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Where We Went Wrong

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One Kiss Can Change Everything.

For as long as she can remember, Melody James had a crush on Axel Robins.

Had. As in, past tense.

Because two months ago her best friend’s older brother ripped her heart out and stomped on it for good measure.

As if her family didn’t already have enough drama, now she has to navigate a week-long vacation stuck in the same beach side cabin with the handsome boy who abandoned her after her first kiss.

It will be fine. She can totally show Axel that his rejection hasn't affected her at all. She can forget about all of her anxieties and family troubles. And, most importantly, can survive the week without having a complete meltdown. Yep. Everything. Will. Be. Fine.

230 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2024

41 people are currently reading
192 people want to read

About the author

Anastasia Layne

3 books24 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
Profile Image for caleigh.
292 reviews842 followers
August 11, 2024
3.5! this is literally the perfect definition of a beach read – short, easy to read, and so sweet n cutesy.

while this isn’t the greatest piece of literature ever written, i really enjoyed it for what it was. i liked both characters and thought they went well with each other relationship wise. for such a short book i feel like they were so well developed and had depth to them that made me actually care about what happened. the vibes were also there!! lake house summer vacation? yes please!

i do wish we would’ve gotten a bit more closure on the situation with melody and her brother and how that progresses in the future, even if only in an epilogue. it was such a big part of the book and what melody felt n dealt with throughout and i feel like it ended up not being fully fleshed out? but it was a unique situation and it was interesting to see how melody went through that.

the miscommunication also bothered me a lot because really if axel n melody could’ve just sat down and actually talked to each other then we never would’ve had to go through any of this. and i mean truly, miscommunication was the root of all their problems.

BUT i did, like i said, enjoy this overall and would 100% recommend it! it was fun n sweet n cute n short and it’s even young adult so the brain power necessary is basically zero. this is so perfect for slumps or days at the beach or anything like that. and thank you to the author for the opportunity to read an arc! release date is august 1st, 2024 <3
Profile Image for Evelyn (Ev’s Novel Delights).
87 reviews24 followers
August 3, 2025
(Pretty Clean YA RomCom)

🌊Where We Went Wrong by Anastasia Layne🌊

Tropes and things you’ll love:

🌊 Best Friend’s Older Brother
🌊 Second Chance
🌊 Summer Romance
🌊 First Kiss
🌊 Flashbacks
🌊 Mutual Pining
🌊 Dual POV

When I had first seen this book as a recommendation on a website for clean books.. I immediately saw this one and wanted to read it. I don’t often read second chance romances so I decided to try it out!
It definitely was a cutsie read, it just wasn’t entirely my favorite. There’s always this factor in second chance romances, of that miscommunication vibe and the hurt you see in them.. they never fail to make me feel frustrated in that sort of way when you it want the characters to ‘fess up already lol.
Well, I felt a lot of that in this book. It did make you anxious for the ending though! Although, the way the author wrote their confessions and their very sweet moment after forgiving one another was SO ADORABLE. I liked the characters, the romance was sweet, and the beach vibes definitely gave it a good flavor for summer!

—> Melody
She wasn’t my favorite but she wasn’t bad either. She was hurt, heartbroken, and trying but not succeeding to forget all about the MMC. I loved how she was loyal to her best friend and that her best friend was oblivious, OBLIVIOUS I TELL YOU, to all the tension going on between her and Axel. It was kinda funny when Melody had finally told her about her crush on her big brother lol.

—> Axel
He was a cutie! Even though he had this sort of attitude towards Melody and stuff it made me get a little mad at him but just like Melody.. I fell for his charm, wit, and lovableness (is that a word?)
He was also hurt.. and yeah I felt bad for him but I was still like “you could’ve told her about what happened ages ago and you waited all this time”.

The flashbacks were a plus too! I liked how the author didn’t leave us in the dark about what happened, then finding out later.. this was much more efficient, but it made you crazy for them to make it up to each other lol. Their flashback to their first kiss was.. something. It definitely had that sizzling, swooning effect on you.. and had a bit more details than I was okay with but it didn’t cross that line. And the kisses after their flashback were not near so detailed as their first kiss in the past so I was thankful for that.

—> Conclusion
I enjoyed this quick YA Summer Romance and I would definitely recommend reading on vacation, at the beach, or anywhere lately. If you’re looking for a clean summer read then this might be one to look into! This book will have you wishing to be on the beach while watching a sunset!

⚠️ Age Suggestion: 16+ because of that first kiss (but if you’re okay with more detailed kissing scenes than 14-15+ ⚠️

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

{Content Info}

🔥Romance: up to sweet kissing. [One kiss kinda gets pretty descriptive] *No Spice - Closed Door*

🤬Language: no cussing

💣Violence: none

LGBTQ content: None

Thanks for reading if you got this far!! ☺️💙
Profile Image for Jessica.
1,163 reviews29 followers
August 3, 2024
(4,5 ☆)

Melody has had a secret crush on her best friend's brother for years. But then Axel breaks her heart when he leaves her after they've shared an amazing kiss. As if there's not enough drama in her life, now Melody has to put up with Axel's company when she tags along with his family to their summer cottage.

A very cute and emotional YA novel! It takes me back to memories of my own time as an teen, with emotional roller coasters and overanalyzing, with butterflies in your stomach and fear of rejection. We get both Melody's and Axel's POV, in the present (mostly Melody's) as well as in throwbacks to the night they kissed. We learn early on that Axel also has feelings for Melody, and that "that night" ended in some sort of misunderstanding. Quite frustrating!

The author also adds some darkness with Melody's twin brother Miles, who's gotten mixed up with bad company. Besides Melody being effected emotionally, their parents get overly protective and rarely let her leave the house. I thought the whole situation with Miles was left hanging, and I would have liked to read an epilouge about it. And we never got an answer to why he suddenly went from a "respectable" teenager to a "bad boy", even though it had such an huge impact on Melody's life. Otherwise I think that "Where We Went Wrong" delivered exactly what I expect from a sweet YA romance!

* I received an ARC from the author and I'm giving my honest review. *
60 reviews
July 14, 2024
3.75 star review:

For what this book was promoted as, it delivered.

Disclaimer: high school, sweet romances are not my typical go to and definitely not my cup of tea. However, taking my personal lenses off and really just reading the book with the knowledge of what to expect made this book more enjoyable for me.

This story focuses on Melody (16) and Axel (18). It started off with this obvious tension between the two and left the reader wanting to understand what in the world is going on between the two. Throughout the story we got glimpses of the why behind Melody and Axel's tension from both sides and got the whole picture of obvious miscommunication. Why these two characters are teenagers and we can't expected them to have a mature conversation about their miscommunication, I found myself screaming at them through my kindle to get their "stuff" together and call them out on what what they believed the other person did to wrong them.

While the story mostly focused on the tension between the two main characters, there was also this very large undertone of what is happening in Melody's family. I wish the author would've focused on this a bit more, especially with how much of a focal point they were making it being. I also wish the length of this story would've been longer. With everything going on, it felt rushed and to the point with the main point of the story, that it completely skipped over what was really going on with Melody at home. I would've liked to see more of Melody when she is older (18-19) and leaving for college or something to get more perspective on how what her parents were choosing to do really effected her. As an advocate for mental health and accurate mental health rep in books and other media platforms, I felt like the author missed a huge opportunity to explore this part of Melody's story either while she was in the mix of it as a 16 year old or journeying to her adult life. While the ending was on brand for the sweet, high school romance this book was going for...it didn't sit super well for me. It just seemed very 180 for her parents to suddenly forget about all of their worries and concerns.

While that paragraph may make it seem like I didn't like this book, that isn't true. I did like this book and it followed well with the sweet, high school romance the author was going for. I liked the banter and tension between the two main characters and I enjoyed getting both POVs. The reason this book got 3.75 stars from me is the missed opportunity for the author to dive deeper into the mental health part of Melody, and even Axel a bit, and I really think the length took away that opportunity. It felt like that issue kept being brought up, but then never really explored. I thought she did give a really good representation of the mental health stigma that the adults (parents) were exhibiting when it came to their comments and reactions to Miles and Melody; I just wish she would've explored it more.

I will definitely be reading more from Anastasia Layne!
Profile Image for L. M. Ransom.
Author 25 books45 followers
July 15, 2024
I kind of figured going into this book that I would love it, based on the fact that I loved Ms. Layne's first book, Nothing Compares.

And yeah - I was RIGHT. Wow. While this book is on the shorter side (more novella-length), it packed a wallop. The two MCs, Melody and Axel, are so well-written, as are the side characters, that when the book ends, you want there to be more.

I won't give any spoilers, but there is a misunderstanding that happens between Melody and Axel at a party at the beginning of summer, and that's what sets off the chain of events between them. But don't think of this as the dreaded third-act breakup, because it's not.

The story moves quick, and you can't help but feel for both the MCs, for different reasons. Axel is the golden boy, the football and baseball player who just graduated with sports scholarships awaiting him. He's the guy all the parents trust, because he's too good to be bad. Melody is the girl whose parents have kept her under lock and key all summer, for a reason that I won't give away here. She yearns to be free of their constant supervision so she can be the person she wants to be.

The setting, a lakeside resort town, evokes for me our local tourist trap town, and I could see everything vividly in my mind. My favorite scene? The haunted house :-)

If you need a great YA contemporary romance but don't want a thick book, this is your read. You won't be disappointed!
Profile Image for Laramie.
Author 6 books8 followers
July 31, 2024
First love. First kiss. Need I say more!?

This was one of the first young adult romance reads I have got my hands on in a while and I was not disappointed.

Melody and Axel are fun characters from the beginning. It made me miss that first romance we all had in our younger high school years. And how it is better to communicate.

I think Anastasia Layne did a great job with character development and plotline, as well as creating a great summer read.

Thanks for having me be a part of your ARC Team! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and all of the nostalgia of first loves.
Profile Image for Rachelle LeBlanc.
510 reviews11 followers
July 31, 2024
I enjoyed Where We Went Wrong. It is a cute best friend’s brother romance. Melody is a junior in high school who has always had a crush on Axel. Axel is about to head to college and he isn’t sure when Melody became more just his sister’s friend.

They kissed at a summer party but someone else caused doubt in if it was real. Even though typically this is something I don’t care for in books, @anastasia_layne_author did a really good job with helping the reader understand why Axel fell for what he was told.

This is a cute, quick read. Thank you @anastasia_layne_author for the ARC
Profile Image for Khadija.
101 reviews8 followers
July 17, 2024
-3.5/5-
Thanks to the lovely Anastasia Layne for granting me the chance to read this as an ARC 💐✨
It was an adorable book! I binged it in one sitting and I liked, it was sweet. I recommend this book as beach read, it has all those summer vacation vibes.
what I didn't like was the fact that the FMC is under age and that made me uncomfortable.
but overall it was good book.
Profile Image for Jumi✨.
13 reviews
July 25, 2024
I received an ARC from the author Ms. Layne and I am grateful for that.

The MCs both male and female are both written very well and while the story was short it did not feel like that because the content was well developed and the story itself was very enjoyable.

I am a big lover of the misunderstanding trope and this was very well incorporated into the story. I would have loved it better if the fmc was able to get professional help in dealing with the issues surrounding her brother and her emotions.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable and adorable YA romance read and I absolutely loved it! I rate it a 4.25
Thank you for the opportunity to read this!
Profile Image for natashaxx.
22 reviews
August 20, 2024
𖥔 ݁ ˖ ☁️

This book is an amazing pick if you’re looking for an emotional rollercoaster with a lot of angst and tension between characters that will make you squeal in delight and keep you up whole night😮‍💨

Tropes + Includes :
❧ best-friends brother
❧ childhood crush
❧ first “heartbreak”
❧ misunderstanding
❧ nerdy golden retriever MMC

The only thing I was disappointed about was not knowing what happened to melody’s brother, miles. I would really love to read about his story and hope the authors delivers a book for him☺️
Profile Image for Arella.
43 reviews4 followers
July 17, 2024
5⭐️
1🌶️
Thank you Anastasia Layne for the gifted ARC copy of this book, I absolutely loved it and cannot wait for it to go out into the world!

Do you hate the miscommunication trope? Well I’ve found a book to make you love it! Miscommunication was a major theme in this book, but it was so well written and explained, that it didn’t feel like a drag, only making me want to continue on and find out what would happen when they finally figured out their problems😆

I loved Melody, she was the sweetest character and I loved how she was described throughout the book! I really felt for her throughout the book, and good sympathise with her peppy, sunshine girl acted that hide her overwhelming sadness and stress. She was so well written and explained, and it felt so much like I just knew her and I loved it! Thank you Anastasia for making such a beautiful character🥹

And next up is Axel, the golden boy with a reputation for being perfect! I loved Axel, as he was so sweet and goofy, and I loved his whole story and connections to Melody (or Mel, as he calls her!). I felt for him when finding out his side of the story from That Night, although he definitely could of done some stuff differently, as was mentioned in the book(🤭), but overall I think he was a perfect candidate for the MMC who may or may not steal Melody’s heart😍

This story made my heart blossom and break in all the right places, and is definitely one of the sweeter romances I have read this year! With low spice and cute scenes to melt your heart, I cannot wait to read more from this author!

So if cute scenes, perfectly executed miscommunication and low spice tropes sound up your alley, go check this book out! I adored it so much and cannot wait for all the hopeless romantic to get ahold on this one💖
Profile Image for Swati (Booklover_Swii).
190 reviews2 followers
July 29, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Release Date: August 1, 2024

Melody has had a huge crush on her best friend’s brother, Axel, since a long time & she happens to have a moment this summer when they end up having the best first kiss. But the next moment, it all goes away. Both Mel & Axel now have to spend the summer, in close quarters, while each wonders where they went wrong.

Tropes:
Young Adult
Miscommunication
Mutual Pining
Closed Door Romance (with steamy kisses)

This is the author’s second book & like the first one this is also so well written. It is a young adult romance, which is perfect for the particular audience, unlike some YA books where the content is not so suitable for them. The best thing about it is, even being a novella and being a closed door romance, Anastasia creates a well rounded story full of emotions and depth, without the use of very complex language. The language is so everyday casual, but still we can feel the mutual pining between the MCs. Also, it is a dual pov with some chapters in flashback, which take the story forward and keep it interesting.

I have to mention, that the first kiss between Axel & Mel, is so beautifully described. It was like watching a super cute yet sensual moment between them. One of the best kisses in the most closed door ways!

Honestly, like her first book which I read, this one also gives the vibes of watching a cute teenage show on tv, like TSITP but without the love triangle drama?

My only issue was I needed few more moments between Axel & Mel before the book ends. Also, Mel’s brother’s story seems to be open, which I believe will be remedied in a next book (assuming this is a series). So, looking forward to this series.

Join me over at bookstagram : booklover_swii
113 reviews
August 1, 2024
Where we went wrong

I was allowed to read this book ARC and what a nice book. I enjoyed this book very much. It's a nice light-hearted story, full of holiday vibes. The story has a touch of romance, humor and friendship. I think the cover fits the story perfectly, it's really beautifully done.

Thanks to the nice writing style, I went through it quickly. It's not too long a story which is very nice. I thought it was wonderful to read in an evening. The characters are also a lot of fun. Melody has a somewhat heavier storyline, which is very nicely described. Alex's storyline is a bit lighter, but it flows nicely into Melody's. They both have a nice character, sometimes a bit challenging towards each other but that is fun to read.

You read from two perspectives, so you get to know them both well and also read their experiences. I thought this made the story better and more fun for me. I found Alex very patient, against Melody and I enjoyed reading that he really cared about her and wanted to help her in a difficult period in her life.

The story: One Kiss Can Change Everything.
For as long as she can remember, Melody James had a crush on Axel Robins.
Had. As in, past tense.
Because two months ago her best friend’s older brother ripped her heart out and stomped on it for good measure.

As if her family didn’t already have enough drama, now she has to navigate a week-long vacation stuck in the same beach side cabin with the handsome boy who abandoned her after her first kiss.
It will be fine. She can totally show Axel that his rejection hasn't affected her at all. She can forget about all of her anxieties and family troubles. And, most importantly, can survive the week without having a complete meltdown. Yep. Everything. Will. Be. Fine.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Ms bee .
13 reviews
August 1, 2024
💗Well..let me first start with who and why you should read this book..
1. You should read this book if you love good boys
2. If you want a short book to complete in a single day or a single seating
3. If you didn’t read a teen romance in a long time
4. If you had a crush on a long for years 🫣
5. If you love second chance romance
💗Now let’s talk about this book.. 😂 soo im personally not a big fan of misunderstanding trope.. but it’s an absolute exception.. I loved it so much.. it’s such a feel good book.. I kind of feel bad over the fact that I took sooo long to complete it but it’s worth everything..
💗I already have you reasons to read this book.. soo if you thinking then surely give a try. 💗✨
💗The reason I love this is because the book talks about some small things which matter but are ignored.. like
💗Mel talks about how people look at her for being someone’s sister or someone’s friend or someone’s anything.. and how true it is.. how people don’t look at look for what they are.. nd they always and always care about other and reputation..
💗Alex talks about how he hates being used.. how people overlook and hurt people who are kind and will help others no matter how it effects them..
Mel talks about how everyone is normalising and how everyone love bad guys.. and how she hates it.. i mean I absolutely agree with the fact that it feels soo good when a person hates everyone but you..
but I really appreciate good guys.. guys who are kind,how are calm and patient.. it’s beautiful and I kind of see myself in her place.
These small things are what I love.. and for me it’s more about how the books makes me feel then anything else..
Profile Image for Madi (whatsmadireading).
91 reviews4 followers
August 12, 2024
“For the dozen or so minutes I had Axel pressed against me, I was on top of the world.
The problem with being on top? There's a long way to fall. And oh, does it hurt when you do.”

Melody has a tension-filled summer after finally kissing her long-time crush and best friend’s brother, Axel Robin. But after that long-anticipated moment, she finds him back with his ex-girlfriend, so unlike his normal golden-retriever demeanor.

Can Melody keep this secret from her best friend any longer? And how much more of Axel’s cold cheek can she take on her summer trip with the Robins?

4 ⭐️

If Anastasia Layne knows one thing, it’s how to build ✨tension✨. Each encounter between Axel and Melody has you holding your breath and gripping the pages.

This girl falls first, but guy falls harder type of romance. Axel is so head over heels for Melody, but an unfortunate miscommunication leaves him heartbroken. Still he’s found doing sweet little things for Melody on their trip, staying true to his golden-retriever personality.

This book reminds me a lot of The Summer I Turned Pretty. It’s a great summery romance that will make you feel like a teenage girl again. If you like these types of books, you should really pick this up!

Some things that would’ve made me love the book even more-
I would’ve loved to hear some more backstory about Melody and her brother. Seeing some moments between them and showing how much they were bonded would make me even more emotionally connected to that side plot.
I also wish the flashbacks from the party where Axel and Melody kissed came a bit sooner in the book. I would’ve felt that gripping tension sooner on.

Thank you to the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I can’t wait to see where this series goes!
Profile Image for Alicia Lamas.
92 reviews1 follower
July 25, 2024
Where we went wrong by Anastasia Layne
ARC received: this is my honest opinion on the book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

In this book we have Melody and her best friend’s brother Axel. She has been in love with him since she can remember. She has thought a million times about kissing him and being with him. Until one night changes everything.

Now, they both are not talking to each other the whole summer. The only thing is that apart from dealing with Axel, Melody has to deal with the reputation she now has because of her brother’s wrong doings. At least before that night she could count on Axel to make her forget. Now they hate each other.

I didn’t think I was going to love this book as much as I did. I thought it was gonna be another Young Adult romance in which nothing important or interesting really happened. But I was wrong. This book gets straight to the point. In the first 4% of the book we are already at their lake house having to deal with the aftermath of the night everything happened.
This book gets you hooked since the very first chapter. I literally read it in one sitting because it was THAT good.

At first I thought Melody was going to be a weak FMC and forgive him right away but she actually stood her ground and made him work for it. And Axel is literally the sweetest guy ever. Worried about Melody even when he’s hurt.

All in all, this book is really worth reading it. Amazing writing. Props to Anastasia because it’s a work of art.
Profile Image for Clean readers .
69 reviews6 followers
August 2, 2024
Rating: 4.6 ✨

Genre: YA Romance

Clean Level: 🫧🫧


Loved it! Teenage confusion and emotions at its finest and highest.

I loved the premise of this book as we get two POV and how you don’t know who to root for or trust. Also how the story leaps between two timelines, waiting till the very end to reveal the whole story and finally give the readers answers.

This whole book happen with the expanse of week which is a short time, but once your in it the timeline ceases to exist and your just waiting for happily ever after.

I would definitely pick up this book for any teens 16+. I say that with the fact that there is one science where the kissing is highly descriptive. It never leads to more nor does it ever elude to more. Of course this is my personal opinion on age rage, so it is all up to you.

It is an adorable read, with a light problem, but when your teen feels like the biggest issue. There is also tough issues discussed such as a runaway teen, and family problems. The author takes those moments seriously and makes this book the heartfelt YA romance it is.

Content:
* Descriptive Kisses
* No foul language
* Second chance
* Dual POV
* Back and forth timeline

I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not persuaded in any way.
Profile Image for Sherley's Reading Corner.
309 reviews4 followers
August 12, 2024
Rating: 3.5
Spice: 0

This was a cute, sweet, palate cleansing read. I would classify this as YA. There is no spice (only kisses).

I really enjoyed reading this. At 16 and 18 , I could somewhat understand how the FMC and MMC got to where they were at the start of the book. Though both of them liked each other, a lack of communication caused the two to think that the other one was just using them after they shared a kiss.

I really liked the way the story is told in dual POV where we get to see what Melody (FMC) and Axel (MMC) are doing and feeling in the present, but we also get flashbacks to the night of the kiss and what led up to it. This helps us in better understand how they could allow so much time and lack of communication to get in the way of their love for each other.

I only wish there was more emphasis on what happened with Melody and Miles (her twin brother). We spent so much time in the story discussing how Miles behavior has affected Melody and how those around her see her and judge her and I was actually very invested in this storyline. I wish we got a little bit more information about why Miles changed so suddenly and went from being a good kid to who he was when the story started. I also felt a little cheated at the end because there was no real “conclusion,” in my opinion to that storyline.

Overall, if you are looking for a quick read with little to no spice, this is the one for you.
Profile Image for bibliofienna.
60 reviews
July 16, 2024
Thank you Anastasia Layne for providing me with the ARC!🩷

"Where We Went Wrong" is a light read romance evolving around teenagers love story with two point of views. The main plot of this novel is about misunderstanding and miscommunication, making it hot&cold-push&pull situation with a good portion of brooding in each point of view, but it wraps up beautifully. Besides the sweetness of teenage love story, there is a heartbreaking family situation underlying it. I wish we can get more of the family problem to explore.

It feels refreshing for me that the story is about high school teens since I rarely come accross the theme. The author can depict teenagers' emotions and mannerisms perfectly, making the story sweet without making it weird like the characters sound older than they are.

Calling all fans of light romance! This novel delivers a refreshing take on teenage love💞
353 reviews3 followers
July 13, 2024
I was lucky to receive an ARC of Where We Belong. Melody always had the biggest crush on her best friend’s brother, Axel. They shared a kiss at a party, and they both liked it. However, they don't know what happened. Hence, the title, "Where We Went Wrong?" Melody's family's life has been very stressful, and that's due to her twin brother Miles. Although she had her best friend, Sapphire, talking about it was hard. This summer trip will be hard because the relationship between Axel and Melody has been awkward after they kissed. Was there a misunderstanding. Yes. The whole summer, they have been fighting these feelings and talking about the kiss they shared. I love YA books, and this was a cute summer read. I can't wait for more books by Anastasia Layne!
21 reviews
July 16, 2024
Adorable summer novella!

I enjoyed this author's first novel, and this one (while different) was just as good!

I read this book in one day. It was a quick, easy read that I thoroughly LOVED. I smiled and laughed, but also felt for the main characters. There were so many small, cute moments that I couldn't help but fall in love with just how sweet their story was!

There are a few flashback scenes that I really enjoyed as well! They helped to build the foundation of the character's relationship.

The side plot (Melody's brother) was interesting. It wasn't explored too much (probably because of this book was intended as a novella) but I would LOVE to see Miles get a book.

I love this story and can't wait to read more books from this author!!
Profile Image for Ellie Knight.
13 reviews
July 18, 2024
Where We Went Wrong is a lovely summer romance novel. The characters were created so well - I felt really invested in their emotions.

It is really good to see mental health struggles explored in a young adult novel like this, especially as I struggled when I was a teenager. I know I would have loved this book as a teen because seeing my feelings reflected in Melody’s character would have made me feel validated.

Axel is the perfect love interest and shows teen girls what a mature and kind teen boy looks like - rather than mean and toxic.

I would absolutely recommend Where We Went Wrong to both young adults and adult romance readers. I just wish I could visit the Robbins family’s holiday home irl!
Profile Image for Nicole Price.
148 reviews8 followers
August 25, 2024
Where We Went Wrong
Anastasia Layne

💕 Summer Romance
💕 Second Chance
💕 Best Friends Brother
💕 Flashbacks
💕 Dual POV
💕 Mutual Pining
💕 First Kiss

Where We Went Wrong is such a cute summer romance! I absolutely loved it. I thought that the plot was very in line with something people of that age (16-18ish) would do. I really want to know more about Miles, I’m secretly hoping there’s another book and Sapphire and Miles fall in love 😬. Keith doesn’t seem like a stand up kind of guy and Sapphire can do better! Melody and Axel were meant for each other, this book really cements the fact that communication is key in relationships, if they would have talked they could have avoided all the heartache and pain they went through. All in all I loved this!
Profile Image for Avery S.
3 reviews4 followers
July 24, 2024
This is a great book if you want to read but dont necessarily want something that will take a week to read, short and sweet. It’s easy to like both characters and the chemistry between them. You get to see a lot about each character individually and their relationship as it progresses. I wished there was more closure about what happens after the story ends and it wrapped up pretty quickly. Nonetheless, this book did help me get out of a reading slump. A big thank you to the author for the arc opportunity and I hope others enjoy it after it comes out on August 1st!
Profile Image for Arobis.
73 reviews1 follower
July 31, 2024
I had high hopes for this book and Anastasia delivered!
A sweet love story of two teenagers with real fears and anxieties as they try to hide their mutual feelings after an unfortunate mistake.
I really like how Melody and Axel both are able to empathise with each other’s situations and give their feelings a second chance. I haven’t read many second chance romances but the ones that I’ve read, its so beautiful when the characters finally resolve the problem that was holding them back and are able to love each other freely 🥹
Profile Image for Skye.
90 reviews
August 1, 2024
I really enjoyed this book!! Maybe a lil too short and slightly rushed towards the end but overall very well written still. I liked the realisticness of Melody and Axel’s miscommunication and how they solved that by the end and I enjoyed those peaks of Sapphire too. I hope she and Melody start hanging out more after all this. And I hope that maybe in the future we could get more of Miles’ story <3 This book had me smiling though and I had that good summer feeling!
Thank you to the author for an eARC!!
Profile Image for Felicia Clark.
Author 3 books15 followers
August 11, 2024
Anastasia Layne has a very strong voice that shines throughout the book with her lovable characters! Melody James and Axel Robins star in this young adult romance story. Melody has had a crush on her best friend Sapphire’s brother Axel for years. After one epic kiss gone bad, these two love birds must find a way to communicate and seek the closure they so desperately need.

I gotta know what happens to Axel’s sister Sapphire’s toxic relationship with Keith and Melody’s brother Miles’ resolution as the troubled character. Fingers crossed we get their stories next!
Profile Image for Emerson A..
97 reviews
March 24, 2025
4 stars ⭐️

This book was a really cute, quick read. It was interesting to see both POVs and understand how the two main characters misunderstood the situation That Night that lead to their "dislike" of each other (which wasn't much of a dislike cuz they were both still crushing hard 😂).

The first kiss on That Night had a lot of description, but otherwise this was a pretty clean book and I really liked it.
Profile Image for Taylor.
9 reviews1 follower
August 4, 2024
Cute quick read about two kids making their own in the world. Great story of navigating through the ups, downs, in and outs of teenagers as they learn about themselves, friends, and family. Axel and Mel are a great pair and a prime example to not spend time focused on only your perception of an event . Remember there are always two sides to a story.
Profile Image for Daniela Benavides.
39 reviews
March 10, 2025
This was the perfect definition of a teenager romantic story. I loved every cheesy moment, every step closer between the characters, and how they supported each other. It truly felt like a perfect summer tale, and I’m hoping the continuation with Melody’s brother brings the story the closure it deserves. Can’t wait for this summer to get here!
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