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Everything to the Sea
Part riveting love story, part coming-of-age tale, Everything to the Sea is a breathtaking debut novel spanning years and shores after a sudden tsunami devastates the island of Hawai’i and cuts short a young couple’s budding romance—a deeply moving testament to the catastrophes love can endure.
This is how the story goes: Jane will fall in love. And then all of this will vanish.
Home for one final summer, Jane is working and saving cash for her senior year of college before she leaves her island town behind forever. At first, she doesn’t remember Kenji, but he quickly becomes someone she can’t forget: square jaw, a dimple in his cheek. A Hilo boy. To Kenji, she’s Janie, nose perpetually buried in her old high school sketchbooks. Jane tells herself it’s only a fling—one perfect, carefree summer, on her way to achieving her dream of becoming an architect and moving to the continent.
Then a tsunami sweeps their families out to sea, and their all-consuming affair breaks with the weight of grief, pulling them in opposite directions. Kenji remains in Hawai’i, bound by duty to rebuild their hometown. Jane, shattered by the loss, follows her best friend to California. For seven years, an ocean lies between them, until Jane and Kenji meet on another coast . . .
In prose that sparkles like sun on the water, Upano’s debut novel tells the unforgettable story of two young people as they come of age, fall in love, forge new families, and try to find their way back together, again and again. Everything to the Sea is a moving portrait of our ability to overcome even the most devastating tragedies, when everything else is washed away.
This is how the story goes: Jane will fall in love. And then all of this will vanish.
Home for one final summer, Jane is working and saving cash for her senior year of college before she leaves her island town behind forever. At first, she doesn’t remember Kenji, but he quickly becomes someone she can’t forget: square jaw, a dimple in his cheek. A Hilo boy. To Kenji, she’s Janie, nose perpetually buried in her old high school sketchbooks. Jane tells herself it’s only a fling—one perfect, carefree summer, on her way to achieving her dream of becoming an architect and moving to the continent.
Then a tsunami sweeps their families out to sea, and their all-consuming affair breaks with the weight of grief, pulling them in opposite directions. Kenji remains in Hawai’i, bound by duty to rebuild their hometown. Jane, shattered by the loss, follows her best friend to California. For seven years, an ocean lies between them, until Jane and Kenji meet on another coast . . .
In prose that sparkles like sun on the water, Upano’s debut novel tells the unforgettable story of two young people as they come of age, fall in love, forge new families, and try to find their way back together, again and again. Everything to the Sea is a moving portrait of our ability to overcome even the most devastating tragedies, when everything else is washed away.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published July 14, 2026
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Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️ 4 ⭐️ Coming of age stories are some of my favorites because there is always something you can take away from the story. Young love is always...well..young and selfish and most of the time it's rushed. It's often very fierce and hot, like a flame. It feels magical and in our hearts it lasts forever. And it can! Young love can be real love. It can grow and flourish into something more beautiful and everlasting. It can be meaningful as much as intimate. Everything to the Sea is that very same story of young love set up in the aftermath of a tsunami.
Hilo, Hawaii--Jane and Kenji story begins before a disaster: they are two young people who fall in love. Everything is breathtaking beautiful, like the calm before the storm and seems to be going well. They seem madly enamored with each until a tsunami sweeps Hilo, destroying the community, claiming their loved ones and ultimately shattering their worlds apart. In the aftermath, their paths change leading them to years of guilt, longing and grief through the next seven years. Shattered by loss and grief, this is a story about undying love amidst the backdrop of natural disasters, duty and desire, the past and the future. Can their relationship survive after the wounds left by this tragedy?
Everything to the Sea is so much more than a simple romance novel. It's deeply emotional, moving, resilient. It vividly captures not only the beauty of Hawaii and culture but also the 'sense of place' and belonging. It captured the complexities of human nature and young love. The novel explored the dangers and barriers of it, the promises of forever--the today, tomorrow and forever. It's a wonderful literary fiction debut that feels authentic and immersive. It's deliberately slow so that the readers can fully understand the characters and their choices. While I didn't really love any of the characters, I appreciated how well nuanced they were. I must admit that I saw parts of my self in this coming of age story, as I too once thought that young love is forever. Haven't we all?
Overall, this is a complicated story with emotional weight. I really liked how Upano used a natural disaster to relay the message about recovery and personal growth--that people have to rebuild themselves first when everything they knew has been swept away.
Many thanks to Netgalley, William Morrow and the author, Alicia Upano for an early ARC.
Many thanks to HarperAudio Adult for an early ALC.
Narrator: Barrie Kealoha
Duration: 10 hours 20 minutes
Speed: 1.5x
Publication: July 14, 2026
Hilo, Hawaii--Jane and Kenji story begins before a disaster: they are two young people who fall in love. Everything is breathtaking beautiful, like the calm before the storm and seems to be going well. They seem madly enamored with each until a tsunami sweeps Hilo, destroying the community, claiming their loved ones and ultimately shattering their worlds apart. In the aftermath, their paths change leading them to years of guilt, longing and grief through the next seven years. Shattered by loss and grief, this is a story about undying love amidst the backdrop of natural disasters, duty and desire, the past and the future. Can their relationship survive after the wounds left by this tragedy?
Everything to the Sea is so much more than a simple romance novel. It's deeply emotional, moving, resilient. It vividly captures not only the beauty of Hawaii and culture but also the 'sense of place' and belonging. It captured the complexities of human nature and young love. The novel explored the dangers and barriers of it, the promises of forever--the today, tomorrow and forever. It's a wonderful literary fiction debut that feels authentic and immersive. It's deliberately slow so that the readers can fully understand the characters and their choices. While I didn't really love any of the characters, I appreciated how well nuanced they were. I must admit that I saw parts of my self in this coming of age story, as I too once thought that young love is forever. Haven't we all?
Overall, this is a complicated story with emotional weight. I really liked how Upano used a natural disaster to relay the message about recovery and personal growth--that people have to rebuild themselves first when everything they knew has been swept away.
Many thanks to Netgalley, William Morrow and the author, Alicia Upano for an early ARC.
Many thanks to HarperAudio Adult for an early ALC.
Narrator: Barrie Kealoha
Duration: 10 hours 20 minutes
Speed: 1.5x
Publication: July 14, 2026
December 9, 2025
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Love can feel like a tsunami. It often begins quietly, beneath the surface, but when it reaches you, it is undeniable. It permanently alters and reshapes who you are, leaving lasting imprints and reconfiguring your internal map. It’s an astonishing display of beauty and might, unable to be controlled, but only responded to.
This is why it was such an apt analogy, and it perfectly encapsulated the relationship between Kenji and Jane. This book was really good. It took a unique angle on the “love that withstands the test of time” trope and made it feel fresh. I loved the setting, and although their behavior drove me crazy at times, I understood the push and pull nature of their enduring love. Timing is often everything in matters of the heart, and following these two through the years as they pursued and retreated felt familiar, poignant, and heartbreaking.
What a great debut from Upano. I’ll be looking forward to more from her in the future.
Love can feel like a tsunami. It often begins quietly, beneath the surface, but when it reaches you, it is undeniable. It permanently alters and reshapes who you are, leaving lasting imprints and reconfiguring your internal map. It’s an astonishing display of beauty and might, unable to be controlled, but only responded to.
This is why it was such an apt analogy, and it perfectly encapsulated the relationship between Kenji and Jane. This book was really good. It took a unique angle on the “love that withstands the test of time” trope and made it feel fresh. I loved the setting, and although their behavior drove me crazy at times, I understood the push and pull nature of their enduring love. Timing is often everything in matters of the heart, and following these two through the years as they pursued and retreated felt familiar, poignant, and heartbreaking.
What a great debut from Upano. I’ll be looking forward to more from her in the future.
August 12, 2026
What remains when everything washes away.
"To love was to know that your life contained something worth the risk."
One of the most striking things about Everything to the Sea is, without a doubt, its setting. Set primarily in Hilo on Hawai'i's Big Island, where author Alicia Upano is from, the novel is deeply immersive and wonderfully visual. I felt transported to the island throughout the story, and though I've never been to the state, it gave me a great appreciation for Hawaiian culture, history, and the profound connection between people and place.
Against this backdrop, Upano tells the story of Jane and Kenji, two young people whose budding romance is shattered when a devastating tsunami sweeps away their families and changes the course of both their lives. What follows is a story of love, loss, grief, and the long, complicated process of rebuilding - not only a home, but a life and a sense of self.
The romance was, for me, the weakest part of the novel, mainly because I had a hard time rooting for Jane and Kenji as a couple. While both characters are deeply flawed and written with considerable nuance and complexity, I struggled with many of Jane's decisions, even before the tsunami, which was unfortunate because Jane carries so much of the story on her shoulders. More importantly, I found it frustrating that she seemed to experience very little meaningful character growth until quite late in the novel, which made it difficult for me to fully invest in her and Kenji's journey back to each other.
That being said, what I did appreciate immensely was the way Upano handles the novel's larger themes. The impact of loss and grief, the difficult process of rebuilding both oneself and one's home, and the threatened loss of culture are all explored with remarkable care and tenderness. Spanning seven years and multiple coasts, there is still a profound sense of place throughout the novel, and the natural beauty of Hawai'i is juxtaposed beautifully with the devastation caused by the tsunami. Upano's prose is poetic and evocative, making this an incredibly visual reading experience, and I could easily see this story translating beautifully to either the big or small screen.
Even though the romance didn't quite convince me, Everything to the Sea is a mesmerizing debut. Lyrical, deeply atmospheric, and emotionally resonant, it is ultimately a story about what remains when everything else has been washed away - and how we find a way to rebuild from there.
I was fortunate enough to receive copies of both the ebook and the audiobook. The latter, narrated by fellow Hawaiian Barrie Kealoha, was beautifully performed and added another layer of atmosphere and authenticity to an already immersive story. I highly recommend both formats.
Many thanks to William Morrow and HarperAudio Adult for providing me with an ARC and ALC, respectively, via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
"Everything to the Sea" was published on July 14, 2026, and is available now.
"To love was to know that your life contained something worth the risk."
One of the most striking things about Everything to the Sea is, without a doubt, its setting. Set primarily in Hilo on Hawai'i's Big Island, where author Alicia Upano is from, the novel is deeply immersive and wonderfully visual. I felt transported to the island throughout the story, and though I've never been to the state, it gave me a great appreciation for Hawaiian culture, history, and the profound connection between people and place.
Against this backdrop, Upano tells the story of Jane and Kenji, two young people whose budding romance is shattered when a devastating tsunami sweeps away their families and changes the course of both their lives. What follows is a story of love, loss, grief, and the long, complicated process of rebuilding - not only a home, but a life and a sense of self.
The romance was, for me, the weakest part of the novel, mainly because I had a hard time rooting for Jane and Kenji as a couple. While both characters are deeply flawed and written with considerable nuance and complexity, I struggled with many of Jane's decisions, even before the tsunami, which was unfortunate because Jane carries so much of the story on her shoulders. More importantly, I found it frustrating that she seemed to experience very little meaningful character growth until quite late in the novel, which made it difficult for me to fully invest in her and Kenji's journey back to each other.
That being said, what I did appreciate immensely was the way Upano handles the novel's larger themes. The impact of loss and grief, the difficult process of rebuilding both oneself and one's home, and the threatened loss of culture are all explored with remarkable care and tenderness. Spanning seven years and multiple coasts, there is still a profound sense of place throughout the novel, and the natural beauty of Hawai'i is juxtaposed beautifully with the devastation caused by the tsunami. Upano's prose is poetic and evocative, making this an incredibly visual reading experience, and I could easily see this story translating beautifully to either the big or small screen.
Even though the romance didn't quite convince me, Everything to the Sea is a mesmerizing debut. Lyrical, deeply atmospheric, and emotionally resonant, it is ultimately a story about what remains when everything else has been washed away - and how we find a way to rebuild from there.
I was fortunate enough to receive copies of both the ebook and the audiobook. The latter, narrated by fellow Hawaiian Barrie Kealoha, was beautifully performed and added another layer of atmosphere and authenticity to an already immersive story. I highly recommend both formats.
Many thanks to William Morrow and HarperAudio Adult for providing me with an ARC and ALC, respectively, via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
"Everything to the Sea" was published on July 14, 2026, and is available now.
October 28, 2025
this is the kind of book that reminds me why i love reading so much. i was captivated by every single page. such a beautiful story that perfectly depicts loss, grief, healing, and rebuilding everything from scratch, including yourself. this is an unforgettable love story but more than anything, a tale of the strength it takes to carry on living after so much pain. alice upano is a painter of world building and layered characters, truly an incredible storyteller. grateful that i got to read this! i will carry these characters in my heart, i cried countless times.
February 18, 2026
I would have enjoyed this a lot more if the characters acted like adults after the seven year time gap, and actually talked, instead of just making assumptions about everything.
June 9, 2026
I loved the first third of this book and what it could be. Two people torn apart by circumstances who are just too young to manage a new relationship through a disaster. As well as a resilient yet battered culture and deep connection to the past while facing the present and future. Family and friends by blood or bond. This is the only reason this wasn’t rated a single star.
Everything that comes after just pissed me off. Fuck Kenji (especially Kenji) and Lorelei and Donnie and everyone but Jane. Jane is given no grace. She is subjected to their judgement and punishments constantly just because she didn’t deal or grieve in a way they deemed acceptable. Her trauma is given no consideration and Kenji’s lack of communication and accountability makes me want to spit in his fictional face.
And then I’m almost done and I’m screaming, “fucking hypocrites! every last one of you!” And there’s talk of forgiveness for Jane, no apologies (I literally stuck it out just to see if there is any emotional justice), and it’s all bullshit. Jane deserves so much better. I hated that ending.
* I received a free early copy from the publisher
Everything that comes after just pissed me off. Fuck Kenji (especially Kenji) and Lorelei and Donnie and everyone but Jane. Jane is given no grace. She is subjected to their judgement and punishments constantly just because she didn’t deal or grieve in a way they deemed acceptable. Her trauma is given no consideration and Kenji’s lack of communication and accountability makes me want to spit in his fictional face.
And then I’m almost done and I’m screaming, “fucking hypocrites! every last one of you!” And there’s talk of forgiveness for Jane, no apologies (I literally stuck it out just to see if there is any emotional justice), and it’s all bullshit. Jane deserves so much better. I hated that ending.
* I received a free early copy from the publisher
February 21, 2026
I could not put this down.. a heartbreaking novel and so, so good. From what I can tell, this is the first novel from this author, and what a masterpiece. I loved learning about a culture and a place that was unfamiliar to me, and the author took care to describe the settings and people with love, respect & dignity as they navigated the unthinkable. The characters are deeply flawed but you root for them anyway, which is always my barometer for good writing. Thank you Harper Collins for the advanced copy! Add this to your list for when it comes out in July.
August 7, 2026
Everything to the Sea by Alicia Upano is a debut novel about Jane and Kenji, a young couple whose summer romance in Hilo, Hawaii, is shattered by a tsunami. They are forced apart as they deal with grief, duty, and rebuilding their lives. Seven years later, they reunite on the mainland. What will happen when the past and present collide? Can their love survive the hardships that they have endured?
The book explores themes of love, loss, betrayal, homecoming, community, survival, and second chances.
I really enjoyed the first half of this book. This book is a slower paced, character-driven novel. The author captured many aspects of Hawaiian culture and handled the tsunami story line with so much care. I did have some trouble connecting with these characters. I got frustrated with Jane’s character at times because of her actions and immaturity.
This book was narrated by Barrie Kealoha. This narrator did a wonderful job of bringing the story to life.
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperAudio Adult for the advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
The book explores themes of love, loss, betrayal, homecoming, community, survival, and second chances.
I really enjoyed the first half of this book. This book is a slower paced, character-driven novel. The author captured many aspects of Hawaiian culture and handled the tsunami story line with so much care. I did have some trouble connecting with these characters. I got frustrated with Jane’s character at times because of her actions and immaturity.
This book was narrated by Barrie Kealoha. This narrator did a wonderful job of bringing the story to life.
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperAudio Adult for the advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
August 11, 2026
*4.5 /A heartbreaking, roller coaster romance after a hurricane devastates a small town on Hawai’i Island. Having family who live in that town, this hit close to home as I imagined what could happen to loved ones if something like this happened there… Beautiful writing and fully fleshed out characters. Looking forward to more from this author!! Also loved the audiobook 🙌🏼
March 21, 2026
*Thank you so much to Bloomsbury for sending me an early copy of this to read!*
I’ve never really read a book centralling a natural disaster like this, and I was completely captivated by the storytelling from the beginning. It’s predictably a very turbulent and raw story, but the premise for me was so original and so tender that I was really struck by it. It really emphasised the importance of community and rebuilding your life and home after such devastation and unimaginable loss, and how that lingers for families for several generations and how people's life trajectory can be permanently altered as a consequence. The emotional rollercoasters, the fight or flight, the dynamics that can either be strengthened or snapped. It was just such an intriguing look at trauma and coping, and I think it was very well written.
The characters also really enhanced this story for me, and though I didn’t always find myself rooting for them or necessarily being satisfied by their actions or behaviour, I was endlessly empathetic and curious about them. It’s difficult when things aren’t clear cut, and there is so much nuance and factors impacting the turn of events. It’s an unpredictable and wild kind of story, intertwined with a deep sadness and longing for a different reality. Neither wholly likable nor wholly unlikable, they did feel like real people and they all felt so distinct in my mind while reading. Not everyone can write a fully three dimensional dual perspective novel, but I think this was handled beautifully.
The one thing I wasn't entirely sold on with this one was the romance element. Because it’s introduced so early on and feels very rushed to develop, it didn’t entirely sway me. The feelings felt very intense but surface level, because there wasn't enough time to acclimate to the characters and their newfound bond with each other. It meant for me that I struggled with all of the turbulence of everything following their initial romance when things got difficult. I don’t know if I wholly believed their undeniable draw to each other. It doesn't really feel like a traditional ‘love story' as marketed and advertised. Romance feels like the least important element of the book, all things considered. Their constant miscommunication and will they wont they were also a little bit tedious by that end, but I suppose that was the point.
I really liked this one, and Upano is definitely an author whose name I’ll look out for in the future. A very promising storyteller.
I’ve never really read a book centralling a natural disaster like this, and I was completely captivated by the storytelling from the beginning. It’s predictably a very turbulent and raw story, but the premise for me was so original and so tender that I was really struck by it. It really emphasised the importance of community and rebuilding your life and home after such devastation and unimaginable loss, and how that lingers for families for several generations and how people's life trajectory can be permanently altered as a consequence. The emotional rollercoasters, the fight or flight, the dynamics that can either be strengthened or snapped. It was just such an intriguing look at trauma and coping, and I think it was very well written.
The characters also really enhanced this story for me, and though I didn’t always find myself rooting for them or necessarily being satisfied by their actions or behaviour, I was endlessly empathetic and curious about them. It’s difficult when things aren’t clear cut, and there is so much nuance and factors impacting the turn of events. It’s an unpredictable and wild kind of story, intertwined with a deep sadness and longing for a different reality. Neither wholly likable nor wholly unlikable, they did feel like real people and they all felt so distinct in my mind while reading. Not everyone can write a fully three dimensional dual perspective novel, but I think this was handled beautifully.
The one thing I wasn't entirely sold on with this one was the romance element. Because it’s introduced so early on and feels very rushed to develop, it didn’t entirely sway me. The feelings felt very intense but surface level, because there wasn't enough time to acclimate to the characters and their newfound bond with each other. It meant for me that I struggled with all of the turbulence of everything following their initial romance when things got difficult. I don’t know if I wholly believed their undeniable draw to each other. It doesn't really feel like a traditional ‘love story' as marketed and advertised. Romance feels like the least important element of the book, all things considered. Their constant miscommunication and will they wont they were also a little bit tedious by that end, but I suppose that was the point.
I really liked this one, and Upano is definitely an author whose name I’ll look out for in the future. A very promising storyteller.
July 20, 2026
Jane comes home one summer from college. She’s working to save cash for after college as she plans to leave her island town Hilo behind and start anew. And then she meets Kenji. She doesn’t remember him from school, but he becomes unforgettable. She’s not Jane to Kenji, she’s Janie, the girl with her nose always buried in her sketchbooks. Jane tells herself what she has with Kenji is just a summer fling, but it quickly becomes more. Kenji follows Jane to Honolulu on a whim, only for a tsunami to devastate Hilo after they leave. Both lose their families, and their relationship falls apart with grief. Kenji stays in Hilo to help rebuild whole Jane moves to the mainland to forget. For seven years, the two are separated by an ocean, until they aren’t.
4/5 stars!!! This was Alicia Upano’s debut novel and it was beautiful. This is a story about loss. About grief. About found family. About love. About forgiveness. About starting over. Jane and Kenji’s relationship and individual lives are both complicated. The tsunami changed the course of their lives forever, tearing them apart. To see their story unfold over years in this novel was beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time.
4/5 stars!!! This was Alicia Upano’s debut novel and it was beautiful. This is a story about loss. About grief. About found family. About love. About forgiveness. About starting over. Jane and Kenji’s relationship and individual lives are both complicated. The tsunami changed the course of their lives forever, tearing them apart. To see their story unfold over years in this novel was beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time.
July 23, 2026
I really wanted to like this book because the premise of the book sounded interesting... BUT the FMC was super annoying and I didn't feel a real connection between her and the MMC, it felt flat. The side characters and the events made the book interesting. The narration was ok.
*Provided an advance copy from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own.
*Provided an advance copy from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own.
January 16, 2026
This book beautifully tragic. A small Hawaiian Island is faced with unimaginable challenges when a tsunami hits and destroys the community. Homes lost, families destroyed, and people are swept away without a trace. The book follows two young adults paths through post-tsunami life. One chooses to stay and fix the island while the other—after losing everything—starts anew on the mainland. Set in the context of a love story, the tsunami draws striking parallels to first loves, loss, and the struggles of finding oneself.
I HIGHLY recommend!
Also, this book was provided to me as an advanced readers copy via NetGallery in exchange for an honest review.
I HIGHLY recommend!
Also, this book was provided to me as an advanced readers copy via NetGallery in exchange for an honest review.
April 8, 2026
So lucky to have won an ARC of this book from a Goodreads giveaway—it turned out to be one of the best books I’ve read in a long time.
I’ll be thinking about it for a while, but just know that the writing, atmosphere, characters, it’s all a work of art.
I’ll be thinking about it for a while, but just know that the writing, atmosphere, characters, it’s all a work of art.
August 24, 2026
Unfortunately I just don't think those two are meant to be
July 6, 2026
There were so many interesting, heartbreaking and beautiful parts of this story. What missed the mark for me was the pacing- which was very slow, the FMC- who I really had a hard time cheering for or liking at times, she just seemed beyond selfish from the very start and didn’t really seem to have much growth and a disconnect with the different relationships in the book as a whole. I did enjoy hearing about the Hawaii and parts of its history and how much community is part of the culture, the architecture and art discussed and the growth the MMC seems to have, although I really wanted to shake him as well. All in all I think it was a nice story with great messaging.
June 21, 2026
At first, I thought this was going to be great! It felt so promising, and there was something immediately enchanting about the writing style. The short sentences almost read like little vignettes, or like I was watching Jane’s life play out through a montage of old home videos. The prose are simple but poignant in a way that makes each moment feel like a tiny snippet of a memory.
And the dramatic irony in the early chapters was painful in the best way. Jane is desperate to get away from everything, taking her small but full life for granted, while you already know the tsunami is going to come and take it all away. You just want to shake her and tell her to appreciate it while she can because soon she’s going to spend years grieving everything she was so eager to leave behind.
I don’t know, maybe I’m a horrible person, or maybe I just grew up watching Titanic too many times, but for some reason I thought the tsunami was going to happen on page. I was expecting at least a little natural-disaster survival story mixed in with the romance, so I was honestly kind of bummed when it went the more understated, realism route. So once the tsunami had passed and Jane and Kenji went their separate ways, the story began to drag for me. A lot happened as the years passed, but there never seemed to be enough character development to make any of it feel truly impactful.
Even the writing style that felt so fresh and unique in the beginning gradually started to lose its charm for me. I can’t fully pinpoint why, but it started to feel a little emotionally distant.
Overall, there was so much potential here, and I really loved the atmosphere and heartbreak of the opening, but the rest of the story never quite lived up to it. But thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
And the dramatic irony in the early chapters was painful in the best way. Jane is desperate to get away from everything, taking her small but full life for granted, while you already know the tsunami is going to come and take it all away. You just want to shake her and tell her to appreciate it while she can because soon she’s going to spend years grieving everything she was so eager to leave behind.
I don’t know, maybe I’m a horrible person, or maybe I just grew up watching Titanic too many times, but for some reason I thought the tsunami was going to happen on page. I was expecting at least a little natural-disaster survival story mixed in with the romance, so I was honestly kind of bummed when it went the more understated, realism route. So once the tsunami had passed and Jane and Kenji went their separate ways, the story began to drag for me. A lot happened as the years passed, but there never seemed to be enough character development to make any of it feel truly impactful.
Even the writing style that felt so fresh and unique in the beginning gradually started to lose its charm for me. I can’t fully pinpoint why, but it started to feel a little emotionally distant.
Overall, there was so much potential here, and I really loved the atmosphere and heartbreak of the opening, but the rest of the story never quite lived up to it. But thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
August 27, 2026
I loved the premise: a story of love, coming of age, loss and grief, self discovery and service — against the backdrop of a community devastated by epic generational tsunamis. I also loved learning about the melding of cultures and traditions made possible by Hawaii’s unique history.
What didn’t work for me was how unlikable I found the main character, who I found selfish, immature, reactive and lacking depth; and the love interest who was more likable but a little flat. It was unclear to me why the initial infatuation would endure past a fun summer fling. The secondary characters were all much more compelling and colorful.
The way it started I thought it would be a quick and simple romance and the fact it continued on for years and years illustrated the long impact of love and tragedy, and how real stories aren’t always linear or quick or tidy. But it also dragged on too long.
All that said, I will definitely keep my eyes open for more books by this debut author. Lots of promise.
Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
What didn’t work for me was how unlikable I found the main character, who I found selfish, immature, reactive and lacking depth; and the love interest who was more likable but a little flat. It was unclear to me why the initial infatuation would endure past a fun summer fling. The secondary characters were all much more compelling and colorful.
The way it started I thought it would be a quick and simple romance and the fact it continued on for years and years illustrated the long impact of love and tragedy, and how real stories aren’t always linear or quick or tidy. But it also dragged on too long.
All that said, I will definitely keep my eyes open for more books by this debut author. Lots of promise.
Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 7, 2025
Beautiful and poetically written. The natural disaster (tsunami) added much to the plot and I loved the comparison to the struggles of love. I was really rooting for Jane and Kenji, both apart and together. The theme of coming of age as well as dealing with grief made this book relatable to me. The overall plot was brilliant and made for a unique story from start to finish. What a beautiful read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 18, 2026
I loved this book. At first I hated Jane. She was so self-centered and ungrateful. I'm also not huge into romance, so the first part if this book wasn't necessarily my cup of tea.
But then the tsunami.... it was so hard to read. I know it isn't the same, but with the recent floods the past two years here.... It hit a little too close to home.
In a way, reading this was a form of therapy. It was a new way to grieve all those our community lost on July 4, 2025. The pain is still so raw, having personally lost four people I dearly loved. I can admit I haven't cried so much reading a book in a long time.
This latter half of the novel is where I truly began to love the characters and the novel. The way each character came to terms with loss in their own ways. The ways in which a community comes together in times of struggle. The author does an incredible job in depicting the vast range of emotions the characters experience they navigate their lives after a major catastrophe.
My heart broke anew, reexperiencing my own pain through these characters... but at the end there was also hope. I felt more and more connected with Jane as the novel went on, resonating with her desire to run from her tragedy rather than face it. It's what I did after this year's flood. I couldn't face a repeat of last year, so I shut down instead. I may personally not be at a stage of healing yet where I'm ready to face everything that has happened to our community in the past couple of years, but this novel helped remind me that healing does come with time, and shutting down only prolongs the pain.
So I want to thank Alicia Upano for writing a novel that helped me want to be just a little bit braver. I want to help my community, like Kenji, not hide from it any longer.
But then the tsunami.... it was so hard to read. I know it isn't the same, but with the recent floods the past two years here.... It hit a little too close to home.
In a way, reading this was a form of therapy. It was a new way to grieve all those our community lost on July 4, 2025. The pain is still so raw, having personally lost four people I dearly loved. I can admit I haven't cried so much reading a book in a long time.
This latter half of the novel is where I truly began to love the characters and the novel. The way each character came to terms with loss in their own ways. The ways in which a community comes together in times of struggle. The author does an incredible job in depicting the vast range of emotions the characters experience they navigate their lives after a major catastrophe.
My heart broke anew, reexperiencing my own pain through these characters... but at the end there was also hope. I felt more and more connected with Jane as the novel went on, resonating with her desire to run from her tragedy rather than face it. It's what I did after this year's flood. I couldn't face a repeat of last year, so I shut down instead. I may personally not be at a stage of healing yet where I'm ready to face everything that has happened to our community in the past couple of years, but this novel helped remind me that healing does come with time, and shutting down only prolongs the pain.
So I want to thank Alicia Upano for writing a novel that helped me want to be just a little bit braver. I want to help my community, like Kenji, not hide from it any longer.
July 7, 2026
Youthful bliss of the main characters is interrupted as a tsunami breaks over Hawaii and kills their families. From this point, everything changes as their lives are no longer in the safe confines of the familiar. Do they rebuild or run? Do they hold together in what I know or walk into places that are new and fresh? The character of Jane consistently complained and was unsure of her self and her importance in Kenji’s life. This came off as YA and felt rather flat overall in the stories. The narrator voice and presentation was done well even with the dual POV, there is an easy flow with character switches. #everythingtothesea Thanks to #netgalley for the ALC.
July 29, 2026
For someone:
- always thinkin bout tsunamis
- interested in Hawaii as something other than a tourist destination
- seeking character development pertaining to trauma response and processing over time
- doing work to mature their relationship as they mature individually
- who gets ATTRACTION and its pull
- always thinkin bout tsunamis
- interested in Hawaii as something other than a tourist destination
- seeking character development pertaining to trauma response and processing over time
- doing work to mature their relationship as they mature individually
- who gets ATTRACTION and its pull
August 3, 2026
4.25
Themes: grief, second chances, starting new
I loved this book! I learned so much about Hawaii and Hilo. It was very immersive and delves into the lives of Jane & Kenji before and after losing everything to a tsunami. We see how they make meaning of their lives after loss, deal with survivor’s guilt, and the found family they make along the way. *Extra special read for me because I read this during my visit to the Big Island
Themes: grief, second chances, starting new
I loved this book! I learned so much about Hawaii and Hilo. It was very immersive and delves into the lives of Jane & Kenji before and after losing everything to a tsunami. We see how they make meaning of their lives after loss, deal with survivor’s guilt, and the found family they make along the way. *Extra special read for me because I read this during my visit to the Big Island
Did Not Finish
August 13, 2026This one started off good and then I got bored. Unfortunately I DNFed at 32%. My mood is definitely affecting a lot of books I attempt to read this month. I might come back to this one.
August 7, 2026
This is such a beautifully written love/coming of age story! I loved Jane and Kenji and how they kept coming back to each other after the tragic tsunami hit their hometown. It was interesting to see how these two characters made different choices in the midst of their grief, and how those choices affected their relationship.
This was such a sad story but I loved the resilience and determination that the characters in Hilo showed after the devastating tsunami. The author did a great job of depicting what all is involved after a natural disaster.
This is also the authors debut novel and she hit it out of the park! This book and these characters will stay with me for awhile!
This was such a sad story but I loved the resilience and determination that the characters in Hilo showed after the devastating tsunami. The author did a great job of depicting what all is involved after a natural disaster.
This is also the authors debut novel and she hit it out of the park! This book and these characters will stay with me for awhile!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
An incredibly intense, captivating, and emotional debut. Personally, I love books that focus on coming-of-age tales and this absolutely delivered. Alicia Upano is an author I will absolutely be following/looking forward to reading more from.
The story follows Jane and Kenji during a summer romance whose worlds are shattered after a tsunami sweeps away everyone they love. This event propels them down two different paths; for Kenji it meant returning to Hilo and submerging himself in the relief effort. For Jane, it meant staying back and trying her best to force what happened into the past as she focuses on grad school and a career.
Both characters are flawed human beings and I couldn't fault either of them for their choices. In fact, there were a few times (in tears as I read it, mind you) where I completely understood where Jane was coming from. You will be annoyed with them, but it makes sense to why they act the way they do!!!! The side characters also played important roles when it came to the character development of both Jane and Kenji.
Upano's prose was atmospheric and immersive; the depiction of Hawaii was beautiful, filled with cultural references that I loved reading about. The depiction of grief was raw, to the point I had to set the book down a few times because of how accurate it felt.
Overall, a beautiful and haunting debut. Ending this review with my favorite quote: "To love was to know that your life contained something worth the risk."
The story follows Jane and Kenji during a summer romance whose worlds are shattered after a tsunami sweeps away everyone they love. This event propels them down two different paths; for Kenji it meant returning to Hilo and submerging himself in the relief effort. For Jane, it meant staying back and trying her best to force what happened into the past as she focuses on grad school and a career.
Both characters are flawed human beings and I couldn't fault either of them for their choices. In fact, there were a few times (in tears as I read it, mind you) where I completely understood where Jane was coming from. You will be annoyed with them, but it makes sense to why they act the way they do!!!! The side characters also played important roles when it came to the character development of both Jane and Kenji.
Upano's prose was atmospheric and immersive; the depiction of Hawaii was beautiful, filled with cultural references that I loved reading about. The depiction of grief was raw, to the point I had to set the book down a few times because of how accurate it felt.
Overall, a beautiful and haunting debut. Ending this review with my favorite quote: "To love was to know that your life contained something worth the risk."
June 1, 2026
Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC! What a touching story.
I loved the atmospheric description of a place forever changed by a tsunami. The book featured many complex characters each with notes of found family, community, grief, success, and love. Following an epic love story of Jane and Kenji, their world is shattered by a wave that takes all they have known. How each handles the situation and struggles with coming to terms ultimately leads to them parting. Years later, they reunite still ablaze in their love. But the wounds of the past resurface and threaten to forever divide the lovers. Janie is forced to reckon with the past when her work takes her home. Caught between the salt of the sea and her tears Janie finally is at peace with Hilo—past and future.
It is rare to find a book that tugs at your heartstrings and leaves you with hope for the future. This book does just that!
I loved the atmospheric description of a place forever changed by a tsunami. The book featured many complex characters each with notes of found family, community, grief, success, and love. Following an epic love story of Jane and Kenji, their world is shattered by a wave that takes all they have known. How each handles the situation and struggles with coming to terms ultimately leads to them parting. Years later, they reunite still ablaze in their love. But the wounds of the past resurface and threaten to forever divide the lovers. Janie is forced to reckon with the past when her work takes her home. Caught between the salt of the sea and her tears Janie finally is at peace with Hilo—past and future.
It is rare to find a book that tugs at your heartstrings and leaves you with hope for the future. This book does just that!
November 20, 2025
Despite the book blurb, I was unprepared for how deeply emotional and intensely felt every piece of Everything to the Sea would be.
Upano captures the nuances of the differing perspectives/approaches to life for folks who grew up in a small town and couples that with the intense and merciless reality of natural disasters. Every emotion was conveyed in the most visceral of ways, and had me near tears—and I'm not even an emotional reader! I truly felt that this was so well-crafted and beautiful, honoring the whole spectrum of what one might feel if they survived such a disaster, even the feelings we don't want to acknowledge. Definitely recommend for anyone who is looking for a book that promises hope, even when it feels like there's nothing left in the world.
Upano captures the nuances of the differing perspectives/approaches to life for folks who grew up in a small town and couples that with the intense and merciless reality of natural disasters. Every emotion was conveyed in the most visceral of ways, and had me near tears—and I'm not even an emotional reader! I truly felt that this was so well-crafted and beautiful, honoring the whole spectrum of what one might feel if they survived such a disaster, even the feelings we don't want to acknowledge. Definitely recommend for anyone who is looking for a book that promises hope, even when it feels like there's nothing left in the world.
July 26, 2026
This story had promise, but I think it was too ambitious for what it was actually capable of accomplishing. Overall, I am not upset that I read it; I was interested enough to finish, but I cannot say I cared too much.
I took issue with various parts of the novel; however, the weakest areas in my opinion were the relationships, the character motivations, especially the FMC Jane's, and the (lack of) emotional impact throughout the story. All of these areas, which are arguably very critical, were so flat, and I just couldn't bring myself to care.
The romantic relationship lacked serious depth. There was no foundation, just insta-love. And I think I can get behind an insta-love couple if I feel the chemistry between two characters, but that did not happen between Kenji and Jane. They meet, and then they are obsessed. If anything occurs that leads to this, it must've happened off-page, and we as readers are never privy to it. Their "love" was the center of this entire story, yet at no point was I invested, nor did I even believe in it. Because their romance was not solid, they simply fell in love in an evening; every time they found each other and picked right back up, I couldn't believe it...all over again. I just kept questioning what was drawing them to one another. Even the lust between them was lacking chemistry.
The characters were also hard to root for as I did not understand their reasoning, specifically Jane. She was so desperate to run away and stay away from home, but I didn't know why. I guess there's the desire to do bigger things elsewhere, but that doesn't answer why home was almost repulsive for her. The disaster happens, and she still doesn't want to go home. Umm, okay, wtf is so serious that she can't set foot there? I never got a good enough reason for it, so all her choices just seemed dumb, and I was pissed off or annoyed by her the whole time.
I am not sure what it was, but the big emotional moments were soooo underwhelming. People are dying, homes are destroyed, children are adopted, babies are being born; I mean lots of BIG BIG things, and I've felt more emotions from wet paper. The incident that comes to mind most prominently was a suicide shortly after the natural disaster, and I felt nothing. It happened so quickly, and we spent no time going through emotions or sitting with the tragedy. It happened, and I just said "damn" and went on with my life. I didn't even care. There are multiple events for which I felt the same, and I don't think I should have. There is a lot of meaningful discussion about cultural continuity and family that I really wanted to feel warm and fuzzy about but just couldn't.
I think this was an okay debut and I'd be willing to see what Upano publishes in the future with a little more fine-tuning.
Thank you to William Morrow for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.
I took issue with various parts of the novel; however, the weakest areas in my opinion were the relationships, the character motivations, especially the FMC Jane's, and the (lack of) emotional impact throughout the story. All of these areas, which are arguably very critical, were so flat, and I just couldn't bring myself to care.
The romantic relationship lacked serious depth. There was no foundation, just insta-love. And I think I can get behind an insta-love couple if I feel the chemistry between two characters, but that did not happen between Kenji and Jane. They meet, and then they are obsessed. If anything occurs that leads to this, it must've happened off-page, and we as readers are never privy to it. Their "love" was the center of this entire story, yet at no point was I invested, nor did I even believe in it. Because their romance was not solid, they simply fell in love in an evening; every time they found each other and picked right back up, I couldn't believe it...all over again. I just kept questioning what was drawing them to one another. Even the lust between them was lacking chemistry.
The characters were also hard to root for as I did not understand their reasoning, specifically Jane. She was so desperate to run away and stay away from home, but I didn't know why. I guess there's the desire to do bigger things elsewhere, but that doesn't answer why home was almost repulsive for her. The disaster happens, and she still doesn't want to go home. Umm, okay, wtf is so serious that she can't set foot there? I never got a good enough reason for it, so all her choices just seemed dumb, and I was pissed off or annoyed by her the whole time.
I am not sure what it was, but the big emotional moments were soooo underwhelming. People are dying, homes are destroyed, children are adopted, babies are being born; I mean lots of BIG BIG things, and I've felt more emotions from wet paper. The incident that comes to mind most prominently was a suicide shortly after the natural disaster, and I felt nothing. It happened so quickly, and we spent no time going through emotions or sitting with the tragedy. It happened, and I just said "damn" and went on with my life. I didn't even care. There are multiple events for which I felt the same, and I don't think I should have. There is a lot of meaningful discussion about cultural continuity and family that I really wanted to feel warm and fuzzy about but just couldn't.
I think this was an okay debut and I'd be willing to see what Upano publishes in the future with a little more fine-tuning.
Thank you to William Morrow for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.
August 10, 2026
Everything to the Sea is Alicia Upano’s debut novel, a sweeping, character-driven story about love, grief, survival, and the complicated ways we find our way home.
Set in atmospheric Hilo, Hawaii, the story begins with Jane and Kenji, two young people caught up in an intense summer romance. Their lives are irrevocably changed when a devastating tsunami strikes Hilo, shattering their community and setting them on very different paths.
The beginning was my favorite part of the book. I loved being immersed in Hawaii, learning about its history, cultures, and traditions, and experiencing the strong sense of community Upano creates. The depiction of the tsunami and its aftermath was especially compelling. Beyond the destruction itself, the novel explores how people respond differently to tragedy: some stay and rebuild, while others need to leave in order to survive their grief.
Where the story lost me somewhat was with Jane and Kenji themselves. I struggled to connect with them, particularly Jane, whose choices could feel selfish, reactive, and frustrating. Even after a seven-year time jump, I wanted to see more maturity from both characters. So much of their conflict came down to assumptions and a refusal to simply communicate, and at times I questioned what sustained their connection beyond the intensity of that first summer. Ironically, I often found the secondary characters more colorful and compelling.
Everything to the Sea asks what it means to rebuild and not just a town after disaster, but a life and a sense of self. With themes of love, loss, betrayal, survival, adoption, community, second chances, and homecoming, this is ultimately as much a story of grief and self-discovery as it is a romance.
“Love is a risk.” And this novel certainly explores the risks we take when we love people, lose them, and choose whether to let them back into our lives.
Set in atmospheric Hilo, Hawaii, the story begins with Jane and Kenji, two young people caught up in an intense summer romance. Their lives are irrevocably changed when a devastating tsunami strikes Hilo, shattering their community and setting them on very different paths.
The beginning was my favorite part of the book. I loved being immersed in Hawaii, learning about its history, cultures, and traditions, and experiencing the strong sense of community Upano creates. The depiction of the tsunami and its aftermath was especially compelling. Beyond the destruction itself, the novel explores how people respond differently to tragedy: some stay and rebuild, while others need to leave in order to survive their grief.
Where the story lost me somewhat was with Jane and Kenji themselves. I struggled to connect with them, particularly Jane, whose choices could feel selfish, reactive, and frustrating. Even after a seven-year time jump, I wanted to see more maturity from both characters. So much of their conflict came down to assumptions and a refusal to simply communicate, and at times I questioned what sustained their connection beyond the intensity of that first summer. Ironically, I often found the secondary characters more colorful and compelling.
Everything to the Sea asks what it means to rebuild and not just a town after disaster, but a life and a sense of self. With themes of love, loss, betrayal, survival, adoption, community, second chances, and homecoming, this is ultimately as much a story of grief and self-discovery as it is a romance.
“Love is a risk.” And this novel certainly explores the risks we take when we love people, lose them, and choose whether to let them back into our lives.
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