Marquardt impressed me with her last book, The Radius of Us, and I was therefore eager to read more of her work. I was surprised to find that I could love her new book more than her last, but that is exactly what happened.
•Pro: I fell for all three main characters instantly. They were all so unique, and each brought something special to this story.
•Pro: Vivi, TJ, and Ángel were all so different from each other, yet they were able to find common ground and develop genuine affections for one another. I loved watching their friendships grow and change, and found so much comfort, joy, and happiness in their interactions.
•Pro: Fate brought these three together for a reason, and their lives were changed for the better. Cue the happy tears!
•Pro: This book was so beautifully written, and the writing only enhanced the beauty of the story.
•Pro: I was a fan of the setting, because I used to visit St. Augustine often when I lived in Jacksonville. I always love when I am familiar with places in a book.
•Pro: There were so many different story threads that revolved around setbacks, but the characters kept plugging away regardless of how many obstacles they experienced. Marquardt has such a knack for writing these characters who show so much resilience and strength.
•Pro: Vivi's struggles were so difficult. After experiencing such a great loss, she just continued to suffer more and more losses, but you know know what? She never threw in the towel. She just kept treading water until she was able to come up with a plan, and I really admired her for that.
•Pro: The romance was this wonderful slow burn. I savored every interaction, and couldn't wait for the relationship to burn hotter and brighter.
•Pro: I thought it was brilliant the way Marquardt used Ángel's point of view. We were in his head, but he knew that we, the readers, were in his head. I like that he talked to us directly. It gave his POV a little different feel and purpose from the other two, which were more traditional.
•Pro: Each of Vivi's chapters began with an entry in her bird watching journal, and I really loved them. The bird stuff was quite interesting, but I also liked the way the observations of the bird paralleled what would play out in the chapter.
•Pro: I enjoy learning about different cultures, and Marquardt shared a lot of TJ's Brazilian culture and Ángel's heritage. Loved it all!
•Pro: Ángel wasn't your stereotypical sick kid. He was funny and his observations and honesty were a breath of fresh air.
•Pro: The last few chapters of this book are so painfully beautiful. I didn't expect what happened to happen, but it was perfect and deserved every single happy tear I shed.
But the amazing thing about those birds? Their mental maps are so incredible, so wide, that as soon as the storm passes, they're back on course, headed home.
Sometimes I wish I had bird brains.
Overall: An utterly wonderful and captivating tale of friendship, love, loss, and healing that filled me with a a myriad of emotions, and left me lots of hope in my heart.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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