Peyton, Sydney's charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion's share of their parents' attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton's increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?
Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.
The uber-popular Sarah Dessen explores her signature themes of family, self-discovery, and change in her twelfth novel, sure to delight her legions of fans.
My Thoughts:
I should say up front I love Sarah Dessen books ever so much. I look forward to each new book anxiously and then read them as soon as I can get my paws on them. I have never been disappointed and this book is no exception. It took me under 24 hours to start and complete this book and the slight hit my sleep schedule took was well worth it.
Sydney is every younger sibling who lived in the shadow of a brother or sister with a world of personality and problems. In a lot of ways I could relate to being "the little sister of..." This isn't a slam against my brothers but those experiences lead to me fully relating to this book. While my parents never over reacted with me the way that Sydney's eventually do I could still relate. I love this about Sarah Dessen books. I can always relate, learn something about myself, and remember how I got to where I am.
This book isn't complicated and that is part of why I love it. Straight forward and good story telling is so rare anymore, most people are trying to create the moment of shock or have a catch of some kind. Sarah Dessen doesn't fall prey to the trend of incomplete stories for the sake of selling more books. All of her books have a beginning, middle, and end with clear visions of the possible future. You leave her books feeling better and in a dark and twisty world I think she is a beacon of light.
I would recommend this book to Sarah Dessen fans and anyone looking for a light fast read.
While writing this review I was listing to One Republic - Love Runs Out.
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