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A review by cortnyjoy
Juliet was Wrong by Lindsey Carver
4.0
JULIET WAS WRONG is a nostalgic, heartfelt debut.
I found myself “literally” smiling as I followed Josh and Katie’s story through their summer before college. My young adult fiction experience is almost none. One of the things I loved about this story was the way I oscillated between my adult and teen self. Sometimes, I felt empathy and concern for the main characters, as a parent, teacher, or adult might feel for the younger generation. And equally as much, I was transported back to my high school days, feeling the highs and lows of young love, ending high school, deciding what’s next, and soaking up my last summer with few responsibilities.
Lindsey really captured the late-teen spirit. The language, pop culture references, mentality…it all pulled me in to a world I know so well, but haven’t visited in over a decade. I liked the way friendship, romance, family, and a major life transition all weaved together.
By the end, I wanted more substance between Josh and Katie as their connection didn’t fully land for me; though I think Lindsey’s ability to portray the simplicity of our first love was part of her talent. Our first love—our high school love—isn’t often based on some of the big things we focus on as adults. It’s more innate, less questioned. There’s an attraction, for whatever reason, and it’s followed. And for many of us, it asks how much of ourselves we’re willing to sacrifice in order to avoid an ending.
If you’re looking for a quick, beachy, summer-before-college romance with Dawson’s Creek vibes and some wistful late-teen drama, look no further.
I found myself “literally” smiling as I followed Josh and Katie’s story through their summer before college. My young adult fiction experience is almost none. One of the things I loved about this story was the way I oscillated between my adult and teen self. Sometimes, I felt empathy and concern for the main characters, as a parent, teacher, or adult might feel for the younger generation. And equally as much, I was transported back to my high school days, feeling the highs and lows of young love, ending high school, deciding what’s next, and soaking up my last summer with few responsibilities.
Lindsey really captured the late-teen spirit. The language, pop culture references, mentality…it all pulled me in to a world I know so well, but haven’t visited in over a decade. I liked the way friendship, romance, family, and a major life transition all weaved together.
By the end, I wanted more substance between Josh and Katie as their connection didn’t fully land for me; though I think Lindsey’s ability to portray the simplicity of our first love was part of her talent. Our first love—our high school love—isn’t often based on some of the big things we focus on as adults. It’s more innate, less questioned. There’s an attraction, for whatever reason, and it’s followed. And for many of us, it asks how much of ourselves we’re willing to sacrifice in order to avoid an ending.
If you’re looking for a quick, beachy, summer-before-college romance with Dawson’s Creek vibes and some wistful late-teen drama, look no further.