March 1, 2022
Estranged childhood pals take a road trip. Norah hasn't seen her old best friend, Skyler, in years. When Skyler's family first left California and moved to Ohio, the White teens would talk all the time, but over the past year or so things have quieted down. The only real connection the two have now is the occasional like on each other's Instagram posts. An RV road trip may be just the spark this friendship needs to get back on track, and Norah's been counting down the days till the pair set off across the country with their respective siblings and moms. But Skyler shows up with an aloof attitude and awkward demeanor. The push and pull of Norah's trying to engage with Skyler and Skyler's wanting to be anywhere but there gets old fast. It's clear something is going on with him, but readers are trapped within Norah's perspective, and Norah does not ask the right questions to get any sort of ball rolling. This impasse kills any momentum the novel can muster, and a thinly characterized supporting cast drags it down even further. Readers will have difficulty discerning which sibling belongs to which family, who's lying to whom, and, ultimately, if they feel invested enough to stick with the narrative and discover how it all plays out. The perennially popular road-trip scenario does not redeem this story. (Romance. 14-18)
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August 19, 2022
Gr 8 Up-West delivers another sweet teen romance in her latest book. Teens Norah and Skyler used to be friends as kids but lost touch when Skyler's family moved out of state. Now, they are spending six weeks on a road trip together with their families. Norah's initial excitement at seeing Skyler again is immediately dampened by his aloof and distant manner. It takes some time-and a few missteps-for the two of them to figure out how to connect after so much time has passed, but once they manage to get at the root of Skyler's emotional distance, the old close friendship quickly turns romantic. Meanwhile, there are secrets that other family members are keeping that offer some distractions along the way. The family dynamic and sibling relationships are likable and pleasant. There are no real surprises to readers here, but it's a nice enough journey. VERDICT Fans of teen romance, especially the friends-to-lovers trope, will appreciate this book.-Mindy Rhiger
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