The Summer of No Regrets

by Katherine Grace Bond

The summer Luke came into my life, I decided to keep him a secret. Even from my celebrity-obsessed best friend. Maybe he *was* a dead-ringer for notorious Hollywood bad boy Trent Yves. And it was possible that everything he told me was a lie. And yes, I was probably asking for trouble. But all I saw was Luke--sweet, funny, caring--someone who would let me be the real me.

But which was the real him?

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Summer, Ebooks, Chick Lit

290 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2012

About the author

Katherine Grace Bond's books include the YA novel The Summer of No Regrets (about finding the meaning of life and death when the boy next door may be a movie star in hiding), its companion Luke's Journal (which will let you know whether or not he is), the bestselling The Legend of the Valentine, a children's book about the Civil Rights Movement, and three poetry collections, including Considering Flight (about the uneasy dance between parent and child on the razor’s edge of mental illness.) For her Work-in-Progress, Looking Glass Girl, about a young artist who time-travels to Impressionist France trying to break a family curse, she traveled to France twice to see if she could chase down Manet.

You can get her news in your inbox by going here: https://katherinegracebond.ck.page/ef...

Katherine also writes on writing, race, family, and relationships on Medium.

When she’s not writing, she plays fiddle in an Irish band called The Scuppermonkeys.

Reviews

[Ivana · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was horrible.
The girl was boring.
Her dude friend was boring.
I can't even say that I fully read this book. I pretty sure my mind wandered a couple of times to think about things that are far more interesting.
Like the precise shade of Emma Stone's hair in Zombieland.
Or the reason why there are various types of water underwater on Spongebob.
Hmmmm.... What was I saying?
Oh, yeah. So this author tried to paint Luke and Brigitta as these two people who had sooooo many hardships. And they did. People they loved were dropping like flies and they were always being pressured by their loved ones.
BUUUT!
They were SO whiny. I mean, compassion only goes so far. You can't just sit there and complain your whole life. It's repulsive.
Every time I turned the page (does it count when your online?) I would start flailing around and moaning when I realized that there was ANOTHER chapter.
Trust me, that book could not end fast enough.

[Majibookshelf Juhina & Farah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Since summer started, I was looking for a fun, summery book with beach, sun, and awesome girly friends and all. The Summer of No Regrets was nothing like I expected it to be. Unfortunately, there was no beach or sun or friends. At some points, I even forgot it was a summer book. The main protagonist, Brigitta, is just a normal girl with no religion. Her dad, who suddenly chooses to be a Shaman, does some awkward stuff that embarrass her at some points. She has a sister, and a mother as well. They live in this place, that I still don't get what it is. Basically a house that's all eco-friendly, all part of her father's shaman rituals I guess. Brigitta has a Jewish friend, Natalie, who really cracked me up sometimes. As well, she has a guy friend, Devon, who she had a little thing for. Apart from that, Brigitta's life was pretty normal until she met Luke.
As soon as the girls bump into Luke at the library, Natalie insists that he's a look-alike of superstar Trent Yves. While Brigitta denies it, she still does think that he's a look-alike. One day, Brigitta sits in her tree house, and see's Luke in the forest sitting on a rock. She also see's a cougar a little further away from him, that's making it's way towards Luke. She shouts a warning at Luke, and the rest is history. They try attacking the cougar until it runs away. You're probably wondering why I'm saying this, but because of that cougar, the next day when her parents find out, this "animal wildlife" place shoots it. I liked that it felt realistic, because even though it's really sad, that's what they'll do to a wild animal that might hurt humans. The next day, Brigitta takes a walk in the forest with Luke, and they find two baby cougars. That's when they both decide to take care of them in return for their mother's death. It was so cute to read about something new. I also liked how their relationship developed because of something more important they're working towards.
Even though it was a cute idea, I still felt that something was missing. I didn't have that feeling where I just wanted to turn from page to page. It was hard finishing the book, because there just wasn't something exciting to make me want to read more. I also wish the author didn't concentrate on Brigitta's father, or his weird rituals that I didn't understand at all, that much either. I didn't really care what religion he was or what he wanted to be, but I just felt like it was concentrated on it way more that it should have been. I also hoped that it would have that awesome jealousy between Devon and Luke like most contemporary books, but Devon just disappeared throughout the whole book, except the very end.
Overall, I guess it just wasn't the book for me. It was a good contemporary book, but I just felt like it was too... blunt. I wanted more excitement, more fun, just more. It felt like it needed more spicing up. Though, like I always say, that's just my personal opinion so don't just assume that you'll feel the same way. While The Summer of No Regrets wasn't that great for me, you might love it. Give it a try, and happy reading!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have seen some mixed review for this book. Some people loved how light and fun it was and thought it was a great summer romance, while others thought it was played out or overdone. Nonetheless, I thought it looked adorable and I was really excited to read it. I am a sucker for fun beachy reads and an even bigger sucker for the boy/girl next door romances. I enjoyed the Summer of No Regrets. I can see what people are saying about a few things being kind of run of the mill in young adult, but it didn't bother me at all. It's a story line that the author can do so much with and it's a winner in my book. Personally, I love when authors take a storyline that may have been done a few times and put their own twist on it. Their writing really shines through that way to me. I get a better sense of the kind of author they are. And I have to say, Katherine Grace Bond really impressed me. I loved her characters and her writing was fun and engaging.


Brigitta is unique and kind of spunky. This is her story and you really get to see a lot of progress and growth from her as a character and as a young lady throughout the Summer of No regrets and that is a huge plus from me. I love being able to go from the first page to the last page and see lots of good character progression. Brigitta comes from a unique family as well. Her dad's religious views rub off on Brigitta in that she becomes almost obsessed with different religions and trying to see what would work best for her. I havent really seen that done in many young adult books before and I thought it was really interesting. And then Brigitta meets Luke. Sigh, oh Luke.


You guessed it, I really liked Luke. Right off the bat, you know he is hiding a secret. And I knew exactly what it was because I knew what the book was about but you get confusion from Brigitta and you go on this emotional rollercoaster ride with her while she is trying to figure it all out. At first, I thought she seemed a little immature about everything but she soon comes into her own and I thought that then her and Luke were a good match. I really liked reading about the two of them.


The Summer of No Regrets is a really interesting read. I think anyone that is looking for a cute and kind of quirky summer romance should check it out. The real star of the book is Katherine Grace Bond. I loved her writing style. She immediately drew me in and I can't wait to read another book of hers.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Argh. I hate writing negative reviews, but I don't really have a choice here. I really liked the set-up of this book, but I found the execution lacking in almost every aspect.

I'll start with the positive. I really liked the whole set-up of The Summer of No Regrets. Brigitta is home-schooled, and her parents have an alternative-living resort. I really liked reading about this unique lifestyle of Brigitta's family - why don't we get to see more unusual set-ups like that in YA?

But... yeah. That's really the only thing I liked about this book. I never really clicked with our main character Brigitta. Honestly, I just found her boring - despite her unusual circumstances, she's a pretty bland character. She has no real personality, and I never felt like I got to know her, even after reading 300 pages from her POV. The different sides to her character confused me, and I couldn't form an image in my mind of what Brigitta's really like.

One of Brigitta's biggest issues in the novel is the fact that her grandparents died a year ago. I don't want to sound rude or insensitive, but... so what? Of course it's sad to lose someone you loved, but it's been a year, and your grandparents dying is totally normal, happens to everyone. It's sad, but it's not enough to make Brigitta a character who's been through a lot, if that's what the author was going for.

The romance fell flat for me. There was no spark, no chemistry, and I never felt a real connection between Brigitta and Luke. The whole is-he-Trent-Yves? thing annoyed me, and I just couldn't get myself to care. The way the issue is portrayed is very melodramatic, and Brigitta's obsession with finding out whether Luke is Trent just got on my nerves. I can't say too much about this since I don't want to spoil anything, but the set-up seemed too convenient to me, too unrealistic.

Religion plays a pretty important role in The Summer of No Regrets. Religion is a hard topic to handle in a YA book, and it didn't work in this one. I found the message to be confusing and preachy at the same time. Like, it was preachy, but in too different directions, if that makes sense. I just didn't know what to make of the religion aspect.

Also, what is the title supposed to mean? The Summer of No Regrets? I don't see a relation to the story, since it's not like Brigitta makes the decision to be outgoing and crazy this summer, for once in her life, or anything like that.

Plot holes and weak characterization made it hard for me to enjoy this book, and I just couldn't get myself to care about what happens to any of the characters. Maybe I'm just getting too old for these types of books - I think this is definitely directed to younger YA readers. Especially the celebrity aspect I see appealing more to 14- or 15-year-olds.

Reviewed at http://www.paperbacktreasures.blogspo...

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I give The Summer of No Regrets five stars. I loved the main character, Brigitta, from her wonderfully witty dialogue with friends and family, to her secret blog (Seeing Starzz: Celebrities Find Their Deep Space, Hollywood’s Hidden Spiritual Quest), a blog that had me laughing out loud. I also loved Brigitta’s quieter side, the part of her that’s seeking her own spiritual answers and closer, more authentic relationships. Brigitta has been in hiding. Enter Luke, the mysterious new boy next door who has his own secrets. Luke promises to “be there for her” but keeps vanishing for days at a time. Still, the handsome boy next door seems to care for her. Should Brigitta trust Luke enough to share who she is with him? Or will that lead her to one more disappointment? The Summer of No Regrets is about secrets, identity, and the promises we make and break. There is so much depth in this story from the perfectly timed romance, to the broken family relationships that make Brigitta hunger for connection. I highly recommend this beautifully written novel that explores the bounty of the human heart.

[Chelsey Wolford · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading so many reviews of this book online I had to tear into the pages myself and see what all the fuss was about over the baby cougars! I found it. The story line immediately captured my heart and all day today, I literally DID NOT put the book down. I was so wrapped up in this story that is unlike any other young adult romance novel that I have read thus far. The lines, characters, and plot were not predictable and with the turn of each page I was sitting on the edge of my seat dying to know what would take place next.

[M.A.P · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, I really did. However, I really didn't enjoy it.
I feel like I got lost in all the spiritual talk and the cougars and celeb gossip... There were just so many topics and none of them were all that strong. I think there was potential for this to be much better unfortunately I won't be telling anyone to check it out.

Also the title... maybe I'm just a moron but I didn't really understand what it had to do with the story.

[Farah Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since summer started, I was looking for a fun, summery book with beach, sun, and awesome girly friends and all. The Summer of No Regrets was nothing like I expected it to be. Unfortunately, there was no beach or sun or friends. At some points, I even forgot it was a summer book. The main protagonist, Brigitta, is just a normal girl with no religion. Her dad, who suddenly chooses to be a Shaman, does some awkward stuff that embarrass her at some points. She has a sister, and a mother as well. They live in this place, that I still don't get what it is. Basically a house that's all eco-friendly, all part of her father's shaman rituals I guess. Brigitta has a Jewish friend, Natalie, who really cracked me up sometimes. As well, she has a guy friend, Devon, who she had a little thing for. Apart from that, Brigitta's life was pretty normal until she met Luke.
As soon as the girls bump into Luke at the library, Natalie insists that he's a look-alike of superstar Trent Yves. While Brigitta denies it, she still does think that he's a look-alike. One day, Brigitta sits in her tree house, and see's Luke in the forest sitting on a rock. She also see's a cougar a little further away from him, that's making it's way towards Luke. She shouts a warning at Luke, and the rest is history. They try attacking the cougar until it runs away. You're probably wondering why I'm saying this, but because of that cougar, the next day when her parents find out, this "animal wildlife" place shoots it. I liked that it felt realistic, because even though it's really sad, that's what they'll do to a wild animal that might hurt humans. The next day, Brigitta takes a walk in the forest with Luke, and they find two baby cougars. That's when they both decide to take care of them in return for their mother's death. It was so cute to read about something new. I also liked how their relationship developed because of something more important they're working towards.
Even though it was a cute idea, I still felt that something was missing. I didn't have that feeling where I just wanted to turn from page to page. It was hard finishing the book, because there just wasn't something exciting to make me want to read more. I also wish the author didn't concentrate on Brigitta's father, or his weird rituals that I didn't understand at all, that much either. I didn't really care what religion he was or what he wanted to be, but I just felt like it was concentrated on it way more that it should have been. I also hoped that it would have that awesome jealousy between Devon and Luke like most contemporary books, but Devon just disappeared throughout the whole book, except the very end.
Overall, I guess it just wasn't the book for me. It was a good contemporary book, but I just felt like it was too... blunt. I wanted more excitement, more fun, just more. It felt like it needed more spicing up. Though, like I always say, that's just my personal opinion so don't just assume that you'll feel the same way. While The Summer of No Regrets wasn't that great for me, you might love it. Give it a try, and happy reading!

[Trini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brigitta is trying to find out where she fits in in this world among her family and friends. She constantly feels like an outsider because her family is not like others. Her family follows a “free spirited“ kind of philosophy and is very nature oriented. Living at The Center (a completely independent globally-oriented dwelling unit made from materials indigenous to the planet) in which her parents build on their land in order to share with other free thinkers/soul searchers she finds it very difficult to fit in with others her age. Not that it’s horrible at home but she has become socially awkward with others her age. Being home schooled and not having many friends her dealing mechanism has lead her to have a big imagination.

She never though in a million years that anything that she conjured up in her imagination might come true. So when she accidentally falls in the lap of Luke Geoffrey a hottie who suspiciously looks exactly like the bad boy teen actor Trent Yves she does a double take and questions her sanity. As time goes on and her suspicions are on high alert each time they are together (as friends) she finds herself saying “No he’s not Trent” because Luke is nothing like Trent. Luke is pensive, kind and thoughtful. The more she thinks about it Trent and Luke are as opposite as night and day…mostly. As time goes on things seem to fall into place. Telling herself that maybe her imagination is playing tricks on her and that Luke really might be Trent, Brigitta finds time stamped pictures to serve as evidence against that thought. Evidence that proves that one person can’t be in two places at once. But this is not the only thing Brigitta has had on her mind.

Dealing single handedly with saving the lives of cougar cubs that she and Luke found is extremely tiring and draining. Along with feeling stressed and dreadful after having a fall out with her best friend Natalie as well as Luke disappearing for days at a time then also wishing her father would be like he used to. If only he would comfort her, be there for her like he used to. This all leaves her feeling unbearably lonely. But her father is not the same person he used to be before his mother died, Natalie won‘t talk to her and there is no way to get in contact with Luke. At this point she feels the only way to find comfort and solace is to do something extreme. Which leads her to travel on her own to her grandparents place which is a plane ride away, alone. Once there she gets more answers than what she was originally looking for. Even one’s about Luke.

The Summer of No Regrets is funny and hopeful but also provokes deeper thinking. The last few chapters got very emotional for me but it all ended well and I’m very happy with the way things finished up. This book will have you laughing and crying so make sure to add it to your TBR pile. This is a good summer read!

[Lyra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review can also be found here.

I tried liking this book, mainly because it was set during summer (you guys ought to know by now how much I love YA books set during summer) and the blurb intrigued me, but when you have to try to like a book, you just know for a fact that you won't like it no matter what you do. It's not that the book is badly written, or the plot is nonsensical and boring - rather, I just didn't feel anything while reading it. It just didn't have that zing I've come to expect when reading books I know I won't be able to stop thinking about well after I've finished reading them. The story just didn't hook me in and I just couldn't fully connect with the characters, though they were definitely interesting in their own little ways. I just wasn't tearing through the pages of the book, eagerly anticipating what came next. As a matter of fact, the only reasons I finished this book were because I was eager to find out whether or not Luke really was Trent Yves, and also because I was torn whether or not I liked Brigitta as a character.

We've all gone through moments wherein we feel like Brigitta - socially awkward, ashamed of our families for how they act, and just intent on bottling everything in. As much as I relate to her at times, I couldn't possibly fathom just why she was so intent on pushing everyone away, and then later on lament on the fact that she had no nobody to talk to or that nobody was there for her. It was all very... confusing, and it got really tiring to read about as the novel progressed. However, I really liked Brigitta throughout the course of her relationship with Luke - she always let him know how she felt, and she never let him walk all over her. I can't help but laud book heroines who never fail to stand up for themselves against guys (especially ones they like) - reading about them is so refreshing!

This book deals with a lot of aspects other than your typical summer love (though I never got the impression that it was summer while reading the book) - filial relationships, the search for one's identity, and religion amongst others. The book has a lot going on, and I'm sure that most of you will like it - it just wasn't my cup of tea.

[JeanBookNerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Around her family and friends, sixteen-year-old Brigitta seems to be a normal teenager that is contented with life but deep down inside, she’s sheltering her true feelings and keeping it a secret. She also has a secret enthrallment with celebrities and maintains a blog that no one knows about. Since the passing of her grandparents and her relationship with her father becoming non-existent, she’s searching for purpose in life but falls short of people she cares about that she can talk to. All seems to change when she meets Luke. Although he looks exactly like Trent Yves, the super-hot Hollywood actor, Brigitta eventually forgets about this detail as she becomes more comfortable being herself around him. She feels that she’s finally found someone who she can totally be honest with.

The one thing I found to set this book apart from others like it is how the main character, Brigitta, had so many dimensions. Author Katherine Grace Bond introduced a character that is different but still very relatable. She resorts to her tree house when she feels like escaping reality and buries herself in her celebrity magazines. She’s definitely a character that is unique and quite intriguing.

The relationship she builds with Luke is the gem of the story as it helps Brigitta find a way to deal with all the things happening in her life and the loss of her grandparents. Although everyone believes Luke is Trent Yves in hiding, Brigitta sees him as the caring Luke that she has come to know.

The Summer of No Regrets is a poignant story with many layers of depth. It is a story about romance, family, finding oneself and the hunger for connection. Celebrity and Luke are part of the story but they were not the main focal points. I was pleasantly surprised that it went deeper than expected as Katherine Grace Bond delivered a gorgeously written novel that examines the emotions felt by the human heart.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title and cover may scream "YA romance", and it is that, but it is in no way typical of the genre. Parts of Brigitta's life reminded me of mine, and not just because the story is set in the Pacific Northwest. Her parents own a center for gatherings and frequently host groups of people practicing Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Native American Spirituality, even things a bit more out there. She feels frequently embarrassed by her parents. She has a blog, and a best friend who loves celebrity gossip. And one day, she meets a guy who looks like someone famous--but she doesn't know if he's really Trent Yves. She finds out he lives nearby, and then there's a cougar attack, and... well, I won't spoil it.

I found it very enjoyable. I laughed, I cried, and I got through it quickly. If you're looking for a fun summer read, go for it, but expect the unexpected. It goes deeper than a lot of books in this genre, touching on issues of religion, family, and life in general. I may feel like I've outgrown YA fiction somewhat, but I didn't notice it, reading this book. Maybe you never really outgrow it. If you've never read YA, or never read a romance, I would recommend it as well.

I may be slightly biased, as the author has been a writing mentor of mine for a long time, and I feel she's a lot of the reason I'm still going strong with my novel. But as I am a writer, I can't really help myself scrutinizing books that I read, and I still think this was really well done.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Summer of No Regrets is about a girl, Brigitta, who is kind of strange and comes from an even stranger family. One summer Brigitta gets a new next store neighbor, Luke, who looks exactly like movie-star Trent Yves, and the two start to develop feelings for each other.

I had a really hard time relating to Briggita. She is nothing like me—she just seems so lost and unsure of herself, and she also comes across as having a low self-esteem. I also don’t understand why Briggita’s movie-star hot neighbor would be interested in someone who is described as plane-Jane at best, is really weird, and has no self-confidence what-so-ever. I think Briggita’s self-esteem issues are what bugged me most about the idea of love blossoming between the two characters.

I had a lot of difficulty getting through the first half of the novel because of Briggita, but the second half of the novel really sucked me in. I was dying to solve the mystery of “is Luke Geoffery the boy next door or famous movie star Trent Yves.” I was analyzing all of his actions and mannerisms right along with Briggita and I loved every second of it.

Even though the mystery behind Luke’s identity really captivated me, it was really hard to relate to Brigitta or believe in a relationship between her and Luke. If Brigitta was someone I could at least be friends with, I would have enjoyed the book a lot more. However her identity crisis and self-esteem issues prevented me from doing so.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this about a month ago at Barnes & Noble. I was simply looking for a summer book that was prone to be filled with romance. I only just got around to reading it a few days ago and finished this 285-page book in about a day and a half. I really enjoyed this novel, even though it was not quite what I had been expecting.

Upon picking it up and reading the back cover, I didn't expect this to feature a plot deeper than dating a Hollywood bad boy. I also hadn't expected that the plot would take place in somewhere other than sunny Los Angeles. I hadn't expected that I was going to relate to 16-year-old Briggita as well as I did. Beyond the fact that she meets a boy and they start a romance, she struggles with the common adolescent issue of finding oneself. She struggles to find a religion for herself, and she struggles with her relationship with her father.

I love the fact that in this novel, the romance between Briggita and Luke is started over a rather outrageous event and then blooms over time. Let's not forget the fact that she's keeping Luke a secret, people! Of course, her parents and friends know they are neighbors, but she never mentions hanging out with him, or being around him.

I could not wait until the big reveal, where Brigitta found out Luke's real identity. Though she sometimes suspected it, she had never truly believed the Luke was Trent Yves.

The Summer of No Regrets was a refreshing read, with a unique take on summer romance!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katherine Grace Bond pens a wonderfully poingant story of a young woman on the cusp of finding herself. The Summer of No Regrets is an inspiring story of self discovery that is powerfully moving and full of wonderful emotion. It's an adorable journey of putting aside ones selfisness and learning to see life through the eyes of someone or rather, something else. The cougar cubs that both Brigita and Luke find together, represent this for her. She starts to face up to what is actually going on in her life, through the act of caring for those cubs and discovering what that summer of no regrets truly holds for her.

It's a uniquely thoughtful and charming story filled with wonderful character personality, witty humor, and sweet romance that readers will enjoy. It's irresistable and filled with hints of beauty throughout. The Summer of No Regrets is a fast paced summer read that is sure to add joy and excitment to any readers summer. It's light, charming, and incredibnly irresistable and hard to put down once you start reading. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys contemporary reads.

[Christine Grabowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Don’t let the cover fool you. This is much more than a love story. I would consider the love story more of a subplot. It seemed to be more of a coming of age story for 16-year-old Brigitta. As with many YA stories, she was trying to understand herself. But the story itself was very unique and included a possible movie star, blogs posts, finding and attempting to raise two cougar cubs, and many family issues stemming from the recent loss of her grandmother. In fact one of my favorite aspects of this story was Brigitta’s family. They lived in a rural area in an Earthship made of recycled materials and hosted retreats for all types of religious groups. Her family was very much a backstory, but I loved how their lifestyle affected Brigitta in so many scenes from her food selections to her thoughts on water usage. She was a very well developed character. As an adult, this story held my interest, which isn’t always the case with YA. I will pass along this book to my young teenage daughter as I felt it was appropriate for her, (it lacked the foul language, drinking, and sex scenes that is often in YA meant for older teens.)

[Haley Burke · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was the WORST book I have ever read. I could barely get through the first 3 chapters without my mind wondering. I couldn't focus on any part of the book and eventually had to give up reading this book. I easily read the first 100 pages of a book within an hour, but with this book it took me the entire day just to get to the 80th page. If anyone is thinking about reading this, do not even waste your time. I will definitely not be purchasing another book by this author. Horrible story line, and not once did I feel connected with the characters in the book. I was going to give the book a chance, hoping that it just had a slow start but eventually I just had to give up on the book. NOBODY should waste their money on this book.

[Katy Upperman]

This one came recommended by a friend, and I thought it was pretty fantastic. I loved the unconventional family set-up, and the budding romance was sweet and different and rather mysterious. Gotta give major credit to an author who writes a romantic interest who might be lying about everything, but charms you into loving him anyway. Summer is set in the Pacific Northwest where I grew up (automatic bonus points), and there’s this whole subplot involving cougars (yep) that I found particularly unique and heartbreaking. This one’s a recommend if you’re looking for an under-the-radar summer romance.

[Haney Hayes Promotions · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, so don’t crucify me. This story had so much potential. There are some quite funny spots. The blurb caught my attention right away, and I loved the cover, but what in the world does the title have to do with this story? Like, I’m seriously baffled. Let me say I am a mood reader, so maybe it’s just a me thing. I do feel as if this was more literary fiction than romance. With that being said, if that is what you enjoy, this is most definitely more for you.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admittedly my copy is signed by the fabulous author, but I did enjoy this book a lot. Interesting characters, a great storyline that kept me interested (and surprised me in a few places) and it had a lot of sweet things to say about the bonds of love in our families and of loss.

[Ann Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The plot was plausible and interesting, the characters rich and believable, and the details of the Pacific Northwest setting were accurate and priceless.

[Heidi Peters · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I read this book, it was not what I was expecting. However it turned out to be exactly what I wanted to read and I just absolutely loved it. I would recommend this book to everyone.

[Harjas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh godd in the beginning I had to look up the words after every 2 minutes but I loved the ending and as always this was a book with "Summer" so how can I not love it??? <33

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

...I am a ginormous sap. I cried, openly and a lot.

[Bridget Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book. Wow. So good. #no regrets #summer #the year when i thought i knew what i did when the summer changed who they are now

[Havenleaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful love story.

[Amy Atkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the book had much more substance than the synopsis provided. I was pleasantly surprised that the love story was a subplot to a more complex coming of age tale.

[Hannah Neumann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not one to leave reviews, but this book compelled me to write one as it wasn’t what I expected.

The start was a little slow for me and threw me for a loop with the religious aspect and how big it actually played a part. I am no longer religious, so I related to Brigitta’s dad in his view of Christianity in a way, but not to his extreme. I was also quite surprised by the depth of the religious questioning and the different religions and their corresponding beliefs brought up.

I recently lost an uncle that was more like a father to me, so the loss of Brigitta’s Nonni and Opa and her struggle, especially with her Nonni, of losing that connection, really hit home.

My favorite part of the book had to be Luke’s looking for Eden. I grew up in a Lutheran house, so I am very aware of Eden’s religious origin. However, I like its idea more so than a Heaven. Eden was a perfect place depicted in the Bible and Luke’s looking for it or where it is for him struck a cord for me. Where is mine? Is my uncle in his Eden? His perfect place where he is healthy and can see us? That is my biggest takeaway and I was utterly shocked. I never thought a young adult romance would give me a new idea and perception of a place whose origin is debatable.

As for the romance, which seemed more a subplot in my mind, there were moments I enjoyed and others that I wasn’t the biggest fan of. The cougar cubs, the conversations, and the getaway trip were adorable. The identity of “Trent” and Brigitta’s and Luke’s inability to fully be themselves were frustrating. I do have to put into perspective that they are teenagers which makes it a little easier to accept though. The ending also was not my favorite, but I also need to remember that it is fitting to an extent due to their ages.

Overall, I gave 4 stars because of the cuteness that was the occasional “plots” of their romance, as well as the depth that their characters talked about and portrayed. As someone who is spiritual to an extent, but not religious, the religious theme was a surprisingly enlightening part of the book.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was okay. I might've enjoyed it more if the synopsis on the back cover had been more true to the story. Yes, the fact that Luke may-or-may-not be Trent Yves was an important aspect to the story, I felt misled once I started reading the book. The spirituality and religion aspects of the book were a giant part of the overall story and to the main character herself, but they weren't even mentioned. I also felt as though there was little to no character development between Luke and Brigitta romantically. It seemed like he was pretty distant from her, and then all of a sudden they're in love. It felt so unrealistic, because there was minimal build up. The storyline itself combined a lot, with the differences in both of their lives colliding often. The concept was really great, but I feel as though the execution of it could've been a bit better. As I said before, the main reason I gave this book 3/5 stars was because of what I felt was a lack of character development. It's one of my pet peeves in all books, especially young adult novels, and I'm usually pretty lenient on it but the characters had barely interacted more than a few times before they were 'in love'. Luke became a better and more dynamic character in the last part of the book, so I wish that would've been a little more apparent throughout the novel as a whole. Brigitta was a good narrator, and I could relate to her a little bit, but not ridiculously well. Although I did like how she deals with her family, acknowledging their differences and still keeping an aspect of a small town community. Overall, anyone who likes young adult contemporary romance with a more unusual storyline might like this one, but I probably won't re-read it again.

[T.M. Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brigitta is a teenager that has led a slightly sheltered life. Homeschooled and raised by free thinking, spiritual parents, she's somewhat naive and awkward with her peers, aside from her BFF. Trying to find her place in a world she's learning is bigger than her imagination while still grieving the loss of her grandparents, our protagonist also finds that the outside world can not only be beautiful and serene, it can also be dark and unyielding. Add to that the attraction and romance with Luke, the mysterious but endearing young man that has caught Brigitta's eye, who may not be who he seems, and what you have is an intriguing story.

It took me a few chapters to get into the story, but from there I was completely engaged. I absolutely loved the world the Author created especially the spirituality aspect which is much like I tend to think. There was also a push and pull in within the story that sometimes pulled me out of the story, but when reflecting on it in later chapters, I realized the ARC the Author was aiming for, hope that makes sense.

My favorite parts of this vibrant story were the last several chapters, especially the conversation with her father toward the end. Laugher through tears is hands down the best emotion and Bond brought that out in me with her words.