Please Note: I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.
Synopsis (from Goodreads):
From the beloved author of Tweet Cute comes Emma Lord's You Have a Match, a YA novel of family, friendship, romance and sisterhood…
When
Abby signs up for a DNA service, it’s mainly to give her friend and
secret love interest, Leo, a nudge. After all, she knows who she is
already: Avid photographer. Injury-prone tree climber. Best friend to
Leo and Connie…although ever since the B.E.I. (Big Embarrassing
Incident) with Leo, things have been awkward on that front.
But she didn’t know she’s a younger sister.
When
the DNA service reveals Abby has a secret sister, shimmery-haired
Instagram star Savannah Tully, it’s hard to believe they’re from the
same planet, never mind the same parents—especially considering
Savannah, queen of green smoothies, is only a year and a half older than
Abby herself.
The logical course of action? Meet up at summer
camp (obviously) and figure out why Abby’s parents gave Savvy up for
adoption. But there are complications: Savvy is a rigid rule-follower
and total narc. Leo is the camp’s co-chef, putting Abby's growing
feelings for him on blast. And her parents have a secret that threatens
to unravel everything.
But part of life is showing up, leaning
in, and learning to fit all your awkward pieces together. Because
sometimes, the hardest things can also be the best ones.
Review:
I really loved Tweet Cute, Emma Lord's first book. You Have a Match, her latest YA novel is full of rom-com tropes, most of which hit the mark. I loved the premise, characters, and summer camp setting. This is a really fun book.
What I Liked:
Premise:
Even though sites such as Ancestry and 23 and Me have been great for genealogy, it has also, at times, caused tons of family drama. It's one thing to discover a long lost cousin, but when people get DNA tests, long lost siblings can also be found. When Abby learns she has a full-blooded older sibling, she is full of questions for her parents, and also has a sense of betrayal.
I enjoyed the whole premise of discovering one of your parent's secrets. One of life's milestones is the changing relationship between parents and children. When we discover that our parents are humans, that they make big mistakes and had lives before we came along, we can finally begin to relate to them as adults, and not just parents.
Characters:
Abby and Savvy may be long lost siblings, but they couldn't be more different. Abby is having a difficult year following the death of her grandfather. Her disinterest in school has her parents freaking out. Savvy, on the other hand, is extremely put together. Her whole life seems to be oneamazing Instagram post after another. But her picture perfect life hides anxiety and a need for control over everything. But both sisters feel extreme pressure from their parents. They've got a lot to learn from each other.
I also found Abby's and Savvy's parents to be extremely interesting. Learning about their younger selves and the why and how of Savvy's adoption are what really drive the plot of this book.
Summer Camp:
Who doesn't love a story set at summer camp! Think of every movie about summer camp, and you'll get a notion of what the book has in store for you. There are alliances, antics, camp traditions, and overbearing camp directors. This was so fun! The last part of the book has elements of The Parent Trap as both Abby's and Savvy's parents visit and the story of what happened all those years ago comes to light.
What I Was Mixed About:
Secret Crushes:
Both Abby and Savvy have crushes on their best friends. I don't know why this is such a popular trope. But I found the, "I want to tell them, but I don't want to lose my best friend" angst tiresome. There were a lot of the usual misunderstandings, and near misses leading up to the big reveal of whether or not Abby's and Savvy's crushes are returned.
Rating:
Release Date: January 12th, 2021
Author: Emma Lord
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Genre: YA Contemporary
Page Length: 320 Pages
Source: NetGalley
Format: E-Book
Recommendation: A fun YA book with a Parent Trap vibe.
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