Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on
They shared a summer frolicking by the lake, and thought they would never see each other again. However, when Ollie's family relocated in order to be closer to his aunt, who was battling cancer, Ollie found that he and his summer paramour were not only a short drive from each other, they attended the same school! However, it seemed, that Lake-Will and School-Will were two very different people, and now Ollie was left to pick up the pieces of his broken heart.
I was promised Grease feels, and I definitely got them. Ollie's trio of female friends, those who wear the rose-gold rose, and Will's band of fellow basketball teammates were easy to spot as the Pink Ladies and the T-Birds. And, the BIG re-meet cute reminded me of when Sandy and Danny were reunited, but I would say, after that, this became a wholly new and original romance.
Sophie Gonzales created some incredible characters for this story. Though they are credited as "side characters", each shined in their own way. They had personality, that POPPED off the page, and as an ensemble brought something really special to this tale.
But, alas, Ollie was the star of the book, and my star as well. He was sweet, adorable, and awkward. I absolutely adored him, and it wasn't just because of his whip smart commentary. He came across as a really lovely person. His family was dealing with his aunt's declining health, and he became an important resource for them. He stepped up to care for his cousins often, and was very attuned to the situations, knowing when he needed to tread lightly and often, putting his wants and needs on the back burner.
Although, if asked, I will gush about how super-cute and adorable this book was. However, there were also heavier moments, and there were tears. More often than not, I was smiling though, because this up-and-down romance delighted me. Interactions with friends and family, as well as watching Will and Ollie fall in love filled the pages with lots of warmth and happy feels, while injections of humor kept me audibly laughing.
This book combined so many elements I desire. It featured great characters, an adorable romance, family ties, and even grand gestures. It made me laugh, cry, rage, swoon, and in the end, left me in a very happy state.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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Reading updates
- Started reading
- 25 January, 2020: Finished reading
- 25 January, 2020: Reviewed