're not less pure, you're not less valuable or wholesome. Being a virgin or not doesn't change that."

Fay was a teenage girl that was wise beyond her years in a lot of ways. But also still very much a child who was growing up and starting to learn that grownups, especially parents, were ultimately just human...and flawed. It can be quite jarring when that happens, and I think Richardson did a fantastic job relaying that here. 

"I was trying hard to be helpful and supportive of her, and Dad too, but sometimes I turned into a needy child and just wanted them to do the caretaking. It was hard seeing them both so fragile, so in need of care as well."

Malcolm was equally as enchanting as Fay. He was so sweet! Honestly his whole family was enviable! His mother's interactions with Fay truly brought tears to my eyes a few different times. But as perfect as they could seem at times, I appreciated that Richardson made sure to get the point across that there is no perfect. People are fallible and relationships of any kind are something that you have to consciously work at for them to be and stay strong.

Going into this story I thought it was going to be a Romeo and Juliet type of thing. While there was a forbidden romance going on here, it really took a backseat to the real star of the show, in my opinion, which was an endearing coming of age tale with smart, flawed, beautiful people and moments that I want to keep in my pocket close to my heart!

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.