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Endless Summer #2
Keeping Her Secret
Two girls. One Kiss.
The last person Riya Johnson expected to run into at her new summer camp is Courtney Chastain—her childhood best friend and the girl who broke her heart after a secret, mind-blowing, life-altering kiss. She definitely didn’t expect to be sharing a bunk bed with her for four long weeks.
Courtney has what every girl wants—she’s beautiful, rich, and the object of every boy’s desire at Camp Pine Ridge. Too bad none of them make her feel an iota of what Riya’s kiss did all those years ago. But Courtney needs to uphold appearances at all costs—even if it means instigating an all-out prank war with Riya as her main target.
Neither girl can stop thinking about the other…but that doesn’t mean they can give up past hurts and take a chance on a future together.
Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains drinking, sexual situations, and a fairy-tale romance sure to make your heart melt.
The last person Riya Johnson expected to run into at her new summer camp is Courtney Chastain—her childhood best friend and the girl who broke her heart after a secret, mind-blowing, life-altering kiss. She definitely didn’t expect to be sharing a bunk bed with her for four long weeks.
Courtney has what every girl wants—she’s beautiful, rich, and the object of every boy’s desire at Camp Pine Ridge. Too bad none of them make her feel an iota of what Riya’s kiss did all those years ago. But Courtney needs to uphold appearances at all costs—even if it means instigating an all-out prank war with Riya as her main target.
Neither girl can stop thinking about the other…but that doesn’t mean they can give up past hurts and take a chance on a future together.
Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains drinking, sexual situations, and a fairy-tale romance sure to make your heart melt.
150 pages, Paperback
First published August 22, 2016
73 people are currently reading
2112 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Nicolas
2 books205 followersSarah Nicolas is a recovering mechanical engineer and author who lives in Orlando with a 60-lb mutt who thinks he’s a chihuahua.
When not writing, Sarah can be found playing volleyball or drinking wine. Sarah is the host and producer of Queries, Qualms, & Quirks. Sarah is represented by Rebecca Podos of Rees Literary Agency.
When not writing, Sarah can be found playing volleyball or drinking wine. Sarah is the host and producer of Queries, Qualms, & Quirks. Sarah is represented by Rebecca Podos of Rees Literary Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews
December 15, 2021
Keeping Her Secrets by Sarah Nicolas
Endless Summer series book 3. YA, LGBTQ romance. Can be read as a stand-alone.
In summer camp, Riya encounters Courtney, her childhood best friend that she once shared a life-altering kiss. All either can think about is the other, but in the world of summer camp and teen challenges they turn to pranks.
A bit heartbreaking, some angst and welcome friendships make this coming of age story poignant, sad and ultimately in love (HFN).
I loved the brother the most. So supportive and true.
Endless Summer series book 3. YA, LGBTQ romance. Can be read as a stand-alone.
In summer camp, Riya encounters Courtney, her childhood best friend that she once shared a life-altering kiss. All either can think about is the other, but in the world of summer camp and teen challenges they turn to pranks.
A bit heartbreaking, some angst and welcome friendships make this coming of age story poignant, sad and ultimately in love (HFN).
I loved the brother the most. So supportive and true.
August 8, 2016
“Two girls. One Kiss."
This book was so good! I unexpectedly connected with both Riya and Courtney and loved reading about their development as characters throughout this book. They’re both very real and even though they make mistakes along the way, those mistakes are completely understandable and it made me like these two even more. I adore Colt, of course, he’s such an amazing supporting character and such an amazing brother as well! I love how their parents are complete opposites and how the author explored two different sides of coming out. The romance was phenomenal! That lake scene left me feeling all tingly. And, of course, that final performance… awww, couple-goals! I really, really enjoyed reading this book and, honestly, this is the first F/F book that I loved. Usually I can’t connect with the characters or the romance happens out of nowhere, but this book showed me that this topic CAN be explored thoroughly and perfectly. Good job Sarah!
*E-copy provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.*
You can read this review on BookishFever.
February 6, 2017
This book had a lot of really fun elements. Obviously, I'm a sucker for f/f camp romance books, and this definitely fit the bill in that regard. Some of the elements were a bit to cheesy and tropey for me, but the romance between Courtney and Riya made the whole book worth it. The last 10% or so had me grinning from ear to ear and it definitely had a satisfying conclusion. Riya is openly bisexual, which is always nice to see represented in queer YA. Additionally, she is biracial! So, nice to see some WOC rep as well. Overall, this book is just a fun read. It is sweet, it is about camp, and it is about ladies loving ladies. And I can always use more of that in my life.
December 16, 2020
I have a crush on Riya, and this is one of my all time favorite covers.
December 6, 2016
Keeping her Secret certainly has its own allure. I can’t help but be swayed by the pull of Riya and Courtney’s chemistry. But, I admit there are certain parts that bothered me that dissuade me from rating this book any higher.
The story follows Riya Johnson, who is a new member of this summer camp, Courtney Chastain frequently goes to every year. She’s her former childhood best friend that broke her heart after running away when their first kiss happened.
Keeping Her Secret employed norm tropes that are usually only reserved for f/m pairings, such as childhood best friends to lovers, and second chance romance. Nicolas truly know how to write a fiery banter and romance. I love the buildup and reconnecting between. I swooned hard.
What left a sour taste in my mind; however, is this particular part:
I don’t know how to interpret this scene, the only thing that I get was Courtney who is a white girl somewhat agrees that Riya is beautiful in an exotic way. Being a minority in the US that only favors white type of beauty standard, “exotic” is never a compliment. Exotic is not a synonym of beautiful. No matter what the intent of that person is. It’s a word meant to alienate poc. This scene serves no purpose, if the white character debunked and disagree with the sentiment I would’ve found it acceptable. This is largely the reason I find a difficult time connecting with white LGBTQ+ books, the lazy inclusion and lack of are frankly dismaying.
Though, in a bright side, I like that both camps never made each other’s sexuality about themselves. Even if they are, they learned how unfair that is.
Aside from the exotic comment, even if I want to rate this book higher I wouldn’t. The last bits dragged too much for my liking. If you want another cutesy read that got WLW of colors right, go pick up Tell Me Again How A Crush Should Feel.
The story follows Riya Johnson, who is a new member of this summer camp, Courtney Chastain frequently goes to every year. She’s her former childhood best friend that broke her heart after running away when their first kiss happened.
Keeping Her Secret employed norm tropes that are usually only reserved for f/m pairings, such as childhood best friends to lovers, and second chance romance. Nicolas truly know how to write a fiery banter and romance. I love the buildup and reconnecting between. I swooned hard.
What left a sour taste in my mind; however, is this particular part:
Riya was beautiful in such a rare kind of way. She’d inherited her mother’s thick, dark hair and incredible bone structure and her father’s quiet strength. Her lush lips demanded an attention. White men like Courtney’s father would call her “exotic,” a word Colt said was meant to be complimentary and dehumanizing at the same time. But it was somewhat true, Riya’s kind of beauty was captivating and untouchable.
I don’t know how to interpret this scene, the only thing that I get was Courtney who is a white girl somewhat agrees that Riya is beautiful in an exotic way. Being a minority in the US that only favors white type of beauty standard, “exotic” is never a compliment. Exotic is not a synonym of beautiful. No matter what the intent of that person is. It’s a word meant to alienate poc. This scene serves no purpose, if the white character debunked and disagree with the sentiment I would’ve found it acceptable. This is largely the reason I find a difficult time connecting with white LGBTQ+ books, the lazy inclusion and lack of are frankly dismaying.
Though, in a bright side, I like that both camps never made each other’s sexuality about themselves. Even if they are, they learned how unfair that is.
Aside from the exotic comment, even if I want to rate this book higher I wouldn’t. The last bits dragged too much for my liking. If you want another cutesy read that got WLW of colors right, go pick up Tell Me Again How A Crush Should Feel.
July 8, 2018
I always have a difficult time rating YA/NA books and this one is no different. Let's start with some of the things that I really liked about this book.
The setting first of all. Summer camp! When you're a teenager what's better than being away from your controlling parents and being surrounded by your friends? This happens to be the case for 17 year old queen bee Courtney Chastain. However this year is a little different since non other than Riya Johnson attends camp Pine Ridge as well. Riya, her openly bisexual former best friend who kissed her 4 years ago and is now forcing her to examine feelings she is desperately trying to hide.
These two young women definitely get off to a rocky start and are soon in the middle of an all out prank war between the 'jocks' and the 'royals'. Being each other's enemy however is hard to do when the other is your bunkmate and literally sleeping only a few feet away from you. Needless to say they don't stay enemies for very long which brings me to another point this book gets right.
Character development. When we're first introduced to Courtney, she's a spoiled ice queen vying for the attention of the boys. She's also deep in the closet and pretty judgmental when it comes to Riya and the fact that she's Bisexual. She definitely has a lot to learn and luckily she does gradually become more aware of her own sexuality and learns to stand up for her self. Riya had her own lessons to learn about facing her fears and learning to be supportive and patient towards Courtney.
The one thing that stood out more in this story than others that I have read recently is the race issue. Perhaps it's because I have become more sensitive to this topic but there is a constant reminder of Riya and Courtney being non white and white respectively. Here are some examples . Even in books where one of the MC's is a WOC there never seemed to be much emphasis on their race. It was pointed out once and then the author moved on to the rest of the story, yet here it kept coming up. I don't know whether that's a good thing or a bad thing but it just stood out a lot more in this book.
As good as this book was however there was nothing new in it. I felt like I had read it all before just maybe in a slightly different setting. Or maybe I just read too much. (ha!) This gets an overall 3,5* rating.
The setting first of all. Summer camp! When you're a teenager what's better than being away from your controlling parents and being surrounded by your friends? This happens to be the case for 17 year old queen bee Courtney Chastain. However this year is a little different since non other than Riya Johnson attends camp Pine Ridge as well. Riya, her openly bisexual former best friend who kissed her 4 years ago and is now forcing her to examine feelings she is desperately trying to hide.
These two young women definitely get off to a rocky start and are soon in the middle of an all out prank war between the 'jocks' and the 'royals'. Being each other's enemy however is hard to do when the other is your bunkmate and literally sleeping only a few feet away from you. Needless to say they don't stay enemies for very long which brings me to another point this book gets right.
Character development. When we're first introduced to Courtney, she's a spoiled ice queen vying for the attention of the boys. She's also deep in the closet and pretty judgmental when it comes to Riya and the fact that she's Bisexual. She definitely has a lot to learn and luckily she does gradually become more aware of her own sexuality and learns to stand up for her self. Riya had her own lessons to learn about facing her fears and learning to be supportive and patient towards Courtney.
The one thing that stood out more in this story than others that I have read recently is the race issue. Perhaps it's because I have become more sensitive to this topic but there is a constant reminder of Riya and Courtney being non white and white respectively. Here are some examples . Even in books where one of the MC's is a WOC there never seemed to be much emphasis on their race. It was pointed out once and then the author moved on to the rest of the story, yet here it kept coming up. I don't know whether that's a good thing or a bad thing but it just stood out a lot more in this book.
As good as this book was however there was nothing new in it. I felt like I had read it all before just maybe in a slightly different setting. Or maybe I just read too much. (ha!) This gets an overall 3,5* rating.
August 22, 2017
Couldn't put this book down. Seriously.
I've read many LGBTQIA+ reads over the years, including several with a F/F romance. However, this is one of the only - if not THE only - book I've ever read in which one of the main characters is bisexual. I loved the way in which Riya described what it means to be bisexual to Courtney, who was calling her out on "leading on" Trey, one of the guys at the summer camp. Courtney seems unaware that someone could be bisexual and has stereotypical ideas, such as the idea that bisexuality means a lack of monogamy, but Sarah Nicolas purposefully counteracts these myths in a way that seems completely conversational, not like a lecture.
There was a lot of tension - both sexually and not - between Riya and Courtney throughout the book, and I loved getting a glimpse of both of their perspectives to clearly understand what they were both thinking at key moments. Even when they're not getting along and are sharing pranks back and forth, I loved that Courtney was able and willing to stick up for Riya's need to practice volleyball before most of the campers woke up because she understood how important keeping her scholarship at a private high school would be for Riya's future in college and beyond.
The book also discusses issues of parental control, and whether what someone wants for their life, including the difference between studying ballet vs. becoming a lawyer, can limit one's ability to feel and act in completely authentic ways.
I will definitely be reading more from Sarah Nicolas in the future!
I've read many LGBTQIA+ reads over the years, including several with a F/F romance. However, this is one of the only - if not THE only - book I've ever read in which one of the main characters is bisexual. I loved the way in which Riya described what it means to be bisexual to Courtney, who was calling her out on "leading on" Trey, one of the guys at the summer camp. Courtney seems unaware that someone could be bisexual and has stereotypical ideas, such as the idea that bisexuality means a lack of monogamy, but Sarah Nicolas purposefully counteracts these myths in a way that seems completely conversational, not like a lecture.
There was a lot of tension - both sexually and not - between Riya and Courtney throughout the book, and I loved getting a glimpse of both of their perspectives to clearly understand what they were both thinking at key moments. Even when they're not getting along and are sharing pranks back and forth, I loved that Courtney was able and willing to stick up for Riya's need to practice volleyball before most of the campers woke up because she understood how important keeping her scholarship at a private high school would be for Riya's future in college and beyond.
The book also discusses issues of parental control, and whether what someone wants for their life, including the difference between studying ballet vs. becoming a lawyer, can limit one's ability to feel and act in completely authentic ways.
I will definitely be reading more from Sarah Nicolas in the future!
July 1, 2018
Keeping her secret has so many factors I like in teen romances. It's based at summer camp. There are pranks. Riya and Courtney's romance started when they were young teens but Riya moved away. They shared a kiss that haunts them both. Riya is openly bi and Courtney only dates boys. Some say she's a heartbreaker, a player but deep down she's already met her match. These two girls are from different backgrounds. Courtney is a twin and privileged. She wants to dance but her mum doesn't see performing arts as a future. Riya is a scholarship kid. She lacks confidence when she first starts camp but soon finds her place. A friend to the jocks and an enemy to the queen bee.
This book is fun and sweet. It's an easy read and I enjoyed the ride. 4 stars out of 5.
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book is fun and sweet. It's an easy read and I enjoyed the ride. 4 stars out of 5.
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 27, 2024
This is my sign to not judge a book by its cover.
August 31, 2016
♥ Find my reviews here: Literary Meanderings
- - -
Synopsis: Two girls. One Kiss.
The last person Riya Johnson expected to run into at her new summer camp is Courtney Chastain—her childhood best friend and the girl who broke her heart after a secret, mind-blowing, life-altering kiss. She definitely didn’t expect to be sharing a bunk bed with her for four long weeks.
Courtney has what every girl wants—she’s beautiful, rich, and the object of every boy’s desire at Camp Pine Ridge. Too bad none of them make her feel an iota of what Riya’s kiss did all those years ago. But Courtney needs to uphold appearances at all costs—even if it means instigating an all-out prank war with Riya as her main target.
Neither girl can stop thinking about the other…but that doesn’t mean they can give up past hurts and take a chance on a future together.
- - -
Keeping Her Secret was one of the sweetest love stories I've read in pretty much forever.
The book begins with Riya heading to summer camp before her final year of high school. Little does she know she is about to run into her childhood best friend and crush/first kiss. ;) Courtney Chastain. But, she does see her and the two don't get along right off the bat. They both harbor some bitterness over how things were left between then when they parted ways as pre-teens. An all-out prank war ensues, with Riya and Courtney at the head of opposing "teams"—but it isn't long before the girls begin spending some time one-on-one and old feelings resurface.
The problem is that while Riya has come into herself—as in she knows she is and is open about being bisexual, Courtney is in denial and determined to remain so.
Until they kiss. It's all downhill (or uphill, really) from there.
The only complaint I have about this book is that something about it felt fake, or artificial. I can't even really place my finger on it. It was too "perfect" I guess.
WHAT I LIKED:
• The characters. They were well written and very personable and relatable. Riya was a sweet, sporty gal who was going for a volleyball scholarship. Courtney was a rich, spoiled, but also sweet gal trying to make her way into Juillliard for ballet. They both had great backstories and were very much multi-dimensional, especially considering this was a short-ish book. Supporting characters were also done very well.
• The LGBT theme. I think this author did a nice job highlighting what it may be like for a teen struggling with her sexuality, and also a teen who is comfortable with hers. She showed us both sides of the spectrum!
• The romance! It was sweet and melt-in-your-mouth. ^-^ I liked that the girls had their mushy moments, their sexy moments (PG-13, if you are wondering), their heated arguments, and their tear-jerker moments. Yes, this romance was so freaking sweet and touching it made me cry. The end of this book will probably have you in tears.
SPOILER ALERT!
This book has a HEA. I am glad for that. I would definitely consider this book a beach read. It's funny, light, but also just enough substance to make it a book you won't want to put down.
I definitely recommend this one if you enjoy a really sweet YA romance that'll make you laugh ad cry all in one shot.
- - -
Book source: From the author for review
Publisher: Entangled: Crush
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April 19, 2020
this book is childhood friends to enemies to lovers i am VIBING
September 11, 2016
If you like young adult stories, teenage angst and summer camp romances, you'll love this book.
August 25, 2016
I've read this (type of) story so many other times; it's not an original concept not was it executed in a unique way in this iteration.
The concept is that two girls who share a kiss once as thirteen year old, are separated and do not speak for four years, then are unexpectedly reunited at summer camp.
From here, the story could go in any number of directions, but instead it plods down the most well-worn of them all. No spoilers here because you've read this story already, at least three times.
Aside from the plot, we have two characters that are either meh (Riya) or completely unsympathetic (Courtney). Courtney is written as the ultimate mean girl and for much of the book, it's completely unclear why the heck Riya is so hung up on her. Their preteen kiss is supposed to be this great catalyst of their lives but it's an event the reader is told about, rather than experiences. For something so pivotal we could at least have been given a flashback or anything from the past to help justify "rooting" for a relationship between these two. So much telling, absolutely no showing. This gets a big ol pass on the bookshelf.
ARC provided by NetGalley
The concept is that two girls who share a kiss once as thirteen year old, are separated and do not speak for four years, then are unexpectedly reunited at summer camp.
From here, the story could go in any number of directions, but instead it plods down the most well-worn of them all. No spoilers here because you've read this story already, at least three times.
Aside from the plot, we have two characters that are either meh (Riya) or completely unsympathetic (Courtney). Courtney is written as the ultimate mean girl and for much of the book, it's completely unclear why the heck Riya is so hung up on her. Their preteen kiss is supposed to be this great catalyst of their lives but it's an event the reader is told about, rather than experiences. For something so pivotal we could at least have been given a flashback or anything from the past to help justify "rooting" for a relationship between these two. So much telling, absolutely no showing. This gets a big ol pass on the bookshelf.
ARC provided by NetGalley
February 28, 2020
this book stole my heart and that is unforgivable 🥺
February 14, 2017
Thank you Netgalley and Entangled: Crush for my e-arc of Keeping Her Secret!
Keeping Her Secret is a book that stays with you, like a beautiful sunset is engraved in your mind for days or even weeks after you’ve seen it. This book is refreshing, beautiful and fills your heart with love and joy. Keeping Her Secret has now become one of my favorite books of all time, I already want to reread it and experience these emotions all over again. You can review a book where you analyze it point after point, however, the one thing that has always had the greatest impact on me is how a book makes me feel. Keeping Her Secret makes me feel a lot, in the best way possible.
Riya Johnson is a half Indian bisexual girl and I absolutely love her. She’s brave, sporty yet clumsy and honestly one of the most refreshing protagonists I have ever read about. Seeing such good on the page representation is valuable and precious, and something I wish we got more of. Sarah Nicolas does it so well.
What I love about Keeping Her Secret is that it’s in a lot of ways about bravery, and in more ways than one. Riya who has always had a supportive family was never scared to come out and has always throughout her life been true to who she is. Courtney on the other hand is rich and has always been surrounded by people in the social elite, something that has made her conform into being the perfect it-girl. Beautiful and someone all the boys wants. However, that’s not who she is on the inside, and that’s what is so beautiful to see. Courtney is brave but in a very different way than Riya. She is willing to go after her passion, ballet, even if her parents do not approve and she is slowly but surely coming to terms with her sexuality. She is finally starting to accept who she is and what she desires after struggling with it for so long.
Even though Riya and Courtney are the heart of this story, the side characters are just as amazing. We have Colt, Courtney’s twin brother, who is the most supportive guy in the entire book. He knows about the kiss that happened between Riya and Courtney all those years ago and though Courtney insists she doesn’t like girls, Colt is very supportive. In fact, in many ways he knows Courtney better than she knows herself. We also have Dee, who is funny, a total prankster and a really good friend to Riya. These supporting characters make the story more dynamic and captivating than it would have been if they hadn’t been there.
Keeping Her Secret is a story that will stay with me for a very long time. This book had me crying, it touched my heart and gave me so much hope. It’s a book that’s beautiful, funny and absolutely mesmerizing. You will root for Riya and Courtney, you will scream for them in the hopes that they get their happy ending and in the end you’ll feel alive. Keeping Her Secret is a sweet summer story that will set your soul on fire and make you feel brave and invincible afterwards, because that’s what these characters are. They are girls loving girls, brave and unstoppable, and no one can get in the way of what they want.
Initial review:
This book deserves all the praise and then some, one of my favorite reads of this year, and maybe even my life. So many parts inspired me, moved me and just made me want more. A full review to come closer to release.
Keeping Her Secret is a book that stays with you, like a beautiful sunset is engraved in your mind for days or even weeks after you’ve seen it. This book is refreshing, beautiful and fills your heart with love and joy. Keeping Her Secret has now become one of my favorite books of all time, I already want to reread it and experience these emotions all over again. You can review a book where you analyze it point after point, however, the one thing that has always had the greatest impact on me is how a book makes me feel. Keeping Her Secret makes me feel a lot, in the best way possible.
“Courtney, I’m bi,” Riya explained.
But Courtney gave her a blank look, and her head twitched. “Bi?”
“Bisexual.”
Riya Johnson is a half Indian bisexual girl and I absolutely love her. She’s brave, sporty yet clumsy and honestly one of the most refreshing protagonists I have ever read about. Seeing such good on the page representation is valuable and precious, and something I wish we got more of. Sarah Nicolas does it so well.
What I love about Keeping Her Secret is that it’s in a lot of ways about bravery, and in more ways than one. Riya who has always had a supportive family was never scared to come out and has always throughout her life been true to who she is. Courtney on the other hand is rich and has always been surrounded by people in the social elite, something that has made her conform into being the perfect it-girl. Beautiful and someone all the boys wants. However, that’s not who she is on the inside, and that’s what is so beautiful to see. Courtney is brave but in a very different way than Riya. She is willing to go after her passion, ballet, even if her parents do not approve and she is slowly but surely coming to terms with her sexuality. She is finally starting to accept who she is and what she desires after struggling with it for so long.
“David was a beautiful distraction, but she appreciated his six-pack and dimples the same way she appreciated Monet paintings. She acknowledged they were pretty, but she didn’t experience an emotional response to them. Not like she did with Picasso paintings.”
Even though Riya and Courtney are the heart of this story, the side characters are just as amazing. We have Colt, Courtney’s twin brother, who is the most supportive guy in the entire book. He knows about the kiss that happened between Riya and Courtney all those years ago and though Courtney insists she doesn’t like girls, Colt is very supportive. In fact, in many ways he knows Courtney better than she knows herself. We also have Dee, who is funny, a total prankster and a really good friend to Riya. These supporting characters make the story more dynamic and captivating than it would have been if they hadn’t been there.
“God, she was so unworldly beautiful, like a river nymph bathing in the moonlight.”
Keeping Her Secret is a story that will stay with me for a very long time. This book had me crying, it touched my heart and gave me so much hope. It’s a book that’s beautiful, funny and absolutely mesmerizing. You will root for Riya and Courtney, you will scream for them in the hopes that they get their happy ending and in the end you’ll feel alive. Keeping Her Secret is a sweet summer story that will set your soul on fire and make you feel brave and invincible afterwards, because that’s what these characters are. They are girls loving girls, brave and unstoppable, and no one can get in the way of what they want.
Initial review:
This book deserves all the praise and then some, one of my favorite reads of this year, and maybe even my life. So many parts inspired me, moved me and just made me want more. A full review to come closer to release.
July 4, 2019
This was so cute! A great mix of enemies to-friends-to-lovers and a second chance romance! It kind of annoyed me how it felt like Riya was the one that constantly had to make the first move with Courtney (apologizing first, seeing things from her perspective even though Court was being a major bitch and mean to her), even if I did understand why. I also really loved Dee and Colt as secondary characters and would legit read a book about them because they are so cute together.
August 7, 2016
** I was given a copy from NetGalley for an honest review.**
This story is simple.
But not in a bad way. It's just lighthearted and very innocent.
One of the main protagonists, Courtney, is a bit of an ass.
But not in a totally unlikable way. She's an ass as many very popular teenagers can be. By entitlement. But that fact in itself is addressed in the book, and, as such as in life, there is room for self improvement.
The other protagonist, Riya, is basically a poster child for the queer members of Gen Z. She's quietly confident and unapologetic about her own sexuality. She has supporting parents. And most of her straight friends of the same age simply do not see gender as a binary concept. Gen Z is famous for it's open-minded and permissive attitude towards issues of gender and sexuality.
I love reading books like this. I'm a member of the Millennial generation, and while life wasn't as bad as previous generations, it was still quite tough for queer teenagers (specially during high school). I like to think that this generally more permissive and empathetic attitude is truly the new reality for all the baby queers out there.
The dialogues were, in it's majority, spot on. They're realistic. These are two 16-17 years old trying their best to figure out their own feelings with the emotional tools they currently have at their disposal in their young life. They speak like the teenagers that they are and they act like the teenagers that they are. They're brazen, impatient, immature and yet quite endearing.
I finally decided I enjoyed this book after this passage here:
It does take a bit of a fairy-tale turn by the end of it, but you know what? That's okay because I think we all need a bit of fairy tale in our lives.
This is a quick and fun read that I do indeed recommend.
This story is simple.
But not in a bad way. It's just lighthearted and very innocent.
One of the main protagonists, Courtney, is a bit of an ass.
But not in a totally unlikable way. She's an ass as many very popular teenagers can be. By entitlement. But that fact in itself is addressed in the book, and, as such as in life, there is room for self improvement.
The other protagonist, Riya, is basically a poster child for the queer members of Gen Z. She's quietly confident and unapologetic about her own sexuality. She has supporting parents. And most of her straight friends of the same age simply do not see gender as a binary concept. Gen Z is famous for it's open-minded and permissive attitude towards issues of gender and sexuality.
I love reading books like this. I'm a member of the Millennial generation, and while life wasn't as bad as previous generations, it was still quite tough for queer teenagers (specially during high school). I like to think that this generally more permissive and empathetic attitude is truly the new reality for all the baby queers out there.
The dialogues were, in it's majority, spot on. They're realistic. These are two 16-17 years old trying their best to figure out their own feelings with the emotional tools they currently have at their disposal in their young life. They speak like the teenagers that they are and they act like the teenagers that they are. They're brazen, impatient, immature and yet quite endearing.
I finally decided I enjoyed this book after this passage here:
It does take a bit of a fairy-tale turn by the end of it, but you know what? That's okay because I think we all need a bit of fairy tale in our lives.
This is a quick and fun read that I do indeed recommend.
August 13, 2016
I tried too hard to like this book, maybe. If I had no expectations, I may have liked it better. But after reading only positive reviews, I was sure I would like this book.
I was wrong.
There was nothing to like. The simply, whiny sentences made sure of that. I only read it because the synopsis seemed great.
An interesting idea, right? Wrong. There are no past hurts. They're both trying to push down their obvious feelings for each other by being horrible to each other throughout the course of the story. Courtney, the one who has everything is self centered and cares way too much about about everybody else's opinions of her. Oh, and she has strong prejudices against everyone. In her mind, she's a "royal" and so can't socialize with "jocks". And that's not even the end of it.
Yep, that happens. Courtney is bearable only because of her twin, Colt, who by far the best character. He's supportive and smart, not to mention unafraid to go after what he wants, everyone else be damned.
(Thanks to netgalley for sending me a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
I was wrong.
There was nothing to like. The simply, whiny sentences made sure of that. I only read it because the synopsis seemed great.
Neither girl can stop thinking about the other…but that doesn’t mean they can give up past hurts and take a chance on a future together.
An interesting idea, right? Wrong. There are no past hurts. They're both trying to push down their obvious feelings for each other by being horrible to each other throughout the course of the story. Courtney, the one who has everything is self centered and cares way too much about about everybody else's opinions of her. Oh, and she has strong prejudices against everyone. In her mind, she's a "royal" and so can't socialize with "jocks". And that's not even the end of it.
"Courtney, I'm bi," Riya explained.
But Courtney gave her a blank look, and her head twitched. "Bi?"
"Bisexual."
Still, Courtney stared open-mouthed.
"She dates girls and boys," Dee finally clarified for her.
"That's a thing?" Courtney's perfectly smooth brow creased.
Yep, that happens. Courtney is bearable only because of her twin, Colt, who by far the best character. He's supportive and smart, not to mention unafraid to go after what he wants, everyone else be damned.
(Thanks to netgalley for sending me a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
August 24, 2016
*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
This is a lgbtq+ romance that follows Riya and Courtney, two former best friends who haven't heard from each other in years. That all changes when Riya moves and is forced to go to summer camp, where Courtney is the queen bee. We follow them as they tackle the reason why they lost touch and everything that comes after it.
Riya is considered a 'jock' since she plays volleyball and wants to go into sports medicine. Her life as an 'out' teen has been more flawless than not. I loved the friendships she made in summer camp. The supportive characters were as enjoyable as the main characters.
In comes Courtney, a popular girl that is struggling to come to terms with her sexuality for many reasons. I really liked and respected Riya but that wasn't the same case with Courtney, at least, not always. I wanted to shake some sense into her more often than not. Riya didn't deserve the way she was treated but in the end, I respected how far Courtney came from the beginning of the story.
I honestly loved her twin brother to the moon and back! He was my favorite character in the entire book and his love life made me feel like a proud parent. I love him, not romantically, but as a brother. He was incredible and so supportive of both girls... I kept wishing I could hug him every time he did something that made me tear up. He had a heart of gold and everybody needs to have someone like him in their lives.
All and all, this book was an easy read and I loved the addition of the epilogue. It's something I was hoping the author would do and she did!
This is a lgbtq+ romance that follows Riya and Courtney, two former best friends who haven't heard from each other in years. That all changes when Riya moves and is forced to go to summer camp, where Courtney is the queen bee. We follow them as they tackle the reason why they lost touch and everything that comes after it.
Riya is considered a 'jock' since she plays volleyball and wants to go into sports medicine. Her life as an 'out' teen has been more flawless than not. I loved the friendships she made in summer camp. The supportive characters were as enjoyable as the main characters.
In comes Courtney, a popular girl that is struggling to come to terms with her sexuality for many reasons. I really liked and respected Riya but that wasn't the same case with Courtney, at least, not always. I wanted to shake some sense into her more often than not. Riya didn't deserve the way she was treated but in the end, I respected how far Courtney came from the beginning of the story.
I honestly loved her twin brother to the moon and back! He was my favorite character in the entire book and his love life made me feel like a proud parent. I love him, not romantically, but as a brother. He was incredible and so supportive of both girls... I kept wishing I could hug him every time he did something that made me tear up. He had a heart of gold and everybody needs to have someone like him in their lives.
All and all, this book was an easy read and I loved the addition of the epilogue. It's something I was hoping the author would do and she did!
August 16, 2016
"She stared at them until she licked her own lips and closed her eyes without thinking. The next thing she knew, those beautiful lips were pressed against hers and Riya was kissing her like she'd seen in movies and Courtney was kissing her back."
Courtney and Riya shared a kiss years ago when they were best friends. Since then, they stopped talking with each other. Now, they find themselves sharing a bunk bed at a summer camp and having those old feeling creeping back in to confuse them even more.
I like how fluffy this book is. Sweet and simple F/F books for teenage girls are always such a rare thing to find. Bonus point for the great bisexuality rep and how it was explained here. This book was really good at that and at bringing different sides of coming out. I'm sure it'll be so important for YA readers to read this story.
I did think there were some overly cheesy scenes. I'm all for fluffy and cheesy, but I cringe if they sound unrealistic. Or maybe it's just me and my old ass not being the target here. Also, I didn't understand the whole pranks thing. But that's because I hate pranks as a whole tbh. Am I finally getting too old for some types of romance? I hope not! I love YA and as a writer and avid reader, I plan to keep reading these books for a long time.
The only thing I missed here was some flashbacks. It would add so much more to the story if we got to see the girls friendship before the camp meeting!!
Summing up: Good bi rep, overly cheesy romance, and lots of kissing.
Courtney and Riya shared a kiss years ago when they were best friends. Since then, they stopped talking with each other. Now, they find themselves sharing a bunk bed at a summer camp and having those old feeling creeping back in to confuse them even more.
I like how fluffy this book is. Sweet and simple F/F books for teenage girls are always such a rare thing to find. Bonus point for the great bisexuality rep and how it was explained here. This book was really good at that and at bringing different sides of coming out. I'm sure it'll be so important for YA readers to read this story.
I did think there were some overly cheesy scenes. I'm all for fluffy and cheesy, but I cringe if they sound unrealistic. Or maybe it's just me and my old ass not being the target here. Also, I didn't understand the whole pranks thing. But that's because I hate pranks as a whole tbh. Am I finally getting too old for some types of romance? I hope not! I love YA and as a writer and avid reader, I plan to keep reading these books for a long time.
The only thing I missed here was some flashbacks. It would add so much more to the story if we got to see the girls friendship before the camp meeting!!
Summing up: Good bi rep, overly cheesy romance, and lots of kissing.
May 20, 2020
Com certeza um dos meus 'comfort-books' preferidos. Nada como um romancinho fofo entre meninas pra me deixar melhor.
Riya é uma promissora jogadora de volei que é mandada pelos pais prum acampamento que não é de volei pra ela PARAR DE ESTRESSAR E SE DIVERTIR (ótimos pais) antes de ir pra escola de gente rica que deu bolsa por esportes pra ela. Só que chegando lá ela encontra a ex-melhor amiga de infância dela a Courtney, que força as duas a lidarem como ~passado! OOH, DRAMA ADOLESCENTE! Mas sáfico. Tudo pra mim.
E NO MEIO DISSO TUDO, elas entram sem querer numa guerra de pegadinhas uma contra a outra que é o toquinho de Rivals-To-Lovers que dá um temperinho especial.
Resumindo: muito fofo e divertido. Gosto muito.
Riya é uma promissora jogadora de volei que é mandada pelos pais prum acampamento que não é de volei pra ela PARAR DE ESTRESSAR E SE DIVERTIR (ótimos pais) antes de ir pra escola de gente rica que deu bolsa por esportes pra ela. Só que chegando lá ela encontra a ex-melhor amiga de infância dela a Courtney, que força as duas a lidarem como ~passado! OOH, DRAMA ADOLESCENTE! Mas sáfico. Tudo pra mim.
E NO MEIO DISSO TUDO, elas entram sem querer numa guerra de pegadinhas uma contra a outra que é o toquinho de Rivals-To-Lovers que dá um temperinho especial.
Resumindo: muito fofo e divertido. Gosto muito.
July 14, 2018
A special thank you goes to Entangled Teen for allowing me to read this eARC early. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
tw: racism, homophobic slurs, use of word d*ke, internalized homophobia
Wow did I love this! I originally requested it because it sounded similar to another book I read years ago (I can't even remember what it is called now) plus that cover is so damn adorable. I knew instantly that I had to read this book and I'm so glad I did. My heart is still swooning from Courtney and Riya!
This book was so fun and summery. It took place at a summer camp and I love that. I went to summer camp (more of bible camp) years ago for quite a few years. I did enjoy it even though I have social anxiety. I wasn't keen on being outside a lot but I made some friends and overall had a great time. This book took me back to that and I pictured my own camp while I read this book.
But at the same time it covered some pretty important issues like internalized homophobia and forgiveness. I could feel the struggle Courtney dealt with and her biggest fears. My heart broke for her and I wanted to just hug her and tell her everything was going to be okay. While this book does deal with those topics, it's also awesome to have a proudly out MC, use of the word bisexual, diversity and so much more. Seeing all this made my heart so happy!
This book was so full of angst and the hate to love trope that I thought my heart was going to explode. I was just dying for them to do something, anything! Sarah Nicolas made me wait soooo daaaamn long for the payoff. I read this book in one day because I wanted to know what was going to happen and I couldn't just leave the book. I had to know! Had to, I tell you!
Overall, I adored the heck out of this book. It has that light summery vibe but with important issues teens of the LGBTQIA+ community deal with. I know I am going to hunt down the rest of her books because I really liked this one and I need that feeling of going back to summer camp! I wish there was a summer camp for adults. Wouldn't that be awesome? Anyway, I highly suggest you all pick this book up today.
PS. This looks like it's part of a series but you don't have to read it in order. They look to be stand alones in the same world of summer camp.
tw: racism, homophobic slurs, use of word d*ke, internalized homophobia
Wow did I love this! I originally requested it because it sounded similar to another book I read years ago (I can't even remember what it is called now) plus that cover is so damn adorable. I knew instantly that I had to read this book and I'm so glad I did. My heart is still swooning from Courtney and Riya!
This book was so fun and summery. It took place at a summer camp and I love that. I went to summer camp (more of bible camp) years ago for quite a few years. I did enjoy it even though I have social anxiety. I wasn't keen on being outside a lot but I made some friends and overall had a great time. This book took me back to that and I pictured my own camp while I read this book.
But at the same time it covered some pretty important issues like internalized homophobia and forgiveness. I could feel the struggle Courtney dealt with and her biggest fears. My heart broke for her and I wanted to just hug her and tell her everything was going to be okay. While this book does deal with those topics, it's also awesome to have a proudly out MC, use of the word bisexual, diversity and so much more. Seeing all this made my heart so happy!
This book was so full of angst and the hate to love trope that I thought my heart was going to explode. I was just dying for them to do something, anything! Sarah Nicolas made me wait soooo daaaamn long for the payoff. I read this book in one day because I wanted to know what was going to happen and I couldn't just leave the book. I had to know! Had to, I tell you!
Overall, I adored the heck out of this book. It has that light summery vibe but with important issues teens of the LGBTQIA+ community deal with. I know I am going to hunt down the rest of her books because I really liked this one and I need that feeling of going back to summer camp! I wish there was a summer camp for adults. Wouldn't that be awesome? Anyway, I highly suggest you all pick this book up today.
PS. This looks like it's part of a series but you don't have to read it in order. They look to be stand alones in the same world of summer camp.
March 25, 2019
”The thing about people who didn’t say much was no one could argue with the few things they did choose to say.”
4 stars
TW: homophobia (challenged)
Rep: bisexual Indian MC, sapphic MC
The Writing
This book reads like you’d expect a YA book targeted at younger teens to read. So, a bit juvenile for my taste, but overall, I don’t have any complaints about it. I did find that the writing style for the two PoVs was a bit too similar for my taste and I wish their voices had been developed further to stand out from each other.
The Plot/Pacing
It’s a teen romance book with an added layer or two of drama and it’s a summer camp novel and it’s so adorable and I’m so in love with it, it’s so good ugh. Obviously, there’s a general lack of plot outside of the romance side of things, but I really enjoyed just reading a fluffy contemporary about two girls falling in love over the summer and it made me really happy, which is all I can really ask for when it comes to books.
The Characters
I really liked that the characters were developed beyond their core interests: dancing for Courtney and volleyball for Riya. Their only personality trait isn’t that they’re interested in dancing and volleyball and while that affects the actions that they take, there are also other factors that affect their decisions, which I feel like is rarely seen in a teen romance, but is beautifully executed here. I also love the way characters backstories were explored in this book and I loved how this book covered internalized homophobia. The character interactions read very easily and naturally, which was also really nice to see.
Overall
I really enjoyed this book!! It made me really happy and it was a cutesy fluffy romance but f/f and that made me really happy.
August 12, 2016
I received this free from the publishers via NetGalley
Riya Johnson had her heart broken by her childhood best friend after a secret kiss they shared. So when Riya Johnson shows up at a new summer camp, the last person she ever expected to see was Courtney Chastain – the very girl who broke her heart who she hasn’t seen for years. Courtney Chastain is the object of desire for every boy at the camp, but none of them make her feel anything close to how she felt when she kissed Riya Johnson all those years ago. So when both girls reconnect at Camp Pine Ridge, they start to re-evaluate their past feelings and start thinking about their future.
Keeping Her Secret was a fun, light hearted and engaging summer read – a great summer vibe, a cute f/f romance, and some really great friendships and supporting characters. There were some good discussions on sexuality, acceptance, coming out, family & parental control, discovering yourself, and future aspirations.
Courtney is unlikeable at times, she’s entitled and mean but her development is fantastic. Riya is an instant favourite – extremely likeable, confident and fun. Together, Riya and Courtney have some really great chemistry and development. They started out as childhood friends, so I liked that they already had a past and I really enjoyed the prank war between the two. I also particularly liked Dee and Colt and how supportive they were of both Riya and Courtney and their relationship.
Overall, a highly compelling and engaging read. A cute f/f relationships that has a happy ending. . Highly recommend. This one should definitely be on your TBR.
Riya Johnson had her heart broken by her childhood best friend after a secret kiss they shared. So when Riya Johnson shows up at a new summer camp, the last person she ever expected to see was Courtney Chastain – the very girl who broke her heart who she hasn’t seen for years. Courtney Chastain is the object of desire for every boy at the camp, but none of them make her feel anything close to how she felt when she kissed Riya Johnson all those years ago. So when both girls reconnect at Camp Pine Ridge, they start to re-evaluate their past feelings and start thinking about their future.
Keeping Her Secret was a fun, light hearted and engaging summer read – a great summer vibe, a cute f/f romance, and some really great friendships and supporting characters. There were some good discussions on sexuality, acceptance, coming out, family & parental control, discovering yourself, and future aspirations.
Courtney is unlikeable at times, she’s entitled and mean but her development is fantastic. Riya is an instant favourite – extremely likeable, confident and fun. Together, Riya and Courtney have some really great chemistry and development. They started out as childhood friends, so I liked that they already had a past and I really enjoyed the prank war between the two. I also particularly liked Dee and Colt and how supportive they were of both Riya and Courtney and their relationship.
Overall, a highly compelling and engaging read. A cute f/f relationships that has a happy ending. . Highly recommend. This one should definitely be on your TBR.
September 11, 2016
Keeping Her Secret!!! I requested an ARC for this, but didn't get it, so I just went ahead and preordered it.
I'm so happy I did, cause I seriously love this book so much.
There is nothing in this whole book that I didn't like. Nothing.
I love the setting, the summer camp.
I love the characters. Riya and Courtney, the two main characters, they were so different from each other. It took me a bit to warm up to Courtney, just because it takes a while to really get to know her. There were also so many great side characters, that I totally loved.
I loved Riya's love for volleyball and Courtney's love for ballet. And their love for each other. There was so much history between these two, so much unresolved stuff, so many stuff that got between them but they made it work, and I'm so glad they did, cause they are just the cutest.
I loved their story. The childhood besties, a kiss changes everything and they completely lose contact with each other and then they meet again at camp. Things are awkward and frustrating, but they get so much better.
I also loved the writing, it was really good and easy to get into.
I loved the frustrating parts. And at the same time, I really hated it, cause it shouldn't be that hard for two people with the same gender to be in love and actually show it. They shouldn't have to worry about people accepting it. Maybe that's just me, cause I just don't see a problem with it, that I can't understand people who have problems with it. Why?
If you are looking for something fun, easy and super cute to read, I HIGHLY recommend this book.
I'm so happy I did, cause I seriously love this book so much.
There is nothing in this whole book that I didn't like. Nothing.
I love the setting, the summer camp.
I love the characters. Riya and Courtney, the two main characters, they were so different from each other. It took me a bit to warm up to Courtney, just because it takes a while to really get to know her. There were also so many great side characters, that I totally loved.
I loved Riya's love for volleyball and Courtney's love for ballet. And their love for each other. There was so much history between these two, so much unresolved stuff, so many stuff that got between them but they made it work, and I'm so glad they did, cause they are just the cutest.
I loved their story. The childhood besties, a kiss changes everything and they completely lose contact with each other and then they meet again at camp. Things are awkward and frustrating, but they get so much better.
I also loved the writing, it was really good and easy to get into.
I loved the frustrating parts. And at the same time, I really hated it, cause it shouldn't be that hard for two people with the same gender to be in love and actually show it. They shouldn't have to worry about people accepting it. Maybe that's just me, cause I just don't see a problem with it, that I can't understand people who have problems with it. Why?
If you are looking for something fun, easy and super cute to read, I HIGHLY recommend this book.
August 14, 2016
I really loved this book. It was such an honest look at young women learning to accept their sexuality and being comfortable enough to express it. Riya and Courtney were once close until an unexpected kiss has Courtney running. Now they've been reunited at summer camp and all those scary and unyielding feelings come rushing back. While Courtney has never forgotten Riya or the feelings she has for her, she has tried to push them away. She's fearful of the reactions of her parents and friends if she were to give in to them. Being around Riya every day makes it difficult to deny them.
This is a beautifully written story and definitely a book I recommend.
This is a beautifully written story and definitely a book I recommend.
December 16, 2020
This was another tough book to get through. The banter was sweet and there were endearing moments, but it was not enough to save the story. I went into this with rather low expectations based on the title and cheap cover design and I still walked away disappointed. Everything about this was flat, underdeveloped, weak, and dull. The one big thing of note was the underrepresented struggles of bisexual people, which was maddening to read about.
August 19, 2020
I have to admit that Sarah Nicolas does know how to transfer the typical m/f tropes to a f/f relationship without making it seem forced. I enjoyed the banter and sweet moments but it wasn’t enough. Based on the cheap cover design and obvious title name, I came into this with very low expectations and an open mind. Of course, that saved me a lot of heartache as I read another story that mistreated the identities of Indian women and underrepresented the struggles of bisexual people.
We don’t get enough background story or reason why. If you’re going to give me poor character development, at least give me something else to work with. Why would Riya and Courtney be uwu for each other on the last day they were together if neither of them had shown chemistry before? I had my first female crush when I was nine and it continued on the same girl (who was ten) until I was thirteen and had to move away, just like Riya did. We were neighbors ironically which allowed us to be close together for so long, we could have been a cheesy story. We grew up together in religious and homophobic families. I was open with my sexuality (identifying as bisexual then, pansexual now) and she wasn’t, similar to Riya and Courtney. Even when we pretended to date (and even be married) in role-play, wrote love letters to each other, and waited for each other to get out of school everyday so we could hangout, we had never expressed affection beyond anything platonic despite our history. There, I just gave you quick points for an oki background. I just find it unrealistic and how this could have been a spur in the moment. I find this offensive to my own story and probably for every lgbtq+ being. Our stories aren’t spurs in the moment, especially if we are from from very religious and patriarchal families.
I find it really hard to read LGBTQ+ books by white authors because some white authors tend to be lazy in their inclusion and will often times end up being racist while intending to be diverse, as in this scene:
Riya was beautiful in such a rare kind of way. She’d inherited her mother’s thick, dark hair and incredible bone structure and her father’s quiet strength. Her lush lips demanded an attention. White men like Courtney’s father would call her “exotic”, a word Colt said was meant to be complimentary and dehumanizing at the same time. But it was somewhat true, Riya’s kind of beauty was captivating and untouchable.
^STOP WITH THIS STEREOTYPING! This scene was highly unnecessary as Sarah Nicolas could have simply said “beautiful” or “lovely” or anything not harmful to brown women. She clearly did not do her research when trying to write about a brown woman and sadly that doesn’t surprise me. Riya is half Indian, but with all these vague appearance descriptions and the few mentions of racism being shown towards Mexicans, you would think she’s latinx for the first two hundred and thirty pgs. I would have liked Riya’s Indian heritage to be explored much better as an openly bisexual girl because Indian culture and LGBTQ+ have a history of homophobia stemming from colonization and the patriarchy, just like many other cultures do. Yoohoo, latinx person raised as a Catholic right here *points to self*. Clearly the author is not familiar with cultures either. I didn’t even KNOW that she was half Indian until NINE PAGES before the book ended.
There are many more things I could add such as the both parents being lawyers trope, conveniently having a vapa scout trope, but I’ll just end with saying that the world building was VERY poor so when they kept saying summer camp, I tried to imagine The Parent Trap (1998).
I came into this hoping for authentic bisexual representation or even a wholesome story, but there was so much that went downhill.
We don’t get enough background story or reason why. If you’re going to give me poor character development, at least give me something else to work with. Why would Riya and Courtney be uwu for each other on the last day they were together if neither of them had shown chemistry before? I had my first female crush when I was nine and it continued on the same girl (who was ten) until I was thirteen and had to move away, just like Riya did. We were neighbors ironically which allowed us to be close together for so long, we could have been a cheesy story. We grew up together in religious and homophobic families. I was open with my sexuality (identifying as bisexual then, pansexual now) and she wasn’t, similar to Riya and Courtney. Even when we pretended to date (and even be married) in role-play, wrote love letters to each other, and waited for each other to get out of school everyday so we could hangout, we had never expressed affection beyond anything platonic despite our history. There, I just gave you quick points for an oki background. I just find it unrealistic and how this could have been a spur in the moment. I find this offensive to my own story and probably for every lgbtq+ being. Our stories aren’t spurs in the moment, especially if we are from from very religious and patriarchal families.
I find it really hard to read LGBTQ+ books by white authors because some white authors tend to be lazy in their inclusion and will often times end up being racist while intending to be diverse, as in this scene:
Riya was beautiful in such a rare kind of way. She’d inherited her mother’s thick, dark hair and incredible bone structure and her father’s quiet strength. Her lush lips demanded an attention. White men like Courtney’s father would call her “exotic”, a word Colt said was meant to be complimentary and dehumanizing at the same time. But it was somewhat true, Riya’s kind of beauty was captivating and untouchable.
^STOP WITH THIS STEREOTYPING! This scene was highly unnecessary as Sarah Nicolas could have simply said “beautiful” or “lovely” or anything not harmful to brown women. She clearly did not do her research when trying to write about a brown woman and sadly that doesn’t surprise me. Riya is half Indian, but with all these vague appearance descriptions and the few mentions of racism being shown towards Mexicans, you would think she’s latinx for the first two hundred and thirty pgs. I would have liked Riya’s Indian heritage to be explored much better as an openly bisexual girl because Indian culture and LGBTQ+ have a history of homophobia stemming from colonization and the patriarchy, just like many other cultures do. Yoohoo, latinx person raised as a Catholic right here *points to self*. Clearly the author is not familiar with cultures either. I didn’t even KNOW that she was half Indian until NINE PAGES before the book ended.
There are many more things I could add such as the both parents being lawyers trope, conveniently having a vapa scout trope, but I’ll just end with saying that the world building was VERY poor so when they kept saying summer camp, I tried to imagine The Parent Trap (1998).
I came into this hoping for authentic bisexual representation or even a wholesome story, but there was so much that went downhill.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2017
I have been wanting to read this one for a while, because it seemed like a cute camp romance between former childhood friends with a potential for a lot of my favorites tropes and I'm glad to say it didn't disappoint.
Riya and Court haven't seen each other in four years, since a pretty great kiss that they both have tried to leave behind, when they find out that not only they are in the opposed sides of a prank war, but also they will be sharing a bunk bed for the next four weeks. They decide to avoid each other as much as they can, which is made even harder by Courtney's twin brother who insists on repairing their friendship.
I genuinely liked both main characters. They each had their own personalities, passions and flaws and I enjoyed seeing them developing through the story, together and on their own.
It also had a really nice cast of supporting characters who were each so great individually that I didn't get them all mixed up in my head like I usually do. I loved how the friendships were a important part of the book and not just plot devices.
There was a point towards the end that I think things got a bit rushed and there were some issues that could've been given more time, but I appreciate that, while I don't think they weren't properly dealt with, they were acknowledged as issues and not just ignored.
It had a little more gay angst that I usually prefer, but I think it fit the story and the character well.
Also I liked the fact that Riya wasn't the only person of color in the entire book and that things like biphobia and casual racism were pointed out even though it wasn't an actual plot point.
Riya and Court haven't seen each other in four years, since a pretty great kiss that they both have tried to leave behind, when they find out that not only they are in the opposed sides of a prank war, but also they will be sharing a bunk bed for the next four weeks. They decide to avoid each other as much as they can, which is made even harder by Courtney's twin brother who insists on repairing their friendship.
I genuinely liked both main characters. They each had their own personalities, passions and flaws and I enjoyed seeing them developing through the story, together and on their own.
It also had a really nice cast of supporting characters who were each so great individually that I didn't get them all mixed up in my head like I usually do. I loved how the friendships were a important part of the book and not just plot devices.
There was a point towards the end that I think things got a bit rushed and there were some issues that could've been given more time, but I appreciate that, while I don't think they weren't properly dealt with, they were acknowledged as issues and not just ignored.
It had a little more gay angst that I usually prefer, but I think it fit the story and the character well.
Also I liked the fact that Riya wasn't the only person of color in the entire book and that things like biphobia and casual racism were pointed out even though it wasn't an actual plot point.
April 11, 2017
Rating: 2.75/5
Review to come!
Review to come!
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