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Someone Like You & That Summer
That Summer and Someone Like You, together in one volume from New York Times bestselling author Sarah Dessen!
Just when you think you've got everything figured out for yourself, things get turned upside down. Families change. Lives end. New lives begin. And love sneaks up on you when you least expect it. The trick is finding that one person you can always count on, that one person who will throw out the rules and help you figure out how to deal with it all.
Here, from acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Sarah Dessen, are two books about girls who stick together and rise above the obstacles in their lives.
Just when you think you've got everything figured out for yourself, things get turned upside down. Families change. Lives end. New lives begin. And love sneaks up on you when you least expect it. The trick is finding that one person you can always count on, that one person who will throw out the rules and help you figure out how to deal with it all.
Here, from acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Sarah Dessen, are two books about girls who stick together and rise above the obstacles in their lives.
496 pages, Paperback
Published April 23, 2019
11 people are currently reading
706 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 13, 2020
I seriously loved this little bind up. Bind ups are the best because it's two books in one! Anddddd.... this was the last two books I needed to finish my Sarah Dessen collection... SO FAR! (*currently waiting for a new Dessen book). I now have only two more books of Dessen's to read and then I will have read every single book of hers *sigh*.
Reading the first two books that Dessen ever published was a lot of fun. I can see how far she has come in her writing and can say that each book she brings to the world, her writing gets better and better.
Someone Like You:
This was a wonderful book about friendship. I loved the friendship between Halley and Scarlett! It was told in a very interesting way that only showed the incredible friendship these two had. I'm not even gonna talk about Bacon *coughs* im sorry... Macon (like there is a difference? lol). Although I wish we could have gotten the response of Micheals mother after Scarlett sent the letter. Solid book:)
That Summer:
I believe this was the VERY FIRST book Sarah ever published and boy has she come a long way. I enjoyed our main character Haven. She felt like a stranger in her own skin, always too tall for everybody and never feeling confident. I loved how she finally accepted herself for who she was by the end. Her sister Ashley was annoying though and the Dad sucked! Sumner is also a very interesting name. I even liked him until... well... ya know.
Overall, I loved reading more Dessen writing. Her stories are some of my all time favorites. But I definitely think her more recent books are better just because her writing, her characters, her stories, have just gotten more wonderful with each book she publishes and I think that's just because, practice makes perfect:) Now I am off to watch the movie "How to Deal" which stars Mandy Moore and is both of these books combined to make one film! SO excited!!
Reading the first two books that Dessen ever published was a lot of fun. I can see how far she has come in her writing and can say that each book she brings to the world, her writing gets better and better.
Someone Like You:
This was a wonderful book about friendship. I loved the friendship between Halley and Scarlett! It was told in a very interesting way that only showed the incredible friendship these two had. I'm not even gonna talk about Bacon *coughs* im sorry... Macon (like there is a difference? lol). Although I wish we could have gotten the response of Micheals mother after Scarlett sent the letter. Solid book:)
That Summer:
I believe this was the VERY FIRST book Sarah ever published and boy has she come a long way. I enjoyed our main character Haven. She felt like a stranger in her own skin, always too tall for everybody and never feeling confident. I loved how she finally accepted herself for who she was by the end. Her sister Ashley was annoying though and the Dad sucked! Sumner is also a very interesting name. I even liked him until... well... ya know.
Overall, I loved reading more Dessen writing. Her stories are some of my all time favorites. But I definitely think her more recent books are better just because her writing, her characters, her stories, have just gotten more wonderful with each book she publishes and I think that's just because, practice makes perfect:) Now I am off to watch the movie "How to Deal" which stars Mandy Moore and is both of these books combined to make one film! SO excited!!
March 27, 2021
I enjoyed Someone Like You more than That Summer, but the both deserve 5 stars.
May 4, 2023
3.5 stars; this is only my 2nd read of both of these and I've come to an interesting conclusion. I enjoyed That Summer a little more than last time, and enjoyed Someone Like You less. I love Scarlett, but Halley annoyed me a lot more this time around. The Dessen reread continues with Keeping the Moon...
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March 29, 2021This book is very interesting and i always wanted to read more. There were times that i got angry about what happened but it got better during the rest of the story. I feel that at times i could relate to Halley.
July 18, 2025
Someone Like You: ⭐️⭐️
This book had themes including death and teen pregnancy. The overall plot involved the main character, Halley, helping her friend, Scarlett, grieve the loss of her boyfriend while navigating said teen pregnancy.
Halley’s mom is a tyrant. She’s an author of parenting books who uses her own parenting and child as evidence of how the advice she gives does work. The whole way through this book I was utterly annoyed with the mom.
I also don’t quite understand why there was the death of the boyfriend, other than to avoid having him involved in the plot. Aside from the opening of the story, he’s hardly mentioned.
That Summer: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
This book had themes revolving around divorce, changes in family dynamics, and coming of age.
The main character, Haven, is struggling with the sudden bursts of change in her life. From her parents divorce, dad’s new wife (who ends up being pregnant 🫣), and her sister’s upcoming wedding and eventual move, Haven is having a rough time of being 15.
The first half of the story is typical teenage drama. I was eating it up. Haven was scorning her sister, who’s 5 years older and being a bit of a bridezilla. She’s upset with her father for moving out and marrying someone new so quickly (not to mention it’s the woman he was having an affair with!). And she’s becoming irate with her mother for allowing her sister to behave poorly and causing additional harm to Haven when suggesting they move out of her childhood home.
In the second half, we meet the all important Sumner; a precious boyfriend of the sister that Haven has always had an infatuation with. She enjoys seeing him around town again and hanging out with him from time to time. She definitely did not let go of that crush.
Then in the last quarter of the story, Haven decides to crash out big time and then is suddenly over it when she literally runs into a local town celebrity in the woods during a rainstorm. The ending to this was odd to me and felt a bit rushed. I wish there had been more time spent talking about after the wedding and the move, checking in with the family and seeing them actually settle some differences and come together.
This book had themes including death and teen pregnancy. The overall plot involved the main character, Halley, helping her friend, Scarlett, grieve the loss of her boyfriend while navigating said teen pregnancy.
Halley’s mom is a tyrant. She’s an author of parenting books who uses her own parenting and child as evidence of how the advice she gives does work. The whole way through this book I was utterly annoyed with the mom.
I also don’t quite understand why there was the death of the boyfriend, other than to avoid having him involved in the plot. Aside from the opening of the story, he’s hardly mentioned.
That Summer: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
This book had themes revolving around divorce, changes in family dynamics, and coming of age.
The main character, Haven, is struggling with the sudden bursts of change in her life. From her parents divorce, dad’s new wife (who ends up being pregnant 🫣), and her sister’s upcoming wedding and eventual move, Haven is having a rough time of being 15.
The first half of the story is typical teenage drama. I was eating it up. Haven was scorning her sister, who’s 5 years older and being a bit of a bridezilla. She’s upset with her father for moving out and marrying someone new so quickly (not to mention it’s the woman he was having an affair with!). And she’s becoming irate with her mother for allowing her sister to behave poorly and causing additional harm to Haven when suggesting they move out of her childhood home.
In the second half, we meet the all important Sumner; a precious boyfriend of the sister that Haven has always had an infatuation with. She enjoys seeing him around town again and hanging out with him from time to time. She definitely did not let go of that crush.
Then in the last quarter of the story, Haven decides to crash out big time and then is suddenly over it when she literally runs into a local town celebrity in the woods during a rainstorm. The ending to this was odd to me and felt a bit rushed. I wish there had been more time spent talking about after the wedding and the move, checking in with the family and seeing them actually settle some differences and come together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2021
Someone Like You was a great book. Definitely kept me interested the entire time. I was disappointed by That Summer. It was thrown together with similar elements of someone like you and went no where. Definitely read Someone Like You though!!!
May 15, 2024
3.5 for me! I couldn't really stand the FMCs because i think i've outgrown my teenage angsty era, but that's just my personal opinion! Anyway, the stories were pretty well written! Just not my cup of tea.
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July 17, 2022I actually didn't like this book .... to the point where I didn't even read the 2nd one that was included....and that rarely happens
March 14, 2025
Two books in one - and I loved every page! First time reading this author and I can’t wait to read more of hers. Love the feel good vibes of these books & easy to read 💞
August 18, 2025
i've been enjoying reading this book and i give 5/5 stars
i really lovee that
i really lovee that
January 28, 2021
Both stories were so sweet, and i swear i cried on both, I know the second story is controversial, but I think it was relatable and emotional, and I really loved these together!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews