"Taylor Edwards' family might not be the closest-knit--everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled--but for the most part, they get along just fine. Then Taylor's dad gets devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend one last summer all together at their old lake house in the Pocono Mountains. Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven't actually gone anywhere. Her former best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend...and he's much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve. As the summer progresses and the Edwards become more of a family, they're more aware than ever that they're battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance--with family, with friends, and with love"--
I spent most of this book in tears. This is a heart wrenching coming of age story. Taylor discovers so much about herself and grows as her family tries to come to grips with this pending loss. I thought Matson painted a very honest picture. There was so much pain, but so much beauty in how they learned to appreciate the little moments that they had left. Everyone was not perfect and did not deal with all crises appropriately, and that's real. My advice, have some tissues handy.
