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Juliet was Wrong
Robert Frost once I took the road less traveled and that has made all the difference. Well, that’s good for ol’ Rob. He wasn’t a seventeen-year-old girl who met a boy that turned her world upside down weeks before leaving for college. The road less traveled isn’t always the easy one, but sometimes it is the right one.Katie has been counting down the days she leaves for Northwestern University since she was seven years old. A self-acclaimed author turned college English major; she is ready to grow up. She is ready to leave childhood behind. She just needs to survive this summer. The summer after high school graduation. The summer he came into her life. With dreams and secrets of his own, Josh steps out from behind a Ferris wheel and, quite literally, takes her breath away.This summer, this magically perfect yet heartbreaking in the best way summer, changes Katie. Growing up does not necessarily mean achieving your dreams… sometimes it means finding new dreams to chase. As the days laughing with Josh under the summer sun pass, Katie finds herself again and again questioning her favorite ROMEO AND JULIET. Were they right? Should you risk everything for love?Juliet was Wrong will remind you of your own first love… and how hard it is to let go.
- GenresYoung Adult
233 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 5, 2021
21 people are currently reading
257 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
January 30, 2022
I read this in 24 hours. It was so easy to get wrapped up in the characters and the story and the nostalgia and remember what it felt like to be 18 and blush when your crush held your hand or bought you a slurpee at the 7-Eleven. Or how it felt to fall in love for the first time, not knowing what that meant or how you would carry it with you as life moved on.
After high school graduation, Kate Watson is ready to get out of Jersey Shore, grow up, and move on with her life. It isn't until she meets Josh and their summer romance ensues, does the weight of leaving the town that built her hit her and she realizes goodbyes are harder when you actually have to say them.
This book was funny and playful and adorable and meaningful and the end...😭😭😭 . I wasn't prepared for. As someone that doesn't read YA, after this one, consider me a convert.
After high school graduation, Kate Watson is ready to get out of Jersey Shore, grow up, and move on with her life. It isn't until she meets Josh and their summer romance ensues, does the weight of leaving the town that built her hit her and she realizes goodbyes are harder when you actually have to say them.
This book was funny and playful and adorable and meaningful and the end...😭😭😭 . I wasn't prepared for. As someone that doesn't read YA, after this one, consider me a convert.
September 14, 2021
What a cute, lighthearted YA novel! Carver had me remembering my own summer after graduation, igniting feelings long forgotten. The story wasn’t too hot and steamy, but just the right amount of first-love emotions. A quick, light read!
July 19, 2022
A uniquely mature YA romance
September 13, 2021
You know you have a winner when you don’t want it to end.
This debut is a fantastic portrayal of first love. I loved it all - the characters, the relationships, the setting, and man oh man the nostalgia! I was swept up in this story from page one. One of my favourite things about this story was the conversations and activities that the author wove into the plot. So realistic, and yet not at all predictable. The imagination and creativity of “normal” life was refreshing for the genre.
Anyone who’s ever felt the allure of someone you know is wrong for you will relate to Katie. I highly recommend this stellar debut for readers who love teen romance, coming-of-age stories, and tight-knit friend groups with a dash of drama and a twist you won’t see coming! Definitely a YA romance with heart.
More from this author please!!!!
This debut is a fantastic portrayal of first love. I loved it all - the characters, the relationships, the setting, and man oh man the nostalgia! I was swept up in this story from page one. One of my favourite things about this story was the conversations and activities that the author wove into the plot. So realistic, and yet not at all predictable. The imagination and creativity of “normal” life was refreshing for the genre.
Anyone who’s ever felt the allure of someone you know is wrong for you will relate to Katie. I highly recommend this stellar debut for readers who love teen romance, coming-of-age stories, and tight-knit friend groups with a dash of drama and a twist you won’t see coming! Definitely a YA romance with heart.
More from this author please!!!!
May 31, 2022
"Same stars."
This story in one word: wholesome.
I love how sweet but realistic this story was. I loved that Katie wasn't perfect. She was flawed like we all are and got to learn a lesson on two along the way. I loved Josh from the moment he placed his hands inside his pockets at the boardwalk jaja. The ending broke my heart. All in all it was very nostalgic and highly recommend reading this one.
This story in one word: wholesome.
I love how sweet but realistic this story was. I loved that Katie wasn't perfect. She was flawed like we all are and got to learn a lesson on two along the way. I loved Josh from the moment he placed his hands inside his pockets at the boardwalk jaja. The ending broke my heart. All in all it was very nostalgic and highly recommend reading this one.
September 23, 2021
Oh, how I loved this book!
It's the day after high school graduation and Katie can't wait to get the heck of out New Jersey...that is, until Josh walks into her life.
Now, it's a summer of first experiences, fun and the nostalgic feeling of a summer romance. Katie, a girl who always has a book in her hand, will resonate with so many readers.
As a kid that grew up (mostly through high school) at the Jersey Shore, this tale is full of pop culture references, Jersey musings and heart. Lindsey Carver captured all the "feels" of being a local summer shore kid with so much more!
It's the day after high school graduation and Katie can't wait to get the heck of out New Jersey...that is, until Josh walks into her life.
Now, it's a summer of first experiences, fun and the nostalgic feeling of a summer romance. Katie, a girl who always has a book in her hand, will resonate with so many readers.
As a kid that grew up (mostly through high school) at the Jersey Shore, this tale is full of pop culture references, Jersey musings and heart. Lindsey Carver captured all the "feels" of being a local summer shore kid with so much more!
July 17, 2022
This book was such a fun summer read! This is exactly the type of book I would have loved back in high school. In see debut novel, Carver has delivered a sweet, nostalgic, honest, and sometime emotional, journey into the summer between high school and college.
The characters felt real and honest, and like they genuinely were high schoolers you would meet in day to day life. As a sheltered and “good girl” type back as a teenager, I connected to Kate and how she learns to explore her world and get outside her bubble.
I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next!
The characters felt real and honest, and like they genuinely were high schoolers you would meet in day to day life. As a sheltered and “good girl” type back as a teenager, I connected to Kate and how she learns to explore her world and get outside her bubble.
I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next!
August 30, 2021
This read is a perfect beach read! I’m not the greatest with book reviewing writing… but here it goes.
My sister had it with her for our annual beach trip / vacation last week and she finished it up, so I gave it stab. I read it one day at the beach… I could not put it down. Seriously, get in your last days of summer at the beach with this book. The best part was it is set at the Jersey Shore. I’ve had so many summers there, it felt so nostalgic for me
If you like Colleen Hoover or Elin Hilderbrand, Lindsey Carver’s books is along those lines. Her characters were so great, I just wanted more! She made me fall in love with a new book boyfriend just like Colleen Hoover does!! There also the perfect amount of humor, sarcasm and young love.
My sister had it with her for our annual beach trip / vacation last week and she finished it up, so I gave it stab. I read it one day at the beach… I could not put it down. Seriously, get in your last days of summer at the beach with this book. The best part was it is set at the Jersey Shore. I’ve had so many summers there, it felt so nostalgic for me
If you like Colleen Hoover or Elin Hilderbrand, Lindsey Carver’s books is along those lines. Her characters were so great, I just wanted more! She made me fall in love with a new book boyfriend just like Colleen Hoover does!! There also the perfect amount of humor, sarcasm and young love.
July 6, 2022
A double scoop of vanilla with colored sprinkles.
Vanilla is good, everyone likes vanilla, it’s a safe flavor. Add in the excitement of colored sprinkles and you’ve got Lindsey’s book.
A wholesome teenage romance with a dreamy setting. I would LOVE to live in this town.
Salt in the air
Ice cream shops
Young love
I typically don’t read YA. I didn’t have a high school experience like the one in this book. Mine was more like the hit TV series Euphoria. I found it hard to relate to these characters because of my unconventional highschool experience. That being said I didn’t put the book down, I didn’t stop reading.
I would recommend this book, it would make a great summer read, or anytime read for that matter.
Vanilla is good, everyone likes vanilla, it’s a safe flavor. Add in the excitement of colored sprinkles and you’ve got Lindsey’s book.
A wholesome teenage romance with a dreamy setting. I would LOVE to live in this town.
Salt in the air
Ice cream shops
Young love
I typically don’t read YA. I didn’t have a high school experience like the one in this book. Mine was more like the hit TV series Euphoria. I found it hard to relate to these characters because of my unconventional highschool experience. That being said I didn’t put the book down, I didn’t stop reading.
I would recommend this book, it would make a great summer read, or anytime read for that matter.
July 2, 2022
It has been so long since I read a YA.
This book in three words- heartwarming, refreshing, wholesome.
The most beautiful thing about this book is the title. It was so intriguing. I could not wait to reach the end of the book to know if Juliet turned out to be right or wrong. What a beautiful take on young romance! How is it so important to chase your dreams!
The end broke my heart. It really broke my heart. Josh's character actually grew on me through the course of the book and I can say that he is my favorite character in the book.
All in all, it was the PERFECT summer read.
This book in three words- heartwarming, refreshing, wholesome.
The most beautiful thing about this book is the title. It was so intriguing. I could not wait to reach the end of the book to know if Juliet turned out to be right or wrong. What a beautiful take on young romance! How is it so important to chase your dreams!
The end broke my heart. It really broke my heart. Josh's character actually grew on me through the course of the book and I can say that he is my favorite character in the book.
All in all, it was the PERFECT summer read.
June 30, 2022
Super sweet summer love story
This was super cute, young summer love with a Nicholas Sparks kind of vibe. It was sweet, cute and easy to relate too, emphasizing the importance of a first love
This was super cute, young summer love with a Nicholas Sparks kind of vibe. It was sweet, cute and easy to relate too, emphasizing the importance of a first love
August 25, 2022
Juliet was Wrong is a young adult coming-of-age novel written by Lindsey Carver. The story revolves around a high school graduate, Katie, who is searching to find herself before college. She’s been counting the days to leave for college since she was a child, but in the last summer before college, she meets Joshua Parker and instantly finds herself falling for him. The intended English major student who had her whole future planned and the path paved realizes how much she missed in her teenage years simply because she was stuck in her books. Josh unintentionally turns Katie’s entire life upside down as the girl starts to doubt her goals and ambitions after spending an incredibly adventurous summer with him. However, in an unexpected turn of events, she is faced with the question of whether her favorite poet Shakespeare was wrong in the play Romeo and Juliet about risking everything for love.
Lindsey Carver’s debut novel is a nostalgic and emotional one. Set in the town of New Jersey, the author has written a beautiful and dreamy story about young love. This book perfectly portrays the simplicity and intensity of first love. However, the story also contains an essential lesson: just because you fall in love at a young age doesn’t mean you can’t grow and find yourself alongside it.
Carver has created unforgettable characters, especially Katie, who is strong-headed, ambitious, and isn’t afraid to stand up for herself. The ending was heartbreaking and unpredictable, yet extremely realistic. The use of Shakespeare’s references throughout the book did justice to the title. Young readers will relate to this book as the question of the future rises in their minds. Carver has beautifully shown that growing up doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to achieve your dreams; it can also mean that you need to chase new ones.
The bittersweet mix of love, family, friendship, and self-awareness made it impossible to put this book down. Juliet was Wrong is a glorious and touching read and the kind of book that I can read over and over again.
Lindsey Carver’s debut novel is a nostalgic and emotional one. Set in the town of New Jersey, the author has written a beautiful and dreamy story about young love. This book perfectly portrays the simplicity and intensity of first love. However, the story also contains an essential lesson: just because you fall in love at a young age doesn’t mean you can’t grow and find yourself alongside it.
Carver has created unforgettable characters, especially Katie, who is strong-headed, ambitious, and isn’t afraid to stand up for herself. The ending was heartbreaking and unpredictable, yet extremely realistic. The use of Shakespeare’s references throughout the book did justice to the title. Young readers will relate to this book as the question of the future rises in their minds. Carver has beautifully shown that growing up doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to achieve your dreams; it can also mean that you need to chase new ones.
The bittersweet mix of love, family, friendship, and self-awareness made it impossible to put this book down. Juliet was Wrong is a glorious and touching read and the kind of book that I can read over and over again.
May 22, 2022
3.5 (rounded up to 4) stars!
I truly enjoyed this book - it was like watching an episode of my favorite teenage drama (you know, before they became about mystical beings and/or murder plots). I loved the nostalgic feelings it gave me and how the characters felt like kids I knew, even though I didn’t grow up anywhere close to a beach.
Lindsey did a great job of capturing that precipice of adulthood feeling - not quite a kid, not quite an adult, waiting for your life to begin. Katie is a relatable protagonist, Josh is the perfect first love, Sam is the best friend we all wanted at that age, and Jack is the boy we will always wonder about (and he definitely should get his own book).
I would have liked to see some more depth to Katie and Josh’s relationship and a bit more character development in general from the secondary characters. I should also note it’s marketed as YA but I’m not sure how well current young adults would relate to this book, as opposed to those of us millennials looking to relive our youth (but I am no longer a youth, so who knows? Teens today might connect with the general themes just fine).
Overall I thought this was a good debut novel from an author destined for YA greatness!
I truly enjoyed this book - it was like watching an episode of my favorite teenage drama (you know, before they became about mystical beings and/or murder plots). I loved the nostalgic feelings it gave me and how the characters felt like kids I knew, even though I didn’t grow up anywhere close to a beach.
Lindsey did a great job of capturing that precipice of adulthood feeling - not quite a kid, not quite an adult, waiting for your life to begin. Katie is a relatable protagonist, Josh is the perfect first love, Sam is the best friend we all wanted at that age, and Jack is the boy we will always wonder about (and he definitely should get his own book).
I would have liked to see some more depth to Katie and Josh’s relationship and a bit more character development in general from the secondary characters. I should also note it’s marketed as YA but I’m not sure how well current young adults would relate to this book, as opposed to those of us millennials looking to relive our youth (but I am no longer a youth, so who knows? Teens today might connect with the general themes just fine).
Overall I thought this was a good debut novel from an author destined for YA greatness!
June 19, 2022
Jersey girl? Check. Young love? Check. I’m not sure why it’s taken me this long to get around to reading this book based on those two facts alone. It’s embarrassing really. I’m a Jersey girl (so many boardwalk memories) who fell in love with my husband at fifteen. While I don’t read a lot of YA romance it’s times like this I wonder why the hell not.
This story gave me all the nostalgic feels and I couldn’t put it down. How can you grow as an individual AND fall in love? It feels impossible, especially when you’re still too young for anyone to believe what you’ve found is real. (That ending though 🥺.)
This story is peek YA love and I. Am. So. Here. For. It. It has a little bit of everything and the story is woven together in such a tender and wholesome way. Add this one to books that will be living rent-free in my mind forever.
If you want a sweet love story packed with self-discovery and hope look no further.
This story gave me all the nostalgic feels and I couldn’t put it down. How can you grow as an individual AND fall in love? It feels impossible, especially when you’re still too young for anyone to believe what you’ve found is real. (That ending though 🥺.)
This story is peek YA love and I. Am. So. Here. For. It. It has a little bit of everything and the story is woven together in such a tender and wholesome way. Add this one to books that will be living rent-free in my mind forever.
If you want a sweet love story packed with self-discovery and hope look no further.
August 28, 2021
Listening to Paula Cole's, 'I Don't Want To Wait' with tears in my eyes and my heart aching but I swear it's the best sort of pain. I loved this story so much and I'm just not ready to let these characters go just yet. I want to savor every bit of these feelings. The nostalgia, first love and my own teenage memories flashing through my mind.
Katie Watson is on the cusp of adulthood enjoying her last summer before leaving for college.
All eighteen years of her life she has played it safe, never stepping a toe out of line until that summer, until him. The boy who would change everything she thought she knew of love, herself, and her future.
Josh Parker wasn't like any other boy Katie had ever met. Her best friend, Sam tried to warn her of the trouble he was but Katie didn't care. This one summer, before life as she knew it would change, was all she wanted to focus on. The here and now which right now, happened to be filled with late nights, dark brown eyes and a boy who would change everything she thought she knew about life, love and the age old question: What if Romeo and Juliet were wrong? Should you really risk everything for love?
Beautiful story telling by Lindsey. She did an amazing job taking us back in time and capturing the essence of first love and the power it roots in your heart for the rest of your life.
Katie Watson is on the cusp of adulthood enjoying her last summer before leaving for college.
All eighteen years of her life she has played it safe, never stepping a toe out of line until that summer, until him. The boy who would change everything she thought she knew of love, herself, and her future.
Josh Parker wasn't like any other boy Katie had ever met. Her best friend, Sam tried to warn her of the trouble he was but Katie didn't care. This one summer, before life as she knew it would change, was all she wanted to focus on. The here and now which right now, happened to be filled with late nights, dark brown eyes and a boy who would change everything she thought she knew about life, love and the age old question: What if Romeo and Juliet were wrong? Should you really risk everything for love?
Beautiful story telling by Lindsey. She did an amazing job taking us back in time and capturing the essence of first love and the power it roots in your heart for the rest of your life.
January 24, 2022
Juliet may have been wrong, but Lindsey Carver nailed it! A Jersey girl myself, this book had me enthralled from page one. It is a nostalgic romp back to senior summer and perfectly executes that in between period of being an “adult” at 18 but not feeling like one at all. Its set at places I’ve actually been to and I love the local references. The characters behave in the right-of-passage ways many teenagers from this area (probably still) do. Late night WaWa (a convenience store) runs after the movies, sneaking into bars in Seaside, fibbing about curfew (but breaking it was TOTALLY worth it).
Readers needn’t be from NJ to appreciate the atmosphere. Carver’s descriptions will have you smelling the sweet waffle cones at the ice cream shop Katie works at as well as the suntan lotion she uses with bestie, Sam, on the beach.
This book is about falling in love for the first time. About not being quite sure if it is, in fact, the elusive “L” word and surfing the tide of emotions that come after the stark realization that- yes! it is the real McCoy.
Regardless of where you reside, we all have a metaphorical Ferris wheel and a Josh or a Katie. Just don’t go trolling your ex after you read this. That’s creepy.
Readers needn’t be from NJ to appreciate the atmosphere. Carver’s descriptions will have you smelling the sweet waffle cones at the ice cream shop Katie works at as well as the suntan lotion she uses with bestie, Sam, on the beach.
This book is about falling in love for the first time. About not being quite sure if it is, in fact, the elusive “L” word and surfing the tide of emotions that come after the stark realization that- yes! it is the real McCoy.
Regardless of where you reside, we all have a metaphorical Ferris wheel and a Josh or a Katie. Just don’t go trolling your ex after you read this. That’s creepy.
May 31, 2022
"Same stars."
This story in one word: wholesome.
I love how sweet but realistic this story was. I loved that Katie wasn't perfect. She was flawed like we all are and got to learn a lesson on two along the way. I loved Josh from the moment he placed his hands inside his pockets at the boardwalk jaja. The ending broke my heart. All in all it was very nostalgic and highly recommend reading this one.
This story in one word: wholesome.
I love how sweet but realistic this story was. I loved that Katie wasn't perfect. She was flawed like we all are and got to learn a lesson on two along the way. I loved Josh from the moment he placed his hands inside his pockets at the boardwalk jaja. The ending broke my heart. All in all it was very nostalgic and highly recommend reading this one.
September 26, 2022
I don’t typically read YA, but my author-friend knew I needed something lighthearted and sweet after I was traumatized by the last book I read 🤣🫣😳
This was an endearing story of Kate and her summer between childhood and adulthood. Filled with firsts, foolishness, and fun; I found this book to be delightful and easy to read.
The end was surprising - almost abrupt in it’s telling; but appreciated in its full-circle intent.
This was an endearing story of Kate and her summer between childhood and adulthood. Filled with firsts, foolishness, and fun; I found this book to be delightful and easy to read.
The end was surprising - almost abrupt in it’s telling; but appreciated in its full-circle intent.
February 11, 2022
Juliet was Wrong is set on the coast of New Jersey and is every piece of post graduation nostalgia you could dream of!
I felt like I was right back to my summer before college with late night hangs with friends, camping, parties and trips to the beach. It was so sweet to see the MC, Katie develop over the summer and to watch her fall in love for the first time ❤️
First love is so special and to see everything unfold for Katie and Josh was pure delight ✨
I was NOT expecting the ending one bit, but author Lindsey Carver navigated it so well. That summer was something special and it had ripple effects far into the future.
I felt like I was right back to my summer before college with late night hangs with friends, camping, parties and trips to the beach. It was so sweet to see the MC, Katie develop over the summer and to watch her fall in love for the first time ❤️
First love is so special and to see everything unfold for Katie and Josh was pure delight ✨
I was NOT expecting the ending one bit, but author Lindsey Carver navigated it so well. That summer was something special and it had ripple effects far into the future.
February 12, 2022
A very sweet- light- nostalgic -heart touching story.
.
Is about pursuing your dreams, getting out of your comfort zone, being brave against changes, friendship and experiecing love..
Kate is facing some changes, she's about to leave Jersey Shore to go to College, during that summer right after graduation, she meets Josh .. and well .. the rest .. you're gonna see it for yourself .. 💟
.
Is about pursuing your dreams, getting out of your comfort zone, being brave against changes, friendship and experiecing love..
Kate is facing some changes, she's about to leave Jersey Shore to go to College, during that summer right after graduation, she meets Josh .. and well .. the rest .. you're gonna see it for yourself .. 💟
April 12, 2023
The summer before college is strange. You aren't quite if you're a kid or an adult as you get a taste of independence. Katie is someone who played by the book and stuck to the plans kind of person. She has her friend Sam and got a job at the local ice cream shop.
During the course of the summer she meets Jack, the green flag with abs, while working. She also meets Josh. Josh is an emotional roller coaster that has Katie testing the Line to grow. Juliet was Wrong is a realistic coming of age book that will have the reader relating to Katie. If you're from Jersey you'll know every spot of the book.
I also had to remember not to text the author as I jumped reading the epilogue... I would recommend this book for anyone reminiscing about their first love, searching for their first love, or any romance lovers.
During the course of the summer she meets Jack, the green flag with abs, while working. She also meets Josh. Josh is an emotional roller coaster that has Katie testing the Line to grow. Juliet was Wrong is a realistic coming of age book that will have the reader relating to Katie. If you're from Jersey you'll know every spot of the book.
I also had to remember not to text the author as I jumped reading the epilogue... I would recommend this book for anyone reminiscing about their first love, searching for their first love, or any romance lovers.
June 16, 2023
Love it!
This book was a surprise for me. It made me feel things and remember things that happened between high school and college. A summer of memories, boys, and my best friend. This book made me laugh and cry. I adore the relationship Katie and sam have and reading about Katie find love made me remember that first love. 💓
This book was a surprise for me. It made me feel things and remember things that happened between high school and college. A summer of memories, boys, and my best friend. This book made me laugh and cry. I adore the relationship Katie and sam have and reading about Katie find love made me remember that first love. 💓
February 3, 2022
Loved this book! A very simple read and captured the emotions of the characters so well! I loved following the love story of Katie and Josh. Sweet, romantic, heartache. You could feel it all. Would recommend!
November 7, 2022
This was an awesome easy read. So enjoyable & flew by fast. As a fellow New Jerseyian this book hit home! So many nostalgic places and scenarios. It really brought me back & reminded me of how I grew up. Great young love story wrapped up with some emotional drama. I purchased this book in a local NJ B&N, to my surprise the author had signed the book & left a handwritten note! Such an awesome / random / personal surprise I was shocked!
September 8, 2021
JULIET WAS WRONG is a nostalgic, heartfelt debut.
I found myself “literally” smiling as I followed Josh and Katie’s story through their summer before college. My young adult fiction experience is almost none. One of the things I loved about this story was the way I oscillated between my adult and teen self. Sometimes, I felt empathy and concern for the main characters, as a parent, teacher, or adult might feel for the younger generation. And equally as much, I was transported back to my high school days, feeling the highs and lows of young love, ending high school, deciding what’s next, and soaking up my last summer with few responsibilities.
Lindsey really captured the late-teen spirit. The language, pop culture references, mentality…it all pulled me in to a world I know so well, but haven’t visited in over a decade. I liked the way friendship, romance, family, and a major life transition all weaved together.
By the end, I wanted more substance between Josh and Katie as their connection didn’t fully land for me; though I think Lindsey’s ability to portray the simplicity of our first love was part of her talent. Our first love—our high school love—isn’t often based on some of the big things we focus on as adults. It’s more innate, less questioned. There’s an attraction, for whatever reason, and it’s followed. And for many of us, it asks how much of ourselves we’re willing to sacrifice in order to avoid an ending.
If you’re looking for a quick, beachy, summer-before-college romance with Dawson’s Creek vibes and some wistful late-teen drama, look no further.
I found myself “literally” smiling as I followed Josh and Katie’s story through their summer before college. My young adult fiction experience is almost none. One of the things I loved about this story was the way I oscillated between my adult and teen self. Sometimes, I felt empathy and concern for the main characters, as a parent, teacher, or adult might feel for the younger generation. And equally as much, I was transported back to my high school days, feeling the highs and lows of young love, ending high school, deciding what’s next, and soaking up my last summer with few responsibilities.
Lindsey really captured the late-teen spirit. The language, pop culture references, mentality…it all pulled me in to a world I know so well, but haven’t visited in over a decade. I liked the way friendship, romance, family, and a major life transition all weaved together.
By the end, I wanted more substance between Josh and Katie as their connection didn’t fully land for me; though I think Lindsey’s ability to portray the simplicity of our first love was part of her talent. Our first love—our high school love—isn’t often based on some of the big things we focus on as adults. It’s more innate, less questioned. There’s an attraction, for whatever reason, and it’s followed. And for many of us, it asks how much of ourselves we’re willing to sacrifice in order to avoid an ending.
If you’re looking for a quick, beachy, summer-before-college romance with Dawson’s Creek vibes and some wistful late-teen drama, look no further.
April 5, 2023
WHAT WAS THAT ENDING😭😭😭. EVERYONE LIED TO ME!!! NO WARNING WHATSOEVER, IM SOBBING
January 22, 2022
Light-hearted, nostalgic read! I don’t typically love YA, but Katie was so loveable this story was hard not to fall for.
August 22, 2023
“I think your first love is the one who changes you; the one who opens you up and helps you see who you’re meant to become. The one who you know will always be in the back of your mind, pushing you to be the best version of yourself.”
It's summer at the Jersey shore, and Katie just graduated high school. She has a few weeks to spend enjoying the beach and time with her BFF Sam, before life as she knows it changes and they both head to college in different parts of the country. With the exception of having to work for the first time, this summer is starting off like all the others - lazy beach days with Sam and loud boardwalk nights, until Sam's boyfriend brings along his friend, Josh. Katie goes from being the third wheel, to having someone to hang out with when they are all together, but how do you have a relationship with someone knowing you're leaving in just a few short weeks?
This was such a strong story of the awkward time between graduating high school and starting college. As Katie mentions in the story, you're not a child anymore but not yet an adult. It's hard to figure out where you belong, but Katie finds her space with her forever friend Sam, as well as a new place alongside her summer fling, Josh. I use the term fling lightly here, because Josh and Katie had a short and playful relationship, yet intense and mature. Katie's growth in such a short time was heartwarming to experience and it was so nostalgic that it took my breath away at times, bringing back memories that have been hanging out in unforgotten corners of my mind.
It's summer at the Jersey shore, and Katie just graduated high school. She has a few weeks to spend enjoying the beach and time with her BFF Sam, before life as she knows it changes and they both head to college in different parts of the country. With the exception of having to work for the first time, this summer is starting off like all the others - lazy beach days with Sam and loud boardwalk nights, until Sam's boyfriend brings along his friend, Josh. Katie goes from being the third wheel, to having someone to hang out with when they are all together, but how do you have a relationship with someone knowing you're leaving in just a few short weeks?
This was such a strong story of the awkward time between graduating high school and starting college. As Katie mentions in the story, you're not a child anymore but not yet an adult. It's hard to figure out where you belong, but Katie finds her space with her forever friend Sam, as well as a new place alongside her summer fling, Josh. I use the term fling lightly here, because Josh and Katie had a short and playful relationship, yet intense and mature. Katie's growth in such a short time was heartwarming to experience and it was so nostalgic that it took my breath away at times, bringing back memories that have been hanging out in unforgotten corners of my mind.
April 6, 2023
ADORE THIS BOOK! sweet read that also broke my heart🥹
first of all.. I’M TRAUMATISED🥹, i went into this (naively) thinking aw a sweet summer, non-spicy, teenager/first love romance.. a light read?! yes it is all those things🙄 BUT WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME IT WAS SAD AND ANGSTY TOO😭🥲 the epilogue broke me. i’m broken, lindsey let me know your address so i can send you my bill for therapy thank you. okay epilogue aside, it is a really cute summer insta-love trope of two teenagers with a beach aesthetic. josh made me laugh and if i was 18 i’d defo swoon over him too😍 some of the stuff he comes out with is pretty funny and he’s a really sweet guy🥺 it’s an easy & short read (only 191 pages), so would work perfectly if you wanted a happy summer pick me up, light read in between more intense ones. likeable characters and this book gets straight into it! this book is the kind of summer romance i would have wished for myself when i was 18 before i went off to university — katie i’m living through you hun!😉 this is lindsey’s debut novel and its so well written, it flowed really well which made it such an easy read! it showcases the effect first loves have on your future relationships, and how for some people it is totally possible to fall in love more than once! i shocked myself at how much i enjoyed this amazing read!
first of all.. I’M TRAUMATISED🥹, i went into this (naively) thinking aw a sweet summer, non-spicy, teenager/first love romance.. a light read?! yes it is all those things🙄 BUT WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME IT WAS SAD AND ANGSTY TOO😭🥲 the epilogue broke me. i’m broken, lindsey let me know your address so i can send you my bill for therapy thank you. okay epilogue aside, it is a really cute summer insta-love trope of two teenagers with a beach aesthetic. josh made me laugh and if i was 18 i’d defo swoon over him too😍 some of the stuff he comes out with is pretty funny and he’s a really sweet guy🥺 it’s an easy & short read (only 191 pages), so would work perfectly if you wanted a happy summer pick me up, light read in between more intense ones. likeable characters and this book gets straight into it! this book is the kind of summer romance i would have wished for myself when i was 18 before i went off to university — katie i’m living through you hun!😉 this is lindsey’s debut novel and its so well written, it flowed really well which made it such an easy read! it showcases the effect first loves have on your future relationships, and how for some people it is totally possible to fall in love more than once! i shocked myself at how much i enjoyed this amazing read!
August 22, 2022
‘Juliet was wrong’ by Lindsey Carver
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
How typical would it be to fall in love just as you’re about to move away to college? When Katie meets Josh she falls head over heels but decides they should just enjoy it for what it is, a perfect summer together before she heads off on her college adventures. By the end of the summer she’s left wondering whether she should risk everything for love.
This was such a cute coming of age story about first love, growing up, moving away from home and all the difficult decisions and emotions that those experiences bring. This book reminded me a bit of Dawson’s Creek and I really loved all the summery, beachy vibes that the Jersey Shore setting brought to the story. This would be such a perfect beach read.
The characters were well written and I loved so many of them, I could totally see this book made into a film. The ending wasn’t typical of your usual YA romance and it was totally unexpected but I appreciate Lindsey doing something different to the norm. I could say more but I don’t want to spoil it for anyone.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
How typical would it be to fall in love just as you’re about to move away to college? When Katie meets Josh she falls head over heels but decides they should just enjoy it for what it is, a perfect summer together before she heads off on her college adventures. By the end of the summer she’s left wondering whether she should risk everything for love.
This was such a cute coming of age story about first love, growing up, moving away from home and all the difficult decisions and emotions that those experiences bring. This book reminded me a bit of Dawson’s Creek and I really loved all the summery, beachy vibes that the Jersey Shore setting brought to the story. This would be such a perfect beach read.
The characters were well written and I loved so many of them, I could totally see this book made into a film. The ending wasn’t typical of your usual YA romance and it was totally unexpected but I appreciate Lindsey doing something different to the norm. I could say more but I don’t want to spoil it for anyone.
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