Reviews - Sunkissed | The StoryGraph

889 reviews for:

Very cute teen romance with only a mild bit of angst. If you combine Dirty Dancing (without the sex) with A Star is Born (without the tragedy), you get a really good sense of the plot of this book. There’s Brooks, the hot rocker with a heart of gold, who works at a woodsy resort in Northern CA so he can both escape the obligations to his family and raise funds for his father’s medical bills and Avery, the good girl who doesn’t like conflict, which means she trods the path of least resistance. When she realizes that she’s not living a life she’s chosen, she makes a vow to get out of her comfort zone, and Brooks is there to encourage her every step of the way. They break all the rules to help each other fulfill their dreams and, in the process, fall in love. Supporting them is a solid group of friends and Avery’s younger sister, all of whom spur them on to reach for the stars. Fans of Morgan Matson, Huntley Fitzpatrick, and Sarah Dessen will love this great summer read. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Delacorte Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

mcfaul's review against another edition

2.0

I wish the protagonist would have been more aware of the women that surrounded her and allowed real relationships help get her through and grow, rather than relying on a boy. I know that isn't the genre, but I would have loved a stronger relationship among sisters and girl friends. I appreciate the author's note at the end--it made some of the issues more palatable for me, but it wasn't enough to overcome the ultimate weaknesses and shortfalls of this text. I don't know of any student I can recommend this book to. I don't know why I would even try. The overall deeper message of needing a boy to make things happen for oneself isn't one that I want to proliferate in my students.

bookgeek2872's review against another edition

5.0

Plot: I love books that take place in summer, so the moment I saw that Kasie West's (One of my all-time favorite authors!) new book was a summer book, I was so excited to read it! And it not only met my high expectations, but exceeded them. Reading about Avery finding her voice, and finding love was such an enjoyable read!

Characters: Avery was a fantastic main character! I loved that her family played such a big role in the book. Brooks was a great love interest, and when I was a teen, he would have definitely been added to my list of book boyfriends. I liked how friendship played a large role in the book, too!

The Cover: I think it's really cute! (Also, I had never read someone call having a sunburn being sunkissed before reading this book, I like that phrase!)

Overall: Because it's a Kasie West book, I knew I would enjoy it, but I didn't expect how much! This is now one of my favorites by her! If you're looking for a fantastic YA read, I highly recommend this book!

I received an e-ARC of this book from the publisher.

thedeena63's review against another edition

4.0

Very reminiscent of Dirty Dancing, but without the dirty...and the dancing.

Okay, if they sang instead of danced and were teenagers at a summer campground... Oh just read it and you'll see what I mean!

bethy_don's review against another edition

5.0

I absolutely LOVED this book! As someone who has also struggled like Avery with being a people pleaser when it comes to others emotions and downplaying my own, this book encouraged me to continue on my journey of discovering that my emotions and choices in life are just as important as everyone else’s. ❤️