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bookishmillennial's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
This was a tender young adult coming of age story with a fun budding romance sprinkled in 😍
If you have read my reviews, you know I am a *sucker* for fraught mother-daughter dynamics, and oh boy, do we have that in this book! Brandy’s connection with her mom is crafted so carefully by Davis and as Brandy felt she was suffocating little by little, I felt it too! Davis imbued each of their interactions with such force that you felt just as strained when Brandy couldn’t get a word in! It’s clear Brandy’s mon loves her and that she wants her daughter to have a more stable future than she did at 18, but we see the long-term impacts of this pressure to pay her mom back begin to combust.
Brandy has repressed any rebellion or challenge to her mom’s expectations for so long that it takes a serious toll on her mental health, which we see in the unraveling of her repeated panic attacks. Brandy’s body is literally fighting to get her to pay attention to what choosing a life based on others’ hopes will do to her, and though I would have loved maybe some representation of considering therapy as an option moving forward, I can appreciate the fact that this was the driving impetus for Brandy to tell the truth about her passions.
The subplot of Brandy’s curiosity and connection to her birth father was as lovely as any fictional abandonment story could be. I have heard from so many folks that meeting the parent who abandoned you did not go as they planned or expected, and often ended in heartbreak. Davis decided to humanize Brandy’s father Aaron and give him layers; he wasn’t just some cardboard cutout of an irresponsible, selfish, absent father. He made the best actions for his true love (art) and his family, and he knew he would have withered away if he let that dream go. It’s beautiful that Brandy gave him the grace and compassion she did, because she didn’t owe him anything. I found this to be a breath of fresh air, just two humans who fundamentally understood the other for who they were.
Brandy’s best friend Shai is a single teen mom with a 6-month old baby, Elsa, and lives in the apartment above Brandy & her mom. I am so glad Davis included her character because it was a fun foil for Brandy’s mom! Brandy’s mom also had Brandy as a teenager & she gave up everything in order to raise her, as did Shai with Elsa. The conversations Shai has with Brandy about not having any regrets were a much needed (missing) perspective.
Nolan and Brandy’s connection was goofy and realistic; these two were clearly inexperienced with romance, as they were still enacting what we learned in grade school of “she is teasing you because she likes you!” These two goof around so much and Brandy constantly tells Nolan she “can’t stand him” and it’s a giddy, light kind of puppy love. Beyond this though, they are both clear in deeply believing in the other’s goals and dreams. Nolan acknowledges Brandy’s talent in art and encourages her to pursue it, while Brandy is confident that Nolan will book a huge role in a movie he auditioned for. Underneath the joking around and faux annoyance, these two are rooting for each other and it’s really precious!
I love how the themes are universal (choosing a future based on security/making others proud versus passion/choosing your passion) & think so many will find this story relatable & inspiring!
see content warnings below <3
This was a tender young adult coming of age story with a fun budding romance sprinkled in 😍
If you have read my reviews, you know I am a *sucker* for fraught mother-daughter dynamics, and oh boy, do we have that in this book! Brandy’s connection with her mom is crafted so carefully by Davis and as Brandy felt she was suffocating little by little, I felt it too! Davis imbued each of their interactions with such force that you felt just as strained when Brandy couldn’t get a word in! It’s clear Brandy’s mon loves her and that she wants her daughter to have a more stable future than she did at 18, but we see the long-term impacts of this pressure to pay her mom back begin to combust.
Brandy has repressed any rebellion or challenge to her mom’s expectations for so long that it takes a serious toll on her mental health, which we see in the unraveling of her repeated panic attacks. Brandy’s body is literally fighting to get her to pay attention to what choosing a life based on others’ hopes will do to her, and though I would have loved maybe some representation of considering therapy as an option moving forward, I can appreciate the fact that this was the driving impetus for Brandy to tell the truth about her passions.
The subplot of Brandy’s curiosity and connection to her birth father was as lovely as any fictional abandonment story could be. I have heard from so many folks that meeting the parent who abandoned you did not go as they planned or expected, and often ended in heartbreak. Davis decided to humanize Brandy’s father Aaron and give him layers; he wasn’t just some cardboard cutout of an irresponsible, selfish, absent father. He made the best actions for his true love (art) and his family, and he knew he would have withered away if he let that dream go. It’s beautiful that Brandy gave him the grace and compassion she did, because she didn’t owe him anything. I found this to be a breath of fresh air, just two humans who fundamentally understood the other for who they were.
Brandy’s best friend Shai is a single teen mom with a 6-month old baby, Elsa, and lives in the apartment above Brandy & her mom. I am so glad Davis included her character because it was a fun foil for Brandy’s mom! Brandy’s mom also had Brandy as a teenager & she gave up everything in order to raise her, as did Shai with Elsa. The conversations Shai has with Brandy about not having any regrets were a much needed (missing) perspective.
Nolan and Brandy’s connection was goofy and realistic; these two were clearly inexperienced with romance, as they were still enacting what we learned in grade school of “she is teasing you because she likes you!” These two goof around so much and Brandy constantly tells Nolan she “can’t stand him” and it’s a giddy, light kind of puppy love. Beyond this though, they are both clear in deeply believing in the other’s goals and dreams. Nolan acknowledges Brandy’s talent in art and encourages her to pursue it, while Brandy is confident that Nolan will book a huge role in a movie he auditioned for. Underneath the joking around and faux annoyance, these two are rooting for each other and it’s really precious!
I love how the themes are universal (choosing a future based on security/making others proud versus passion/choosing your passion) & think so many will find this story relatable & inspiring!
see content warnings below <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Abandonment, Blood, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Pregnancy
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