Book Synopsis:
Meet Colton, the heartthrob of Rayburn High. With his charming smile and flirtatious nature, the girls are wrapped around his finger. As he spends more time with Mia, however - the friend he used to play with on the swings in second grade - he starts to recognize all the little ways she stands out. That girl can make him laugh!
As for Mia, her schedule is jam-packed. Between looking out for her sister with special needs and juggling her interests in music, theater, and art, she barely has time for anything else. And romance? It’s a nice dream that has always seemed just out of reach.
When Mia and Colton are thrown together in drama class, their relationship deepens, and sparks start to fly. Both begin to dream about something more than just friendship. But with insecurities and lies threatening to tear them apart, will they have the determination to sort out facts from fiction, and the courage to choose faith over fear?
My Review:
Note: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
4/5 stars. This was a sweet, relatable story with great disability representation! The writing had a bit too much tell instead of show, but it was very simple and readable. The side characters could've been fleshed out more, but I enjoyed Mia and Colton. The ending was very cute, and I loved the small bits of Christian faith content, like references to Bible verses and the discussions Mia and Colton have.
As a person with a disability, good representation is something I'm always on the lookout for. This book did a great job with it. Audra has autism, and the author handles it well. She isn't infantilized, like what tends to happen with characters with cognitive disabilities. She acts like a normal 14-year-old. At the same time, though, the challenges she has socially are acknowledge and not brushed off. I also loved the brief mention of "the two E's: empathy and education." It felt like the author really knows what it's like to have or have a family member with a disability.
Everything in this book is realistic, down to the simple details. From working on a senior project to going to soccer games, it's all very mundane but in a good way. I was never bored. It felt like I was reading about a teen girl living her life, rather than a crazy story filled with tons of unrealistic drama.
On the topic of drama, though, one thing I felt wasn't handled very well was the conflict between Colton and Mia. The sudden change in Colton's attitude toward Mia felt very abrupt. Even though it's explained in the end, it kind of gave me whiplash with the immediate turnaround. It would've been better if there were little hints during their communication issues.
Another issue is that the side characters were not very fleshed out, like Mia's friends. They existed to serve a purpose and to interact with Mia, but they didn't have distinct personalities or motivations. A couple characters, Reese and Casey, were mentioned a few times, but it never explained who they were exactly.
I enjoyed all the faith content. The discussions Mia and Colton had about Christianity and God were great, and I also loved the mention of Philippians 4:8 as an important verse. That verse is one of my favorites and has gotten me through some difficult times.
Finally, the ending was cute. It wasn't too cheesy, and it felt natural. It was a nice, satisfying conclusion to the book.
Content:
Language: None
Sexual Content: Mention of a girl showing cleavage, forehead and hand kisses
Violence/Gore: None
Drugs/Alcohol: None
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