I am so grateful to have received an E-ARC via Netgalley. I may be reviewing it after the publication date, but I am nonetheless so honored to have been able to receive a copy. 

There's something so wonderful about this book that's difficult to put into words. Julia Drake is a debut author, yet this book seems like one produced by a weathered author. It reads so personally, like Violet is telling this story after the fact really, not like it's someone dictating her story for her.

I'll be honest, stories where a girl who does something stupid and is sent to live with her estranged relative in some beach town is a concept that is both tired and tedious to me. However, this flips most of the tropes expected of this story on its head. The boy she meets so suddenly and "cutely"? Not her love-interest. The uncle she's estranged from? Not so difficult for her to get to know. The family who sent her away? Not so unsympathetic. 

I felt so much for Violet, even if I have never been anywhere near her shoes. She is grappling with her brother's suicide attempt by not speaking with him and by pushing her family away. She is grappling with her own irresponsible behavior (yet the narrative never shames her for being relatively promiscuous the year prior) and embarrassment. She is faced with her own demons and comes out stronger and I just love her so much. She reads so realistically, like she could walk up to me right now and ask me if I loved her story. (I did.)

The side characters have so much depth, but the focus is on Liv and Orion. Liv's family situation was delicately handled. Orion's heartbreak was palpable. I wanted to wrap them both up in my arms and hold them.

Violet's brother, while I cannot speak for the mental illness representation, was beautifully written. And her love for him so wonderful, even if mostly unsaid.

I love that Drake showed so much more than told us this story. There were wonderful poignant lines that told so much more than if we had been spoon-fed the important details. I just...I love her writing. I will probably read everything she writes in the future just because of this. 

This isn't a happy story. While it has happy bits, it's a heavy novel about a family falling apart (and coming back together) because of a suicide attempt and mental health problems. It's about finding yourself and your family, but coming to terms with the fact that searching for answers won't always solve your problems; the past will always stay past. 

I hope everyone reading this decides to pick up this novel. You will not regret it, I don't believe. 

-Book Hugger

I received an E-ARC of this book from Disney Hyperion via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way impacted my review or rating of this novel.