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Coming Up for Air
For fans of Nina LaCour and The Spectacular Now, a powerful coming-of-age story about a girl with creative aspirations and the boy who charms his way into her life, centering on themes of addiction, loss, and the tumultuousness of first love--and how to find strength when everything falls apart.
Ever since her mom's cancer scare, Hadley hasn't been one for taking risks. And after seeing her sister go through one too many heartbreaks, she definitely has no interest in dating. Hadley just wants to keep her head down and enjoy the rest of high school with her friends, focusing on her photography and getting into the art school of her dreams.
Then enters Braden, star of the swim team and precisely the kind of person Hadley avoids, all bravado and charm and impulsivity. From their first moment together, they are perfect sparring partners, equally matched. And it's intoxicating. Braden sees her, really sees her, and Hadley decides it might be time to break all her rules.
Braden shows Hadley how to live again, and soon Hadley is happier than she'll ever admit out loud. But that's before her family is faced with devastating news, and Braden starts hiding a growing, dark secret. As it threatens to shatter everything they've built, Hadley must confront her own actions and determine if she has the strength to walk away.
Ever since her mom's cancer scare, Hadley hasn't been one for taking risks. And after seeing her sister go through one too many heartbreaks, she definitely has no interest in dating. Hadley just wants to keep her head down and enjoy the rest of high school with her friends, focusing on her photography and getting into the art school of her dreams.
Then enters Braden, star of the swim team and precisely the kind of person Hadley avoids, all bravado and charm and impulsivity. From their first moment together, they are perfect sparring partners, equally matched. And it's intoxicating. Braden sees her, really sees her, and Hadley decides it might be time to break all her rules.
Braden shows Hadley how to live again, and soon Hadley is happier than she'll ever admit out loud. But that's before her family is faced with devastating news, and Braden starts hiding a growing, dark secret. As it threatens to shatter everything they've built, Hadley must confront her own actions and determine if she has the strength to walk away.
352 pages, Paperback
First published December 15, 2020
42 people are currently reading
4141 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Tyndall
1 book68 followersNicole Tyndall grew up in a small town in Michigan and currently lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband, Matt. When she’s not reading or writing, Nicole can be found cooking in her tiny apartment, trying to collect stamps on her passport, or belly laughing with her lifelong girlfriends.
Nicole likes writing YA stories about girls with messy thoughts and lots of feelings.
Nicole likes writing YA stories about girls with messy thoughts and lots of feelings.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 171 reviews
February 6, 2021
I haven’t been this upset towards a book in a while and this story left me livid.
I was about 150 pages into this book and I thought omg this is going to be one of my favorite books ever. The story between our main protagonist and her love interest Brandon was so adorable, I was in love with the story.
This is where the SPOILERS come in because I can’t discuss this book without spoiling the book.
So, Hadley who is our main protagonist finds out unfortunately that her mom has been diagnosed with breast cancer, and it's obviously extremely difficult for her. For the majority of the book while she is struggling with her mom’s diagnosis Brandon her boyfriend is there for her supporting her as much as he can. I think a lot of the things he does for her go above and beyond what a teenage boyfriend would do.
Now keep in mind that she multiple times expresses to the reader how much she loves Brandon. And how she has never felt this love in any of her prior relationships.
Now unfortunately Brandon being a swimmer and trying to compete for a scholarship ends up injuring his shoulder and has to go on pain meds. He is pressured by his parents to get the best scholarship and so in order to keep competing he builds up a tolerance to the meds and an opioid addiction begins.
Now long story short Hadley ends up leaving him because according to the book she is not going to let Brandon pull her under.
Now I understand the message the book is trying to convey which is don’t stay with someone who doesn’t want your help but I think the delivery was wrong. If Brandon had been a bad party boy who became addicted to drugs because of his partying ways then yes absolutely Hadley would have been in the right but the fact that Brandon became addicted because of an injury really makes Hadley's decision hard to understand.
She can’t be there just for once for the boy that has been helping her for months and on top of that when Brandon is in the hospital in a coma because of a very serious car accident she is at a party making out with her “best friend”. My mind is blown and not in a good way.
The way opioid addiction was treated like a choice and not an actual chronic brain disease is just extremely sad and upsetting.
I was about 150 pages into this book and I thought omg this is going to be one of my favorite books ever. The story between our main protagonist and her love interest Brandon was so adorable, I was in love with the story.
This is where the SPOILERS come in because I can’t discuss this book without spoiling the book.
So, Hadley who is our main protagonist finds out unfortunately that her mom has been diagnosed with breast cancer, and it's obviously extremely difficult for her. For the majority of the book while she is struggling with her mom’s diagnosis Brandon her boyfriend is there for her supporting her as much as he can. I think a lot of the things he does for her go above and beyond what a teenage boyfriend would do.
Now keep in mind that she multiple times expresses to the reader how much she loves Brandon. And how she has never felt this love in any of her prior relationships.
Now unfortunately Brandon being a swimmer and trying to compete for a scholarship ends up injuring his shoulder and has to go on pain meds. He is pressured by his parents to get the best scholarship and so in order to keep competing he builds up a tolerance to the meds and an opioid addiction begins.
Now long story short Hadley ends up leaving him because according to the book she is not going to let Brandon pull her under.
Now I understand the message the book is trying to convey which is don’t stay with someone who doesn’t want your help but I think the delivery was wrong. If Brandon had been a bad party boy who became addicted to drugs because of his partying ways then yes absolutely Hadley would have been in the right but the fact that Brandon became addicted because of an injury really makes Hadley's decision hard to understand.
She can’t be there just for once for the boy that has been helping her for months and on top of that when Brandon is in the hospital in a coma because of a very serious car accident she is at a party making out with her “best friend”. My mind is blown and not in a good way.
The way opioid addiction was treated like a choice and not an actual chronic brain disease is just extremely sad and upsetting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2020
I feel obligated to give five stars to a book that made me cry. Also if anyone is wondering no one dies in this book, thank god for that.
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February 24, 2021YA romance for when you feel a slump setting in...
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February 9, 2022warning: this is a very scattered recollection of my thoughts and feelings about this book. Having a hard time expressing myself with this one honestly
I truly don’t know how to rate this book. On one hand, I loved a good majority of it. But truly I’m not sure I like how it ends. First, I want to say that I think it’s very important to take care of one’s own self in any relationship and call a time out when you can’t handle something. I am also not saying it’s any one person’s responsibility to fix the other person in the relationship. But I think there is something that needs to be understood about substance use disorders. The addiction is not a choice. Use of a drug may start off as a choice, but drugs mess with hormones in your brain to keep you coming back to them. There’s a good period of time when people do not realize they have a problem, especially if they think they’re solving another problem. I think it’s inaccurate to compare it to fighting cancer. There’s a larger mental component to addiction than to cancer, and that mental component is what causes the disease in the first place. In cancer, the disease primarily has physical manifestations. Undoubtedly it takes immense strength to fight cancer, but it’s a different kind of fight from battling addiction.
Braden is a TEENAGER who was under immense pressure to perform well and has mostly absentee parents. For a good portion of his life, it seemed like swimming was all he had. Some of the pressure was self-induced, yes, but it doesn’t help to have your coach tell you to “do whatever it takes to swim again.” I think this book didn’t do such a good job handling his problems. It felt like the focus was on what Hadley can do without recognizing that there were so many toxic behaviors perpetuated that lead star athletes down the path of drugs and addiction. And that’s a hole that is so hard to climb out of, especially teenagers who are not known for being self-aware. I think Braden deserved more support, but it felt like he was kind of made out to be a monster and that perpetuates the negative stereotypes of addicts. Like look he used to be bright and vibrant and charming and now he’s a liar and a thief and there’s no path back. Yes he made some terrible choices as a result of his addiction, and no that doesn’t excuse him. But you can understand him and support him. He really just needed help. I think it’s great that Hadley learned to set boundaries, but there were some parts where she blamed him for his addiction. It takes a lot of time for people to seek help.
I think I would’ve been okay with how Hadley handled her relationship with Braden if she didn’t jump to her best friend like immediately. For someone who was contemplating how fast she moved on from Noah (who she didn’t even love), she sure moved on quickly from Braden. Especially while he was unconscious in the hospital. That didn’t feel natural to me. It actually felt insulting. Like it was okay for her to be constantly supported, but Braden was abandoned. Like I said before, the responsibility to take care of him or support him doesn’t fall solely on her. What happened to his friends? Was anyone going to hold Logan accountable for whatever part he played in this? What about his parents? They should definitely be held accountable for not being there for their son and making him feel like he had to go all in for Stanford. I think Hadley having a conversation with Braden when he gets out of rehab would’ve helped. He really was a great guy before he succumbed to the pressure of recovering post-injury. It would’ve been beautiful to see that return when he got better again. It wouldn’t have felt like his struggles were just a plot device with no real resolution. I think he deserved redemption. And Tyler should’ve stayed just a friend.
I truly don’t know how to rate this book. On one hand, I loved a good majority of it. But truly I’m not sure I like how it ends. First, I want to say that I think it’s very important to take care of one’s own self in any relationship and call a time out when you can’t handle something. I am also not saying it’s any one person’s responsibility to fix the other person in the relationship. But I think there is something that needs to be understood about substance use disorders. The addiction is not a choice. Use of a drug may start off as a choice, but drugs mess with hormones in your brain to keep you coming back to them. There’s a good period of time when people do not realize they have a problem, especially if they think they’re solving another problem. I think it’s inaccurate to compare it to fighting cancer. There’s a larger mental component to addiction than to cancer, and that mental component is what causes the disease in the first place. In cancer, the disease primarily has physical manifestations. Undoubtedly it takes immense strength to fight cancer, but it’s a different kind of fight from battling addiction.
Braden is a TEENAGER who was under immense pressure to perform well and has mostly absentee parents. For a good portion of his life, it seemed like swimming was all he had. Some of the pressure was self-induced, yes, but it doesn’t help to have your coach tell you to “do whatever it takes to swim again.” I think this book didn’t do such a good job handling his problems. It felt like the focus was on what Hadley can do without recognizing that there were so many toxic behaviors perpetuated that lead star athletes down the path of drugs and addiction. And that’s a hole that is so hard to climb out of, especially teenagers who are not known for being self-aware. I think Braden deserved more support, but it felt like he was kind of made out to be a monster and that perpetuates the negative stereotypes of addicts. Like look he used to be bright and vibrant and charming and now he’s a liar and a thief and there’s no path back. Yes he made some terrible choices as a result of his addiction, and no that doesn’t excuse him. But you can understand him and support him. He really just needed help. I think it’s great that Hadley learned to set boundaries, but there were some parts where she blamed him for his addiction. It takes a lot of time for people to seek help.
I think I would’ve been okay with how Hadley handled her relationship with Braden if she didn’t jump to her best friend like immediately. For someone who was contemplating how fast she moved on from Noah (who she didn’t even love), she sure moved on quickly from Braden. Especially while he was unconscious in the hospital. That didn’t feel natural to me. It actually felt insulting. Like it was okay for her to be constantly supported, but Braden was abandoned. Like I said before, the responsibility to take care of him or support him doesn’t fall solely on her. What happened to his friends? Was anyone going to hold Logan accountable for whatever part he played in this? What about his parents? They should definitely be held accountable for not being there for their son and making him feel like he had to go all in for Stanford. I think Hadley having a conversation with Braden when he gets out of rehab would’ve helped. He really was a great guy before he succumbed to the pressure of recovering post-injury. It would’ve been beautiful to see that return when he got better again. It wouldn’t have felt like his struggles were just a plot device with no real resolution. I think he deserved redemption. And Tyler should’ve stayed just a friend.
September 8, 2022
"𝙏𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙄'𝙢 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙚. 𝙈𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙞𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙮 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙣."
Where do I even start? This book was everything. It was emotional (check those trigger warnings) but there were so many heartfelt moments. I saw pieces of myself in Hadley and felt that this story is more than a story.
Coming up For Air is a coming-of-age story about Hadley, who loves photography and plans to attend an art school. Braden is the captain of the swim team, competitive and charming. When they meet at a swim meet, everything changes. Cue the sad violin, because this is where things change.
"𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙚'𝙨 𝙖𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙨 𝙄 𝙖𝙢."
Young love, excitement in each other's presence and infatuation are part of Hadley and Braden's story but something happens that causes waves in their smooth waters. The title is a huge key to the kind of emotions the reader will experience while reading this book.
I cried while reading this book and my heart broke in certain chapters, but this story has such a beautiful ending that I'll do it all over again. It's powerful, it's memorable and it's meaningful.
There are themes of addiction and loss; almost everything falls apart but then it falls back together, you'll wipe away the tears and be left with a feeling of satisfaction. That ending is just precious.
Some of my favourite quotes are:
"𝙁𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙙𝙚. 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙩 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙬. 𝘽𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣, 𝙬𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙚, 𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚. 𝘽𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙬."
"𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙫𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙟𝙖𝙧 𝙗𝙮 𝙢𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙙."
"𝙃𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙧, 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙢𝙪𝙛𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙙. "𝙄 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙢𝙚."
Many thanks to Penguin Random House SA for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Where do I even start? This book was everything. It was emotional (check those trigger warnings) but there were so many heartfelt moments. I saw pieces of myself in Hadley and felt that this story is more than a story.
Coming up For Air is a coming-of-age story about Hadley, who loves photography and plans to attend an art school. Braden is the captain of the swim team, competitive and charming. When they meet at a swim meet, everything changes. Cue the sad violin, because this is where things change.
"𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙚'𝙨 𝙖𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙨 𝙄 𝙖𝙢."
Young love, excitement in each other's presence and infatuation are part of Hadley and Braden's story but something happens that causes waves in their smooth waters. The title is a huge key to the kind of emotions the reader will experience while reading this book.
I cried while reading this book and my heart broke in certain chapters, but this story has such a beautiful ending that I'll do it all over again. It's powerful, it's memorable and it's meaningful.
There are themes of addiction and loss; almost everything falls apart but then it falls back together, you'll wipe away the tears and be left with a feeling of satisfaction. That ending is just precious.
Some of my favourite quotes are:
"𝙁𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙙𝙚. 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙩 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙬. 𝘽𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣, 𝙬𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙚, 𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚. 𝘽𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙬."
"𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙫𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙟𝙖𝙧 𝙗𝙮 𝙢𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙙."
"𝙃𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙧, 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙢𝙪𝙛𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙙. "𝙄 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙢𝙚."
Many thanks to Penguin Random House SA for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2021
Coming Up for Air is a young adult contemporary romance written by Nicole Tyndall. It centers on a teen romance that is soured by the opioid crisis.
High school junior Hadley Butler aims to complete her adolescence with as little fuss as possible. Her older sister, Remy, is the one with all the drama, seemingly on a mission to date every bad boy in town. Hadley’s much more content to spend her time with her friends Ty and Becca and keep her eye on becoming an artsy photography student at a prestigious liberal arts college.
However, when the high school swim team’s star, Braden Roberts, enters her orbit, Hadley lets her guard down as the pair embarks on a seemingly standard teen love affair that slowly goes sour. After an injury, Braden starts taking painkillers instead of going through a time-consuming surgery, and this shortcut leads him down the path of opioid addiction.
Coming Up for Air is written rather well. Tyndall lets elements of the story develop slowly, smartly laying out the pace of a relationship poisoned by substance abuse. Readers are effectively led into this conflict as they will not roll their eyes and presume to know better than Hadley what is going on. Tyndall also skillfully and with depth develops the bond that Hadley and Braden share. This maturity is the novel’s greatest asset, fully rendering a complicated relationship with empathy for both parties.
All in all, Coming Up for Air is an absorbing love story for the 21st century.
High school junior Hadley Butler aims to complete her adolescence with as little fuss as possible. Her older sister, Remy, is the one with all the drama, seemingly on a mission to date every bad boy in town. Hadley’s much more content to spend her time with her friends Ty and Becca and keep her eye on becoming an artsy photography student at a prestigious liberal arts college.
However, when the high school swim team’s star, Braden Roberts, enters her orbit, Hadley lets her guard down as the pair embarks on a seemingly standard teen love affair that slowly goes sour. After an injury, Braden starts taking painkillers instead of going through a time-consuming surgery, and this shortcut leads him down the path of opioid addiction.
Coming Up for Air is written rather well. Tyndall lets elements of the story develop slowly, smartly laying out the pace of a relationship poisoned by substance abuse. Readers are effectively led into this conflict as they will not roll their eyes and presume to know better than Hadley what is going on. Tyndall also skillfully and with depth develops the bond that Hadley and Braden share. This maturity is the novel’s greatest asset, fully rendering a complicated relationship with empathy for both parties.
All in all, Coming Up for Air is an absorbing love story for the 21st century.
June 13, 2023
Woah, this was both bitter and sweet, so basically bittersweet. I don’t know what’s up with me but I’ve been loving romance these past couple of months and can’t wait to get into more of it. To think that not too long ago I thought the genre was boring. My taste is expanding right before my eyes and I love it.
The book throws you in the cute romance of Hadley and Braden which transforms into a chaos of well issues. I don’t want to spoil. But I loved this. Like a lot. 4 stars for the win.
The book throws you in the cute romance of Hadley and Braden which transforms into a chaos of well issues. I don’t want to spoil. But I loved this. Like a lot. 4 stars for the win.
January 18, 2021
I loved this book, it dealt with such serious issues in the best way it could while still keeping a read I felt comfortable with, nothing beats that feeling of it’s fine if I get no university work done I must finish this book
February 25, 2023
I have no idea how this only got a 3.8 ⭐️ rating. I finished it in 24 hours… an absolute page turner. I got sucked in by the romance story and there were so many more layers to it. Many tears were shed. Big TW on this one but it was fantastic and not predictable in anyway. I loved this book
September 9, 2023
Written very beautifully and compellingly.
The dialogue between the group of friends was at time cardboard like and stiff. Like didn’t feel how a real life group of people would speak to each other.
Overall a good fast paced story with a little bit of mystery and a good amount of conflict and good closure.
The dialogue between the group of friends was at time cardboard like and stiff. Like didn’t feel how a real life group of people would speak to each other.
Overall a good fast paced story with a little bit of mystery and a good amount of conflict and good closure.
July 17, 2022
Best🪄
November 17, 2025
⚠ CW: drugs, addiction, mental health, breast cancer (if you struggle with or are sensitive to any of these issues, this book may not be for you.)
rating: 3.5/5 ☆
Mild spoilers!!
Overall, it was incredible of how this book was in Hadley's perspective, yet it was screaming 3rd-person. I didn't really understand Hadley's feelings or thoughts all too much, just her reaction to the people around her and the things they experienced. It made everything a tad bit one-dimensional.
𝗛𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗕𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗿
❝I’m floating in space, surrounded by small, twinkling lights, and my body glides weightlessly through the indigo sky. I reach out, trying to catch them like fireflies.❞
➛ I wish I saw more of her passion towards photography. To me, photography served as a motif throughout the novel. Her camera is her lifeline, the one place she can breathe and excel in when everything else in her life felt suffocating.
➛ I think her dynamic with her family conditioned her behavior to be quite reserved as her mother’s recurring illness demanded that nature from her. That same instinct manifests into her relationship with Braden, where she literally ends up babying him instead of them supporting each other throughout their relationship.
𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘀
❝ Okay, um, next. What’s your greatest fear? Losing at the Olympics, he shoots back without even thinking. ❞
➛ This is only truth he ever told in the book. His parents raised him to swim competitively and get into Stanford then the Olympics. They completely stole his childhood and this mindset destroyed him, because he was never allowed quit nor properly rest. He had so many dreams and expectations weighing him down and it crushed him.
➛ I don't want to spoil anything. However, he never ever took himself accountable for his addiction and he always avoided getting help. He rejected surgery and he quit PT. He refused to talk to a psychiatrist. I guess it made things more realistic, but so frustrating since Hadley was begging for him to get some form of help; but he continued to seek refuge in those pills.
The chemistry? nothing. the characters barely kissed (ironic, considering the title). In all seriousness, the lack of chemistry actually drove the plot. He just takes, takes, takes and she just gives, gives, gives. Even from the start, I honestly don't think he loved her, he just loved the sense of security she gave him. She 100% deserves better.
🎧 PLAYLIST 🎧
"Cake" ~ Melanie Martinez
I feel like I'm just missing
Something whenever you leave
We've got all the ingredients
Except you loving me
"It Aint Me" ~ Selena Gomez & Kygo
Somewhere along the lines we stopped seein' eye to eye
You were stayin' out all night and I had enough
No, I don't wanna know where you been or where you're goin'
But I know I won't be home, and you'll be on your own
"Can't Feel My Face" ~ The Weeknd
I can't feel my face when I'm with you
But I love it, but I love it, oh
And I know she'll be the death of me, at least we'll both be numb
And she'll always get the best of me, the worst is yet to come
"The Heart Wants What It Wants" ~ Selena Gomez
Save your advice 'cause I won't hear
You might be right, but I don't care
There's a million reasons why I should give you up
rating: 3.5/5 ☆
Mild spoilers!!
Overall, it was incredible of how this book was in Hadley's perspective, yet it was screaming 3rd-person. I didn't really understand Hadley's feelings or thoughts all too much, just her reaction to the people around her and the things they experienced. It made everything a tad bit one-dimensional.
𝗛𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗕𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗿
❝I’m floating in space, surrounded by small, twinkling lights, and my body glides weightlessly through the indigo sky. I reach out, trying to catch them like fireflies.❞
➛ I wish I saw more of her passion towards photography. To me, photography served as a motif throughout the novel. Her camera is her lifeline, the one place she can breathe and excel in when everything else in her life felt suffocating.
➛ I think her dynamic with her family conditioned her behavior to be quite reserved as her mother’s recurring illness demanded that nature from her. That same instinct manifests into her relationship with Braden, where she literally ends up babying him instead of them supporting each other throughout their relationship.
𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘀
❝ Okay, um, next. What’s your greatest fear? Losing at the Olympics, he shoots back without even thinking. ❞
➛ This is only truth he ever told in the book. His parents raised him to swim competitively and get into Stanford then the Olympics. They completely stole his childhood and this mindset destroyed him, because he was never allowed quit nor properly rest. He had so many dreams and expectations weighing him down and it crushed him.
➛ I don't want to spoil anything. However, he never ever took himself accountable for his addiction and he always avoided getting help. He rejected surgery and he quit PT. He refused to talk to a psychiatrist. I guess it made things more realistic, but so frustrating since Hadley was begging for him to get some form of help; but he continued to seek refuge in those pills.
The chemistry? nothing. the characters barely kissed (ironic, considering the title). In all seriousness, the lack of chemistry actually drove the plot. He just takes, takes, takes and she just gives, gives, gives. Even from the start, I honestly don't think he loved her, he just loved the sense of security she gave him. She 100% deserves better.
🎧 PLAYLIST 🎧
"Cake" ~ Melanie Martinez
I feel like I'm just missing
Something whenever you leave
We've got all the ingredients
Except you loving me
"It Aint Me" ~ Selena Gomez & Kygo
Somewhere along the lines we stopped seein' eye to eye
You were stayin' out all night and I had enough
No, I don't wanna know where you been or where you're goin'
But I know I won't be home, and you'll be on your own
"Can't Feel My Face" ~ The Weeknd
I can't feel my face when I'm with you
But I love it, but I love it, oh
And I know she'll be the death of me, at least we'll both be numb
And she'll always get the best of me, the worst is yet to come
"The Heart Wants What It Wants" ~ Selena Gomez
Save your advice 'cause I won't hear
You might be right, but I don't care
There's a million reasons why I should give you up
February 16, 2021
I read this book in a day and the beginning really had me, like it was beautiful and funny and I really loved the connection between the two main characters.
And then it just got awful. I understand hadleys mom getting cancer was like a big deal for her, but the comparison remy made between her moms cancer and bradens drug addiction made it seem like he chose it. Addiction is a disease- I would have loved to see a story where Hadley helps him to overcome this even as a friend.
I thought they were supposed to have this great love that she’s never felt before and honestly the ending wouldn’t have been terrible if she didn’t start getting with her best friend, like what the fuck. I think that’s what ruined this book for me in all honesty
And then it just got awful. I understand hadleys mom getting cancer was like a big deal for her, but the comparison remy made between her moms cancer and bradens drug addiction made it seem like he chose it. Addiction is a disease- I would have loved to see a story where Hadley helps him to overcome this even as a friend.
I thought they were supposed to have this great love that she’s never felt before and honestly the ending wouldn’t have been terrible if she didn’t start getting with her best friend, like what the fuck. I think that’s what ruined this book for me in all honesty
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 15, 2023
I couldn't put down this book and while it was predictable, it was everything you need in an amazing YA 🥺💗
March 12, 2021
WOW. I kind of figured it was something like this but like it was a really good book to be honest
January 19, 2021
I can't find the words to explain how this book made me feel. I felt everything Hadley did and sometimes x100. IT.WAS.SO.GOOD. All the topics were handled so well. I laughed,cried (I HARDLY EVER DO THAT WITH BOOKS), and felt so much turning each page. One thing I felt was handled so well was Braden's drug addiction. I watched him transition from the person he was before to someone unrecognizable because of his addiction. The comparison at the end between her mother fighting cancer and Braden choosing not to fight awed me. Hadley's struggle with choosing to leave Braden for her own good and feeling guilty for leaving him in that state is what women feel across the world in relationships like this. The signs: Him telling her he will change then trying to get more pills, trying to guilt her into staying were all components of an abusive relationship. It was utterly heartbreaking to see how everything had changed from the beginning of the book to the end. Things I never would have seen coming. I also love Tyler and Becca. The two friends who were always there for Hadley and never left her side. Tyler was my favorite with his unwavering loyalty and care, he is probably all I want in a guy tbh. I wish there was an epilogue or a short story about them and how it went but I guess we can imagine it. Another part that I loved was how the author effortlessly switched from past the present and how they blended together. This book is so important to me because it made me feel. A special ingredient that makes a book so special. I have been waiting for this book so long and I shed a tear when I had to close it and that ride was over. Loved loved this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2022
So i absolutely loved the book most of the way through. I read pages 60-339 all in one sitting because I was desperate to finish it. i absolutely loved braden the love interest and the banter him and hadley had was very well written. braden gets hurt and gets addicted to opioids. this obviously isn't his choice and the way the author portrayed hadley making the choice to leave him as a way to "not get pulled under" i feel like is a bad message to send about addiction. Braden wasn't partying and doing hard drugs for that reason, he had a chance to go to stanford and was a 17yr old kid trying to fight a potentially career ending injury, he made bad decisions and he needed to help but he was addicted and it wasn't something he could control. he was originally prescribed those pills and it just seemed wrong how she ended up with her best friend tyler. i think a better ending would have been for her to go off to college single and then an epilogue where she reunites with braden once he cleaned up. overall it's a good ya read but i just think the ending could have been better
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2021
Second read through: listened to the audiobook this time. This is the book I wish I had when I was 17, but the story feeds my 30something soul. It teaches how to choose to love yourself when the choice feels impossible. Hadley and her friends are who I would hope my child would be friends with in high school. As much as it is an anti-romance, it feels like a love story to friendship and family. I appreciate the sensitivity with which difficult subject matter was handled, and the realistic descriptions of the accompanying emotions. The audiobook performance was wonderful.
I loved this book. Incredibly engaging, smart, emotional, and hopeful. I loved the nuanced relationships between all of the characters. The nonlinear timeline kept me engrossed and the author handled difficult subject matter in a respectful and considerate way. Love and sex are portrayed realistically and thoughtfully. It is a love story, and also a celebration of friends, family, and self-worth.
I loved this book. Incredibly engaging, smart, emotional, and hopeful. I loved the nuanced relationships between all of the characters. The nonlinear timeline kept me engrossed and the author handled difficult subject matter in a respectful and considerate way. Love and sex are portrayed realistically and thoughtfully. It is a love story, and also a celebration of friends, family, and self-worth.
June 20, 2022
fucking hell this was a mess. i cannot believe i spent (read: wasted) my time reading this ALL FOR HER TO END UP WITH TY??? ksksjshdhdzqs the falling out of love thing was dumb asl and i’m sooo mad at the author rn i could scream. even tho i liked the writing i hate hate how the book took turn when it hit the 70% mark. (1.5 ★)
April 5, 2022
This book started out so great at the beginning but the ending was unsatisfying, I understand that she left Branden but the relationship with Ty feels like it came out of left field and the ending scene wasn’t impactful. We’ll written but I expected a better end.
December 19, 2020
Coming Up for Air comes into play SO MANY times in this novel, I'd almost lost track. First, the obvious one we mentioned because at some point, they do have to do that actual action. Second, it applies to Braden yet again in a life sense. Ever been told you take things too seriously? Yeah, well that was him and the swimming. I mean I get it...it was him working towards his goal of a scholarship based on his athletic talent; a totally worthy goal to say the least. The problem lies in that his focus was so laser, so single oriented that when things start messing with that direct path, he's not prepared to swerve. He takes on SO much and keeps holding his head high, so that while yes it looks like he's breathing easy, he's actually been holding his breath the whole time.
Then we have it in a life sense for our girl, Hadley. She's definitely been treading water, what with her family dealing with her mother's diagnosis and treatment. Add to that college entries, the current school year, and her new boyfriend, Braden. Yeah, okay spoiler alert there, but it's not really because it's pretty much the first thing that happens after we're introduced to the PRESENT and then the PAST. Anyway, why would she need to be coming up for air...especially in the last scenario. Ever get lost in someone? I mean to the point where we don't know where you end and they begin? Yeah, it hits our girl hard, the love bug that is, but there's something else. His problems become her problems and she feels guilty, as if she added to his problems, and that just snowballs from there until it all falls apart, rather spectacularly, and heartbreakingly all at the same time.
So you see, the titles applies several times over and in many ways, but in the end, they all add up to taking a moment in your life to actually BREATHE. It's never too late to change course, and the bumps in the road or rough water we encounter are meant for us to grow from and overcome, but if ever they feel like TOO much, there's no harm in reaching out for a helping hand.
**copy received for review; opinions are my own
Then we have it in a life sense for our girl, Hadley. She's definitely been treading water, what with her family dealing with her mother's diagnosis and treatment. Add to that college entries, the current school year, and her new boyfriend, Braden. Yeah, okay spoiler alert there, but it's not really because it's pretty much the first thing that happens after we're introduced to the PRESENT and then the PAST. Anyway, why would she need to be coming up for air...especially in the last scenario. Ever get lost in someone? I mean to the point where we don't know where you end and they begin? Yeah, it hits our girl hard, the love bug that is, but there's something else. His problems become her problems and she feels guilty, as if she added to his problems, and that just snowballs from there until it all falls apart, rather spectacularly, and heartbreakingly all at the same time.
So you see, the titles applies several times over and in many ways, but in the end, they all add up to taking a moment in your life to actually BREATHE. It's never too late to change course, and the bumps in the road or rough water we encounter are meant for us to grow from and overcome, but if ever they feel like TOO much, there's no harm in reaching out for a helping hand.
**copy received for review; opinions are my own
September 23, 2025
don’t even speak to me this book was heartbreaking.
I know the whole point was they made Brandon to look like the most amazing guy ever so we would feel what Hadley was feeling and how heart broken she would be but Owwww.
Usually I hate time skips in this story but this one I didn’t mind it much.
Now the part of this story that I disliked was when she kissed Ty because leading up to this it’s a whole thing how she hopes he doesn’t like her and how in love with Brandon she is and how she could never like someone else and then while Brandon is in the hospital she kisses Ty?!? Like I get it Brandon and her were broken up and staying with him when he’s choosing drugs over her isn’t going to be good for her but at the same time he had an addiction and it’s not like it was from partying and stuff it was from an injury. He helped her through her mom’s cancer but when things get hard for him she goes and kisses her best friend. As a romantic i obviously wanted Hadley and Brandon to be together at the end of the book but I can under why they
aren’t.
I felt like they have no personality to Ty and the only reason she is “liked him” if you can even call it that was because of his dead mom. Hadley says something about him being safe at the end and I think that was stupid because love int meant to be easy or safe. I also hated how she kept saying the thing to Ty about keeping the door open, like she’s not ready for anything after Brandon fine. But that’s just using him at that point. And Ty didn’t do anything to deserve that when he’s been supporting her through everything.
The one last thing that bugged me is that we never got any clear cut answers about how Brandon did with rehab because I’m the type of person who doesn’t like open endings.
Over all I enjoyed the book a lot however I wish that the Ty was plot didn’t happen and they stayed friends instead and at the end she either found herself or like focused on her family or anything but “getting” with Ty.
I know the whole point was they made Brandon to look like the most amazing guy ever so we would feel what Hadley was feeling and how heart broken she would be but Owwww.
Usually I hate time skips in this story but this one I didn’t mind it much.
Now the part of this story that I disliked was when she kissed Ty because leading up to this it’s a whole thing how she hopes he doesn’t like her and how in love with Brandon she is and how she could never like someone else and then while Brandon is in the hospital she kisses Ty?!? Like I get it Brandon and her were broken up and staying with him when he’s choosing drugs over her isn’t going to be good for her but at the same time he had an addiction and it’s not like it was from partying and stuff it was from an injury. He helped her through her mom’s cancer but when things get hard for him she goes and kisses her best friend. As a romantic i obviously wanted Hadley and Brandon to be together at the end of the book but I can under why they
aren’t.
I felt like they have no personality to Ty and the only reason she is “liked him” if you can even call it that was because of his dead mom. Hadley says something about him being safe at the end and I think that was stupid because love int meant to be easy or safe. I also hated how she kept saying the thing to Ty about keeping the door open, like she’s not ready for anything after Brandon fine. But that’s just using him at that point. And Ty didn’t do anything to deserve that when he’s been supporting her through everything.
The one last thing that bugged me is that we never got any clear cut answers about how Brandon did with rehab because I’m the type of person who doesn’t like open endings.
Over all I enjoyed the book a lot however I wish that the Ty was plot didn’t happen and they stayed friends instead and at the end she either found herself or like focused on her family or anything but “getting” with Ty.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2022
Surprised to be giving this a 4 star rating, because it started off poorly and I found it pretty mediocre, I expected to give it nothing more than a 3.5, at a push.
I’m going to keep this review short and snappy.
Characters
I liked Hadley as a main character. She was definitely likeable to me and I enjoyed reading from her POV. I did feel like her educational background was under-developed though. We had a small side story of her and her portfolio and I didn’t feel like I knew enough about it to care.
Braden was obviously a bitch and I didn’t like him. I mean I know he was suffering towards the end but come on.
I LOVED the best friends and the family members in this. Although I wish we met more of Braden’s family and they played a bigger part.
Ty was honestly so likeable from the get go, so honest and kind and caring that I was just like damn it Hadley, be with him.
Becca was neither here nor there. Same with Greg. We didn’t know enough to bat an eyelid.
The Plot
Enjoyable. Entertaining. Heart-warming in a way. I’m glad I was surprised when the book went from past to present tense on a few occasions because I feel like that happens a lot.
The general plot line was good, some serious topics were covered and I think the author did a great job at going into detail with them and ensuring that she did them justice.
The romance between Braden and Hadley didn’t do it for me. I was more for Hadley and Ty if I’m honest.
I also enjoyed the mothers story. It was incredibly heart-breaking and honestly, again, Nicole did that splendidly.
I had no real major issues with the story or book as a whole. I’m only giving it 4 stars because I just found some of the plot lines mediocre or just enjoyable and nothing that blew me away or intrigued me to be like “Holy shit”. Which I felt like this book needed to give it that extra oomph.
I’m going to keep this review short and snappy.
Characters
I liked Hadley as a main character. She was definitely likeable to me and I enjoyed reading from her POV. I did feel like her educational background was under-developed though. We had a small side story of her and her portfolio and I didn’t feel like I knew enough about it to care.
Braden was obviously a bitch and I didn’t like him. I mean I know he was suffering towards the end but come on.
I LOVED the best friends and the family members in this. Although I wish we met more of Braden’s family and they played a bigger part.
Ty was honestly so likeable from the get go, so honest and kind and caring that I was just like damn it Hadley, be with him.
Becca was neither here nor there. Same with Greg. We didn’t know enough to bat an eyelid.
The Plot
Enjoyable. Entertaining. Heart-warming in a way. I’m glad I was surprised when the book went from past to present tense on a few occasions because I feel like that happens a lot.
The general plot line was good, some serious topics were covered and I think the author did a great job at going into detail with them and ensuring that she did them justice.
The romance between Braden and Hadley didn’t do it for me. I was more for Hadley and Ty if I’m honest.
I also enjoyed the mothers story. It was incredibly heart-breaking and honestly, again, Nicole did that splendidly.
I had no real major issues with the story or book as a whole. I’m only giving it 4 stars because I just found some of the plot lines mediocre or just enjoyable and nothing that blew me away or intrigued me to be like “Holy shit”. Which I felt like this book needed to give it that extra oomph.
April 9, 2022
One of those books that's just ruined by the ending. Coming Up For Air is a contemporary coming-of-age story that follows main character Hadley through her junior and senior years of high school. Averse to risk-taking after her mother's bout with cancer, Hadley plans on pushing through her final years of school with purpose. She wants to focus on her photography in order to get into a good art program, and has no intention of putting herself out there through dating.
Of course, she finds herself questioning that mindset when she becomes involved with Braden, charming star of the swim team and Hadley's total opposite. As things go south for both of them, Hadley and Braden must each decide where their priorities lie -- with each other, or elsewhere.
This novel starts off as a typical teen romance -- very cute. As the story progresses, it does dive into some heavier topics. I felt as though Tyndall handled them fairly well for the targeted age group and the nature of the book (it is after all, still a romance). I do not feel that it's fair to criticize the way she portrayed because the story does take place from Hadley's point of view and she was put in an impossible position. Although the circumstances leading up to it were unfortunate (albeit very common), they don't negate his actions, and situations like the ones presented here rarely have an obviously correct course of action.
The nail in the coffin for me was the ending, which I was not fond of. I don't think we had quite enough build up to justify it and while I support Hadley's choice to , ending the novel there just put a sour taste in my mouth. Still, I'd be willing to read more from Tyndall; perhaps I'd feel differently if she was tackling a different topic. Fingers crossed!
Of course, she finds herself questioning that mindset when she becomes involved with Braden, charming star of the swim team and Hadley's total opposite. As things go south for both of them, Hadley and Braden must each decide where their priorities lie -- with each other, or elsewhere.
This novel starts off as a typical teen romance -- very cute. As the story progresses, it does dive into some heavier topics. I felt as though Tyndall handled them fairly well for the targeted age group and the nature of the book (it is after all, still a romance). I do not feel that it's fair to criticize the way she portrayed because the story does take place from Hadley's point of view and she was put in an impossible position. Although the circumstances leading up to it were unfortunate (albeit very common), they don't negate his actions, and situations like the ones presented here rarely have an obviously correct course of action.
The nail in the coffin for me was the ending, which I was not fond of. I don't think we had quite enough build up to justify it and while I support Hadley's choice to , ending the novel there just put a sour taste in my mouth. Still, I'd be willing to read more from Tyndall; perhaps I'd feel differently if she was tackling a different topic. Fingers crossed!
February 10, 2021
Coming Up for Air took me back to when I fell in love with for the first time. I think Nicole Tyndall did an incredible job bringing those intense feelings back to life. Hadley and Braden falling in love amidst all of the challenges high school has to offer, familial problems, and friend drama felt authentic in a way that took my breath away.
Jock Braden and photographer Hadley might seem at first to be unevenly matched, but their chemistry is electrifying and there are few other couples in YA contemporary lit who match them. We learn immediately that there has been an accident, Braden is in the hospital, and Hadley, though she appears to have broken things off with Braden, is so heartbroken and distressed. The narration then takes us back in time to the beginning of their relationship, and it is so lovely to watch them fall in love, but there is a darkness, as we know the way it seems to end. Braden's addiction takes its toll on Hadley, who is also dealing with the cancer diagnosis of her mom. Their story feels so real, and brings to light the pressures so many of today's teens are facing in terms of being perfect or reaching so high to get those college scholarships, no matter what they have to do to get there. I think many teens will be able to relate to this relationship, and even now, having mercifully survived high school a decade ago, this book brought back feelings and memories I had long forgotten. I think this book has got a place right alongside Eleanor and Park and All the Bright Places.
Content warnings: This book is for mature teens. There is sex, drug addiction, partying, and profanity. But it is also a beautifully written tribute to the high school experience and falling in real love for the first time.
Jock Braden and photographer Hadley might seem at first to be unevenly matched, but their chemistry is electrifying and there are few other couples in YA contemporary lit who match them. We learn immediately that there has been an accident, Braden is in the hospital, and Hadley, though she appears to have broken things off with Braden, is so heartbroken and distressed. The narration then takes us back in time to the beginning of their relationship, and it is so lovely to watch them fall in love, but there is a darkness, as we know the way it seems to end. Braden's addiction takes its toll on Hadley, who is also dealing with the cancer diagnosis of her mom. Their story feels so real, and brings to light the pressures so many of today's teens are facing in terms of being perfect or reaching so high to get those college scholarships, no matter what they have to do to get there. I think many teens will be able to relate to this relationship, and even now, having mercifully survived high school a decade ago, this book brought back feelings and memories I had long forgotten. I think this book has got a place right alongside Eleanor and Park and All the Bright Places.
Content warnings: This book is for mature teens. There is sex, drug addiction, partying, and profanity. But it is also a beautifully written tribute to the high school experience and falling in real love for the first time.
November 29, 2020
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a DRC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.
I loved this book. I read it with the same intensity that I read Everything, Everything and Five Feet Apart . The relationship was amazing (shout-out to Tyndall for creating a lovely first-time scene that allowed for both partners to express their fears, their desires, and to continuously check in on each other throughout) and the whole time you are reading, you know that the story is heading to something tragic (thanks dual timelines!) but you keep thinking that MAYBE, just MAYBE, it won't happen. This is a wonderful addition to realistic fiction shelves in all YA collections. Highly recommend. First purchase type of stuff here.
Hadley just broke up with her boyfriend and is sure she is ready to take a break from dating. She's seen what it does to her older sister Remy, who has a revolving door of loser dates, but all of that goes dangerously off the rails when she meets Braden. All-star athlete, rumored "bad-boy", and one of the most charming guys she's ever met. When they're together, she decides to take the risk. And it seems worth it. Until her family receives some tragic news. And Braden starts hiding a dark secret. And then it doesn't feel like love anymore, but something scarier. And Hadley has to wonder if, in the end, her choices were the right ones or if she made a huge mistake.
I loved this book. I read it with the same intensity that I read Everything, Everything and Five Feet Apart . The relationship was amazing (shout-out to Tyndall for creating a lovely first-time scene that allowed for both partners to express their fears, their desires, and to continuously check in on each other throughout) and the whole time you are reading, you know that the story is heading to something tragic (thanks dual timelines!) but you keep thinking that MAYBE, just MAYBE, it won't happen. This is a wonderful addition to realistic fiction shelves in all YA collections. Highly recommend. First purchase type of stuff here.
Hadley just broke up with her boyfriend and is sure she is ready to take a break from dating. She's seen what it does to her older sister Remy, who has a revolving door of loser dates, but all of that goes dangerously off the rails when she meets Braden. All-star athlete, rumored "bad-boy", and one of the most charming guys she's ever met. When they're together, she decides to take the risk. And it seems worth it. Until her family receives some tragic news. And Braden starts hiding a dark secret. And then it doesn't feel like love anymore, but something scarier. And Hadley has to wonder if, in the end, her choices were the right ones or if she made a huge mistake.
July 5, 2021
Realmente adorei esse aqui que eu já tinha altas expectativas, bons personagens, temas importantes, ótima escrita e estrutura. Talvez um problema com o fato que para um livro que mães sejam tão importantes, a gente tenha tão pouco delas.
December 25, 2023
Well this book got me through a tad of different emotions. I was kinda disappointed by the end but it’s the author choice, it’s not bad just not my taste. Anyway this book isn’t for everybody but somehow it rang a bell in me, maybe because I identified to Braden which I didn’t expect at all…
May be a 3.5⭐️
May be a 3.5⭐️
December 28, 2020
4 stars
Cried a bit for this book! Review coming out soon.
Gosh thank you so much for the arc Times reads.
Cried a bit for this book! Review coming out soon.
Gosh thank you so much for the arc Times reads.
March 19, 2021
4.5 stars
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