If you know me, you know that two things are true: 1) I don't usually get along well with fluffy; and 2) I will read anything that promises me swimming. So I was on the fence about whether I should read this, especially since it was part of a series that I'd never read. But alas, it was such a fabulously pleasant surprise! First, if you haven't read the other books, it is absolutely not a problem. I had been told this, but I had a pretty healthy level of skepticism about it. Also, if you are (or were) a swimmer, you'll be incredibly happy to know that the swimming references are on point! I'll delve more into that in a second. Let's talk about what I adored, shall we?
- Maggie was awesome. She seemed so realistic to me, especially as a person who did devote my whole high school career to athletics. Look, I was not Maggie-level Olympian hopeful or anything, but I was really serious about it. So I understood her so much, understood how important swimming was to her, and understood how sometimes it is really, really hard to balance having a swimming life and any kind of personal life, especially when you include the responsibilities of high school, and preparing for college. I loved how realistically the author portrayed Maggie's situation- and I think so many teens would be able to relate to it. Even if you aren't/weren't an athlete, no doubt you've lived through the stress of juggling something.
- As I said before, the swimming references are so, so well done. The author clearly did her homework, not only with the basics of the sport in general, but in actual habits and mores of the athletes. It brought me back to that intense swimming life, and I loved it. The book discusses things like "swimcest" (which is when a swimmer engages in teammate romance), coach-swimmer interactions, issues with jealousy, pre-meet rituals, and so much more.
- The romance was so ship-worthy. I love the friends-to-lovers trope, which made it a huge win. Levi is her teammate, of course, and so he understands Maggie's priorities and her time constraints. Plus, they just work so well together, they play off each other perfectly!
- It was just an overall fun book to read. The book showed such a realistic glimpse into so many of the struggles that a young scholar-athlete goes through. There was romance, friendship, and I loved that the characters were so driven. They weren't perfect by any means, but I liked that they tried so hard and were invested in their futures.
Bottom Line: Definitely one of the best fluffier books, and one of the best swimming books I have ever read. I loved the story, the romance, and the characters, and now want to read the rest of the series!
*Copy provided for review