Things I liked:
- Even though it is told in one (technically two, with flashbacks) night, it really worked. I never felt like I was bored with the pace, nor did I feel anything was rushed. I also really liked the way the flashbacks were integrated throughout the story.
- Some of Ella and Matt's "first night" were really cute. I liked that they were a bit shy and awkward, and basically banded together while Jake and Meg were being ridiculous.
- I did like that Meg was trying to keep Ella from getting hurt again, and trying to be a really good friend. I feel like there is never enough of that in books!
Things I didn't:
- Parent-in-YA Syndrome is real in this book. Seriously, do these people have parents, or were they straight up raised by wolves? Look, I get that they're on the precipice of leaving for college and all that jazz, and maybe I am just being naive, but my parents went crazy on me when I was 18 (and already in college) and was eating Rita's Italian Ice in a friend's driveway too late. These kids are just running all over the town on multiple nights getting into all kinds of shenanigans, and nary a parent cares.
- Matt's big "revelation" kind of underwhelmed me. I mean, clearly I cannot say much, but it just didn't make enough sense for me. I don't know what I was expecting, but it just was something more I guess. Not that we knew a ton about Matt, but it seems like he is pretty good at lame excuses and not knowing how to behave like a human, so I guess maybe it makes sense? Speaking of...
- The characters fell a bit flat for me. I didn't know much about Ella except that she liked Matt and likes to write. As for the supporting characters, I felt nothing. There was a lot of arguing between Ella's friends Meg and Jake, who were in a super toxic relationship. Everyone was mad at everyone at some point, and it got old, fast. They also had very little personality, and I found my mind wandering, wondering what on earth these people could find to talk to each other about during the other 364 days of the year.
- Ella and Matt were kind of insta-lovey. Not insta-love, exactly, let's call it insta-relationship. I mean, they were fairly serious after one night, which is a bit strange. Maybe I could have seen it had they known each other before that night but... they did not.
Bottom Line: I mean, I didn't hate this book. I adored the concept, and even the execution in regards to the flashbacks and such. I would definitely give the author another try, as the writing and ideas were fine, but in a character driven novel where you know little about the characters and what you do know you do not like... well, you get the idea.