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mfumarolo's review against another edition
4.0
*Electronic ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley - Thank You!**
If I have a soft spot, it's for cute, romantic contemporary stories. I inhale them, but since I've read so many, I'm also particular. There has to be some humor. There has to be some conflict. There has to be something that makes me think. I found all of this in Lauren Morrill's debut novel Meant To Be earlier this year and they're back in her next book Being Sloane Jacobs.
Sloane Emily Jacobs is the daughter of a US Senator and is a former competitive figure skater. Her mother is determined for her daughter to make a comeback, her father is bribing her to keep a secret, and she is sick of being Sloane with pressure coming at her from every single direction. Then there's Sloane Devon Jacobs, a tough hockey player from Philadelphia who can't admit to anyone that she's lost her mojo when it comes to playing, so she masks it by fighting. But it covers so much more than that, like her complicated relationship with her mother and her fears of being stuck in a life she doesn't want. When the two Sloanes literally run into each other in Montreal where they are each supposed to spend their summers on their respective ice, they decide to pull a Parent Trap-esque switch, each believing the other girl's life is easier. As the summer unfolds, though, each girl learns about the type of Sloane she really is, and who she wants to be.
This book is, in a word, cute. It's all kinds of cute and it has a lot of things I love. Canada. Travel. Life-swapping. Girls who learn to let their walls down. HOCKEY. And that's all on top of the fact that there are TWO cute, crush-worthy boys, too. I only have a few criticisms with this novel. One is in terms of details that didn't quite add up to me. For example, the girls switched lives, but not phones, so why at one point does Sloane Devon get a voicemail meant for Sloane Emily? Also, this book has some truly great secondary characters (I particularly loved Sloane Devon's friend from skate camp, Andy), but at the end of the story I felt like they were sort of forgotten. A little more resolution with them and seeing the supporting cast get some more time would have been welcome.
Overall, this book is a great escape to take you out of your own life for a few hours. I finished the whole thing over the course of a few evenings and sneaking pages in during lunch breaks at work. During a particularly stressful time, this was just the kind of book I needed to take my mind off things for a while. I like this book for what it is, and that it doesn't try to be anything else. If you liked Meant to Be or are a fan of Stephanie Perkins-style stories, this one is absolutely worth your time.
Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!
If I have a soft spot, it's for cute, romantic contemporary stories. I inhale them, but since I've read so many, I'm also particular. There has to be some humor. There has to be some conflict. There has to be something that makes me think. I found all of this in Lauren Morrill's debut novel Meant To Be earlier this year and they're back in her next book Being Sloane Jacobs.
Sloane Emily Jacobs is the daughter of a US Senator and is a former competitive figure skater. Her mother is determined for her daughter to make a comeback, her father is bribing her to keep a secret, and she is sick of being Sloane with pressure coming at her from every single direction. Then there's Sloane Devon Jacobs, a tough hockey player from Philadelphia who can't admit to anyone that she's lost her mojo when it comes to playing, so she masks it by fighting. But it covers so much more than that, like her complicated relationship with her mother and her fears of being stuck in a life she doesn't want. When the two Sloanes literally run into each other in Montreal where they are each supposed to spend their summers on their respective ice, they decide to pull a Parent Trap-esque switch, each believing the other girl's life is easier. As the summer unfolds, though, each girl learns about the type of Sloane she really is, and who she wants to be.
This book is, in a word, cute. It's all kinds of cute and it has a lot of things I love. Canada. Travel. Life-swapping. Girls who learn to let their walls down. HOCKEY. And that's all on top of the fact that there are TWO cute, crush-worthy boys, too. I only have a few criticisms with this novel. One is in terms of details that didn't quite add up to me. For example, the girls switched lives, but not phones, so why at one point does Sloane Devon get a voicemail meant for Sloane Emily? Also, this book has some truly great secondary characters (I particularly loved Sloane Devon's friend from skate camp, Andy), but at the end of the story I felt like they were sort of forgotten. A little more resolution with them and seeing the supporting cast get some more time would have been welcome.
Overall, this book is a great escape to take you out of your own life for a few hours. I finished the whole thing over the course of a few evenings and sneaking pages in during lunch breaks at work. During a particularly stressful time, this was just the kind of book I needed to take my mind off things for a while. I like this book for what it is, and that it doesn't try to be anything else. If you liked Meant to Be or are a fan of Stephanie Perkins-style stories, this one is absolutely worth your time.
Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!
brandypainter's review against another edition
4.0
Originally posted here at Random Musings of Bibliophile.
4.5 stars
I was utterly enchanted by Lauren Morrill's debut novel, [b:Meant to Be|11721314|Meant to Be|Lauren Morrill|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1331322901s/11721314.jpg|16669543]. When the synopsis for her second novel, Being Sloane Jacobs, was released I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. It has such an intriguing concept and I knew that if Morrill brought the same magic she brought to Meant to Be, it would be very good indeed. I was excited when I was approved for the book on NetGalley. It is different from Meant to Be in many ways, but completely enjoyable and excellent in its own right.
The narration switches back and forth between Sloane E. and Sloane D. Due to this and the nature of the story, the set up takes a little longer in this book. I was worried that I would have a difficult time connecting to the characters because of the dual narration (this often doesn't work for me), but in this case I had no trouble. Sloane E. is quietly rebellious, sarcastic, and hiding from some harsh realities she has recently discovered about her father and her family. Discovered in the worst sort of way too. Sloane D. is aggressive, more openly rebellious, and hiding from some harsh realities of her own. Both of their voices ring true and I never, not even in the beginning, had the slightest problem with telling their narrations apart. I enjoyed the supporting characters in each girl's story as well. I like how they both made friends that helped them and had to face challenging personalities they had not encountered before. Both of the girls grew and changed over the course of their story and I really liked how they were not only changed by their different situations but by each other. The most important relationship in this story for me was the one between the girls and I like that they ended with a friendship that never would have occurred under normal circumstances. Both girls have a romantic interest in their stories, but they take a back seat to the story and life the Sloanes. Both boys are pretty great, but I liked that they were sort of on the periphery of what was actually happening.
The plot of Being Sloane Jacobs is brilliant. Who doesn't want to try out someone else's life just once? The Sloanes have the ability to that, but both girls are doing it as an escape from some serious issues they can't handle. There is some rather large wish fulfillment happening in the story. The girls are able to use their new lives to figure out what they want, who they want to be, and how to relate to the other people in their lives. There are consequences and there is some drama as a result of their deception, but Morrill really kept a tight reign on this part of the story. Never did I feel like it was overblown or too much. My only complaint is that both romantic elements seemed a bit tacked on and rushed. I would have been perfectly content if this had just been about the girls.
In a word this book made me happy. It is one of those that you just read and can trust it is going to end well and go along for the wonderful ride. This is the second time I've found this enjoyable experience in a book written by Lauren Morrill and confirms that I will want to read any other book she writes. (The one coming out in 2015 is about a high school band trip! *cue excited squealing*)
I read an e-galley made available via the publisher, Delacorte, on NetGalley. Being Sloane Jacobs is on sale January 7.
4.5 stars
I was utterly enchanted by Lauren Morrill's debut novel, [b:Meant to Be|11721314|Meant to Be|Lauren Morrill|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1331322901s/11721314.jpg|16669543]. When the synopsis for her second novel, Being Sloane Jacobs, was released I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. It has such an intriguing concept and I knew that if Morrill brought the same magic she brought to Meant to Be, it would be very good indeed. I was excited when I was approved for the book on NetGalley. It is different from Meant to Be in many ways, but completely enjoyable and excellent in its own right.
The narration switches back and forth between Sloane E. and Sloane D. Due to this and the nature of the story, the set up takes a little longer in this book. I was worried that I would have a difficult time connecting to the characters because of the dual narration (this often doesn't work for me), but in this case I had no trouble. Sloane E. is quietly rebellious, sarcastic, and hiding from some harsh realities she has recently discovered about her father and her family. Discovered in the worst sort of way too. Sloane D. is aggressive, more openly rebellious, and hiding from some harsh realities of her own. Both of their voices ring true and I never, not even in the beginning, had the slightest problem with telling their narrations apart. I enjoyed the supporting characters in each girl's story as well. I like how they both made friends that helped them and had to face challenging personalities they had not encountered before. Both of the girls grew and changed over the course of their story and I really liked how they were not only changed by their different situations but by each other. The most important relationship in this story for me was the one between the girls and I like that they ended with a friendship that never would have occurred under normal circumstances. Both girls have a romantic interest in their stories, but they take a back seat to the story and life the Sloanes. Both boys are pretty great, but I liked that they were sort of on the periphery of what was actually happening.
The plot of Being Sloane Jacobs is brilliant. Who doesn't want to try out someone else's life just once? The Sloanes have the ability to that, but both girls are doing it as an escape from some serious issues they can't handle. There is some rather large wish fulfillment happening in the story. The girls are able to use their new lives to figure out what they want, who they want to be, and how to relate to the other people in their lives. There are consequences and there is some drama as a result of their deception, but Morrill really kept a tight reign on this part of the story. Never did I feel like it was overblown or too much. My only complaint is that both romantic elements seemed a bit tacked on and rushed. I would have been perfectly content if this had just been about the girls.
In a word this book made me happy. It is one of those that you just read and can trust it is going to end well and go along for the wonderful ride. This is the second time I've found this enjoyable experience in a book written by Lauren Morrill and confirms that I will want to read any other book she writes. (The one coming out in 2015 is about a high school band trip! *cue excited squealing*)
I read an e-galley made available via the publisher, Delacorte, on NetGalley. Being Sloane Jacobs is on sale January 7.
morgandemming's review against another edition
4.0
It was a cute book, but the whole plot is so unlikely to happen in real life. Nevertheless, I liked the quirkiness of the characters and situations and couldn't put it down.
nagam's review against another edition
4.0
Review originally published on Rather Be Reading:
Well, hello 2014! I’m so excited to be kicking off this new year with a new release that I thoroughly enjoyed, Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill. Here’s a little backstory:
Sloane Emily is a senator’s daughter. She’s got family issues that she wants to run away from and insane amounts of pressure she’d love to escape. She’s being sent to figure skating camp, against her will, for four weeks where she’s expected to perform well and make a splash back into the competitive figure skating community.
Contradictory to Sloane Emily’s seemingly “perfect” life (from an outsider’s perspective) is Sloane Devon’s. Her family is barely making ends meet, she’s losing her edge in hockey — along with all of her confidence — and the only chance she has to be a starter her senior year is to redeem herself at hockey camp.
These two girls couldn’t live more opposing lives, but a chance encounter at a hotel leads them to swap places and spend four weeks pretending to be the other Sloane Jacobs. I’m sure you’ve all seen movies like The Parent Trap or 17 Again in which two people swap lives and learn Really Important Things about themselves. Being Sloane Jacobs has that same feel-good aspect, but with great doses of humor that made me laugh out loud as the girls struggled to embrace the other’s sport. I’m not a reader that loves all loose ends tied up perfectly either if things don’t feel realistic and Morrill did a lovely job incorporating strengths and weaknesses into the story that made everything feel a bit more believable.
While the story takes place at the beginning of summer, the ice rink setting made me feel like winter was the absolute appropriate time for me to be meeting these girls. Their stories are told from alternating points of view, giving a clear picture of what each girl’s struggles are and how she’s managing to keep up the facade of being someone else. Perhaps the only time I wasn’t entirely comfortable reading from both POVs was during the epilogue when the girls were face-to-face having a conversation. (I also didn’t fully see the need for the epilogue as I would have felt pretty satisfied without it.)
I texted Estelle when I finished reading and mentioned Being Sloane Jacobs gave me the same kind of happy feel as Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler. There’s tons of self-discovery, a sweet love story (or could there be two?), depth, and a generous dose of laughter. If you’re itching to use a gift card you were given for Christmas, definitely consider using it toward the purchase of Lauren Morrill’s newest release, expected in bookstores on January 7th.
Well, hello 2014! I’m so excited to be kicking off this new year with a new release that I thoroughly enjoyed, Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill. Here’s a little backstory:
Sloane Emily is a senator’s daughter. She’s got family issues that she wants to run away from and insane amounts of pressure she’d love to escape. She’s being sent to figure skating camp, against her will, for four weeks where she’s expected to perform well and make a splash back into the competitive figure skating community.
Contradictory to Sloane Emily’s seemingly “perfect” life (from an outsider’s perspective) is Sloane Devon’s. Her family is barely making ends meet, she’s losing her edge in hockey — along with all of her confidence — and the only chance she has to be a starter her senior year is to redeem herself at hockey camp.
These two girls couldn’t live more opposing lives, but a chance encounter at a hotel leads them to swap places and spend four weeks pretending to be the other Sloane Jacobs. I’m sure you’ve all seen movies like The Parent Trap or 17 Again in which two people swap lives and learn Really Important Things about themselves. Being Sloane Jacobs has that same feel-good aspect, but with great doses of humor that made me laugh out loud as the girls struggled to embrace the other’s sport. I’m not a reader that loves all loose ends tied up perfectly either if things don’t feel realistic and Morrill did a lovely job incorporating strengths and weaknesses into the story that made everything feel a bit more believable.
While the story takes place at the beginning of summer, the ice rink setting made me feel like winter was the absolute appropriate time for me to be meeting these girls. Their stories are told from alternating points of view, giving a clear picture of what each girl’s struggles are and how she’s managing to keep up the facade of being someone else. Perhaps the only time I wasn’t entirely comfortable reading from both POVs was during the epilogue when the girls were face-to-face having a conversation. (I also didn’t fully see the need for the epilogue as I would have felt pretty satisfied without it.)
I texted Estelle when I finished reading and mentioned Being Sloane Jacobs gave me the same kind of happy feel as Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler. There’s tons of self-discovery, a sweet love story (or could there be two?), depth, and a generous dose of laughter. If you’re itching to use a gift card you were given for Christmas, definitely consider using it toward the purchase of Lauren Morrill’s newest release, expected in bookstores on January 7th.
postitsandpens's review against another edition
3.0
This book was straight-up brain candy. There wasn't a ton of substance or depth (although it tried to do that in the last few chapters), and I was never truly attached to either of the Sloanes in this story. Both girls were running from some things that had happened in their families, and decide to swap places with each other in order to continue said running. All of that was enjoyable to read, but there were a few descriptions that were used that were rather off-putting (like saying the red lipstick shade should be called "streetwalker" or "harlot" - come on, was that necessary?) that pulled me out of the narrative a bit and made me roll my eyes. Still, this was a quick and easy read, it was enjoyable enough (especially since I read it during the 2022 Winter Olympics), and overall I liked it. It just wasn't quite what I'd been hoping for.
rdyourbookcase's review against another edition
3.0
Don’t you just love switcheroos? This is a great light read when you need a break from all things serious. The chances of something like this happening in real life are pretty... slim. However, in teen fiction, it’s so much fun. Also, I love ice skating. It’s so much fun! That being said, the two girls learn a lot from each other’s lives. The experience makes them stronger, better people. The overall message is that we should step outside our own lives and think about other people.
P.S. It was nice that the book was set in Montreal, but I wish it would have been more of a character in the story. I didn’t feel like I got to know the city very well and I would have liked to have learned more about it.
P.S. It was nice that the book was set in Montreal, but I wish it would have been more of a character in the story. I didn’t feel like I got to know the city very well and I would have liked to have learned more about it.