(4.5 stars)

have you ever felt as though your only companion is loneliness? have you ever felt like a bad friend? have you ever felt like you’ve changed, and not for the better? then you will relate to Marin, the main character of this story.

when Marin’s life is changed forever, she runs away to New York to start her college experience without telling anybody where she was going or what she was doing. she takes three things with her: her phone, her wallet, and a picture of her mother. Marin is set on starting a brand new life in New York, where nobody knows her history or anything about her. but when her best friend, Mabel, comes to stay with her for a few days, she has to face the truth. she has never told anybody what happened in the last few weeks before she moved away—nobody.

this book had so many great aspects: a relatable protagonist, sapphic rep, the ‘one bed’ trope, “kissing practice”, and an intensely interesting plot line. for a novel of only 234 pages, i was hooked on every word.

the only reason i didn’t rate this 5 stars was because i just felt that there was something missing from the Marin & Hannah storyline, and just Hannah’s character development in general. at the start, she seemed like such an important character and while she was a great character, i wanted more.

ultimately, this book shows how even when you think solitude is your only friend, there are people who care about you and you will be okay.