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Swimming to Tokyo
The rules for swimming are
Rule #1: There is no lifeguard on duty.
Since her mom died three years ago, nineteen-year-old Zosia Easton's been treading water. Living at home. Community college. Same old Saturday nights. So when her father breaks the news he's taken a job transfer-and by the way, it means renting out the house that's been her refuge-a summer in Tokyo feels like it just might be a chance to start swimming again.
Rule #2: Beware of unexpected currents.
Finn O'Leary has spent God knows how many years trying to drown out his past. Juvenile detention. Bad decisions. Worse choices. He's managed to turn it around - MIT, Dean's List, a sexier-than-thou body with a smile to match - at least on the surface. When his mom asks him to spend the summer with her, Tokyo seems as good a place as any to float through the summer.
Rule #3: Swim at your own risk.
Rule #1: There is no lifeguard on duty.
Since her mom died three years ago, nineteen-year-old Zosia Easton's been treading water. Living at home. Community college. Same old Saturday nights. So when her father breaks the news he's taken a job transfer-and by the way, it means renting out the house that's been her refuge-a summer in Tokyo feels like it just might be a chance to start swimming again.
Rule #2: Beware of unexpected currents.
Finn O'Leary has spent God knows how many years trying to drown out his past. Juvenile detention. Bad decisions. Worse choices. He's managed to turn it around - MIT, Dean's List, a sexier-than-thou body with a smile to match - at least on the surface. When his mom asks him to spend the summer with her, Tokyo seems as good a place as any to float through the summer.
Rule #3: Swim at your own risk.
235 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 28, 2014
18 people are currently reading
1120 people want to read
About the author
Brenda St. John Brown
22 books495 followersBrenda is a USA Today bestselling author living in the English countryside. Originally from New York, she's lived in the UK long enough to gain dual citizenship, but still doesn’t understand Celsius. However, she has learned the appropriate use of the word “pants”. And how to order a proper bacon bap/barm/buttie. Because, well, bacon.
Brenda writes contemporary romance to make you giggle and swoon. When she’s not writing, she enjoys hiking, running and reading. In theory, she also enjoys cooking, but it’s more that she enjoys eating and, try as she might, she can’t live on Doritos alone.
For more information or to connect with Brenda visit http://brendastjohnbrown.com/
Brenda writes contemporary romance to make you giggle and swoon. When she’s not writing, she enjoys hiking, running and reading. In theory, she also enjoys cooking, but it’s more that she enjoys eating and, try as she might, she can’t live on Doritos alone.
For more information or to connect with Brenda visit http://brendastjohnbrown.com/
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January 4, 2015DNF at 38%
As this book was recommended to those who loved Last Will and Testament I thought to give it a try. The writing was solid and the setting of the story was exotic but there was ZERO chemistry between the main characters. Thus, the romance completely felt flat and one-dimensional for me and I got bored easily.
It's possible I will go back sometime and attempt reading this again, but for now, I'm going to move on.
As this book was recommended to those who loved Last Will and Testament I thought to give it a try. The writing was solid and the setting of the story was exotic but there was ZERO chemistry between the main characters. Thus, the romance completely felt flat and one-dimensional for me and I got bored easily.
It's possible I will go back sometime and attempt reading this again, but for now, I'm going to move on.
July 12, 2017
Habe das Buch abgebrochen..null Japan feeling total vorhersehbar und einfach langweilig..ich wollte das Buch lesen weil es in Tokio spielt aber die Kulisse hätte man beliebig austauschen können so wenig wurde darauf eingegangen..dabei gibt es kaum eine Stadt auf der Welt worüber sich mehr erzählen lässt als Tokio !!! Keine Leseempfehlung von mir !
November 19, 2014
The book cover, title and blurb don't really do this book justice. It was much, MUCH better than its packaging makes it out to be.
The thing this book does really well is something that I’m a total sucker for: I absolutely LOVE stories that center around a new friendship. I love watching it develop and grow, seeing how each person slowly learns more of the other and how feelings can deepen. And then throw in some playful banter and heady sexual tension? um, YES. I like. The author worked the slow build-up like a pro and everything about these characters and their relationship felt genuine - I was impressed.
I also really liked the setting in Japan. I've been there twice as a tourist and it was fun remembering all the places I visited through Zosia. Zo herself was a great character and pretty refreshing to me. I only got annoyed with her once in the whole book - just ONCE! Unheard of. And as to Finn -- I will shut up about Finn cuz you should just see for yourself.
I thought this book was sweet, but not overly sappy. Funny, but never ridiculous. And yep, angsty at times too, but the good kind - it never got to the point where I thought the characters were being stupid and dramatic just for the sake of being dramatic (hate that). There were real issues here, and it was all handled in the serious manner it warranted and in the end, I appreciated how the drama unfolded and was ultimately dealt with.
Not giving 5 stars though, because:
--I did get a bit bored here and there (it was minor though - I still ended up reading this in only 2 sittings)
--There were a handful of instances of too much telling when the showing was already sufficient. Overkill. (I thought I had bookmarked a couple of them so I could give an example, but I guess I didn't, sorry :P)
--Song lyrics. *barf*
--I don’t see myself ever re-reading this book.
But I really liked this overall and I wouldn’t hesitate to try something else from this author.
The thing this book does really well is something that I’m a total sucker for: I absolutely LOVE stories that center around a new friendship. I love watching it develop and grow, seeing how each person slowly learns more of the other and how feelings can deepen. And then throw in some playful banter and heady sexual tension? um, YES. I like. The author worked the slow build-up like a pro and everything about these characters and their relationship felt genuine - I was impressed.
I also really liked the setting in Japan. I've been there twice as a tourist and it was fun remembering all the places I visited through Zosia. Zo herself was a great character and pretty refreshing to me. I only got annoyed with her once in the whole book - just ONCE! Unheard of. And as to Finn -- I will shut up about Finn cuz you should just see for yourself.
I thought this book was sweet, but not overly sappy. Funny, but never ridiculous. And yep, angsty at times too, but the good kind - it never got to the point where I thought the characters were being stupid and dramatic just for the sake of being dramatic (hate that). There were real issues here, and it was all handled in the serious manner it warranted and in the end, I appreciated how the drama unfolded and was ultimately dealt with.
Not giving 5 stars though, because:
--I did get a bit bored here and there (it was minor though - I still ended up reading this in only 2 sittings)
--There were a handful of instances of too much telling when the showing was already sufficient. Overkill. (I thought I had bookmarked a couple of them so I could give an example, but I guess I didn't, sorry :P)
--Song lyrics. *barf*
--I don’t see myself ever re-reading this book.
But I really liked this overall and I wouldn’t hesitate to try something else from this author.
August 9, 2014
Let me just start off by saying what a wonderful surprise this book was. I picked this book up and didn't put it down again until I turned the last page! Swimming To Tokyo is Brenda St. John Brown’s debut title, and I was completely blown away by it. I apologize in advance if my review gets a little flaily!
Zosia Easton, (or Zoe to the people who are NOT near and dear to her heart) is 19 and living at home with her father who works too much and attending classes at the local college. She’s still dealing with the death of her mother from 3 years ago and trying to hold on to the memories of the time before she was gone… She keeps everyone except her best friend at a safe distance and never really puts her heart on the line for anyone. Her life has become stagnant. That is until her father breaks the news that he’s gotten a promotion that includes a move to Tokyo, and he wants to go… he needs to go. He wants her to come and spend the summer and even though she struggles emotionally with letting go of the home she grew up in and the memories they created there, she agrees with her father and decides to join him.
Finn O’Leary has a past he’s not proud of, and demons he battles every day. But he’s turned things around and has spent the last year at MIT, making the Dean’s List and applying himself… When his mom suggests he spend the summer with her, he realizes it might be an opportunity skim through the summer and also experience something he wouldn’t have otherwise had the chance to do.
Neither one expects the other… in more ways than one.
So… what did I love besides everything? First and foremost it was the characters for me. Both Zosia and Finn were so wonderfully developed that I completely fell in love with them. I can’t think of a single thing about them that bothered me or I would have changed. They are both at that time in life where you’re still sort of a kid but now also sort of an adult and where Zosia has always had an amazing relationship with her family, Finn is the complete opposite. They have a connection to each other prior to arriving in Tokyo and it definitely added to the situation between them.
I really loved Zosia’s relationship with her grandmother. Without her mother to lean on, especially for those milestones we all have growing up, it was nice to know she had Babci. And even though it isn’t the ideal, she had some amazing advice for her and a lifetime of experiences to help her through some of her issues. Plus – bonus points for the added Polish in the story. But I also have to say that I really loved her relationship with her father. Even at the beginning when I was worried he worked too much and maybe didn’t worry about his daughter enough, I still liked him. But when we got to see their interactions together in Tokyo, I really enjoyed the respect that they showed each other and the trust they had in each other. Was everything perfect? No… I mean, He definitely does work too much and he isn’t completely honest with her about a few things up front. But when they were coming clean with each other and sharing their feelings about things, you could get a sense of their love for each other and that was really perfect to see.
And Zosia herself was snarky, and for the most part pretty self-assured and knows who she is. And I really liked her friendship with Mindy. Though we don’t see a ton of it, what you do see is them supporting each other and I always love that.
The setting of this story is like it’s very own character! While I’ve never been to Tokyo I feel like I was transported there with this story. I loved being a tourist through this book – hearing about the different cities and the transportation and the temples and the food (not that I would eat any of it!)… as a reader I got to experience all of those amazing things through these characters experiences and it was really well done.
So… let’s talk about Finn. You guys – this boy. Do you love the tattoo having, guitar playing, song writing, lover of books, attempting reform, bad boy? I don’t always, but holy crap do I love this one!!
He so brings the swoons I can’t even tell you!!
“This summer has been so much more than I ever thought it would be. You… someone like you… was never supposed to be here. That night on the swings, I remember thinking I wished I knew you. You were so beautiful. So genuine. And then you were here. And all I’ve wanted is more and more and more of you.”
BUT … but but but he also has a lot of drama and some issues and he’s not perfect. Everything is definitely not smooth sailing for these two. They struggle with being honest about their feelings, they struggle about being honest about their pasts and they struggle with what is in store for their futures. And it is a BIG struggle I can’t lie to you. There are things that they are both dealing with that causes some friction between them and while their chemistry together is combustible… they have to continue to work at building the trust and opening up and putting down the walls they’ve both built up over time.
If you’re looking for a fun, sexy, entertaining read and a great new voice in the New Adult world, then I definitely recommend Swimming to Tokyo when it is released! Thank you to Spencer Hill Contemporary for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!
Zosia Easton, (or Zoe to the people who are NOT near and dear to her heart) is 19 and living at home with her father who works too much and attending classes at the local college. She’s still dealing with the death of her mother from 3 years ago and trying to hold on to the memories of the time before she was gone… She keeps everyone except her best friend at a safe distance and never really puts her heart on the line for anyone. Her life has become stagnant. That is until her father breaks the news that he’s gotten a promotion that includes a move to Tokyo, and he wants to go… he needs to go. He wants her to come and spend the summer and even though she struggles emotionally with letting go of the home she grew up in and the memories they created there, she agrees with her father and decides to join him.
Finn O’Leary has a past he’s not proud of, and demons he battles every day. But he’s turned things around and has spent the last year at MIT, making the Dean’s List and applying himself… When his mom suggests he spend the summer with her, he realizes it might be an opportunity skim through the summer and also experience something he wouldn’t have otherwise had the chance to do.
Neither one expects the other… in more ways than one.
So… what did I love besides everything? First and foremost it was the characters for me. Both Zosia and Finn were so wonderfully developed that I completely fell in love with them. I can’t think of a single thing about them that bothered me or I would have changed. They are both at that time in life where you’re still sort of a kid but now also sort of an adult and where Zosia has always had an amazing relationship with her family, Finn is the complete opposite. They have a connection to each other prior to arriving in Tokyo and it definitely added to the situation between them.
I really loved Zosia’s relationship with her grandmother. Without her mother to lean on, especially for those milestones we all have growing up, it was nice to know she had Babci. And even though it isn’t the ideal, she had some amazing advice for her and a lifetime of experiences to help her through some of her issues. Plus – bonus points for the added Polish in the story. But I also have to say that I really loved her relationship with her father. Even at the beginning when I was worried he worked too much and maybe didn’t worry about his daughter enough, I still liked him. But when we got to see their interactions together in Tokyo, I really enjoyed the respect that they showed each other and the trust they had in each other. Was everything perfect? No… I mean, He definitely does work too much and he isn’t completely honest with her about a few things up front. But when they were coming clean with each other and sharing their feelings about things, you could get a sense of their love for each other and that was really perfect to see.
And Zosia herself was snarky, and for the most part pretty self-assured and knows who she is. And I really liked her friendship with Mindy. Though we don’t see a ton of it, what you do see is them supporting each other and I always love that.
The setting of this story is like it’s very own character! While I’ve never been to Tokyo I feel like I was transported there with this story. I loved being a tourist through this book – hearing about the different cities and the transportation and the temples and the food (not that I would eat any of it!)… as a reader I got to experience all of those amazing things through these characters experiences and it was really well done.
So… let’s talk about Finn. You guys – this boy. Do you love the tattoo having, guitar playing, song writing, lover of books, attempting reform, bad boy? I don’t always, but holy crap do I love this one!!
He so brings the swoons I can’t even tell you!!
“This summer has been so much more than I ever thought it would be. You… someone like you… was never supposed to be here. That night on the swings, I remember thinking I wished I knew you. You were so beautiful. So genuine. And then you were here. And all I’ve wanted is more and more and more of you.”
BUT … but but but he also has a lot of drama and some issues and he’s not perfect. Everything is definitely not smooth sailing for these two. They struggle with being honest about their feelings, they struggle about being honest about their pasts and they struggle with what is in store for their futures. And it is a BIG struggle I can’t lie to you. There are things that they are both dealing with that causes some friction between them and while their chemistry together is combustible… they have to continue to work at building the trust and opening up and putting down the walls they’ve both built up over time.
If you’re looking for a fun, sexy, entertaining read and a great new voice in the New Adult world, then I definitely recommend Swimming to Tokyo when it is released! Thank you to Spencer Hill Contemporary for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!
May 7, 2015
I LOVED THIS! I didn't expect to. I expected it to be an overblown, melodramatic, tropey, sterotypical new adult novel. It wasn't.
I loved the way the conflict was written. I can't even describe it, but I'll try. Zosia and Finn have both had hard lives, Finn more so than Zosia, but they're both trying. They fail and freak out and do the wrong thing, but they're giving it a go and I loved that about this book. They didn't get in fights that lasted a week because of a mis-communication, they may walk away from each other and act like idiots, but they eventually made it right.
I loved the tension between the two leads and the slow burn of the romance.
The only thing I felt that was lacking was the development of the supporting characters. Zosia's dad was a weak "villain." He's definitely not an actual villain, per se, but he doesn't agree with her choices and seems to only exist to create conflict in that respect. I would have like to have seen his relationship develop more with Zosia, Eloise, and Finn.
There's a lot of Japanese and Polish words in this book and I love how the author didn't explain every little thing to the reader as if they've never read a book before and don't know how context clues work.
Finn is totally a believable damaged character. These characters are so well written. This book is actually good contrast to Lost and Found. Where Lost and Found's damaged characters seemed 2-dimensional and not well thought out, Swimming to Tokyo's Zosia and Finn were the opposite.
You know how many times I rolled my eyes while reading this? Zero. And I'm an eye roller.
Spoilerish:
I adored this novel and am really sad that it won't be available in paperback until December. I placed my pre-order though and am excited to receive it!
As always, this review is also posted to my blog: Crazy Something Maybe
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November 22, 2014
11/22/2014 --
It's very early right now and there are all kinds of lightening and thunder outside right now.
What does this have to do with this story / this review? Not a damned thing, but the cover/blurb/title relate about as well here too. I felt it an oversell of what we actually get.
Let's jump into my thoughts on this one .. shall we?
** SPOILERS WILL BE THROUGHOUT THIS REVIEW -- ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK **
First, the things I liked about this story:
1 -- The characters. I liked Finn and Zosia. They are pretty typical for NA reads. Finn is a bit of a broken boy. He was harshly abused by his father through most of his childhood. He has anger issues, trust issues. He's incredibly smart; attends MIT. He's talented; he writes music and plays guitar .. for himself and a select someone - only. He is incredibly good looking and a man-whore. Oh .. yeah. There is a dragon tattoo hiding a scar to prove all the above. Nothing special really. Very typical. But the author does him well.
Zosia has lost her mother. She has only one real friend; Mindy. She has father who is wrapped up in himself and moving on with life. She is more beautiful than she knows, but is rather bohemian too. She has a strong, loving relationship with her prickly Polish grand-mother. Again, pretty typical to this NA theme, but the author does her well.
Nothing special about either of these two, but they are well written.
2 -- The story was engaging enough to pull me through to the end. What you find quite a bit when reading NA is a real lack of story development. I didn't find this to be the case here. We had a story that had a beginning, middle, end. It wasn't terribly original, but it wasn't bad. More on this in a few minutes.
3 -- The cover and title catch you.
A few things that didn't connect with me:
1 -- If I think about it too hard, this one just didn't make a whole lot of sense. Why Tokyo? What are the chances that these two, who originally meet in a state side high school will meet again in Tokyo? Okay, so their parents are engaged in a dating relationship and they are thrown together constantly, but seriously? Why Tokyo? Maybe this relationship wouldn't have happened if they were in their own home turf. Maybe. But, I'm not buying it. Tokyo added a backdrop to the story, but not a great one and it just puzzled me.
The swimming thing too. It was just there. It didn't add anything to the story other than food for the cover and the synopsis. Neither were terribly clever adds when you look at the way the story evolved. Rather non-nonsensical if you ask me.
2 -- This mother of Finn's. I didn't like her role in his abuse. She seemed to be a coward. You can say she didn't know, but she should have. I don't buy it. And the way she acted when Zo's father was going nutz over his daughter dating her son. Very non-mothering for sure. She was pretty much neutral on the whole thing and I felt she portrayed true cowardice in parenting. No wonder Finn was a mess. He had absolutely no one to count on until Zo.
3 -- Zo's character was a problem for me. Her inconsistencies were a pain in the ass to read. She was confident, then she wasn't, then she was. I mean .. settle on a personality for this girl and be done with it. She didn't deserve Finn. I thought she needed to be more assertive. I don't believe in not stating your mind and playing an active role in your own life. Life is not something you do from the sidelines and reading about people who are passive and expect good things to happen to them is asinine.
4 -- I don't have a problem with no sex and lots of intimacy in a story. I think, if done well, this theme or concept can play out VERY well. However, this became monotonous for me here. All the kissing, rubbing, moaning, was a bit over the top. I didn't buy the reason it never happened and it just played as too .. too for me. Rather than provide a relationship that develops through intimacy and care, we instead see this non-sex thing play out as an annoying character in this book. I got to the point, when a non-sex scene was building in the story ... where I said to myself .. "here we go a-friggin-gain!" Ugh!! Skimmed over it all [speed bumps]. Poorly told. Poorly developed. Poorly played.
I enjoyed this story, but it had issues. I may read another book by this author, if it appeals to me and reviews give me an idea of what's going on because the blurbs this author writes are a bit misleading.
Thanks Jilly Boo for the loan of this one!
Happy Reading!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Overall Rating = 3 Stars
Book Cover / Book Blurb / Book Title = 3 / 3 / 3 = 3 Stars
Writer’s Voice = 3 Stars
Character / Secondary Character Development = 4 / 3 = 3.5 Stars
“Did I like” Hero / Heroine = 4 / 2 = 3 Stars
Story / Background Story Development = 3 / 3 = 3 Stars
“Did I like the Damned Thing” = 3.5 Stars
Ending = 3 Stars
Worth the Chili = 5 Stars -- [$1.99 on Amazon]
**Loaned to me!!
Smexy [HEAT] Rating = Mild
235 pages
It's very early right now and there are all kinds of lightening and thunder outside right now.
What does this have to do with this story / this review? Not a damned thing, but the cover/blurb/title relate about as well here too. I felt it an oversell of what we actually get.
Let's jump into my thoughts on this one .. shall we?
** SPOILERS WILL BE THROUGHOUT THIS REVIEW -- ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK **
First, the things I liked about this story:
1 -- The characters. I liked Finn and Zosia. They are pretty typical for NA reads. Finn is a bit of a broken boy. He was harshly abused by his father through most of his childhood. He has anger issues, trust issues. He's incredibly smart; attends MIT. He's talented; he writes music and plays guitar .. for himself and a select someone - only. He is incredibly good looking and a man-whore. Oh .. yeah. There is a dragon tattoo hiding a scar to prove all the above. Nothing special really. Very typical. But the author does him well.
Zosia has lost her mother. She has only one real friend; Mindy. She has father who is wrapped up in himself and moving on with life. She is more beautiful than she knows, but is rather bohemian too. She has a strong, loving relationship with her prickly Polish grand-mother. Again, pretty typical to this NA theme, but the author does her well.
Nothing special about either of these two, but they are well written.
2 -- The story was engaging enough to pull me through to the end. What you find quite a bit when reading NA is a real lack of story development. I didn't find this to be the case here. We had a story that had a beginning, middle, end. It wasn't terribly original, but it wasn't bad. More on this in a few minutes.
3 -- The cover and title catch you.
A few things that didn't connect with me:
1 -- If I think about it too hard, this one just didn't make a whole lot of sense. Why Tokyo? What are the chances that these two, who originally meet in a state side high school will meet again in Tokyo? Okay, so their parents are engaged in a dating relationship and they are thrown together constantly, but seriously? Why Tokyo? Maybe this relationship wouldn't have happened if they were in their own home turf. Maybe. But, I'm not buying it. Tokyo added a backdrop to the story, but not a great one and it just puzzled me.
The swimming thing too. It was just there. It didn't add anything to the story other than food for the cover and the synopsis. Neither were terribly clever adds when you look at the way the story evolved. Rather non-nonsensical if you ask me.
2 -- This mother of Finn's. I didn't like her role in his abuse. She seemed to be a coward. You can say she didn't know, but she should have. I don't buy it. And the way she acted when Zo's father was going nutz over his daughter dating her son. Very non-mothering for sure. She was pretty much neutral on the whole thing and I felt she portrayed true cowardice in parenting. No wonder Finn was a mess. He had absolutely no one to count on until Zo.
3 -- Zo's character was a problem for me. Her inconsistencies were a pain in the ass to read. She was confident, then she wasn't, then she was. I mean .. settle on a personality for this girl and be done with it. She didn't deserve Finn. I thought she needed to be more assertive. I don't believe in not stating your mind and playing an active role in your own life. Life is not something you do from the sidelines and reading about people who are passive and expect good things to happen to them is asinine.
4 -- I don't have a problem with no sex and lots of intimacy in a story. I think, if done well, this theme or concept can play out VERY well. However, this became monotonous for me here. All the kissing, rubbing, moaning, was a bit over the top. I didn't buy the reason it never happened and it just played as too .. too for me. Rather than provide a relationship that develops through intimacy and care, we instead see this non-sex thing play out as an annoying character in this book. I got to the point, when a non-sex scene was building in the story ... where I said to myself .. "here we go a-friggin-gain!" Ugh!! Skimmed over it all [speed bumps]. Poorly told. Poorly developed. Poorly played.
I enjoyed this story, but it had issues. I may read another book by this author, if it appeals to me and reviews give me an idea of what's going on because the blurbs this author writes are a bit misleading.
Thanks Jilly Boo for the loan of this one!
Happy Reading!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Overall Rating = 3 Stars
Book Cover / Book Blurb / Book Title = 3 / 3 / 3 = 3 Stars
Writer’s Voice = 3 Stars
Character / Secondary Character Development = 4 / 3 = 3.5 Stars
“Did I like” Hero / Heroine = 4 / 2 = 3 Stars
Story / Background Story Development = 3 / 3 = 3 Stars
“Did I like the Damned Thing” = 3.5 Stars
Ending = 3 Stars
Worth the Chili = 5 Stars -- [$1.99 on Amazon]
**Loaned to me!!
Smexy [HEAT] Rating = Mild
235 pages
January 30, 2015
I JUST finished this book maybe 2 minutes ago so please, just give me a moment here:
Wow..okay, *sniff*
I really wasn't expecting this kind of story and I mean that in the nicest way possible. I was pleasantly surprised, to say the least. What I really only knew about this book was the synopsis and let me tell you, it's SO much more than that.
I thought that this was going to be "just another summer-fling" book, but these characters are way more complex for that type of story. I was sucked into their story just about from the beginning. As I got deeper into the book I couldn't stop.I had no idea where the story would take me and I couldn't put the book down. I'm a very impatient reader. I'll admit that sometimes I'll scan the few last chapters so that I can see where the story will be going so that I can maybe stop me from heartache. I didn't do that at all with this book. I just kept going, kept reading, hoping that they would find their way.
The only part of the story that I had a hard time wrapping my head around was Finn's mother. She was very supportive of Zo and his relationship and I found that especially odd considering her own situation. The interactions that Zo and Finn's mother had were few but impactful.
Such an amazing story. It's definitly added to my reread shelf.
Wow..okay, *sniff*
I really wasn't expecting this kind of story and I mean that in the nicest way possible. I was pleasantly surprised, to say the least. What I really only knew about this book was the synopsis and let me tell you, it's SO much more than that.
I thought that this was going to be "just another summer-fling" book, but these characters are way more complex for that type of story. I was sucked into their story just about from the beginning. As I got deeper into the book I couldn't stop.I had no idea where the story would take me and I couldn't put the book down. I'm a very impatient reader. I'll admit that sometimes I'll scan the few last chapters so that I can see where the story will be going so that I can maybe stop me from heartache. I didn't do that at all with this book. I just kept going, kept reading, hoping that they would find their way.
The only part of the story that I had a hard time wrapping my head around was Finn's mother. She was very supportive of Zo and his relationship and I found that especially odd considering her own situation. The interactions that Zo and Finn's mother had were few but impactful.
Such an amazing story. It's definitly added to my reread shelf.
December 27, 2014
Brenda St. John Brown, it's your fault I'm at work today on only four hours of sleep! But I wouldn't have it any other way.
You know how the TBR gets, and this book has been sitting on my kindle since its release. It's only been out a little over a month, and I still want to kick myself that it took me this long to read.
Swimming to Tokyo is gorgeous, an emotional, heart-wrenching debut. Zosia was the kind of heroine I could relate to--unsure of herself as she navigates big changes in her life. Not only is she still grieving the loss of her mother, but now she has to leave all that's familiar to spend a summer in Tokyo with her father who has to move there for work. Then there's Finn--oh Finn. This story may be told from Zosia's point of view, but this was as much Finn's story as it was hers, and Brenda St. John Brown masterfully lets his story unfold without us even realizing he's not the one telling it.
I love the way Zosia's experience with losing her mom helps her learn how to love a guy like Finn, and I love how Finn makes Zosia see herself in a way she never has before, always thinking a guy like Finn was out of her league.
This story is as much about family as it is about the building relationship between Zosia and Finn. It't emotional, steamy, and so full of heart. And let's not forget that this is an NA that takes place abroad, and the author brings Tokyo to life as much as she does her characters. Fabulous debut!
You know how the TBR gets, and this book has been sitting on my kindle since its release. It's only been out a little over a month, and I still want to kick myself that it took me this long to read.
Swimming to Tokyo is gorgeous, an emotional, heart-wrenching debut. Zosia was the kind of heroine I could relate to--unsure of herself as she navigates big changes in her life. Not only is she still grieving the loss of her mother, but now she has to leave all that's familiar to spend a summer in Tokyo with her father who has to move there for work. Then there's Finn--oh Finn. This story may be told from Zosia's point of view, but this was as much Finn's story as it was hers, and Brenda St. John Brown masterfully lets his story unfold without us even realizing he's not the one telling it.
I love the way Zosia's experience with losing her mom helps her learn how to love a guy like Finn, and I love how Finn makes Zosia see herself in a way she never has before, always thinking a guy like Finn was out of her league.
This story is as much about family as it is about the building relationship between Zosia and Finn. It't emotional, steamy, and so full of heart. And let's not forget that this is an NA that takes place abroad, and the author brings Tokyo to life as much as she does her characters. Fabulous debut!
July 22, 2014
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review
I wanted to read this book after hearing some good things about it and because I was intrigued by the cover. This was totally different then I expected, but I still enjoyed it. yes it is about Tokyo and swimming, but mostly it's a romance story set in Tokyo. I did love the setting, although I wished there was some more swimming.
At first i had some trouble getting into this book, the first few chapters where a bit slow and took place in the Us and I just wanted them to get to Tokyo. Later on I did understand why the start in the Us was necessary for this story though. Also the writing style took me some getting used to. When I hesitantly picked up the book the next day after getting only 10% in the first day i actually read most of the rest of the book in one sitting.
I did really enjoy this book, although I can't really pinpoint why. It was a fun story and once the pace picked up I enjoyed it and wanted to keep reading. There are also some more difficult and hard scenes, although I thought they clashed a bit with the rest of the book at times.
I liked Zo and Finn, they are both fleshed out character, although it does take some time before we really get to know Finn. And Finn could be a bit too stubborn at times. There are some frustrating scenes between the two of them, but overall I liked how messy their relationship was, they had their up and downs, but never really let it go too far. I also liked how their relationship developed slowly at first and how they became friends first. Beside the two main character, the side characters weren't that interesting and besides Mindi I often forgot who was who.
I really liked the setting in Tokyo, although I would've liked a bit more focus on the country as sometimes it was easy to forget they actually where in Tokyo. There where some scenes where the differences between the two cultures was really obvious and it was fun to see how different Japan is. Also I had expected for swimming to play a more central point in this book, but while it was mentioned a few times that Zo liked to swim, there wasn't really more focus on that.
To conclude: this was a fun book and once I got past the first 10% I really enjoyed it and read most of it in one sitting. The main characters are nice, although Finn could be a bit stubborn at time and we don't learn much about the side characters. the romance was done well and had a slow build-up to friend first and then more. All in all this was a fun read with a nice setting.
I wanted to read this book after hearing some good things about it and because I was intrigued by the cover. This was totally different then I expected, but I still enjoyed it. yes it is about Tokyo and swimming, but mostly it's a romance story set in Tokyo. I did love the setting, although I wished there was some more swimming.
At first i had some trouble getting into this book, the first few chapters where a bit slow and took place in the Us and I just wanted them to get to Tokyo. Later on I did understand why the start in the Us was necessary for this story though. Also the writing style took me some getting used to. When I hesitantly picked up the book the next day after getting only 10% in the first day i actually read most of the rest of the book in one sitting.
I did really enjoy this book, although I can't really pinpoint why. It was a fun story and once the pace picked up I enjoyed it and wanted to keep reading. There are also some more difficult and hard scenes, although I thought they clashed a bit with the rest of the book at times.
I liked Zo and Finn, they are both fleshed out character, although it does take some time before we really get to know Finn. And Finn could be a bit too stubborn at times. There are some frustrating scenes between the two of them, but overall I liked how messy their relationship was, they had their up and downs, but never really let it go too far. I also liked how their relationship developed slowly at first and how they became friends first. Beside the two main character, the side characters weren't that interesting and besides Mindi I often forgot who was who.
I really liked the setting in Tokyo, although I would've liked a bit more focus on the country as sometimes it was easy to forget they actually where in Tokyo. There where some scenes where the differences between the two cultures was really obvious and it was fun to see how different Japan is. Also I had expected for swimming to play a more central point in this book, but while it was mentioned a few times that Zo liked to swim, there wasn't really more focus on that.
To conclude: this was a fun book and once I got past the first 10% I really enjoyed it and read most of it in one sitting. The main characters are nice, although Finn could be a bit stubborn at time and we don't learn much about the side characters. the romance was done well and had a slow build-up to friend first and then more. All in all this was a fun read with a nice setting.
September 24, 2014
I want to thank Spencer Hill Contemporary for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give an honest review. I will let you know that, yes, I do work for Spencer Hill Press as a publicist and no, this did not influence my opinion or review. The book on it's own is fabulous and no matter the publisher it needs to be read!
Blurb from Goodreads:
The rules for swimming are simple:
Rule #1: There is no lifeguard on duty.
Since her mom died three years ago, nineteen-year-old Zosia Easton’s been treading water. Living at home. Community college. Same old Saturday nights. So when her father breaks the news he’s taken a job transfer—and by the way, it means renting out the house that’s been her refuge—a summer in Tokyo feels like it just might be a chance to start swimming again.
Rule #2: Beware of unexpected currents.
Finn O’Leary has spent God knows how many years trying to drown out his past. Juvenile detention. Bad decisions. Worse choices. He’s managed to turn it around – MIT, Dean’s List, a sexier-than-thou body with a smile to match – at least on the surface. When his mom asks him to spend the summer with her, Tokyo seems as good a place as any to float through the summer.
Rule #3: Swim at your own risk
To say I was pleasantly surprised by this book is an understatement. I loved the concept from the moment I read the blurb. I'm very into contemporary books right now. But I am also extremely picky about them because they have to have fabulous characters, an interesting plot, and some basis in reality. This book has all three and more.
Zosia (Zo, Zoe) really surprised me in this book. At the start, I was sure she was going to be so resistant to Tokyo that the book would focus on how much she hated her life while there. However, I was happy to see her embrace Tokyo and her situation, as much as she was reluctant to go at first. Zosia is strong minded and independent and can easily take care of herself with no assistance. Not surprising that she adapts fairly well once abroad. She misses her life back in the states, but she's willing to take a chance to figure out what there is for her in Tokyo. She also has quite a bit of snark and there is nothing fake about her at all.
Enter Finn. Yup, this is a boy you are going to LOVE. Does he have demons, oh yes he does. And they keep him closed off from Zosia for many parts of the book. But this just lends to his intrigue (and for me the bad boy status is such a turn on in male characters I am immediately drawn to them). And his connection with Zosia cannot be denied. He's a swoon worthy book boyfriend for sure. I think my favorite thing about Finn is that he comes across as this bad boy, but he's super intelligent and has gone from battling his demons to coming to terms with them and turning his life around. He's not perfect, but believe me, you will overlook it. Just keep in mind that he has good intentions and wants to keep everyone around him, especially those he cares for, safe.
I love how Finn and Zosia explore Japan, while exploring themselves. The way Brown develops the characters makes you fall for them completely. I would imagine anyone would be hard pressed not to connect with them on some level. There was nothing about either character that I did not love.
Having never visited Japan, I can't say that I know where anything is. But that really didn't matter, Brown did a great job with her descriptions and I felt like I was there with the characters exploring the temples and marketplaces, the restaurants and tourist attractions.
I love how Finn and Zosia slowly open up to each other, and let their demons out. Typical of a contemporary is the angst that comes along with their growing relationship: Zosia's uncertainty of letting him in and whether or not he wants to allow it. She keeps almost everyone at a safe distance, fearing heartbreak as she had when her mother died. But she's strong and determined at the same time, and slowly realizes that perhaps Finn is just the person she needs to let in.
Brown's writing is truly great. The flow is easy, her pacing is spot on. There was never a time that I wanted to put this book down. It completely and totally engulfed me. She writes funny scenes, sexy scenes, and heart wrenching scenes with all the emotion you would expect. There's tons of struggling in this book. Prepare to have Brown throw your emotions all about!
Lovers of Colleen Hoover, Cora Carmack, and Katie McGarry will definitely enjoy this fun, funny, sexy and emotional read by Brown!
Blurb from Goodreads:
The rules for swimming are simple:
Rule #1: There is no lifeguard on duty.
Since her mom died three years ago, nineteen-year-old Zosia Easton’s been treading water. Living at home. Community college. Same old Saturday nights. So when her father breaks the news he’s taken a job transfer—and by the way, it means renting out the house that’s been her refuge—a summer in Tokyo feels like it just might be a chance to start swimming again.
Rule #2: Beware of unexpected currents.
Finn O’Leary has spent God knows how many years trying to drown out his past. Juvenile detention. Bad decisions. Worse choices. He’s managed to turn it around – MIT, Dean’s List, a sexier-than-thou body with a smile to match – at least on the surface. When his mom asks him to spend the summer with her, Tokyo seems as good a place as any to float through the summer.
Rule #3: Swim at your own risk
To say I was pleasantly surprised by this book is an understatement. I loved the concept from the moment I read the blurb. I'm very into contemporary books right now. But I am also extremely picky about them because they have to have fabulous characters, an interesting plot, and some basis in reality. This book has all three and more.
Zosia (Zo, Zoe) really surprised me in this book. At the start, I was sure she was going to be so resistant to Tokyo that the book would focus on how much she hated her life while there. However, I was happy to see her embrace Tokyo and her situation, as much as she was reluctant to go at first. Zosia is strong minded and independent and can easily take care of herself with no assistance. Not surprising that she adapts fairly well once abroad. She misses her life back in the states, but she's willing to take a chance to figure out what there is for her in Tokyo. She also has quite a bit of snark and there is nothing fake about her at all.
Enter Finn. Yup, this is a boy you are going to LOVE. Does he have demons, oh yes he does. And they keep him closed off from Zosia for many parts of the book. But this just lends to his intrigue (and for me the bad boy status is such a turn on in male characters I am immediately drawn to them). And his connection with Zosia cannot be denied. He's a swoon worthy book boyfriend for sure. I think my favorite thing about Finn is that he comes across as this bad boy, but he's super intelligent and has gone from battling his demons to coming to terms with them and turning his life around. He's not perfect, but believe me, you will overlook it. Just keep in mind that he has good intentions and wants to keep everyone around him, especially those he cares for, safe.
I love how Finn and Zosia explore Japan, while exploring themselves. The way Brown develops the characters makes you fall for them completely. I would imagine anyone would be hard pressed not to connect with them on some level. There was nothing about either character that I did not love.
Having never visited Japan, I can't say that I know where anything is. But that really didn't matter, Brown did a great job with her descriptions and I felt like I was there with the characters exploring the temples and marketplaces, the restaurants and tourist attractions.
I love how Finn and Zosia slowly open up to each other, and let their demons out. Typical of a contemporary is the angst that comes along with their growing relationship: Zosia's uncertainty of letting him in and whether or not he wants to allow it. She keeps almost everyone at a safe distance, fearing heartbreak as she had when her mother died. But she's strong and determined at the same time, and slowly realizes that perhaps Finn is just the person she needs to let in.
Brown's writing is truly great. The flow is easy, her pacing is spot on. There was never a time that I wanted to put this book down. It completely and totally engulfed me. She writes funny scenes, sexy scenes, and heart wrenching scenes with all the emotion you would expect. There's tons of struggling in this book. Prepare to have Brown throw your emotions all about!
Lovers of Colleen Hoover, Cora Carmack, and Katie McGarry will definitely enjoy this fun, funny, sexy and emotional read by Brown!
July 24, 2014
Swimming to Tokyo Review on K-Books
"Honesty's easy. It's trust that's hard."
Holy crap!
Swimming to Tokyo may just be the best NA Contemporary I have ever read in my life. I am already a huge fan of NA Contemporary but I so find some of them so similar that you can completely guess what has happened in the characters past and what is going to happen in the end. Swimming to Tokyo completely and utterly dashed all of my perceptions and blew me away. It is utterly phenomenal!
Zosia is still getting over the death of her mother form 3 years ago. She thinks about her every day. She misses her every day. When her Dad reveals that his job is moving him to Tokyo and she will be spending the summer there before she heads of to University Zosia is devastated. She isn't so sure that she is ready to say goodbye to her house... the house with all of her memories of her mother. When she arrives in Tokyo she runs into Finn. The boy from her school that she had a major crush on. The one boy who is untouchable. As their friendship develops and sparks fly Zosia and Finn have to face their pasts... and face the fact that after the summer they will both be leaving. Can they face their pasts and come out on top or with saying goodbye to Tokyo mean saying goodbye to the one beautiful thing that has happened to them both.
Brenda St John Brown is fast becoming an auto-buy author for me. I know I know this is her debut but I was lucky enough to beta another book that she is working on and it was awesome so this is the second Brena St John Brown that I have read... and it is phenomenal! Brenda's writing style is just so incredible. It really sucks you in from the first paragraph and won't let you go until you have devoured the whole book in one sitting. This is what happened to me! I demolished Swimming to Tokyo in one sitting and I was slightly devastated when I had no more to read. Yeah... I loved it that much!
Swimming to Tokyo is one of the best NA Contemporary novels I have ever read. I think I adore this book so much because it is so different and unique to other books in the genre. I loved that there is no major drama in the girls past. I mean of course it's horrible that her Mom died but in a lot of NA Contemps the girl has always been abused or something like that which is dramatic and damaging. Zosia hasn't had this happen to her and I loved that. A lot of the horrible stuff going on is in the guy's past and I found this so refreshing and awesome. That instead of the guy having to help the girl through her traumatic past the roles were reversed. Add that to the fact that it is set in Tokyo, Japan. I loved it! So many of these books are set in the college somewhere in the US so to have this awesome summer in an exotic place it made me love it even more.
Swimming to Tokyo is the best NA book I have ever read. I loved every moment of it and I can't recommend this enough. If you are a fan of NA Contemporary books then this book is a must-read... if you don't really like NA Contemporary books then this book is still a must-read as it's so unique and different from others. I loved everything about this book. The culture of the setting, the storyline, the emotion, the characters... everything about it is absolutely phenomenal. If there is ONE book that you read this summer make sure that it is this one.
"I don't have relationships and I sure as hell don't fall in love.
But I'm falling for you."
"Honesty's easy. It's trust that's hard."
Holy crap!
Swimming to Tokyo may just be the best NA Contemporary I have ever read in my life. I am already a huge fan of NA Contemporary but I so find some of them so similar that you can completely guess what has happened in the characters past and what is going to happen in the end. Swimming to Tokyo completely and utterly dashed all of my perceptions and blew me away. It is utterly phenomenal!
Zosia is still getting over the death of her mother form 3 years ago. She thinks about her every day. She misses her every day. When her Dad reveals that his job is moving him to Tokyo and she will be spending the summer there before she heads of to University Zosia is devastated. She isn't so sure that she is ready to say goodbye to her house... the house with all of her memories of her mother. When she arrives in Tokyo she runs into Finn. The boy from her school that she had a major crush on. The one boy who is untouchable. As their friendship develops and sparks fly Zosia and Finn have to face their pasts... and face the fact that after the summer they will both be leaving. Can they face their pasts and come out on top or with saying goodbye to Tokyo mean saying goodbye to the one beautiful thing that has happened to them both.
Brenda St John Brown is fast becoming an auto-buy author for me. I know I know this is her debut but I was lucky enough to beta another book that she is working on and it was awesome so this is the second Brena St John Brown that I have read... and it is phenomenal! Brenda's writing style is just so incredible. It really sucks you in from the first paragraph and won't let you go until you have devoured the whole book in one sitting. This is what happened to me! I demolished Swimming to Tokyo in one sitting and I was slightly devastated when I had no more to read. Yeah... I loved it that much!
Swimming to Tokyo is one of the best NA Contemporary novels I have ever read. I think I adore this book so much because it is so different and unique to other books in the genre. I loved that there is no major drama in the girls past. I mean of course it's horrible that her Mom died but in a lot of NA Contemps the girl has always been abused or something like that which is dramatic and damaging. Zosia hasn't had this happen to her and I loved that. A lot of the horrible stuff going on is in the guy's past and I found this so refreshing and awesome. That instead of the guy having to help the girl through her traumatic past the roles were reversed. Add that to the fact that it is set in Tokyo, Japan. I loved it! So many of these books are set in the college somewhere in the US so to have this awesome summer in an exotic place it made me love it even more.
Swimming to Tokyo is the best NA book I have ever read. I loved every moment of it and I can't recommend this enough. If you are a fan of NA Contemporary books then this book is a must-read... if you don't really like NA Contemporary books then this book is still a must-read as it's so unique and different from others. I loved everything about this book. The culture of the setting, the storyline, the emotion, the characters... everything about it is absolutely phenomenal. If there is ONE book that you read this summer make sure that it is this one.
"I don't have relationships and I sure as hell don't fall in love.
But I'm falling for you."
May 22, 2017
Super sweet & steamy read! Oh, I do love the tortured boys...
October 26, 2015
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Emotional, gorgeous new adult romance that I devoured. All romance fans need to pick this one up!
Opening Sentence: I wipe my nose on the sleeve of my T-shirt, right across the pink Nike swoosh. Disgusting, but it can’t be helped.
The Review:
Zosia Easton’s mother died a couple of years ago and she’s never quite been the same. She hasn’t taken any risks because she felt like she’s had enough heartache in her life and she doesn’t think she would be able to deal with more. She has a best friend, a loving family, not much of a love life, but at the moment she’s content. But she knows that she is stuck in a rut and she can’t stay there forever. So when her father suggests that she spend the summer in Tokyo with him she decides it’s probably a great opportunity to start over. Then she runs into Finn O’Leary, the boy she has had a crush on ever since high school. Her summer goes from being a relaxing experience to something much more. Finn might be her new start, but she soon realizes that love is complicated and she will have to be patient if she wants their relationship to last!
Finn hasn’t always made the best choices in life and he has had some pretty serious consequences because of it. But he finally has his life back on track, he is attending MIT, on the Dean’s List, and has managed to stay out trouble. But some scars run deep and no matter how much you try to cover them up they never seem to go away. Spending the summer with his mother in Tokyo seems like the perfect way to relax and have a good time. What he didn’t expect was that he would fall for a girl that he would never be good enough for!
Zosia is a very easy character to like and I felt like I could relate to her. She is smart, cute, and fun, but she also has a fair amount of insecurities. She is naturally a little on the reserved side and after her mother passed away she pretty much lost all her motivation to really succeed. She didn’t start failing or getting in trouble but in areas of her life where she really excelled she just became more average. As the story progresses she slowly comes out of her shell and you finally get to see her to start living life to the fullest. I thought she was a wonderful character and I really enjoyed reading her story!
Finn is one sexy guy that I complete fell head over heels for. He has to deal with a lot of inner struggles and watching him heal was inspirational. He is already a good guy, he just needs to realize that he is. With his background and genetic makeup he feels like he’s doomed to fail, but ultimately it is his choice who he becomes. I have always been a fan of hot broken guys and he definitely fits in that category.
I loved the relationship between Finn and Zosia, it was insanely cute! They have seriously hot chemistry and are very compatible. I’ve always been a sucker for when a friendship becomes more, but what I love most about this relationship was we got to see their friendship develop first and then the romance come later. Their relationship is definitely not easy but it teaches you that a good thing is worth fighting for no matter how hard it gets.
Swimming to Tokyo is an emotional, beautiful romance that I completely loved. The characters in the story were so engaging and I really could sympathize with their stories. There’s tons of great sexual tension that kept me intrigued and the book is extremely fast-paced, so I got through it super quick. I thought the setting was gorgeous and while I’ve never been to Tokyo this made me really want to go and see some of the historical sites there. There were definitely some funny moments that helps to lighten the mood of the story but there was also some very emotional times that really pulled at your heartstrings. Basically, from the very beginning of the story I was totally hooked and read the entire book in one sitting. I honestly can’t say enough good things about it, so if you are a new adult contemporary romance fan this needs to go on your to read list right now. You can thank me later when you enjoy it as much as I did!
Notable Scene:
“It’s okay, Mom. It is. I’m just freaking out a little. I’m not ready for this. I mean, it’s cool, but I just didn’t think things would change until…”
“Until what?” The voice is soft and close in the dark.
My eyes fly open and I lurch off the swing. A hand catches my wrist, but I yank it away as soon as I’ve got my footing. “Jesus Christ. What are you doing?”
When I look up, my heart drops to my knees.
Finn O’Leary, as I live and breathe. Standing a foot away from me. It’s dark, but I know it’s him by the line of his jaw, the smooth buzz of his hair. His white T-shirt glows in the moonlight, and it’s the thing I can see most clearly about him. “I…nothing. What are you doing?”
“Nothing. Seriously, what are you doing here and why are you sneaking up on me?” My voice is loud and hard, and my pulse throbs in the back of my knees now.
“Whoa. Hey. I’m not sneaking up on you.” He takes a step back and holds his hands up like I’m threatening him.
“Really? What would you call it?” I can’t really see Finn’s expression, but in the back of my mind I wonder if I should be worried. I don’t even have my phone with me and it’s not like I know him very well. We had a bunch of random exchanges in high school, but comments on the lunch menu can hardly be called a conversation.
“I just…I saw you and I came to see if you were okay. You shouldn’t be here at night by yourself.” His tone hasn’t changed; it’s still soft and even. But, wow, his voice is deep. Has it always been? I’m sure he sounded different that day I saw him in Walgreens. Didn’t he?
FTC Advisory: Spencer Hill Press provided me with a copy of Swimming to Tokyo. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Emotional, gorgeous new adult romance that I devoured. All romance fans need to pick this one up!
Opening Sentence: I wipe my nose on the sleeve of my T-shirt, right across the pink Nike swoosh. Disgusting, but it can’t be helped.
The Review:
Zosia Easton’s mother died a couple of years ago and she’s never quite been the same. She hasn’t taken any risks because she felt like she’s had enough heartache in her life and she doesn’t think she would be able to deal with more. She has a best friend, a loving family, not much of a love life, but at the moment she’s content. But she knows that she is stuck in a rut and she can’t stay there forever. So when her father suggests that she spend the summer in Tokyo with him she decides it’s probably a great opportunity to start over. Then she runs into Finn O’Leary, the boy she has had a crush on ever since high school. Her summer goes from being a relaxing experience to something much more. Finn might be her new start, but she soon realizes that love is complicated and she will have to be patient if she wants their relationship to last!
Finn hasn’t always made the best choices in life and he has had some pretty serious consequences because of it. But he finally has his life back on track, he is attending MIT, on the Dean’s List, and has managed to stay out trouble. But some scars run deep and no matter how much you try to cover them up they never seem to go away. Spending the summer with his mother in Tokyo seems like the perfect way to relax and have a good time. What he didn’t expect was that he would fall for a girl that he would never be good enough for!
Zosia is a very easy character to like and I felt like I could relate to her. She is smart, cute, and fun, but she also has a fair amount of insecurities. She is naturally a little on the reserved side and after her mother passed away she pretty much lost all her motivation to really succeed. She didn’t start failing or getting in trouble but in areas of her life where she really excelled she just became more average. As the story progresses she slowly comes out of her shell and you finally get to see her to start living life to the fullest. I thought she was a wonderful character and I really enjoyed reading her story!
Finn is one sexy guy that I complete fell head over heels for. He has to deal with a lot of inner struggles and watching him heal was inspirational. He is already a good guy, he just needs to realize that he is. With his background and genetic makeup he feels like he’s doomed to fail, but ultimately it is his choice who he becomes. I have always been a fan of hot broken guys and he definitely fits in that category.
I loved the relationship between Finn and Zosia, it was insanely cute! They have seriously hot chemistry and are very compatible. I’ve always been a sucker for when a friendship becomes more, but what I love most about this relationship was we got to see their friendship develop first and then the romance come later. Their relationship is definitely not easy but it teaches you that a good thing is worth fighting for no matter how hard it gets.
Swimming to Tokyo is an emotional, beautiful romance that I completely loved. The characters in the story were so engaging and I really could sympathize with their stories. There’s tons of great sexual tension that kept me intrigued and the book is extremely fast-paced, so I got through it super quick. I thought the setting was gorgeous and while I’ve never been to Tokyo this made me really want to go and see some of the historical sites there. There were definitely some funny moments that helps to lighten the mood of the story but there was also some very emotional times that really pulled at your heartstrings. Basically, from the very beginning of the story I was totally hooked and read the entire book in one sitting. I honestly can’t say enough good things about it, so if you are a new adult contemporary romance fan this needs to go on your to read list right now. You can thank me later when you enjoy it as much as I did!
Notable Scene:
“It’s okay, Mom. It is. I’m just freaking out a little. I’m not ready for this. I mean, it’s cool, but I just didn’t think things would change until…”
“Until what?” The voice is soft and close in the dark.
My eyes fly open and I lurch off the swing. A hand catches my wrist, but I yank it away as soon as I’ve got my footing. “Jesus Christ. What are you doing?”
When I look up, my heart drops to my knees.
Finn O’Leary, as I live and breathe. Standing a foot away from me. It’s dark, but I know it’s him by the line of his jaw, the smooth buzz of his hair. His white T-shirt glows in the moonlight, and it’s the thing I can see most clearly about him. “I…nothing. What are you doing?”
“Nothing. Seriously, what are you doing here and why are you sneaking up on me?” My voice is loud and hard, and my pulse throbs in the back of my knees now.
“Whoa. Hey. I’m not sneaking up on you.” He takes a step back and holds his hands up like I’m threatening him.
“Really? What would you call it?” I can’t really see Finn’s expression, but in the back of my mind I wonder if I should be worried. I don’t even have my phone with me and it’s not like I know him very well. We had a bunch of random exchanges in high school, but comments on the lunch menu can hardly be called a conversation.
“I just…I saw you and I came to see if you were okay. You shouldn’t be here at night by yourself.” His tone hasn’t changed; it’s still soft and even. But, wow, his voice is deep. Has it always been? I’m sure he sounded different that day I saw him in Walgreens. Didn’t he?
FTC Advisory: Spencer Hill Press provided me with a copy of Swimming to Tokyo. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
August 10, 2014
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kimberlyfaye reads
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I can't even begin to tell you just how much I loved Swimming to Tokyo – and I'm pretty sure my review won't do it justice – but I'm gonna try. From the minute I saw it on NetGalley and read the blurb, I knew I had to read it and that I would very likely love it. I was so right.
Zosia's life is turned upside down pretty early on in this book. Her mom passed away a few years ago and she's still dealing with that loss. Now her dad tells her he's moving to Tokyo for work and he's going to rent out their home while he's gone. Oh, and he has a girlfriend who will be in Tokyo, too. Zosia agrees to accompany him to Tokyo for the summer. She's excited to shake things up a bit, but she doesn't know just what she's getting herself into. Imagine her surprise when she discovers the guy she has had a crush on since high school, a guy she's seen around town lately and had some pretty interesting encounters with, is her dad's girlfriend's son. He's spending some time in Tokyo this summer, too.
While there's a lot to love about this book, my favorite part, hands down, is the characters. I loved Zosia. She was a regular girl dealing with a loss that changed her life forever. She's not perfect and she's self-aware enough to know it. She was a regular girl and the type of person I'd be friends with in real life. She was strong, smart and sassy. Finn was sweet and swoony, but he hadn't always been. The boy had a real piece of work for a father and he spent his life thinking he was just like him. He's spent some time in juvie and has quite an illustrious reputation with the ladies.
There's an undeniable attraction between Zosia and Finn from the beginning, but neither of them really think they're good enough for the other. Despite this, they begin to grow closer while they're in Tokyo. I loved watching them get to know each other and grow closer. Of course, the ticking clock of the time when they both leave Tokyo to head home hangs over both of their heads and they, along with the friends and family, have to wonder if this thing between them would have happened back in the US. Was it a convenience? Was it real? Would it last? Or would Zosia wind up with a broken heart, again, at the end of the summer? Is she willing to go against her dad's wishes and take a chance anyhow?
There was a fair bit of drama throughout this book. There were misunderstandings and miscommunications, but none of them were TOO MUCH, if you know what I mean. Each of these characters were dealing with a lot, as well as each other's baggage, and it all felt real to me. I could sympathize with each of them, even if I wanted to scream at them and tell them to stop being ridiculous at times. But even with all the ups and downs, I loved how Zosia and Finn found both each other and themselves during their summer in Tokyo. There's a tremendous amount of character development for each of them.
One of my favorite dynamics in this book was the one between Zosia and her grandmother. Babci and Zosia had a very special relationship and I'm sure most of that stems from her being a mother figure to Zosia after her mother passed away. She was often the voice of reason – and encouragement – when Zosia needed it most.
Swimming to Tokyo really is new adult contemporary at its best. It's an incredible debut book and is one of my favorites of the year so far. The portrayal of friendship, love and familial relationships in the book were real and genuine and completely believable. It was chock full of feels, emotions and sexy times. I'll definitely be looking for more from Brenda St. John Brown in the future.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
I can't even begin to tell you just how much I loved Swimming to Tokyo – and I'm pretty sure my review won't do it justice – but I'm gonna try. From the minute I saw it on NetGalley and read the blurb, I knew I had to read it and that I would very likely love it. I was so right.
Zosia's life is turned upside down pretty early on in this book. Her mom passed away a few years ago and she's still dealing with that loss. Now her dad tells her he's moving to Tokyo for work and he's going to rent out their home while he's gone. Oh, and he has a girlfriend who will be in Tokyo, too. Zosia agrees to accompany him to Tokyo for the summer. She's excited to shake things up a bit, but she doesn't know just what she's getting herself into. Imagine her surprise when she discovers the guy she has had a crush on since high school, a guy she's seen around town lately and had some pretty interesting encounters with, is her dad's girlfriend's son. He's spending some time in Tokyo this summer, too.
While there's a lot to love about this book, my favorite part, hands down, is the characters. I loved Zosia. She was a regular girl dealing with a loss that changed her life forever. She's not perfect and she's self-aware enough to know it. She was a regular girl and the type of person I'd be friends with in real life. She was strong, smart and sassy. Finn was sweet and swoony, but he hadn't always been. The boy had a real piece of work for a father and he spent his life thinking he was just like him. He's spent some time in juvie and has quite an illustrious reputation with the ladies.
There's an undeniable attraction between Zosia and Finn from the beginning, but neither of them really think they're good enough for the other. Despite this, they begin to grow closer while they're in Tokyo. I loved watching them get to know each other and grow closer. Of course, the ticking clock of the time when they both leave Tokyo to head home hangs over both of their heads and they, along with the friends and family, have to wonder if this thing between them would have happened back in the US. Was it a convenience? Was it real? Would it last? Or would Zosia wind up with a broken heart, again, at the end of the summer? Is she willing to go against her dad's wishes and take a chance anyhow?
There was a fair bit of drama throughout this book. There were misunderstandings and miscommunications, but none of them were TOO MUCH, if you know what I mean. Each of these characters were dealing with a lot, as well as each other's baggage, and it all felt real to me. I could sympathize with each of them, even if I wanted to scream at them and tell them to stop being ridiculous at times. But even with all the ups and downs, I loved how Zosia and Finn found both each other and themselves during their summer in Tokyo. There's a tremendous amount of character development for each of them.
One of my favorite dynamics in this book was the one between Zosia and her grandmother. Babci and Zosia had a very special relationship and I'm sure most of that stems from her being a mother figure to Zosia after her mother passed away. She was often the voice of reason – and encouragement – when Zosia needed it most.
Swimming to Tokyo really is new adult contemporary at its best. It's an incredible debut book and is one of my favorites of the year so far. The portrayal of friendship, love and familial relationships in the book were real and genuine and completely believable. It was chock full of feels, emotions and sexy times. I'll definitely be looking for more from Brenda St. John Brown in the future.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
January 12, 2015
There's only so much of stupidity I can take, yo.
No, I did not DNF it, on account of how I literally forced myself to finish it since it's actually pretty small, but that 210+ pages worth of foolishness nearly made me bang my head against the wall. I had more maturity at the age of 12 than these people have at 19. It crazy.
The main character, Zosia, is a complete idiot. Weeee! A new place! Tokyo! Weee! Lets stay out at 2 am in the morning with this completely random guy who I used to have a crush on at school but dont even know a shit about! Weee! Yeah, that kind of stupid.
And judgemental. Really, really judgemental. Like, stereotypical blonde cheerleader judgemental. Did I say judgemental?
Because, oh right! She's wearing Mickey mouse ears, so theres no way she's smart. And whats up with the quote-unquote on 'university'?
So lets got through Zosia again; Idiotic and Judgemental. What am I forgetting?
PRIVACY, ZOSIA. PRIVACY. YOU ARENT THE ONLY ONE WHO NEEDS IT.
But does it stop there? Oh hell no.
DID YOU NEVER LEARN THAT GOING THROUGH SOMEONE'S PERSONAL BELONGINGS IS WRONG?
Yeesh, that girl.
So yeah, Idiot Zosia. But wait, what about Finn? I dont know where all these 'bad boys' get their meat from, man. All of them. Ya know, I have never actually met guy who goes all "Stay away from me, baby. I'm dangerous." on me. I really never got Finn's stupid promise to Zosia, that he wouldn't sleep with her until the summer ended or whatever. Why ever not? Zosia wanted it, and he did, too. But apparently, he wanted to wait out to summer so that he wont be her 'regretted summer hook up'. Too bad, that might, MIGHT, have worked if they had even a decimal of chemistry. Maybe.
Really, where do these supa daaangerous 'bad boys' get made? Please never send one my way. Please.
And why is the title Swimming to Tokyo when there is only about 3 pages of swimming?
No, I did not DNF it, on account of how I literally forced myself to finish it since it's actually pretty small, but that 210+ pages worth of foolishness nearly made me bang my head against the wall. I had more maturity at the age of 12 than these people have at 19. It crazy.
The main character, Zosia, is a complete idiot. Weeee! A new place! Tokyo! Weee! Lets stay out at 2 am in the morning with this completely random guy who I used to have a crush on at school but dont even know a shit about! Weee! Yeah, that kind of stupid.
And judgemental. Really, really judgemental. Like, stereotypical blonde cheerleader judgemental. Did I say judgemental?
By the time we've arrived at Nadia, we've gone through words for stereo, mafia, and sugar daddy. I've also found out her name is Meriko and she studies English at "university," although her major is something else I don't understand. I think its medicine or engineering, but the Mickey Mouse ears [she's wearing] dont give me confidence in either.
Because, oh right! She's wearing Mickey mouse ears, so theres no way she's smart. And whats up with the quote-unquote on 'university'?
So lets got through Zosia again; Idiotic and Judgemental. What am I forgetting?
I wake up early and sneak out of Finn's room to use the toilet. The apartment is still and silent, so I dont bother to lock the door. Mistake number one. Mistake number two is opening the medicine cabinet. Just for a peek
PRIVACY, ZOSIA. PRIVACY. YOU ARENT THE ONLY ONE WHO NEEDS IT.
But does it stop there? Oh hell no.
I slide the first drawer open. It's Finn's. There's a razor, shaving gel, a comb and a bottle of Obsession for Men. I smile a little and pull out the second drawer.
DID YOU NEVER LEARN THAT GOING THROUGH SOMEONE'S PERSONAL BELONGINGS IS WRONG?
Yeesh, that girl.
So yeah, Idiot Zosia. But wait, what about Finn? I dont know where all these 'bad boys' get their meat from, man. All of them. Ya know, I have never actually met guy who goes all "Stay away from me, baby. I'm dangerous." on me. I really never got Finn's stupid promise to Zosia, that he wouldn't sleep with her until the summer ended or whatever. Why ever not? Zosia wanted it, and he did, too. But apparently, he wanted to wait out to summer so that he wont be her 'regretted summer hook up'. Too bad, that might, MIGHT, have worked if they had even a decimal of chemistry. Maybe.
Really, where do these supa daaangerous 'bad boys' get made? Please never send one my way. Please.
And why is the title Swimming to Tokyo when there is only about 3 pages of swimming?
June 20, 2018
Swimming to Tokyo wasn’t what I was expecting. I’d heard great things about it and many of my blogger friends loved it, but for some reason I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did. I don’t think the synopsis does it justice; this book is emotional, funny, sexy, sweet, and swoony. It incorporates all the things I love best about New Adult books, and does it in a fascinating setting that’s different from the typical European or US summer vacation books.
This is a story that starts out quiet and kind of sneaks up on you. It didn’t take long for me to get sucked into Zosia and Finn’s story and fall hard for them. St John Brown managed to take a trope I’m mostly tired of seeing - tortured hero who doesn’t believe he’s good enough for the heroine and doesn’t want to be with her for her own good - and turn it on its head. Finn completely stole my heart. He was serious and intense, but had all these unexpected sides to him, and so much depth. He was flawed, believable, and genuine. He was damaged and it affected his life and relationships, but Zosia had this unexpected way of getting past his defenses and making him lower his guard. I loved these two together, whether they were exploring Japan, hanging out, driving each other crazy, or having super steamy sexytimes (the way the physical relationship was handled was one of my favourite parts of the book, and was beyond sexy). I thought the progression of their relationship was believable and it was a pleasure to watch.
I also really enjoyed watching Zosia grow up in a lot of ways. She’d been through a lot and was trying to cope with the heartache she’d experienced. I liked her relationship with her best friend and grandmother, and found the dynamics between Zosia and her dad interesting and believable. I loved watching her become independent, stand up for herself, and forge her own path.
Swimming to Tokyo has well fleshed-out characters, an interesting setting, and manages to bring both the feels and the swoons. It has a lot more emotional depth than I expected, and I love that it had the ability to make me grin, laugh, and tear up. This is one of my new favourite NAs, and I'm eager to see what Brenda St John Brown writes next. In the acknowledgments she says she'd love to write a book set in Paris, and let me just say I am so here for that!
This is a story that starts out quiet and kind of sneaks up on you. It didn’t take long for me to get sucked into Zosia and Finn’s story and fall hard for them. St John Brown managed to take a trope I’m mostly tired of seeing - tortured hero who doesn’t believe he’s good enough for the heroine and doesn’t want to be with her for her own good - and turn it on its head. Finn completely stole my heart. He was serious and intense, but had all these unexpected sides to him, and so much depth. He was flawed, believable, and genuine. He was damaged and it affected his life and relationships, but Zosia had this unexpected way of getting past his defenses and making him lower his guard. I loved these two together, whether they were exploring Japan, hanging out, driving each other crazy, or having super steamy sexytimes (the way the physical relationship was handled was one of my favourite parts of the book, and was beyond sexy). I thought the progression of their relationship was believable and it was a pleasure to watch.
I also really enjoyed watching Zosia grow up in a lot of ways. She’d been through a lot and was trying to cope with the heartache she’d experienced. I liked her relationship with her best friend and grandmother, and found the dynamics between Zosia and her dad interesting and believable. I loved watching her become independent, stand up for herself, and forge her own path.
Swimming to Tokyo has well fleshed-out characters, an interesting setting, and manages to bring both the feels and the swoons. It has a lot more emotional depth than I expected, and I love that it had the ability to make me grin, laugh, and tear up. This is one of my new favourite NAs, and I'm eager to see what Brenda St John Brown writes next. In the acknowledgments she says she'd love to write a book set in Paris, and let me just say I am so here for that!
December 23, 2015
I loved this book so much I stayed up half the night to finish the story. Zosia’s Mother died 3 years earlier and sometimes her life feels like it is on hold. She plans to start college in Rhode Island in the fall after a year of community college back home in New Jersey. Leaving home and the memories of her Mother that linger there is one of the hardest things she will have to do since her Mom’s death. So when her Father tells Zoe he is transferring to Tokyo for work and suggests Zoe accompany him for the summer, while renters live in their house, she feels like she is losing everything all over again. Add to that the new knowledge that her Dad has a girlfriend, and she is certainly in deep water.
Finn transferred to Zoe’s high school senior year, and while she and every other female definitely noticed him, he barely gave anyone the time of day. After graduation he moves to Boston to attend MIT and Zoe doesn’t see him until a couple of unexpected interactions leave her wondering if there is more to him then bad boy good looks.
When Zoe and her Dad arrive in Tokyo and meet a group of her Dad’s American co-workers, Zosia can’t believe her eyes when she sees Finn; oh and his Mother happens to be her Dad’s new girlfriend.
Zosia and Finn begin to spend time together, and the friendship that develops between them is pretty wonderful. Sometimes Finn and Zosia seem to be more real with one another than they ever have been in their lives, and other times you know they are holding so much back.
As they navigate Tokyo and their new friendship, they find themselves having to face their pasts in order to have a future.
I felt so much for Finn and I loved him with Zosia. This was just a beautiful story about love, forgiveness, and growing up and moving beyond who you thought you were.
I also want to mention that I loved the author’s ability to bring Tokyo to life for me. I felt like the place was such an important part of the story. She also crafted interesting secondary characters like Zosia’s Babci (grandmother) and her best friend Mindy.
The only thing I could ask for from this story is more. I was not ready to say good bye to these characters,
*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.*
Finn transferred to Zoe’s high school senior year, and while she and every other female definitely noticed him, he barely gave anyone the time of day. After graduation he moves to Boston to attend MIT and Zoe doesn’t see him until a couple of unexpected interactions leave her wondering if there is more to him then bad boy good looks.
When Zoe and her Dad arrive in Tokyo and meet a group of her Dad’s American co-workers, Zosia can’t believe her eyes when she sees Finn; oh and his Mother happens to be her Dad’s new girlfriend.
Zosia and Finn begin to spend time together, and the friendship that develops between them is pretty wonderful. Sometimes Finn and Zosia seem to be more real with one another than they ever have been in their lives, and other times you know they are holding so much back.
As they navigate Tokyo and their new friendship, they find themselves having to face their pasts in order to have a future.
I felt so much for Finn and I loved him with Zosia. This was just a beautiful story about love, forgiveness, and growing up and moving beyond who you thought you were.
I also want to mention that I loved the author’s ability to bring Tokyo to life for me. I felt like the place was such an important part of the story. She also crafted interesting secondary characters like Zosia’s Babci (grandmother) and her best friend Mindy.
The only thing I could ask for from this story is more. I was not ready to say good bye to these characters,
*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.*
July 29, 2014
Swimming to Tokyo is a debut contemporary novel by Brenda St. John Brown. The book is told from the perspective of Zosia Easton. Zo has yet to move on from her mother's death. She finds it harder to cope when her dad decides to rent out their house for his job transfer. And so, Zo has to spend her summer in Tokyo.
The beginning of the book was a little hard for me to get into the story. Brenda's writing was great but I found it a little slow. I enjoyed it a whole lot better once the characters were in Tokyo. Despite the cover and title, the book actually tackles some dark topics. I did not expect that. It was interesting. In addition, I also liked how it wasn't just a romance novel. Brenda included family problems. It made the story and the characters more realistic and relatable.
I love the relationship between Zo and Finn. They have always known each other from high school but has never had a single conversation. It wasn't until Finn helped out Zo that they started to bump into each other and got to know each other. Their progress was perfect. I liked how it wasn't too fast. Brenda slowly eases you into the relationship and it slowly builds up. They have their fair share of arguments but I appreciate how they were realistic and there was no drama.
I do not have much or any criticism for the book other than it started a little slow and I wished the book was longer.
In summary, Swimming to Tokyo is one of the best NA novels that I've ever read. The book was amazing, considering that it's a debut novel. It's captivating from start to finish. This novel will be great for those who wish to venture into the NA genre.
Ratings: 4.5/5 stars
Originally posted on Met In Eleven.
The beginning of the book was a little hard for me to get into the story. Brenda's writing was great but I found it a little slow. I enjoyed it a whole lot better once the characters were in Tokyo. Despite the cover and title, the book actually tackles some dark topics. I did not expect that. It was interesting. In addition, I also liked how it wasn't just a romance novel. Brenda included family problems. It made the story and the characters more realistic and relatable.
I love the relationship between Zo and Finn. They have always known each other from high school but has never had a single conversation. It wasn't until Finn helped out Zo that they started to bump into each other and got to know each other. Their progress was perfect. I liked how it wasn't too fast. Brenda slowly eases you into the relationship and it slowly builds up. They have their fair share of arguments but I appreciate how they were realistic and there was no drama.
I do not have much or any criticism for the book other than it started a little slow and I wished the book was longer.
In summary, Swimming to Tokyo is one of the best NA novels that I've ever read. The book was amazing, considering that it's a debut novel. It's captivating from start to finish. This novel will be great for those who wish to venture into the NA genre.
Ratings: 4.5/5 stars
Originally posted on Met In Eleven.
October 14, 2016
4 stars
I really enjoyed this one! It's a refreshing new adult title that's much more about slow and careful relationship building than hot smexing all the time. There is serious hotness and chemistry though, and although there's a certain level of trauma haunting both characters, I found myself rooting for them without delay.
The other bonus: it's set in Japan. I freaking adore Japan, and I feel like this was a great execution of the setting. You could tell the author knew her stuff without it getting to an exhaustive pandering level to all japanophiles. It was genuine, interesting, but ultimately not as thorough as I may have liked. Like, I did get wanderlust for Japan, but I wasn't overly in love with any particular sights or places - so dammit, I still have to work out that travel itinerary for myself...
Other things that just didn't quite get this to a favorite level: weird time jumps that maybe got in the way of seeing the small but meaningful moments that cause the relationship to grow more intimate, personalities that didn't quite have enough complexities or a spark, and a definite lack or brushing aside of side characters except for when they're direly needed.
However, I went into the book looking for romance. And it delivered. So I was pleased.
I really enjoyed this one! It's a refreshing new adult title that's much more about slow and careful relationship building than hot smexing all the time. There is serious hotness and chemistry though, and although there's a certain level of trauma haunting both characters, I found myself rooting for them without delay.
The other bonus: it's set in Japan. I freaking adore Japan, and I feel like this was a great execution of the setting. You could tell the author knew her stuff without it getting to an exhaustive pandering level to all japanophiles. It was genuine, interesting, but ultimately not as thorough as I may have liked. Like, I did get wanderlust for Japan, but I wasn't overly in love with any particular sights or places - so dammit, I still have to work out that travel itinerary for myself...
Other things that just didn't quite get this to a favorite level: weird time jumps that maybe got in the way of seeing the small but meaningful moments that cause the relationship to grow more intimate, personalities that didn't quite have enough complexities or a spark, and a definite lack or brushing aside of side characters except for when they're direly needed.
However, I went into the book looking for romance. And it delivered. So I was pleased.
November 21, 2014
This book was AMAZING.
Wow, I want to go to Tokyo now.
Please, God, if you're out there, send me a ticket to Tokyo.
OMG
I loved this book. I want more. I don't want it to be over. Why did it finish??? Couldn't it just last forever and ever.
I want an epilogue.
I want a second book.
I want more Finn and Zo.
I did not get my fix.
I want to know more about Finn, I feel like we didn't even touch the surface with his character, he has so much depth to him.
And Zo, beautiful Zo, you are a ray of light in his darkness.
I just don't have words, I wish I could write more, a review so grand that will make anybody read this book. But I just can't think anymore, it left me so dumbstruck.
I just, please, please, I want more.
Write a novella, an epilogue, something. I just can't stand for this book to be finished.
I want to see how they fare at college. I want to know how their life goes, if they make it together, what obstacles they conquer.
I WANT MORE MORE MORE
Wow, I want to go to Tokyo now.
Please, God, if you're out there, send me a ticket to Tokyo.
OMG
I loved this book. I want more. I don't want it to be over. Why did it finish??? Couldn't it just last forever and ever.
I want an epilogue.
I want a second book.
I want more Finn and Zo.
I did not get my fix.
I want to know more about Finn, I feel like we didn't even touch the surface with his character, he has so much depth to him.
And Zo, beautiful Zo, you are a ray of light in his darkness.
I just don't have words, I wish I could write more, a review so grand that will make anybody read this book. But I just can't think anymore, it left me so dumbstruck.
I just, please, please, I want more.
Write a novella, an epilogue, something. I just can't stand for this book to be finished.
I want to see how they fare at college. I want to know how their life goes, if they make it together, what obstacles they conquer.
I WANT MORE MORE MORE
August 14, 2014
Swimming to Tokyo is one of the best new adult romances I have read this year. The characters of Zosia and Finn are well developed, the dialogue between them excellent, and the events that transpire are engaging. The unfolding of the story as they go from acquaintances/friends who spend the summer as American tourists in Japan visiting their parents to a couple who forgoes their doubts/insecurities and other’s warnings is filled with page turning emotion and eventual explosive chemistry. This book with the right marketing, in my opinion, could be a best seller which is why I gave it 5 stars. I hardly ever give 5 stars.
RECOMMENDED FOR: Fans of Sarah Dessen and Gayle Forman who are ready for the content of New Adult genre instead of Young Adult will love this one.
RECOMMENDED FOR: Fans of Sarah Dessen and Gayle Forman who are ready for the content of New Adult genre instead of Young Adult will love this one.
Read
December 30, 2016Dnf at 32%
August 11, 2014
Zosia has had her world fall apart around her more than once. First it was her mother’s death – cancer – and now it’s her father’s work transfer – they’re off to Tokyo (well, Yokohama to be exact.) She’s 19 and high school is over, soon she’ll be off to university. It’s a time of change.
To make matters interesting there’s the hot guy, Finn, who the whole school was interested in back in their high school days. Zosia sees him around once or twice but puts thoughts of him behind her now that she’s off to Tokyo for the summer – until he turns up in Tokyo, too. It’s been three years since her mother passed and her father has started seeing another woman, someone from work. It turns out this ‘someone’ is Finn’s mother. So he’s come to Tokyo for the summer also.
There’s more than there initially seemed to this hot guy; he’s been in juvie, he has father issues, he has trust issues, and probably a dozen other bits of luggage. Even his mother warns Zosia off him and her father agrees; he doesn’t want to see Zosia hurt. Good luck; most people would agree just how impossible it is to not fall into a relationship when everything seems to draw you into one.
This book would fall in the New Adult genre, which means drama and a turning point in life. Will Zosia and Finn still be the people they were at the end of this particular summer?
The characters within this are well developed and interesting, however neither didn’t manage to grab me entirely – I didn’t overly care for their wellbeing (as awful as that sounds!) For plot purposes they seemed willing to jump in without really thinking or talking things through, even though it was quite obvious they were hurt from things in their past, and would probably hurt each other along the way also. They’re great characters, don’t get me wrong – I just personally didn’t find them likeable. I did love to see Zosia’s heritage play such a part in her story though – diversity!
I also loved their dialogue – it felt real, and I loved their snark and sarcasm as they try to protect themselves (in a prickly way!) from what they’re falling into.
The plot jumps a little, and it was used well. Many novels these days account for each damn day, whereas this book skips the actual move itself from the US to Japan, and it managed to show the passing of time well.
The Tokyo aspects of this novel were fairly decent. Having been there many times before I would have liked to see the actual feel of the place shown more. We get a few descriptions of how humid and busy it is, their attempts at trying the food, a few Japanese words thrown in and such, but it didn’t transport me to the place as well as, say, ‘Out by Natsuo Kirino’ did.
Overall this is a decent novel. It’s well written, it’s steady and reliable, I think I was expecting to love this much more than I resulted in (probably because my expectations were so high! I was so desperate for another excellent novel that captures Tokyo), and I was hoping for a book that has that unexplainable zing to it. I need to put that aside, because overall, this is a great novel.
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To make matters interesting there’s the hot guy, Finn, who the whole school was interested in back in their high school days. Zosia sees him around once or twice but puts thoughts of him behind her now that she’s off to Tokyo for the summer – until he turns up in Tokyo, too. It’s been three years since her mother passed and her father has started seeing another woman, someone from work. It turns out this ‘someone’ is Finn’s mother. So he’s come to Tokyo for the summer also.
There’s more than there initially seemed to this hot guy; he’s been in juvie, he has father issues, he has trust issues, and probably a dozen other bits of luggage. Even his mother warns Zosia off him and her father agrees; he doesn’t want to see Zosia hurt. Good luck; most people would agree just how impossible it is to not fall into a relationship when everything seems to draw you into one.
This book would fall in the New Adult genre, which means drama and a turning point in life. Will Zosia and Finn still be the people they were at the end of this particular summer?
The characters within this are well developed and interesting, however neither didn’t manage to grab me entirely – I didn’t overly care for their wellbeing (as awful as that sounds!) For plot purposes they seemed willing to jump in without really thinking or talking things through, even though it was quite obvious they were hurt from things in their past, and would probably hurt each other along the way also. They’re great characters, don’t get me wrong – I just personally didn’t find them likeable. I did love to see Zosia’s heritage play such a part in her story though – diversity!
I also loved their dialogue – it felt real, and I loved their snark and sarcasm as they try to protect themselves (in a prickly way!) from what they’re falling into.
The plot jumps a little, and it was used well. Many novels these days account for each damn day, whereas this book skips the actual move itself from the US to Japan, and it managed to show the passing of time well.
The Tokyo aspects of this novel were fairly decent. Having been there many times before I would have liked to see the actual feel of the place shown more. We get a few descriptions of how humid and busy it is, their attempts at trying the food, a few Japanese words thrown in and such, but it didn’t transport me to the place as well as, say, ‘Out by Natsuo Kirino’ did.
Overall this is a decent novel. It’s well written, it’s steady and reliable, I think I was expecting to love this much more than I resulted in (probably because my expectations were so high! I was so desperate for another excellent novel that captures Tokyo), and I was hoping for a book that has that unexplainable zing to it. I need to put that aside, because overall, this is a great novel.
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June 30, 2016
Zuerst muss ich sagen, dass das Buch seine Highlights und Schwerpunkte NICHT auf Tokio, seine Umgebung und Sehenswürdigkeiten legt, sondern eher auf die Liebe IN Tokio. Das war echt ziemlich schade, da ich mich auf einen kirschblütenartigen Liebesroman in Tokio gefreut hatte. Zosias Vater erhält dabei ein Stellenangebot in Tokio, woraufhin Zosia für 6 Wochen (da sie mit danach ihr Studium beginnt, fliegt sie anschließend wieder nach Amerika) in Tokio lebt. Ihr Jugendschwarm Finn, der zufälligerweise der Sohn einer Arbeitskollegin von Zosias Vater ist, steht dann auch plötzlich vor ihr und zusammen verbringen sie den Sommer in Tokio.
Dabei muss man wirklich sagen, dass die beiden seeeeeehr viel zusammen abhängen und gerne auch mal 1 ganzen Tag im Bett ... ähm .. gammeln(?) und gar nicht Tokio erkunden. Man liest schon einige Male, dass sie rausgehen und sich einen Park oder Tempel anschauen, aber sonderlich viel wird leider nicht beschrieben. das ist wirklich das große Manko. Des Weiteren geht es zwischen den beiden mit der Zeit auch ziemlich heiß her, womit ich gar nicht gerechnet hatte und mir deswegen fast die Augen aus dem Kopf gefallen sind. :D Diese Szenen nahmen aber wirklich nicht Überhand.
Grundsätzlich geht es um die Liebe, die zwischen den beiden irgendwie immer ein bisschen war, in Tokio weiter wächst und auch nach Tokio noch bestehen soll. Dabei scheint Finn ein großes Geheimnis zu haben, das Zosia niemand sagen will und woran sie ewig zu beißen hat. Ich finde, man hätte die ganze Geschichte auch in ihrer Heimatstadt aufbauen können und es wäre trotzdem ein tolles Buch geworden. Dass die beiden in Tokio waren, hat man stellenweise gerne mal vergessen oder gar nicht mehr mitbekommen. Das war wirklich schade.
Die Liebe zwischen den beiden ist aber wirklich süß. Es gibt viele, viele Gespräche, viele Knackpunkte und Dinge, über die sie sich unterhalten (müssen). Dabei wirkte Finn zu Beginn fast unnahbar und am Ende sehr, sehr verletzlich und gefühlsduselig. Auch das typische Bella-Edward-Schema mit "Ich bin nicht gut für dich" kam teilweise vor, war aber wirklich schnell vom Tisch und neue Probleme präsent.
Fazit
"Ein Sommer in Tokio" repräsentiert den Sommer zweier Jugendlicher, die diesen aber auch in jeder anderen Stadt hätten verbringen können, da sie nicht wirklich Sehenswürdigkeiten angeschaut oder zwischen Kirschblütenbäumen getanzt haben. Das war echt schade. Es stand die Liebe und die Zukunft von Zosia und Finn im Vordergrund und ein dunkles Geheimnis, das Finn und seine Familie ziemlich belastet. 2,5/5 Punkte.
Dabei muss man wirklich sagen, dass die beiden seeeeeehr viel zusammen abhängen und gerne auch mal 1 ganzen Tag im Bett ... ähm .. gammeln(?) und gar nicht Tokio erkunden. Man liest schon einige Male, dass sie rausgehen und sich einen Park oder Tempel anschauen, aber sonderlich viel wird leider nicht beschrieben. das ist wirklich das große Manko. Des Weiteren geht es zwischen den beiden mit der Zeit auch ziemlich heiß her, womit ich gar nicht gerechnet hatte und mir deswegen fast die Augen aus dem Kopf gefallen sind. :D Diese Szenen nahmen aber wirklich nicht Überhand.
Grundsätzlich geht es um die Liebe, die zwischen den beiden irgendwie immer ein bisschen war, in Tokio weiter wächst und auch nach Tokio noch bestehen soll. Dabei scheint Finn ein großes Geheimnis zu haben, das Zosia niemand sagen will und woran sie ewig zu beißen hat. Ich finde, man hätte die ganze Geschichte auch in ihrer Heimatstadt aufbauen können und es wäre trotzdem ein tolles Buch geworden. Dass die beiden in Tokio waren, hat man stellenweise gerne mal vergessen oder gar nicht mehr mitbekommen. Das war wirklich schade.
Die Liebe zwischen den beiden ist aber wirklich süß. Es gibt viele, viele Gespräche, viele Knackpunkte und Dinge, über die sie sich unterhalten (müssen). Dabei wirkte Finn zu Beginn fast unnahbar und am Ende sehr, sehr verletzlich und gefühlsduselig. Auch das typische Bella-Edward-Schema mit "Ich bin nicht gut für dich" kam teilweise vor, war aber wirklich schnell vom Tisch und neue Probleme präsent.
Fazit
"Ein Sommer in Tokio" repräsentiert den Sommer zweier Jugendlicher, die diesen aber auch in jeder anderen Stadt hätten verbringen können, da sie nicht wirklich Sehenswürdigkeiten angeschaut oder zwischen Kirschblütenbäumen getanzt haben. Das war echt schade. Es stand die Liebe und die Zukunft von Zosia und Finn im Vordergrund und ein dunkles Geheimnis, das Finn und seine Familie ziemlich belastet. 2,5/5 Punkte.
August 12, 2014
Big thanks to Brenda for an ARC copy for review.
What a wonderful debut novel that Brenda has written. It had a nice storyline, refreshing and honest characters, and great locations of scenery. Zosia's journey is one filled with loss, bonds of both friendship and family, new discoveries, but also finding love and happiness. This was a pleasant surprise and definite must read for those who love New Adult romance.
Zo (Zosia) is a Polish/American high school senior, who has recently lost her mother to cancer the year prior. She is still struggling to cope, when her father announces that his job is transferring him to Tokyo, Japan. It's time for them to move, leaving behind her best friend, Mindy, her Babci (grandmother), and Finn, the guy at her school that she really likes. Zo was an awesome girl in my eyes. The love she has for family, and wanting to see her dad happy again, even if it still hurts. She has great heart.
Finn O'Leary is the handsome and mysterious guy at her school. He transferred in the year before, but prefers to keep to himself and not be the center of attention. There is also his troubled past that he doesn't talk about. Though he is enigmatic, but also smart, charming, kind, and attentive, and was drawn to Zo from the beginning. I loved their official meeting at Walgreens. He is also spending the summer in Tokyo with his mother. What are the chances of them seeing each other again? Sooner than they think and with a bit of a surprise.
When Zo and Finn reunite again there is already that intense attraction to each other. But soon what develops between them is a strong bond and true understanding. I loved their moments together. I really enjoyed the secondary characters, Mindy and Babci. They were both great support for Zo, and I loved Mindy's humor and Babci's words of wisdom for her granddaughter.
"Then she had looked up. And answered me in English. "Everything you tell me about this boy. He is not easy for you. You are not easy for him. But you fall in love. I see how you smile at the phone when it is him. And that...that is not easy to find. And harder to forget." ~ Babci
The ending had everything come full circle for all the characters. I thought it was very nice.
My review posted at:Jess Time To Read
What a wonderful debut novel that Brenda has written. It had a nice storyline, refreshing and honest characters, and great locations of scenery. Zosia's journey is one filled with loss, bonds of both friendship and family, new discoveries, but also finding love and happiness. This was a pleasant surprise and definite must read for those who love New Adult romance.
Zo (Zosia) is a Polish/American high school senior, who has recently lost her mother to cancer the year prior. She is still struggling to cope, when her father announces that his job is transferring him to Tokyo, Japan. It's time for them to move, leaving behind her best friend, Mindy, her Babci (grandmother), and Finn, the guy at her school that she really likes. Zo was an awesome girl in my eyes. The love she has for family, and wanting to see her dad happy again, even if it still hurts. She has great heart.
Finn O'Leary is the handsome and mysterious guy at her school. He transferred in the year before, but prefers to keep to himself and not be the center of attention. There is also his troubled past that he doesn't talk about. Though he is enigmatic, but also smart, charming, kind, and attentive, and was drawn to Zo from the beginning. I loved their official meeting at Walgreens. He is also spending the summer in Tokyo with his mother. What are the chances of them seeing each other again? Sooner than they think and with a bit of a surprise.
When Zo and Finn reunite again there is already that intense attraction to each other. But soon what develops between them is a strong bond and true understanding. I loved their moments together. I really enjoyed the secondary characters, Mindy and Babci. They were both great support for Zo, and I loved Mindy's humor and Babci's words of wisdom for her granddaughter.
"Then she had looked up. And answered me in English. "Everything you tell me about this boy. He is not easy for you. You are not easy for him. But you fall in love. I see how you smile at the phone when it is him. And that...that is not easy to find. And harder to forget." ~ Babci
The ending had everything come full circle for all the characters. I thought it was very nice.
My review posted at:Jess Time To Read
July 24, 2014
For a good while I was thinking the only thing that set this book apart from the slew of other New Adult books currently flooding that market, was the location - Tokyo. It's a good hook - a completely different culture, full of interesting customs, to catch the reader's attention. But that's not all Swimming to Tokyo has to offer.
Zosia, with her Polish heritage, is a little gem. Honest and brave, she's been through a lot and come out of the other side stronger. I only wish I had her level of insight and her ability to say exactly the right thing at certain moments.
Finn, with his troubled past is something else. He's damaged goods, and he doesn't mind admitting it, but can Zosia convince him that he's worth more than he thinks? I can't help suspecting the author of melding all her perfect guys together to create Finn - he's the bad boy with the tattoos who plays guitar, but he's also very intelligent and sensitive, even shy at times.
Finn and Zosia have a great chemistry between them that creates sparks as you turn the pages, and the author keeps us on tenterhooks for a while rather than giving in to that chemistry straight away. As Finn and Zosia got to know each other and began to open up, I fell more and more in love with the pair of them. Being in a foreign country for the summer before returning to real life enables them to be honest with each other, knowing they can cut their losses and run and the end of the summer if it doesn't work out. This makes for an interesting dynamic, especially with the demons Finn is fighting.
Brown doesn't concentrate all her talent on the two main characters though - they have a good supporting cast of friends and family. It always bodes well when an author puts as much effort into the minor characters as the main ones.
Thanks to Netgalley and Spencer Hill Press for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Zosia, with her Polish heritage, is a little gem. Honest and brave, she's been through a lot and come out of the other side stronger. I only wish I had her level of insight and her ability to say exactly the right thing at certain moments.
Finn, with his troubled past is something else. He's damaged goods, and he doesn't mind admitting it, but can Zosia convince him that he's worth more than he thinks? I can't help suspecting the author of melding all her perfect guys together to create Finn - he's the bad boy with the tattoos who plays guitar, but he's also very intelligent and sensitive, even shy at times.
Finn and Zosia have a great chemistry between them that creates sparks as you turn the pages, and the author keeps us on tenterhooks for a while rather than giving in to that chemistry straight away. As Finn and Zosia got to know each other and began to open up, I fell more and more in love with the pair of them. Being in a foreign country for the summer before returning to real life enables them to be honest with each other, knowing they can cut their losses and run and the end of the summer if it doesn't work out. This makes for an interesting dynamic, especially with the demons Finn is fighting.
Brown doesn't concentrate all her talent on the two main characters though - they have a good supporting cast of friends and family. It always bodes well when an author puts as much effort into the minor characters as the main ones.
Thanks to Netgalley and Spencer Hill Press for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 1, 2016
This book was a little hard for me to get into at first. An 18 year old girl trying to deal with the death from breast cancer of her mother, has her father take her to Tokyo for the summer. She finds out that a boy she really likes at home is also going to Tokyo for the summer. The boy has been in and out of trouble for years and the girl's father warns her not to get involved with him (the boy is the son of dad's new love interest). But, of course, they do. This part was a little boring to me and I will admit to skimming a little ahead in the story.
It turns out there is a big backstory to the boy's home life. It takes awhile for the girl to find out about it, but this story became very emotional and deep as the troubled girl and the really troubled boy try to come to terms with their growing attachment to each other with both the boy's hesitation because of his background and the girl's father's absolute forbidding of the relationship.
This story is about young adults, but was a pleasure for this not so young adult to read. Very adult conversations, feelings and thoughts. A wonderful, wonderful book, especially the last 3/4's.
It turns out there is a big backstory to the boy's home life. It takes awhile for the girl to find out about it, but this story became very emotional and deep as the troubled girl and the really troubled boy try to come to terms with their growing attachment to each other with both the boy's hesitation because of his background and the girl's father's absolute forbidding of the relationship.
This story is about young adults, but was a pleasure for this not so young adult to read. Very adult conversations, feelings and thoughts. A wonderful, wonderful book, especially the last 3/4's.
January 3, 2015
I won a kindle copy of this book
Love! Love! Love it!!
Can I just take a moment to say how I LOVED this book and every single part of it. This book is like on my top favorites list that I would read over and over again. I am so glad I read this book because everyone was saying how amazing it is and I have to agree. This book is perfect in so many ways like the characters are my new best friends. I love Finn and learning about his past. Tokyo was just a perfect place for these characters and now I'm looking forward to visiting there in the summer. I laughed in so many parts of the book. The characters are so bold and outspoken and that's what I like about them. I'm DEFINITELY looking forward to reading more from this author. Also, I hope there will be a movie on this! *fingers crossing* This book was engrossing from the beginning to the end and I'm definitely recommending this to my friends.
It definitely deserves a rating of 5 :)
Love! Love! Love it!!
Can I just take a moment to say how I LOVED this book and every single part of it. This book is like on my top favorites list that I would read over and over again. I am so glad I read this book because everyone was saying how amazing it is and I have to agree. This book is perfect in so many ways like the characters are my new best friends. I love Finn and learning about his past. Tokyo was just a perfect place for these characters and now I'm looking forward to visiting there in the summer. I laughed in so many parts of the book. The characters are so bold and outspoken and that's what I like about them. I'm DEFINITELY looking forward to reading more from this author. Also, I hope there will be a movie on this! *fingers crossing* This book was engrossing from the beginning to the end and I'm definitely recommending this to my friends.
It definitely deserves a rating of 5 :)
July 19, 2014
First I had to read this book because I love the cover, second not many notes because I was to into the story to make any. My heart broke when Zo talked about Finn like he's available, "yeah, he's...I don't know. He's available as far as I know." My stomach churns a little as I say it. It's true. He is. And aside from an occasional sizzle, things between us are totally platonic." When things heat up between Zo and Finn it's totally hot, "and when Finn cups my butt and my leg wraps around his, I feel the bulge in his shorts pressing against my pelvis. Knowing he has that reaction to me makes me feel powerful. And hot." There's one word to describe Finn and that's sexy no matter what he does it's just sexy, "that's what they're calling them now? They look like eff-me heels to me." I really enjoyed reading this book.
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