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leahbrarian's review against another edition
3.0
I thought this was an important and interesting topic well-rendered, and I enjoyed all the characters, but was somewhat disappointed by the ending. It felt quite quickly wrapped up - I was open to whichever choice Maritza wanted to make, but the way it was done felt a little lacking.
shaffe71's review against another edition
3.0
I received an ARC from a goodreads giveaway.
3.5 stars.
This is a quick read, but I don't think it's anything special. It feels like it should have more depth in the parts that deal with Maritza being put into foster care.
3.5 stars.
This is a quick read, but I don't think it's anything special. It feels like it should have more depth in the parts that deal with Maritza being put into foster care.
nataliesboooks's review against another edition
4.0
This was a really cute summer contemporary with a lot of heart. I liked Ritzy and how her relationship with Kris and Pete grew. She was a likable character and it was refreshing to read about a mature, responsible teenager in YA. Lainey was a great friend to Ritzy and was always there for her. The romance was cute too, and overall I really enjoyed this one.
serenity81's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nicolemm_author's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely enjoyed this one!! It’s the perfect summer romance with just enough home/friend problems to satisfy me.
emburklin's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
3.25
cslats33's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this one. It’s been a while since I read a book in just a few days. And this was such a good contemporary to do that with. The storyline was really interesting and I liked the characters.
chronicallybookish's review against another edition
3.0
I went into this book with no information aside from the cover and the title—I hadn’t even read the synopsis—so I was expecting a little bit of a “trashy YA” contemporary. No substance, all teenage drama and cheesy romantics. As I learned in the first sentence of this book, that’s not what this is.
Overall, I was unimpressed. I liked the idea, but I feel like in some places it was clumsily executed. The entirety of the romance felt out of place and awkward. I wasn’t a fan of the LI’s character. I wasn’t a fan of the fight between Ritzy and Lainey, it felt sudden. There was no talk of Ritzy actually ignoring Lainey, all of the sudden Lainey’s saying “you ignored me!” And Ritzy is like, “I did! I’m sorry!” But there’s nothing about missed texts or purposefully ignored phone calls. It also didn’t add much to the story, to me.
Overall? Good idea. Poor execution. 3/5 stars.
Overall, I was unimpressed. I liked the idea, but I feel like in some places it was clumsily executed. The entirety of the romance felt out of place and awkward. I wasn’t a fan of the LI’s character. I wasn’t a fan of the fight between Ritzy and Lainey, it felt sudden. There was no talk of Ritzy actually ignoring Lainey, all of the sudden Lainey’s saying “you ignored me!” And Ritzy is like, “I did! I’m sorry!” But there’s nothing about missed texts or purposefully ignored phone calls. It also didn’t add much to the story, to me.
Overall? Good idea. Poor execution. 3/5 stars.
tesskt's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
amdame1's review
3.0
Ritzy is just 3 months short of her 18th birthday when her (always somewhat flighty) mom decides to join the Bodhi Institute, which Ritzy is convinced is just a huge pyramid scheme. Sooner than later, child protective services finds out that she is living on her own and places her in foster care in a really nice place out on Helena Island with some of Florida's more elite families. Ritzy struggles with many things here: her mom's desertion, fitting in in this new situation, trying to maintain contact with her old friends, etc.
A serviceable but predictable story in many elements. However, I really liked the way it handled the elements of the foster care system, especially her foster family. They were well-nuanced characters, not just stereotypes or fill ins.
Some swears, one scene with teen drinking, one reference to a pot farm, a few kisses. More appeal for high school due to age of characters but nothing to keep it out of a middle school.
A serviceable but predictable story in many elements. However, I really liked the way it handled the elements of the foster care system, especially her foster family. They were well-nuanced characters, not just stereotypes or fill ins.
Some swears, one scene with teen drinking, one reference to a pot farm, a few kisses. More appeal for high school due to age of characters but nothing to keep it out of a middle school.