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Please Note: I received an advanced copy as part of the Sunday Street Team for Nori of Read Write Love in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence the opinions of my review in any way.
Scroll down below for a giveaway from the author!
Synopsis (From GoodReads):
Warm Hawaiian sun. Lazy beach days. Flirty texts with her boyfriend back in Seattle.These are the things seventeen-year-old Sloane McIntyre pictured when she imagined the summer she’d be spending at her mom’s home in Hawaii with her twin brother, Penn. Instead, after learning an unthinkable secret about her boyfriend, Tyler, and best friend, Mick, all she has is a fractured hand and a completely shattered heart.
Once she arrives in Honolulu, though, Sloane hopes that Hawaii might just be the escape she needs. With beach bonfires, old friends, exotic food, and the wonders of a waterproof cast, there’s no reason Sloane shouldn’t enjoy her summer. And when she meets Finn McAllister, the handsome son of a hotel magnate who doesn’t always play by the rules, she knows he’s the perfect distraction from everything that’s so wrong back home.
But it turns out a measly ocean isn’t nearly enough to stop all the emails, texts, and voicemails from her ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend, desperate to explain away their betrayal. And as her casual connection with Finn grows deeper, Sloane’s carefree summer might not be as easy to find as she’d hoped. Weighing years of history with Mick and Tyler against their deception, and the delicate possibility of new love, Sloane must decide when to forgive, and when to live for herself.
Review:
Summer Of Sloane is everything a summer read should be: an exotic location, a summer romance, misunderstandings that keep the lovers away from each other. I really enjoyed this book for these elements, but also for it's exploration of friendships and forgiveness.On the day before she is set to go away to Hawaii for the summer, Sloane's perfect world comes apart: her best friend Mick and her boyfriend Tyler have hooked up - twice! Now her BFF is pregnant and Sloane is left confused and devastated. She hopes her yearly trip to spend time with her mom will be just what she needs to have some space to sort out her feelings. But both Tyler and Mick can't stop texting, calling, and emailing. They are desperate for her forgiveness.
Could you forgive such a disaster? Yeah, me neither! I was rooting for Sloane to stick to her guns and never speak to them again. She almost does, but circumstances force Sloane to talk with each person and come to terms with what happened.
I thought the book did a good job of exploring how teens can majorly mess up (or be messed with), but can find ways to let go of anger and betrayal and move on. Throughout the book, Sloane finds that the people she loves are not always perfect. She finds ways to deal with people as they are now, not as only she wished they were.
This book is definitely for older teens, as there is a lot of drinking and hooking up that happens. It's handled in a non-judgemental and realistic manner that I think teens will respect. I do wonder, perhaps if, in a sequel, the author would explore one of the character's drinking. This person drinks so much that they do not remember what happens (several times). They seem to be an alcoholic in the making.
I also enjoyed that the book looked at friendships with a critical eye. Mick betrays Sloane by getting pregnant with Tyler's baby. But Mick has also been Sloane's friend since they were toddlers. Should Sloane swallow her pride and try to be there for Mick? Another friend is also dealing with betrayal in the novel. Can Sloane be there for this person? One of the things that the author, Erin L. Schneider, brings up is that by always "being there" for her friends, Sloane is sometimes not there for herself. Can she (should she) put herself first?
This is a great read for the summer. It will make you cherish your friendships, and have you dreaming of sun, surf, and tropical islands. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Rating:
Release Date: May 3rd, 2016
Source: Publisher and Sunday Street Team!
Format: Paperback ARC
Recommendation: For older teens and adults. A fun book that explores friendship and forgiveness.
About the Author:
Erin L. Schneider is native to the Pacific Northwest, attended college in Honolulu - and although Hawaiian - should never be allowed on a surfboard. With more than twenty years in corporate merchandising, she’s now a full-time writer living in Seattle with her husband, Neal; their baby boy, Kellan; a rowdy German shepherd named Ronin; and two crazy cats, Ono and Poke. She’s a member of both the Pacific Northwest Writers Association and SCBWI, and is also co-founder of the YA Buccaneers.
SUMMER OF SLOANE is her debut novel, out May 3, 2016 from Disney-Hyperion. Visit Erin online at Erin L Schneider or on Twitter: @ErinLSchneider1.
SUMMER OF SLOANE is her debut novel, out May 3, 2016 from Disney-Hyperion. Visit Erin online at Erin L Schneider or on Twitter: @ErinLSchneider1.
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Thanks so much for participating in the SST! I'm happy you enjoyed the book!
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