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Some Other Now: A Heartbreaking YA Romance of Two Brothers, Fake Dating, and Finding Family
This Is Us for teens, this luminous and heartbreaking contemporary novel follows a girl caught between two brothers as the three of them navigate family, loss, and love over the course of two summers. For fans of Far From the Tree, Emergency Contact, and Nina LaCour.
Before she kissed one of the Cohen boys, seventeen-year-old Jessi Rumfield knew what it was like to have a family—even if, technically, that family didn’t belong to her. She’d spent her childhood in the house next door, challenging Rowan Cohen to tennis matches while his older brother, Luke, studied in the background and Mel watched over the three like the mother Jessi always wished she had.
But then everything changed. It’s been almost a year since Jessi last visited the Cohen house. Rowan is gone. Mel is in remission and Luke hates Jessi for the role she played in breaking his family apart. Now Jessi spends her days at a dead-end summer job avoiding her real mother, who suddenly wants to play a role in Jessi's life after being absent for so long. But when Luke comes home from college, it's hard to ignore the past. And when he asks Jessi to pretend to be his girlfriend for the final months of Mel’s life, Jessi finds herself drawn back into the world of the Cohens. Everything’s changed, but Jessi can’t help wanting to be a Cohen, even if it means playing pretend for one final summer.
Before she kissed one of the Cohen boys, seventeen-year-old Jessi Rumfield knew what it was like to have a family—even if, technically, that family didn’t belong to her. She’d spent her childhood in the house next door, challenging Rowan Cohen to tennis matches while his older brother, Luke, studied in the background and Mel watched over the three like the mother Jessi always wished she had.
But then everything changed. It’s been almost a year since Jessi last visited the Cohen house. Rowan is gone. Mel is in remission and Luke hates Jessi for the role she played in breaking his family apart. Now Jessi spends her days at a dead-end summer job avoiding her real mother, who suddenly wants to play a role in Jessi's life after being absent for so long. But when Luke comes home from college, it's hard to ignore the past. And when he asks Jessi to pretend to be his girlfriend for the final months of Mel’s life, Jessi finds herself drawn back into the world of the Cohens. Everything’s changed, but Jessi can’t help wanting to be a Cohen, even if it means playing pretend for one final summer.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published February 23, 2021
47 people are currently reading
6126 people want to read
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April 10, 2021
Found family is one of my favourite tropes, though I have yet to read much of it outside the fantasy genre. Some Other Now was a gorgeous contemporary portrayal of the relationships that form between people unrelated by blood, and what happens when tragedy breaks those bonds apart.
~★~ What is this book about? ~★~
Jessi Rumfield’s parents have been emotionally absent for most of her life. That’s why for almost ten years, Jessi has considered her neighbors (the Cohen brothers and their mom) more of a family to her than her biological one.
One day, the Cohens receive tragic news that changes the course of their lives forever. It’s been a year since a terrible chain of events shook the foundation of their lives, and Jessi hasn’t spoken with the Cohen’s since then. Told in a dual timeline, Jessi’s past mistakes and present regrets reveal themselves in a gorgeous tale of love, loss and self discovery.
~★~
Sarah Everett has an incredible talent for articulating complicated emotions and making readers resonate with them. Jessi Rumfield is incredibly likeable protagonist because of how tangible her feelings are; I found myself invested in her story shortly after it began, already eager to find out what went wrong during her past with the Cohens. I absolutely loved learning more about the brothers Luke and Rowan, and how their many years of friendship with Jessi took a turn for the worst after one wrong move.
There is a great fluidity to the narrative in this book that makes it go by incredibly fast. The pacing is spot on, the writing style is simple yet lyrical, and each character is a complex puzzle ready to unravel. I’m surprised that I haven’t heard more buzz about Some Other Now. It’s easily the best contemporary I've read this year, packing an unforgettable emotional punch. I guess that’s my intention with this review—to convince readers to give this book a try. It won’t disappoint!
~★~ What is this book about? ~★~
Jessi Rumfield’s parents have been emotionally absent for most of her life. That’s why for almost ten years, Jessi has considered her neighbors (the Cohen brothers and their mom) more of a family to her than her biological one.
One day, the Cohens receive tragic news that changes the course of their lives forever. It’s been a year since a terrible chain of events shook the foundation of their lives, and Jessi hasn’t spoken with the Cohen’s since then. Told in a dual timeline, Jessi’s past mistakes and present regrets reveal themselves in a gorgeous tale of love, loss and self discovery.
~★~
Sarah Everett has an incredible talent for articulating complicated emotions and making readers resonate with them. Jessi Rumfield is incredibly likeable protagonist because of how tangible her feelings are; I found myself invested in her story shortly after it began, already eager to find out what went wrong during her past with the Cohens. I absolutely loved learning more about the brothers Luke and Rowan, and how their many years of friendship with Jessi took a turn for the worst after one wrong move.
There is a great fluidity to the narrative in this book that makes it go by incredibly fast. The pacing is spot on, the writing style is simple yet lyrical, and each character is a complex puzzle ready to unravel. I’m surprised that I haven’t heard more buzz about Some Other Now. It’s easily the best contemporary I've read this year, packing an unforgettable emotional punch. I guess that’s my intention with this review—to convince readers to give this book a try. It won’t disappoint!
March 6, 2021
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eArc via Eldelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review.
This book is out now! Buy it and give it some love ❤
04/03/2021 - It's been almost 2 weeks since I finished this book and the fact that I can't stop thinking about it is lowkey driving me nuts. I want to reread it so badly but I have so many other books I want/need to read so I'm going to do my best to control myself and not follow through with that :P
»»———- ♡ ———-««
5 stars ⭐
This is one of the most phenomenal books I’ve ever read. It was an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish: it made me cry, laugh, swoon, blush, mad. It broke me into pieces and put me back together more than once and I loved it all.
✦ ✧ ✦ ✧
Some Other Now follows a seventeen-year-old girl named Jessi who, after being neglected by her parents her whole life, finds a family in her childhood best friends, the Cohen brothers and their mother, Mel. One day they are striked with devastating news that forever changes their lives and sets off an unpredictable and heart-wrenching chain of events. Told in two different timelines, the present and the past, this is a story about found family, love, loss and self-discovery.
✦ ✧ ✦ ✧
I completely fell in love with each of these characters. They all have so many layers, especially Jessi, Luke and Rowan, which were my favourite ones. Mel, Luke and Rowan’s mother, is incredible and I love how she took Jessi in and gave her the home and the mother she was desperately missing. There is a lot of unresolved tension between some of the characters and I really liked the way it unfurled as the plot moved forward.
The romance falls into the hate-to-love and childhood friends tropes which I know will appeal to many readers. I think it was very well-done and I found its development so gripping to watch. The many friendships Jessi has with other characters were so beautiful to read about as well.
The story is very captivating which I think can be attributed to the fact that it’s told in a dual timeline. That’s actually one of my favourite storytelling techniques and since they both have such interesting plots, I couldn’t help but want to keep on reading.
Sarah Everett is undoubtedly quite a skilled writer. She was able to put into words so many emotions that sprout from situations I know many people will resonate with. It’s impressive how she was able to get me intensely attached to these characters to the point that I think about them on a daily basis ever since I started this novel.
Some Other Now definitely packs a punch and is not exactly what I would define as an “easy read”. That’s because although it’s a fast one, it’s also a poignant novel dealing with difficult topics such as grief and mental illness. I definitely see myself rereading this book in the future. I would recommend it to everyone, since I believe each individual can gain something from this remarkable story, but especially to lovers of hard-hitting YA contemporaries.
✦ ✧ ✦ ✧
Release Date: 23 February 2021
This book is out now! Buy it and give it some love ❤
04/03/2021 - It's been almost 2 weeks since I finished this book and the fact that I can't stop thinking about it is lowkey driving me nuts. I want to reread it so badly but I have so many other books I want/need to read so I'm going to do my best to control myself and not follow through with that :P
»»———- ♡ ———-««
5 stars ⭐
This is one of the most phenomenal books I’ve ever read. It was an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish: it made me cry, laugh, swoon, blush, mad. It broke me into pieces and put me back together more than once and I loved it all.
✦ ✧ ✦ ✧
Some Other Now follows a seventeen-year-old girl named Jessi who, after being neglected by her parents her whole life, finds a family in her childhood best friends, the Cohen brothers and their mother, Mel. One day they are striked with devastating news that forever changes their lives and sets off an unpredictable and heart-wrenching chain of events. Told in two different timelines, the present and the past, this is a story about found family, love, loss and self-discovery.
✦ ✧ ✦ ✧
I completely fell in love with each of these characters. They all have so many layers, especially Jessi, Luke and Rowan, which were my favourite ones. Mel, Luke and Rowan’s mother, is incredible and I love how she took Jessi in and gave her the home and the mother she was desperately missing. There is a lot of unresolved tension between some of the characters and I really liked the way it unfurled as the plot moved forward.
The romance falls into the hate-to-love and childhood friends tropes which I know will appeal to many readers. I think it was very well-done and I found its development so gripping to watch. The many friendships Jessi has with other characters were so beautiful to read about as well.
The story is very captivating which I think can be attributed to the fact that it’s told in a dual timeline. That’s actually one of my favourite storytelling techniques and since they both have such interesting plots, I couldn’t help but want to keep on reading.
Sarah Everett is undoubtedly quite a skilled writer. She was able to put into words so many emotions that sprout from situations I know many people will resonate with. It’s impressive how she was able to get me intensely attached to these characters to the point that I think about them on a daily basis ever since I started this novel.
Some Other Now definitely packs a punch and is not exactly what I would define as an “easy read”. That’s because although it’s a fast one, it’s also a poignant novel dealing with difficult topics such as grief and mental illness. I definitely see myself rereading this book in the future. I would recommend it to everyone, since I believe each individual can gain something from this remarkable story, but especially to lovers of hard-hitting YA contemporaries.
✦ ✧ ✦ ✧
Release Date: 23 February 2021
January 16, 2021
4.5⭐️
This book promised to be a YA This Is Us in literary form and it definitely delivered. Some Other Now was an absolute emotional rollercoaster and I was happy to be along for the ride. You’ll get all the feels from this captivating read about family, both found and lost.
The story follows Jessi Rumfield, a teen who has always felt closer to Mel Cohen than to her own mom, who spent most of Jessi’s childhood deep in depression that led her to be absent from her daughter’s life. Mel and her sons, Rowan and Luke, became the closest thing to family that Jessi ever knew. After Mel was diagnosed with a terminal illness they called the Big Bad and Rowan began to pull away from his best friend Jessi, nothing was the same again. Now it’s Jessi’s summer after high school graduation, and Luke has turned up after months of silence, asking Jessi to do him a favor: pretend to be his girlfriend to make Mel, who is nearing the end of her life, happy. Except the last time they were together, Jessi and Luke’s relationship ruined everything.
The plot plays out in an alternating timeline between then and now, with flashbacks to the past that connect to events in the present. It was really interesting to see how things unfolded over the course of the book. I liked getting little breadcrumbs in the “now” chapters and kept me engaged until I learned what actually happened in the “then” chapters.
This made it a fast read because I was so invested and so curious to know the full story.
I really enjoyed the romance aspect. It was a mix of the friends to lovers and fake dating tropes which are always fun to read for me. While the romance was one of the lighter plot lines, a lot of this book was super intense. There were a lot of heavy topics covered like depression, terminal illness, loss and grief. This is not at all a light and fluffy YA contemporary but it was still so wonderful to read because I was so connected to the characters and their experiences.
Some Other Now was a really emotional read. It was touching and poignant, yet beautiful and hopeful.
Thank you so much to netgalley, HMH teen and the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This book promised to be a YA This Is Us in literary form and it definitely delivered. Some Other Now was an absolute emotional rollercoaster and I was happy to be along for the ride. You’ll get all the feels from this captivating read about family, both found and lost.
The story follows Jessi Rumfield, a teen who has always felt closer to Mel Cohen than to her own mom, who spent most of Jessi’s childhood deep in depression that led her to be absent from her daughter’s life. Mel and her sons, Rowan and Luke, became the closest thing to family that Jessi ever knew. After Mel was diagnosed with a terminal illness they called the Big Bad and Rowan began to pull away from his best friend Jessi, nothing was the same again. Now it’s Jessi’s summer after high school graduation, and Luke has turned up after months of silence, asking Jessi to do him a favor: pretend to be his girlfriend to make Mel, who is nearing the end of her life, happy. Except the last time they were together, Jessi and Luke’s relationship ruined everything.
The plot plays out in an alternating timeline between then and now, with flashbacks to the past that connect to events in the present. It was really interesting to see how things unfolded over the course of the book. I liked getting little breadcrumbs in the “now” chapters and kept me engaged until I learned what actually happened in the “then” chapters.
This made it a fast read because I was so invested and so curious to know the full story.
I really enjoyed the romance aspect. It was a mix of the friends to lovers and fake dating tropes which are always fun to read for me. While the romance was one of the lighter plot lines, a lot of this book was super intense. There were a lot of heavy topics covered like depression, terminal illness, loss and grief. This is not at all a light and fluffy YA contemporary but it was still so wonderful to read because I was so connected to the characters and their experiences.
Some Other Now was a really emotional read. It was touching and poignant, yet beautiful and hopeful.
Thank you so much to netgalley, HMH teen and the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
August 17, 2023
convinced she copied and pasted jenny han's book and just changed a few words
when ur teacher tells u to put it in ur own words:
- it's not junior mint but he got her a stuffed polar bear in a carnival
- it's not "the summer i turned pretty" but "one day you were just different to me"
- it's not conrad and jeremiah but she has to choose between two brothers
- it's not susannah but she tells her mother she wishes she was her mother instead
- when the mom makes jokes about how she's sick and dying because "at some point it's okay to laugh about it"
guys i have more. mandela effect is convincing me that this line "most days i wasn't sure whom i loved more: mel or her sons. i was a little bit in love with each of them was in tsitp. i could write a comparison essay on these two books (it be short. cuz theres no comparison)
when ur teacher tells u to put it in ur own words:
- it's not junior mint but he got her a stuffed polar bear in a carnival
- it's not "the summer i turned pretty" but "one day you were just different to me"
- it's not conrad and jeremiah but she has to choose between two brothers
- it's not susannah but she tells her mother she wishes she was her mother instead
- when the mom makes jokes about how she's sick and dying because "at some point it's okay to laugh about it"
guys i have more. mandela effect is convincing me that this line "most days i wasn't sure whom i loved more: mel or her sons. i was a little bit in love with each of them was in tsitp. i could write a comparison essay on these two books (it be short. cuz theres no comparison)
January 16, 2021
An ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
4.25/5 Stars
I'm not gonna lie, as soon as I read the words "This Is Us for teens" I was immediately drawn to this book. This novel follows Jessi as she tries to pick up the pieces of what was her life before, when she still had the Cohens to welcome her and to make her laugh. The Cohens have always been a constant in her life, a safe haven where she found the family she felt like she was missing at her own home. But now everything's different and she has to deal with all of it in order to somehow finally move on.
This YA novel explores deep and meaningful themes and some parts of this story are just a punch in the gut, let me tell you. What I liked about this story is how it was told. Everything is narrated with a soft and unrushed prose that takes the reader into Jessi's journey of self-discovery and acceptance. Also, the narrative has two timelines, a now and a then that show the readers how everything unraveled and how the characters got to their present situation.
I won't say anything more on the plot because I truly think it's better to go into this book without knowing much beforehand. Just know that it's a deeply moving story whose characters are trying their best to accept a hurtful past and move on in their own lives as best as they can.
4.25/5 Stars
I'm not gonna lie, as soon as I read the words "This Is Us for teens" I was immediately drawn to this book. This novel follows Jessi as she tries to pick up the pieces of what was her life before, when she still had the Cohens to welcome her and to make her laugh. The Cohens have always been a constant in her life, a safe haven where she found the family she felt like she was missing at her own home. But now everything's different and she has to deal with all of it in order to somehow finally move on.
This YA novel explores deep and meaningful themes and some parts of this story are just a punch in the gut, let me tell you. What I liked about this story is how it was told. Everything is narrated with a soft and unrushed prose that takes the reader into Jessi's journey of self-discovery and acceptance. Also, the narrative has two timelines, a now and a then that show the readers how everything unraveled and how the characters got to their present situation.
I won't say anything more on the plot because I truly think it's better to go into this book without knowing much beforehand. Just know that it's a deeply moving story whose characters are trying their best to accept a hurtful past and move on in their own lives as best as they can.
February 22, 2021
When Jessi thought of home, the Cohens were the first thing that came to mind. Fate brought Rowen, Luke, and Mel into her life when she needed them most. Her own mother crippled by depression, Mel Cohen served as Jessi's surrogate mother for over a decade. But then Mel got sick, Rowan grew distant, and Jessi's romance with Luke fell apart. After almost a year of silence, Luke reached out to Jessi, asking her to pretend they were back together to make his mother's last days happier, but Jessi struggled with her guilt and found it harder and harder to pretend.
I saw a mention of the show This Is Us in the book summary, and I can understand why. Every time I watched an episode of the show, I cried, and there were buckets of tears shed as I read this book. My emotions! My emotions! But, I also think the comparison is a reference to the structure. The story flipped between Then and Now, and just like the show, the reveals were rolled out to inflict maximum emotional impact. There was one that hit me the hardest, that I think was closer to the beginning of the story. I am sure the neighbors heard my gasp and subsequent sobs after I read that part.
I started and finished this book in the same day, because I had to know the whole truth of what happened. How did something so beautiful fall apart? I suffered through all the heartache and pain until I knew the full story. It was sad and tragic, but some good things did precipitate from everything finally being out in the open. Therefore, in the end, I was hopeful for Jessi.
While I was reading this book, I was getting shades of The Summer I Turned Pretty and 99 Days. I don't know if it was the sick mom, the complicated relationship with the mother, the two brothers, but there was something there that kept making me think of these two books. I believe it's because of how messy and complicated things were, and how these people were so flawed.
I adored this beautifully painful story. It was a rather emotional journey of self-discovery and self-forgiveness for Jessi, and it was a well worth every tear I shed.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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I saw a mention of the show This Is Us in the book summary, and I can understand why. Every time I watched an episode of the show, I cried, and there were buckets of tears shed as I read this book. My emotions! My emotions! But, I also think the comparison is a reference to the structure. The story flipped between Then and Now, and just like the show, the reveals were rolled out to inflict maximum emotional impact. There was one that hit me the hardest, that I think was closer to the beginning of the story. I am sure the neighbors heard my gasp and subsequent sobs after I read that part.
I started and finished this book in the same day, because I had to know the whole truth of what happened. How did something so beautiful fall apart? I suffered through all the heartache and pain until I knew the full story. It was sad and tragic, but some good things did precipitate from everything finally being out in the open. Therefore, in the end, I was hopeful for Jessi.
While I was reading this book, I was getting shades of The Summer I Turned Pretty and 99 Days. I don't know if it was the sick mom, the complicated relationship with the mother, the two brothers, but there was something there that kept making me think of these two books. I believe it's because of how messy and complicated things were, and how these people were so flawed.
I adored this beautifully painful story. It was a rather emotional journey of self-discovery and self-forgiveness for Jessi, and it was a well worth every tear I shed.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
February 19, 2021
4-4.5 stars
Headlines:
Family, found-family, brothers
Feelings brimming over the page
Beautiful
Some Other Now pulled you, emotion-long into the book and I just knew it was going to be tough; tough and stunning. This was a read that reminded of some of my favourite family-friend orientated books like Far From The Tree.
Jessi the protagonist had long existed in her surrogate family with Ro, Luke and their mother Mel. Their home was her home but this book tracked a couple of years where life changed beyond recognition and there were difficult themes from the off. Jessi had an unusually difficult real-family home life and the changes there over time were interesting.
These brothers were both endearing characters. Ro and Luke were so different and great guys. The friendships in this book were gorgeous and complicated, they were heart-warming and heart-breaking. I couldn’t put the book down, I existed in it, witnessing, revelling and sometimes chewing my lip with tension.
I did want a little more from the pages as it wrapped up but even so, it satisfied me. The story was fabulous and the characters suited the tale. Some Other Now was not a depressing read, it was an arresting read, gritty and real with beauty.
Hearts will break and heal over this book.
Thank you to Melia Publishing for the early review copy.
This review can be found on A Take From Two Cities Blog.
Headlines:
Family, found-family, brothers
Feelings brimming over the page
Beautiful
Some Other Now pulled you, emotion-long into the book and I just knew it was going to be tough; tough and stunning. This was a read that reminded of some of my favourite family-friend orientated books like Far From The Tree.
Jessi the protagonist had long existed in her surrogate family with Ro, Luke and their mother Mel. Their home was her home but this book tracked a couple of years where life changed beyond recognition and there were difficult themes from the off. Jessi had an unusually difficult real-family home life and the changes there over time were interesting.
These brothers were both endearing characters. Ro and Luke were so different and great guys. The friendships in this book were gorgeous and complicated, they were heart-warming and heart-breaking. I couldn’t put the book down, I existed in it, witnessing, revelling and sometimes chewing my lip with tension.
I did want a little more from the pages as it wrapped up but even so, it satisfied me. The story was fabulous and the characters suited the tale. Some Other Now was not a depressing read, it was an arresting read, gritty and real with beauty.
Hearts will break and heal over this book.
Thank you to Melia Publishing for the early review copy.
This review can be found on A Take From Two Cities Blog.
May 12, 2021
take all my tears and go
August 8, 2021
Some Other Now hit home and is going to stay with me for a very, very long time. Although my childhood circumstances were different, there were many things that I had in common with Jessi. I could so relate to the pain Jessi felt of desperately wanting to fit in and have a family to love me, accept me, welcome me. I, too, filled my hours with as many activities as I could to stay busy (or I'd chose to get lost in a really great book.) I, too, didn't feel like I deserved good things in my life...and there were many other things that Jessi said/believed about herself that were spot-on. I ache for the child I used to be and am grateful I'm not that person anymore.
Growing up in an abusive home, I looked for other role models and often longed for the mothers of my friends to mother me. I was very fortunate to have many who did. My paternal grandparents were a lifeline, even though they had no idea what was going on at home. I also had an aunt and uncle who I could admire. I wanted to be like them and I learned a lot by observing.
My heart absolutely aches from listening to this beautiful and painful novel. Jeanette Illidge did a fantastic job narrating.
I so want a happily ever after for these characters, and I'm grateful that author Sarah Everett leaves it open-ended enough that it's a possibility. We all need hope, right? I got my happily ever after, so I want the same for Jessi and Luke.
And isn't it a testament to Sarah's extraordinary storytelling skills because I CARE???!!! As an author myself, I deeply admire other authors who bring characters to life and make them unforgettable. These characters are unforgettable. Brava, Sarah!
Growing up in an abusive home, I looked for other role models and often longed for the mothers of my friends to mother me. I was very fortunate to have many who did. My paternal grandparents were a lifeline, even though they had no idea what was going on at home. I also had an aunt and uncle who I could admire. I wanted to be like them and I learned a lot by observing.
My heart absolutely aches from listening to this beautiful and painful novel. Jeanette Illidge did a fantastic job narrating.
I so want a happily ever after for these characters, and I'm grateful that author Sarah Everett leaves it open-ended enough that it's a possibility. We all need hope, right? I got my happily ever after, so I want the same for Jessi and Luke.
And isn't it a testament to Sarah's extraordinary storytelling skills because I CARE???!!! As an author myself, I deeply admire other authors who bring characters to life and make them unforgettable. These characters are unforgettable. Brava, Sarah!
February 20, 2021
This book was advertised as having a similar feel to This Is Us, and it delivered. Jessi should know better than to start fake-dating her ex, Luke, who hates her, just to make Luke's dying mother happy. "Should" being the operative word. She finds it impossible to resist being pulled back into the Cohens' world. Told in a split timeline, the reader follows Jessi both before and after the horrific event that ripped her relationship with the Cohens apart.
Before: When Jessi was seven, the Cohens become her substitute family. Jessi's mother stays in bed with depression, and her dad doesn't want to upset the status quo. So she becomes the daughter the Cohens never had. Ro's her age and stays her best friend as they navigate high school, and nerdy older brother Luke is always around, too. But when mother-figure Mel is diagnosed with cancer, all Jessi wants to do is help to take care of her. Luke and Rowan react differently. Rowan begins acting out and pulling away, while Luke and Jessi get close. Jessi discovers she might prefer the serious older brother to the force of nature that's Rowan. And Luke likes her too. Jessi can't figure out why Rowan starts acting so weird about her dating his brother. Then a horrific event rips everything apart.
After: Luke hates Jessi, but wants to give his mother peace before she dies of cancer. So he convinces Jessi to pretend to date him. That way they can all be together again in the end.
This is the kind of book that stays with you long after you've put it down. It's both heartwarming and heartbreaking.
Before: When Jessi was seven, the Cohens become her substitute family. Jessi's mother stays in bed with depression, and her dad doesn't want to upset the status quo. So she becomes the daughter the Cohens never had. Ro's her age and stays her best friend as they navigate high school, and nerdy older brother Luke is always around, too. But when mother-figure Mel is diagnosed with cancer, all Jessi wants to do is help to take care of her. Luke and Rowan react differently. Rowan begins acting out and pulling away, while Luke and Jessi get close. Jessi discovers she might prefer the serious older brother to the force of nature that's Rowan. And Luke likes her too. Jessi can't figure out why Rowan starts acting so weird about her dating his brother. Then a horrific event rips everything apart.
After: Luke hates Jessi, but wants to give his mother peace before she dies of cancer. So he convinces Jessi to pretend to date him. That way they can all be together again in the end.
This is the kind of book that stays with you long after you've put it down. It's both heartwarming and heartbreaking.
February 27, 2021
Some Other Now was a nice novel.
March 8, 2021
I am a huge fan of the show “This is Us”, so when I noticed that Some Other Now’s blurb read that it’s This Is Us for *teens*, I KNEW I HAD TO READ IT. Sadly, the book didn’t completely live up to my expectations, but it was a touching & thought-provoking book nevertheless. There were some parts that I loved, and some parts which I didn’t – that’s all. 😢
Things I loved :
1) The relationship between Jessi and Mel was my favorite thing about the book. ❤ I loved how they were always so “in-sync” with each other. Found family is one of my favorite tropes to read about, and Mel-Jessi’s bond made me fall in love with the theme even more. I looked forward to their conversations all the time while reading Some Other Now. :’) 😊
2) Another thing that I really appreciated about Some Other Now is how the author represented Jessi’s relationship with her parents. They were just “physically” present in her life for 18 years, without really being there for Jessi as parents should – so seeing the transition in their relationship with Jessi after a tragic incident occurred, was definitely one of the highlights for me.
3) The topic of depression and mental health issues were so thoughtfully written too! Grief is a major part of Some Other Now, and I loved how Jessi’s emotions were portrayed in the book. It made her character very real to me. 💕
Things I didn’t like :
1) Jessi’s self-loathing episodes were sometimes a bit too much for me. I did understand why she felt that way, but when a character is so hell-bent on making them seem like a bad person, it automatically becomes tough to like them too. So yeah, I struggled warming up to her. :)))
The “tragic incident” and how it happened took a lot of time to be revealed, which is why the story felt a little flat in the beginning.
2) Jessi and Rowan’s friendship was just…. hollow? I never got to see how they were best friends, because Rowan was just absent from major incidents. Jessi did feel that something was off in their relationship, but she never went ahead and didn’t even try to fix it/talk it out – which just seemed odd. The word “best friend” was repeatedly thrown around, but it failed to gain meaning in terms of the plotline.
3) I WANTED TO LOVE LUKE SO BADLY.😭😭😭 He seemed like an amazing person in the “before” timeline, but the present timeline made me so annoyed with him. There were many unresolved communication issues between Luke and Jessi, which could have given the story the closure it needed, in my opinion.
I received an e-ARC from the publisher in exchange of an honest review.
Things I loved :
1) The relationship between Jessi and Mel was my favorite thing about the book. ❤ I loved how they were always so “in-sync” with each other. Found family is one of my favorite tropes to read about, and Mel-Jessi’s bond made me fall in love with the theme even more. I looked forward to their conversations all the time while reading Some Other Now. :’) 😊
2) Another thing that I really appreciated about Some Other Now is how the author represented Jessi’s relationship with her parents. They were just “physically” present in her life for 18 years, without really being there for Jessi as parents should – so seeing the transition in their relationship with Jessi after a tragic incident occurred, was definitely one of the highlights for me.
3) The topic of depression and mental health issues were so thoughtfully written too! Grief is a major part of Some Other Now, and I loved how Jessi’s emotions were portrayed in the book. It made her character very real to me. 💕
Things I didn’t like :
1) Jessi’s self-loathing episodes were sometimes a bit too much for me. I did understand why she felt that way, but when a character is so hell-bent on making them seem like a bad person, it automatically becomes tough to like them too. So yeah, I struggled warming up to her. :)))
The “tragic incident” and how it happened took a lot of time to be revealed, which is why the story felt a little flat in the beginning.
2) Jessi and Rowan’s friendship was just…. hollow? I never got to see how they were best friends, because Rowan was just absent from major incidents. Jessi did feel that something was off in their relationship, but she never went ahead and didn’t even try to fix it/talk it out – which just seemed odd. The word “best friend” was repeatedly thrown around, but it failed to gain meaning in terms of the plotline.
3) I WANTED TO LOVE LUKE SO BADLY.😭😭😭 He seemed like an amazing person in the “before” timeline, but the present timeline made me so annoyed with him. There were many unresolved communication issues between Luke and Jessi, which could have given the story the closure it needed, in my opinion.
I received an e-ARC from the publisher in exchange of an honest review.
July 1, 2021
3, talvez 3,5?!
Eu gosto muito desse formato quando fica indo do presente pro passado e mostra como tudo aconteceu sem falar de primeira o que exatamente aconteceu, e isso foi o que fez eu continuar o livro.
Em geral pra mim foi ok. O tallll segredo eu esperava um pouco mais.
.
3, maybe 3.5?!
I really like this format when it goes from the present to the past and shows how it all happened without talking at first about what exactly happened, and that's what made me continue the book.
In general, for me, it was a ok read.
Eu gosto muito desse formato quando fica indo do presente pro passado e mostra como tudo aconteceu sem falar de primeira o que exatamente aconteceu, e isso foi o que fez eu continuar o livro.
Em geral pra mim foi ok. O tallll segredo eu esperava um pouco mais.
.
3, maybe 3.5?!
I really like this format when it goes from the present to the past and shows how it all happened without talking at first about what exactly happened, and that's what made me continue the book.
In general, for me, it was a ok read.
January 26, 2020
I loved this. A lot.
February 5, 2021
4.5 stars
TW: Death of a loved one, cancer, depression, family problems, very emotional scenes.
Wow. I have no idea where to start. I did not expect this book to be such an emotional rollercoaster! I feel utterly drained and have never cried so many times when reading one book. That being said, it was also an incredibly well written, smart and interesting read. I don't think I have ever read anything like it. It is so emotional, filled with sadness and heartache but also a lot of love.
The story revolves around 17 year old Jessi, her best friend Rowan Cohen and his brother Luke. Jessi is like a part of their family as her parents are very absent from her life due to depression and work. The Cohen brother's mum Mel is like a second mum to Jessi.
The story goes inbetween a "Then" and "Now" with a unknown event that has caused a lot of upset in-between. The mystery of what happened has you hooked from the word go. The author Sarah Everett did an incredible job in keeping you gripped and wanting more. I buddy read this book over three days but if I hadn't then I just know I wouldn't have been able to put it down.
There is so much I want to say but I don't want to ruin one single thing about this fantastic book. So what I will say is if the trigger warnings don't put you off then go pre-order it or add it to your TBR now! I promise this smart, emotional and intriguing book won't let you down.
Please note that I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review.
TW: Death of a loved one, cancer, depression, family problems, very emotional scenes.
Wow. I have no idea where to start. I did not expect this book to be such an emotional rollercoaster! I feel utterly drained and have never cried so many times when reading one book. That being said, it was also an incredibly well written, smart and interesting read. I don't think I have ever read anything like it. It is so emotional, filled with sadness and heartache but also a lot of love.
The story revolves around 17 year old Jessi, her best friend Rowan Cohen and his brother Luke. Jessi is like a part of their family as her parents are very absent from her life due to depression and work. The Cohen brother's mum Mel is like a second mum to Jessi.
The story goes inbetween a "Then" and "Now" with a unknown event that has caused a lot of upset in-between. The mystery of what happened has you hooked from the word go. The author Sarah Everett did an incredible job in keeping you gripped and wanting more. I buddy read this book over three days but if I hadn't then I just know I wouldn't have been able to put it down.
There is so much I want to say but I don't want to ruin one single thing about this fantastic book. So what I will say is if the trigger warnings don't put you off then go pre-order it or add it to your TBR now! I promise this smart, emotional and intriguing book won't let you down.
Please note that I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2021
Wow I'm obsessed with this book! They say it's like a young adult 'This is Us' and I loved that show too.
It has Now and Then chapters going from before and after a tragedy. From when they were happy, carefree friends and a cute new couple to after a death.
So many family issues on both sides to have to process and handle at young ages. Divorce, long term sickness, mental health, good and bad relationship examples. We know one of the main characters died but not how or when but it makes you want to keep reading to find out what happened (like Jack), it keeps opening up to show you more of their depth and complexities.
I love the narrative flow of this book. I couldn't put it down. I literally picked it up to read it, two days ago.
I love Jessi, our imperfect MC who is struggling internally and stalling in her life due to survivors guilt. I just want to hug her and tell her it isn't her fault! And to tell Luke the same! For all the feelings he holds inside and feels like he shouldn't have because someone else has them too. And Ro sweet energetic, full of life Ro!
I cried a few times and my heart felt like mush and it was bleeding. But then there were times when I felt the new love feeling and was so giddy and happy for them.
But the truths at the end when they finally faced the past, and were finally able to talk about it but didn't change the fact that one of them was gone and that was the one they wanted to forgive them.
I was happy that it ended with a little hope and some new beginnings for everyone that was left. Always tell the person you love you love them! They may not know.
As a Mom that struggles with migraines, I cry so many times when I am stuck in bed and am in so much pain and can't be with my babies but I have all the medicines and am trying to find my triggers. But to be absent for 18 years of your child's life, the loss - I lament the loss of hours or days not being able to do activities with them. The guilt over thinking you are making the right choice for yourself but realizing it may not have been the right choice for your family can be heartbreaking. But there's always Day 1.
Rating: 5 stars
Thank you #hmhteen and #yallwrite for this giveaway win which I read through #netgalley for my honest and voluntary review! (I really want to know what Jessi and Luke are doing after fro yo)
It has Now and Then chapters going from before and after a tragedy. From when they were happy, carefree friends and a cute new couple to after a death.
So many family issues on both sides to have to process and handle at young ages. Divorce, long term sickness, mental health, good and bad relationship examples. We know one of the main characters died but not how or when but it makes you want to keep reading to find out what happened (like Jack), it keeps opening up to show you more of their depth and complexities.
I love the narrative flow of this book. I couldn't put it down. I literally picked it up to read it, two days ago.
I love Jessi, our imperfect MC who is struggling internally and stalling in her life due to survivors guilt. I just want to hug her and tell her it isn't her fault! And to tell Luke the same! For all the feelings he holds inside and feels like he shouldn't have because someone else has them too. And Ro sweet energetic, full of life Ro!
I cried a few times and my heart felt like mush and it was bleeding. But then there were times when I felt the new love feeling and was so giddy and happy for them.
But the truths at the end when they finally faced the past, and were finally able to talk about it but didn't change the fact that one of them was gone and that was the one they wanted to forgive them.
I was happy that it ended with a little hope and some new beginnings for everyone that was left. Always tell the person you love you love them! They may not know.
As a Mom that struggles with migraines, I cry so many times when I am stuck in bed and am in so much pain and can't be with my babies but I have all the medicines and am trying to find my triggers. But to be absent for 18 years of your child's life, the loss - I lament the loss of hours or days not being able to do activities with them. The guilt over thinking you are making the right choice for yourself but realizing it may not have been the right choice for your family can be heartbreaking. But there's always Day 1.
Rating: 5 stars
Thank you #hmhteen and #yallwrite for this giveaway win which I read through #netgalley for my honest and voluntary review! (I really want to know what Jessi and Luke are doing after fro yo)
August 2, 2021
I ended up having somewhat mixed feelings about this book, especially because a love triangle where two brothers are involved just weirds me out, honestly, and I don't understand why it's always seemed to have had such a big appeal in YA books. But everything else about this book was SO amazing. It was such a melancholical, emotional read, and it was gorgeously written, and aside from the love triangle, the found family trope here was truly amazing. This book gave me a lot of older YA vibes, but in a really good way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2021
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Some Other Now owns my entire heart. That's it, that's the review.
Okay fine I guess I can't end it there, but wow this book made me feel everything, just everything. From the first page I was completely hooked, somehow already invested in this story. It alternates timelines between the current time, and about a year prior, before Jessi's whole life kind of took a turn. I am going to try to explain why I love this story so much, yeah?
►Just... every feeling. I won't lie, I cried through at least 75% of this book. In a full blown "this will destroy my soul" way. The thing is, while it did absolutely destroy my soul, it also slowly but surely rebuilt it. And that was the biggest takeaway for me: Yes, your life will change, irrevocably. But while it will be different, and often quite sad, that doesn't mean there will never be happiness or hope again. That is a message that we all need from time to time, and the author provides it beautifully.
►I related to Jessi so much, often more than I even wanted to. I had a family once who I felt as close to as Jessi did. (I still love them, but they have moved far away, and while they'll always be special to me, I don't have the same level of closeness, or frankly, dependence, that I once did.) Jessi always feels a little... "less than" in her life. Her mom is suffering from some pretty debilitating mental illness, and so Jessi often sees her own needs and wants as secondary. She also feels like she is lacking something, which I have never really related to harder. And to be clear, Jessi isn't, she's lovely and wonderful, but I get that feeling. And when some tragic things happen between her and the Cohens, she feels more lost and alone than ever.
►The Cohens, for their part, are lovely. It's clear to see why Jessi has fallen in love with them (in basically all the ways one can fall in love, really). She sees Mel as her surrogate mother, Rowan is her very best friend, and she's had a crush on Luke for oh, about forever. And they, in turn, treat her with the kindness and love she deserves.
►I love that the story focuses on Jessi's other relationships, too. Jessi obviously needs to come to terms with her own family's dynamic, which she will be forced to do during the story. She also must learn to build friendships outside of the family, and I think that is a really great journey as well. And the elderly man that she visits is quite possibly one of my favorite elements of the book- both because they have a fun relationship, and that I think his choices in life helped Jessi to second-guess some of her own.
►Most of all, Jessi needs to build her relationship with Jessi. Because no one can make you whole, no one can fill those voids we feel within ourselves. And most sadly, people will come into our lives and leave, for many reasons, and it's something we have to face. Jessi's journey during this book is so beautiful, I don't have enough words. She is such a good, kind person at heart, and has so much to offer the world, and I wanted nothing but the best for her.
Bottom Line: This story is beautiful and heartbreaking and just so completely full of love. Read it, read it now.
Some Other Now owns my entire heart. That's it, that's the review.
Okay fine I guess I can't end it there, but wow this book made me feel everything, just everything. From the first page I was completely hooked, somehow already invested in this story. It alternates timelines between the current time, and about a year prior, before Jessi's whole life kind of took a turn. I am going to try to explain why I love this story so much, yeah?
►Just... every feeling. I won't lie, I cried through at least 75% of this book. In a full blown "this will destroy my soul" way. The thing is, while it did absolutely destroy my soul, it also slowly but surely rebuilt it. And that was the biggest takeaway for me: Yes, your life will change, irrevocably. But while it will be different, and often quite sad, that doesn't mean there will never be happiness or hope again. That is a message that we all need from time to time, and the author provides it beautifully.
►I related to Jessi so much, often more than I even wanted to. I had a family once who I felt as close to as Jessi did. (I still love them, but they have moved far away, and while they'll always be special to me, I don't have the same level of closeness, or frankly, dependence, that I once did.) Jessi always feels a little... "less than" in her life. Her mom is suffering from some pretty debilitating mental illness, and so Jessi often sees her own needs and wants as secondary. She also feels like she is lacking something, which I have never really related to harder. And to be clear, Jessi isn't, she's lovely and wonderful, but I get that feeling. And when some tragic things happen between her and the Cohens, she feels more lost and alone than ever.
►The Cohens, for their part, are lovely. It's clear to see why Jessi has fallen in love with them (in basically all the ways one can fall in love, really). She sees Mel as her surrogate mother, Rowan is her very best friend, and she's had a crush on Luke for oh, about forever. And they, in turn, treat her with the kindness and love she deserves.
►I love that the story focuses on Jessi's other relationships, too. Jessi obviously needs to come to terms with her own family's dynamic, which she will be forced to do during the story. She also must learn to build friendships outside of the family, and I think that is a really great journey as well. And the elderly man that she visits is quite possibly one of my favorite elements of the book- both because they have a fun relationship, and that I think his choices in life helped Jessi to second-guess some of her own.
►Most of all, Jessi needs to build her relationship with Jessi. Because no one can make you whole, no one can fill those voids we feel within ourselves. And most sadly, people will come into our lives and leave, for many reasons, and it's something we have to face. Jessi's journey during this book is so beautiful, I don't have enough words. She is such a good, kind person at heart, and has so much to offer the world, and I wanted nothing but the best for her.
Bottom Line: This story is beautiful and heartbreaking and just so completely full of love. Read it, read it now.
December 30, 2022
a beautiful collection of broken feelings.
i love the family reps so much.
personally i don't rec. too much language, the main character was kinda a jerk, and too much other junk.
also the back and forth povs were so confusing!!
i love the family reps so much.
personally i don't rec. too much language, the main character was kinda a jerk, and too much other junk.
also the back and forth povs were so confusing!!
January 27, 2023
For me this book felt slow to start. But around the halfway mark I was hooked. The characters have depth and you can almost feel the weight they are carrying. My main critique is of the ending. In the last chunk of the book all the side plots were tied up nicely but there was no closure for the main plot. Overall amazing characters, and a good read!
June 3, 2023
This was actually surprisingly good. I ended up bawling my eyes out, I loved it so so much.
March 1, 2021
wow this was so good
June 21, 2022
Some Other Now
Ratings: 4.56
Ratings: 4.56
Initial thoughts:
+ Damn, there's gonna be a love triangle between two brothers and their best friend.
+ I don't think I'll finish this. Sarah Dessen-ish books aren't known to be completely finished by me.
+ Soo is it a love triangle? If not, then why is Ro in the front cover.
+ This is funny.
+ Philippines! ahaha. By a Canadian Author! ahaha. Tagalog! ahaha. POC characters! ahaha. Walmart's "ironclad" return policy! ahaha.
Basically, it hit close to home. (relatable stuff go brr)
--------------
It's long. (I'm currently at pg. 176)
When I got to the part where
July 20, 2022
I'm a simple girl--Sarah Everett writes a book, I buy it.
I always know what I will get in her stories, and I happen to really love that. Some themes have stayed consistent across all three of her official books--grief, friendship, psychology, family issues, healing, and restoration. And, man, she must have known exactly what I'm looking for in books because that's just my type.
I was not disappointed, and I cannot wait for her next book!
What if there is something fundamentally wrong, something inside you that chases people away and hurts those who stay? Is there any point in trying to do anything but burrow and wait until the world forgets who you are? Until you forget who you are?
I always know what I will get in her stories, and I happen to really love that. Some themes have stayed consistent across all three of her official books--grief, friendship, psychology, family issues, healing, and restoration. And, man, she must have known exactly what I'm looking for in books because that's just my type.
I was not disappointed, and I cannot wait for her next book!
April 17, 2023
*I've decided I won't write long book reviews for books under two stars unless it's a rant or I have a lot to say!*
<< *Every single person in this world can view a work of literature and have completely different thoughts and opinions. My opinion is not meant to offend you. If you do not want to see a review criticising your favourite book (or a book you enjoyed), then I recommend not proceeding with reading this review.>>
Ernie and Mel are the best part of this book💝 I disliked this greatly😀. Really disappointed; I didn't like this, but I should have dnf'ed it from the start. It felt very cliché and too similar to other books I read. The characters come up with all these silly excuses to act like moron/jerks and do s*x with each other when ever they lose control. The male lead has some really messed up intentions that I do not condone. When people are hurt, it makes sense that they will be angry and sad. It is never an excuse to act like a jerk. No matter what people have been through, it cannot be an excuse for the way they treat others. It can be a reason for why they react in a certain way, but it shouldn't be used to normalise their actions.
Luke disgusted me. Ro deserved more time in the story to develop his chemistry with Jessi rather than making their "best friend relationship" feel flimsy. Jessi was just not a protagonist I could find myself liking. The fake-dating trope and the second-chance romance trope just felt out of place to be honest. Jessi and Luke lacked communication. They kissed each other without consent, made all these random decisions, and touched each other without consent. NO. NO. No. No. I hate it when the male lead will go and kiss the girl without consent. 🤚🙄 There was a big push-and-pull between I hate you and I want to make out with you that made for a pretty irritating relationship.
Here are some quotes from the book:
"It was the reason I loved Luke so much. He was always thoughtful and respectful and sincere, but in that exact moment I wasn't so sure respectful was what I wanted."
. . . Girl doesn't want him to respect her?
*coughs * respectful, kind, and sincere is not something he has shown her recently.
"I'm camera shy," I say.
"Bulls***," Luke says. Everybody turns to look at him, and he shrugs. "I'm sorry, but bulls***."
"I'm shy shy," I say, making him the sole focus of my glaring now.
"Bulls***," he says again, looking me in the eye.
"I'm in the witness protection program."
One corner of his lips twitches up in a smile. "Bull. S***."
*calms down*
Luke should respect that she doesn't want to be on camera instead of pressuring her and saying that it was bulls*** again and again.
"You're an a**hole," I say, my voice still a whisper. He doesn't apologize or take it back or defend himself.
*A couple of sentences later
"A**holes still have consciences."
Woww Luke.👏 You'd totally win a debate with that sentence🙄
In conclusion, wish I never read this😁 but I stayed for Ernie and Mel✌️.
⛔PLOT
⛔CHARACTERS
<< *Every single person in this world can view a work of literature and have completely different thoughts and opinions. My opinion is not meant to offend you. If you do not want to see a review criticising your favourite book (or a book you enjoyed), then I recommend not proceeding with reading this review.>>
Ernie and Mel are the best part of this book💝 I disliked this greatly😀. Really disappointed; I didn't like this, but I should have dnf'ed it from the start. It felt very cliché and too similar to other books I read. The characters come up with all these silly excuses to act like moron/jerks and do s*x with each other when ever they lose control. The male lead has some really messed up intentions that I do not condone. When people are hurt, it makes sense that they will be angry and sad. It is never an excuse to act like a jerk. No matter what people have been through, it cannot be an excuse for the way they treat others. It can be a reason for why they react in a certain way, but it shouldn't be used to normalise their actions.
Luke disgusted me. Ro deserved more time in the story to develop his chemistry with Jessi rather than making their "best friend relationship" feel flimsy. Jessi was just not a protagonist I could find myself liking. The fake-dating trope and the second-chance romance trope just felt out of place to be honest. Jessi and Luke lacked communication. They kissed each other without consent, made all these random decisions, and touched each other without consent. NO. NO. No. No. I hate it when the male lead will go and kiss the girl without consent. 🤚🙄 There was a big push-and-pull between I hate you and I want to make out with you that made for a pretty irritating relationship.
Here are some quotes from the book:
"It was the reason I loved Luke so much. He was always thoughtful and respectful and sincere, but in that exact moment I wasn't so sure respectful was what I wanted."
. . . Girl doesn't want him to respect her?
*coughs * respectful, kind, and sincere is not something he has shown her recently.
"I'm camera shy," I say.
"Bulls***," Luke says. Everybody turns to look at him, and he shrugs. "I'm sorry, but bulls***."
"I'm shy shy," I say, making him the sole focus of my glaring now.
"Bulls***," he says again, looking me in the eye.
"I'm in the witness protection program."
One corner of his lips twitches up in a smile. "Bull. S***."
*calms down*
Luke should respect that she doesn't want to be on camera instead of pressuring her and saying that it was bulls*** again and again.
"You're an a**hole," I say, my voice still a whisper. He doesn't apologize or take it back or defend himself.
*A couple of sentences later
"A**holes still have consciences."
Woww Luke.👏 You'd totally win a debate with that sentence🙄
In conclusion, wish I never read this😁 but I stayed for Ernie and Mel✌️.
⛔PLOT
⛔CHARACTERS
February 19, 2021
I'm giving this a 3.5 stars. It was generally enjoyable but had some pacing issues and was a bit melodramatic at parts.
First, I want to say that this is NOT a romance. It's a hard-hitting contemporary with a romantic element, but it's not a romance. I think readers will enjoy this more if they go in without the expectation that this is a romance.
This is a story about a girl named Jessi who has "adopted" the Cohens as her found family because her own parents aren't able to really care for her the way she needs. Her mother has suffered from depression most of Jessi's life, so she latched onto her best friend Rowan's mother Mel as a maternal figure. Mel has been diagnosed with an unnamed terminal illness and Jessi is dealing with the fallout of that, while also dealing with
The book switches between two perspectives: a year ago and the present day, following the relationship of Jessi and Luke, Rowan's older brother. Something happened between then and now and they aren't together anymore, but we don't really know what broke them apart.
I really liked the exploration of found family and Jessi's relationship with her own parents, especially her mother. In the "Now" storyline, Jessi's mom has finally gotten help for her depression. It was a really honest mental health representation. It's a nuanced look at the way depression isn't anyone's "fault," but still requires some responsibility and effort to heal from.
My major issues with this book came down to pacing and structure. I felt like we spent SO much of the book hearing about how much Jessi loved Mel and after a while it got repetitive. The author had already done a good job conveying Jessi's relationship with Mel and didn't need to keep pointing it out. There was also this tease throughout the entire book about what happened to Rowan and something Jessi had done that she considers "unforgivable." We didn't find out about this until over 80% of the book. I would've preferred the author reveal that earlier and given everyone a little longer to untangle the mess. The ending felt rushed, especially since there was an argument between Jessi and her parents at like 90%.
The pace of this book made it hard to stay focused and interested in the story. I think it should've been shorter or needed an additional plotline that was separate from Jessi and the Cohens, like maybe Jessi exploring her career goals.
In terms of the romance, I was a little uncomfortable
Still, I think this is an interesting look at grief, loss, guilt, and mental illness.
First, I want to say that this is NOT a romance. It's a hard-hitting contemporary with a romantic element, but it's not a romance. I think readers will enjoy this more if they go in without the expectation that this is a romance.
This is a story about a girl named Jessi who has "adopted" the Cohens as her found family because her own parents aren't able to really care for her the way she needs. Her mother has suffered from depression most of Jessi's life, so she latched onto her best friend Rowan's mother Mel as a maternal figure. Mel has been diagnosed with an unnamed terminal illness and Jessi is dealing with the fallout of that, while also dealing with
The book switches between two perspectives: a year ago and the present day, following the relationship of Jessi and Luke, Rowan's older brother. Something happened between then and now and they aren't together anymore, but we don't really know what broke them apart.
I really liked the exploration of found family and Jessi's relationship with her own parents, especially her mother. In the "Now" storyline, Jessi's mom has finally gotten help for her depression. It was a really honest mental health representation. It's a nuanced look at the way depression isn't anyone's "fault," but still requires some responsibility and effort to heal from.
My major issues with this book came down to pacing and structure. I felt like we spent SO much of the book hearing about how much Jessi loved Mel and after a while it got repetitive. The author had already done a good job conveying Jessi's relationship with Mel and didn't need to keep pointing it out. There was also this tease throughout the entire book about what happened to Rowan and something Jessi had done that she considers "unforgivable." We didn't find out about this until over 80% of the book. I would've preferred the author reveal that earlier and given everyone a little longer to untangle the mess. The ending felt rushed, especially since there was an argument between Jessi and her parents at like 90%.
The pace of this book made it hard to stay focused and interested in the story. I think it should've been shorter or needed an additional plotline that was separate from Jessi and the Cohens, like maybe Jessi exploring her career goals.
In terms of the romance, I was a little uncomfortable
Still, I think this is an interesting look at grief, loss, guilt, and mental illness.
May 16, 2021
Jessi grew up among the Cohen family and is equally devastated when they receive horrible news.
The story follows her before tragedy hits and one year later, in the Now, as she tries to make amends.
The found family trope is strong in this one. And it was beautifully incorporated.
The Cohens were an interesting bunch, but Mel, the mother, was the sunshine of the story. Every scene with her felt genuine, safe, and made me look forward to spend more time with her.
And I thought the depression of Jessi‘s mother was described well. I felt for her and especially for Jessi, who’s looking for unconditional love by default.
Jessi as the MC was busy. She had a full agenda and all her activities and jobs were a diverse lot, so it was enjoyable to see Jessi going by her day.
She was generally a sweet person (with a few melodramatic moments), although she would never think so about herself. Jessi‘s self-hate and guilt was sometimes hard to stomach, probably because characters who I can identify with will always annoy me somehow. But go off bestie.
Other included tropes: dating the best friend‘s brother, fake dating and a 2nd chance romance.
The romance was cute, but I had to warm up to the love interest. He was a douche occasionally.
Now, what lacked for me was that at any given moment it was clear to me, what the author wanted me to feel. It felt as if Everett guided me from one scene to the next, all the while following universally known ground rules along the way, which made it seem like a textbook story, so pretty generic. Like they did the showing not telling, but I never believed the show, you know?
All of that isn’t a bad thing, just not enough to get me emotionally invested.
Most basic example: Mel is diagnosed with a terminal illness right at the beginning. Without ever mentioning what exactly it is.
I don’t need an exact diagnosis to know that it’s a horrible situation, but it’s details like this which ultimately make or break my investment.
It was a good read, just nothing to make me feel a special type of way.
•
Is sex while in mourning a thing? To each their own, but when I’m grieving I’m not jumping on any d*. :/
The story follows her before tragedy hits and one year later, in the Now, as she tries to make amends.
The found family trope is strong in this one. And it was beautifully incorporated.
The Cohens were an interesting bunch, but Mel, the mother, was the sunshine of the story. Every scene with her felt genuine, safe, and made me look forward to spend more time with her.
And I thought the depression of Jessi‘s mother was described well. I felt for her and especially for Jessi, who’s looking for unconditional love by default.
Jessi as the MC was busy. She had a full agenda and all her activities and jobs were a diverse lot, so it was enjoyable to see Jessi going by her day.
She was generally a sweet person (with a few melodramatic moments), although she would never think so about herself. Jessi‘s self-hate and guilt was sometimes hard to stomach, probably because characters who I can identify with will always annoy me somehow. But go off bestie.
Other included tropes: dating the best friend‘s brother, fake dating and a 2nd chance romance.
The romance was cute, but I had to warm up to the love interest. He was a douche occasionally.
Now, what lacked for me was that at any given moment it was clear to me, what the author wanted me to feel. It felt as if Everett guided me from one scene to the next, all the while following universally known ground rules along the way, which made it seem like a textbook story, so pretty generic. Like they did the showing not telling, but I never believed the show, you know?
All of that isn’t a bad thing, just not enough to get me emotionally invested.
Most basic example: Mel is diagnosed with a terminal illness right at the beginning. Without ever mentioning what exactly it is.
I don’t need an exact diagnosis to know that it’s a horrible situation, but it’s details like this which ultimately make or break my investment.
It was a good read, just nothing to make me feel a special type of way.
•
Is sex while in mourning a thing? To each their own, but when I’m grieving I’m not jumping on any d*. :/
September 23, 2022
I often have a hard time with heroines who feel excessively sorry for themselves. It's understandable in Jessi's case because of her home situation and constantly feeling like she wasn't as loved and taken care of as she could have been, but it got old rather quickly. That being said, she wasn't completely unlikeable...I guess? She just seemed to lack any real personality apart from feeling sorry for herself and because the story is told entirely from her perspective frustration ensued. I'm also mostly irritated because the self centered-ness of teens is extremely evident here and I gotta tell ya, it's been a while since I've yelled at a protagonist out loud. Young adult pining and willful ignorance made for several weeks of slogging through this audiobook. I could not wait for it to end. Anyway, as far as romance goes there were a few cute and even steamy scenes (which...ick because they are in their late teens and early twenties) but I can't get over the brother love triangle (she essentially grew up with both of these boys. None of that felt weird to her? Or them?!) and I know she's young and still learning but I fully blame Jessi for being dense.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2020
This book brought me to tears because the premise of this book is so close to home for me. I loved Jessi, Luke, Mel, and even Rowan even though there were times where he got on my last nerve. But then again what Mel had shared with the family I really can not blame Rowan for his actions to a certain extent. I loved Mel because she reminded me of my mom and I think that is what put me to tears the most. I fell in love with Jessi she was definitely my favorite character. I loved the fact that she was very bold with her actions towards Luke but also composed herself and ignorance whenever it came her way. This book deals with love/romance, loss, forgiveness, hope, and lies. Now the romance in this book between Jessi and Luke was so cute and I am glad that Sarah added this concept in the book because without it...I would be in tears the entire time. Also when I was reading this book I learned things about myself as well as people dealing with bad news and how when someone is going through something it is better to be near them and letting them know that you are there for them.
July 10, 2021
This made me bawl happy-too-sweet-heart-felt-tears, and is now just like my favorite read of the year..maybe? I am in love with this book. I am in love with Luke and Jessi and how they kept going back to each other despite everything only proving how meant to be they were and it kills me in the sweetest way.
The drama was delicious, a ten tier layer cake that I happily gorged myself on, and was never sick of. There was growth, love, jealousy, death, pain, regret, hatred, fear, depression, so much in this one book and no topic neglected. I love it. I think I'll even buy myself a copy and make it a life goal to have Sarah Everett sign it for giving me the book I've always wanted.
A girl falling in love with the brothers next door and that girl being my poc sister. I never knew how much I wanted that, how much it would mean to me to get it. And she did it perfectly. I'm obsessed. I'm in awe. And I'm in love.
🥺😭💕
P.S. this really was me after finishing it: 🥲 just crying over how much love Luke and Jessi had and going wow... My heart hurts a little bit
The drama was delicious, a ten tier layer cake that I happily gorged myself on, and was never sick of. There was growth, love, jealousy, death, pain, regret, hatred, fear, depression, so much in this one book and no topic neglected. I love it. I think I'll even buy myself a copy and make it a life goal to have Sarah Everett sign it for giving me the book I've always wanted.
A girl falling in love with the brothers next door and that girl being my poc sister. I never knew how much I wanted that, how much it would mean to me to get it. And she did it perfectly. I'm obsessed. I'm in awe. And I'm in love.
🥺😭💕
P.S. this really was me after finishing it: 🥲 just crying over how much love Luke and Jessi had and going wow... My heart hurts a little bit
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