Thank you NetGalley for an eARC!
This was a really great story about two sisters trying to reconnect after having drifted apart for four years. April is going to be a junior in high school, she’s made the varsity soccer team, and has forever lived in the shadow of Jenn, her older sister. They’re parents are constantly fighting causing both girls to deal in their own ways, but also making both girls deal with the idea that their parents may get a divorce. Jenn is staying home for her first year of college in order to help her parents and keep the peace, and April wants to help her forget about her friends going off without her. But there are secrets between the sisters making their one day of reminiscing difficult and frustrating.
I have to say, I really liked this. Lauren Spieller clearly has a sister or sisters because this was the most realistic depiction of estranged sisters that I’ve ever read. This was such a refreshing approach to sibling/familial angst in large part because SPOILER: they communicate! Idk if you can really consider that a spoiler but I just want to be safe. Really the best thing is that these characters act like people. They have moments where they are mean and acknowledge it and apologize! and are held accountable! and people don’t instantly forgive and forget! I mean, how many times have we read a story and someone says something horrible, barely apologizes, and then it is never mentioned again? Too many. So yeah, I totally believe these relationships. They’re messy and filled with hope and regret and I just really appreciated a complex look at a family.
Just Read It 