I loved this book! The characters felt so real and the story was moving. It’s one I’m excited to add to our collection and to be able to recommend to readers.

3.5 stars
Something Like Gravity is the first of Amber Smith's novels that I've had the opportunity to read, and I liked it. It feels very relevant and will contribute to making teenagers struggling with conflicts regarding their sexuality or gender feel seen, as well as to opening the eyes of younger people who aren't personally going through those things themselves, so that they may understand and empathize. I applaud the author for creating in Maia a young woman who is seemingly unfazed by what Chris sees as something of which to be ashamed or scared to share. That feels so authentic to me-- we all feel like we're not good enough, that people are constantly judging us and finding that we're too something (short, fat, thin, tall, gangly, dumb, nerdy, etc.). In reality, I think people are so consumed with their own self consciousness or even self hatred that they often don't even notice those imperfections you find in yourself, and it's not until you're older that you get perspective of it all.
That being said, I found Maia's difficulties to feel a bit contrived. Maybe that's because Chris's felt so grounded and justified, but the whole "I don't want to reveal the truth about my not being a real artist" strand really felt like plotting, and it took me out of it. I don't think the book needed that story line at all, especially given that it felt long-winded to begin with and could've done with some cuts.

The following review contains spoilers:

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll admit that this book took me much longer than it should’ve for me to finish, but I believe it directly correlates to the fact that I had to read it on my laptop, as there was no Kindle version for me to download. Anyway.

At first, I was really enjoying Something Like Gravity. I was excited to read about Chris and how he navigates life in a new town after getting beat up due to the fact that he is transgendered. I immediately connected with Chris’s character and loved reading from his perspective. Maia, on the other hand, I lacked a connection with. Maia is dealing with the loss of her sister Mallory, which I assumed would connect me to her as I love reading books that deal with grief. However, it was hard to feel for Maia, and I didn’t understand her motives behind running around with her sister’s camera and trying to “recreate” Mallory’s best shots without actually taking pictures.

I realized my issue with Maia about halfway through the book. At first, my thoughts on her were similar to my thoughts on Julia from I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez. Julia had resentment towards her sister, much like Maia was bitter towards Mallory, yet became obsessed with uncovering her dead sister’s secret relationship. Maia is obsessed with finding everything Mallory took pictures of and “recreating” them. There’s no rhyme or reason for this obsession. We don’t know why Maia is so obsessed with the camera, other than trying to feel close to her sister. It didn’t feel like a strong enough reason to me. Now, both of my sisters are still alive, so I can’t understand how either characters feel, but I’m pretty positive I wouldn’t suddenly become obsessed with playing the piano or being a wedding planner. But that’s just me.

The biggest issue I had with Maia I came to realize in the last quarter of the book. Maia is a pathological liar. We see this from the very beginning, but it gets progressively worse as the story goes on. The biggest offense is when she lies to Chris about her dream. When Chris asks Maia what she wants to do with her life during a car ride, Maia lies and uses her sisters dream, to be a world-traveling photographer, as her own, even though she’s never actually taken a single picture with her sister’s camera in her life. She lies to sound cool, and immediately regrets it. However, instead of coming clean, she keeps the lie going, even going so far as to drag Chris with her to a town an hour away to find a statue in a graveyard to “take a picture of.” It’s such a trivial thing to lie about, and yet it takes over the entire relationship. At one point, Maia sneaks onto the balcony of Chris’s room when he’s out for a run to try and recreate a picture of a stained glass door in his room. Chris comes home early, and instead of being like “hey don’t wanna scare you I’m just taking a picture of this cool door,” Maia hides and spies on Chris, and figures out that he’s trans when he starts changing. This part was so incredibly cringy and I couldn’t stand reading it.

Chris, being the wonderful boyfriend that he is, genuinely tries to take an interest in what he believes is Maia’s passion, but anytime he even mentions or touches a camera, Maia freaks out on him, and at one point makes them abruptly leave an antique shop where they were hanging out with Maia’s friends. Instead of eventually coming clean and owning up to the lie, Chris finds out from Mallory’s ex, Neil, that the camera isn’t Maia’s and that everything was a lie. When Chris confronts Maia about it, Maia tries to turn the situation around and call Chris out for “lying” about being trans. Maia admits to spying on Chris and figuring out that he was trans before he was ready to tell her. Which, by the way, Chris didn’t lie about. Coming out is a very hard and very personal thing. Chris didn’t owe coming out to anyone if he wasn't ready and willing. He told Maia that he was trans the moment their relationship became physical with their first kiss. Yet Maia tries to hold it against him because she’s upset that he called her out on her massive lie.

Maia was so incredibly problematic and I felt sick reading from her POV by the end of the story. Her gaslighting Chris was never even brought up again. Other than Chris storming out and driving the 10 hours back home after their fight, there were next to no repercussions for Maia’s blow up. It absolutely disgusted me.

The ending was possibly the worst offense, in my humble opinion. They didn’t end up together. Which, after Maia’s behavior, I was glad, but that leaves me wondering what the whole point of the book was. We could’ve just had a story about Chris dealing with the aftermath of his attack and living with his aunt in a different state, and maybe he could’ve even still met Maia, but I don’t think Maia’s POV was necessary. It didn’t add anything to the story. Her way of dealing with her grief over her sister was detestable, and caused issues for Chris in the long run. And even after everything, Chris forgave her and ended up giving her the necklace he paid $50 for.

The first half of the story I genuinely enjoyed, and thought that this would be a solid 3.5 star, or even a 4 star novel. However, after finishing it and reflecting, I had more issues with this book than positives, and am giving this book 2.5 stars. If it weren’t for Chris, I probably would only give it 1 star because I hated Maia that much. But Chris was a fantastic character and I’m glad I got to meet him through this book, so for that I’m bumping up my rating.

Even though I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I was hoping, I’m still glad I read it, and I know there are many people out there who need Chris’s story. My intention with this review is not to deter anyone from reading it, because I do believe that Chris’s story needs to be told, but I can’t ignore the many problems I had with it, specifically Maia’s character development, or lack thereof. I would still encourage people to read it for themselves, but stay wary of the problems it has. I wish the book had addressed Maia’s flaws at the end, but it didn’t, therefor her unexcused behavior causes me distress, as younger readers can be easily influenced. I would hate for anyone to think that Maia’s behavior is okay.

I would also like to mention that I myself am not transgender, so I can’t say for sure if the representation was a tasteful or accurate portrayal. To me it was well done, however it’s not my place to judge that. Just because I personally didn’t find Chris’s struggles with being trans problematic, doesn’t mean anything. I would love to hear the thoughts of transgendered people on this book. I will say that the author herself isn’t trans, but is apart of the LGBTQ+ community. Again, I have no right to say whether her portrayal was accurate or not, so read at your own discretion.

3.5 Stars

The minute I heard Amber Smith was releasing another book, I knew I wanted to read it. I have been obsessed with her writing ever since I read The Way I Used To Be when it was released. Her stories are so beautiful and heart wrenching. She takes tough topics and dives in deep. I felt so emotionally touched by her first two releases. I couldn’t wait to start Something Like Gravity.

Something Like Gravity touched on a topic I haven’t read before. Chris being transgender was something I haven’t come across in any contemporary YA romance before. It was very interesting to me, but I cannot tell you whether or not the representation was done appropriately. I hope Chris’ thoughts about his body and feelings he had about everything were done in the best way possible because I can see them being easy to relate to. I also liked his thought process when it came to Maia and his interactions with her.

While I felt like Chris, his story, and his relationships with everyone were important and interesting, the rest of the book kind of bored me. Remember that boring summer you had at your grandparents’/aunt’s/uncle’s growing up? This book had that vibe. It’s set in a small town during the sleepy days of summer. I had to really push myself to read it. Almost everything Chris and Maia did was boring. And Maia…

Well, Maia is where the book lost me. Her point of view didn’t delve as deep as Chris’. She was grieving her sister’s death, her parents’ divorce, and a change in herself. I don’t feel like I got the nitty-gritty on any of those things. Everything with her felt surface level. I was missing something in some of her thoughts and actions. It’s not often I say this, but Something Like Gravity would have been better with only one point of view. I would have been more interested in hearing everything from Chris’ point of view.

Something Like Gravity had a lot of potential. It was written by a talented writer. There was a main character who was unique and had some experiences I was truly curious to find out more about. It just didn’t hit me on the emotional level it could have. It was still a good read, and I know there are going to be readers who it hits home with.

This book is wonderful and important and I drank up every word ❤❤❤

Summary
After a terrible year, and coming out as transgender Chris needs an escape. So he goes to stay with his aunt in a small town. His first day there, he almost runs over his new neighbor, Maia. Maia is battling her own demons after the recent and sudden death of her older sister. The two of them form and bond and slowly heal the wounds of the last year.

Overview
This is told in alternating chapters from dual POVs - Chris and Maia

This book is soft and precious but it definitely hits on some tough topics. Chris has just come out transgender and his parents are struggling with the revelation. Chris was beaten to the point of hospitalization by members of his track team. Maia's parents are divorced but still living together and the tension has created a uncomfortable and hostile living environment. And Maia's sister died suddenly of an undiscovered heart defect leaving her reeling about their strained relationship.

But while all of this could have been overwhelming, Amber Smith managed to make this book feel hopeful and inspiring.

Content Warnings: Bullying, Death, Homophobia

What I Liked
1. Everything. Honestly.
2. Chris and Maia's relationship made my heart burst. The handled each other with such care and respect. They helped each other through some insanely difficult things
3. The representation in this book was wonderful. While I personally don't identify with the representation, Amber Smith herself is queer. The author note at the end (which I highly recommend reading! It made me cry.) talks about her own experiences and her inspiration for the story.
4. That ending. I can't say too much because spoilers. But it was perfection.
5. This whole story felt so raw and real. Chris's parent's struggling, Maia lashing out and lying, Maia's parents shutting down. I loved how messy and imperfect things were. This story felt like it could belong to many people.
6. This book really focused on the importance of consent. Chris and Maia were always checking in with each other. While I love and sexy, domineering story as much as the next person, this was the real deal. This is what real love and respect is.

What I Didn't Like
There is literally nothing I didn't adore about this book. I was completely consumed by this story from start to finish and never wanted it to end.

Pick. Up. This. Book. ❤❤

I’ve recently begun reading more and more LGBTQ+ literature with the help of more and more great recommendations, but I had yet to read a book with a transgender character when I stumbled upon "Something Like Gravity" at the end of May. With Pride Month (June in the U.S.) quickly approaching, it seemed like the perfect time to finally read some rep.

I quickly realized that "Gravity" is not just about romance, but about a lot more; grief, healing after trauma, identity…It’s a coming of age (and even a little of a coming out) story as much as it’s a story of first love. I really appreciated the many topics that it tackled, and well, without ever seeming over dramatic or unbelievable. Some tropes were used, a few in particular which may irk readers who are more familiar with them, but I thought that the story moved forward from them gracefully, using them as a jumping-off point for explorations of deeper ideas.

All of these aspects had a nice, slow burn. We get to know what has happened to each of the characters bit by bit as they gradually get to know each other. I love this method because it helps to push the narrative forward with a greater force than if more had been revealed sooner, drawing in further tension. I was happy to see that the wait was worth it when it came to the romantic elements, since "Gravity" gives just the right amount of steamy scenes to satisfy and propel the relationship forward into the third act.

The plot is brought to life with a detailed, almost cinematic, writing style. This works well with the story and the small town setting. Speaking of which, as someone who comes from a (very) small town and who too often finds inaccurate and stereotypical representations, I can attest to the realism of Smith’s version, which skips over the overused ideas.

"Gravity" switches naturally between Maia and Chris’s perspectives, giving them both their unique voice, which makes it difficult not to sympathize with them and what they’re going through. I really felt like I got to know, understand, and relate to both characters over the course of the story.

Because of all of these things, I wanted to love this story so badly, and I did at the beginning. But I felt my adoration waning as I continued reading.

A large part of this, I think, was that, although I liked both Maia and Chris as main characters, I began to ship them together less and less over the course of the book as Maia makes some questionable choices. I understood why she does everything that she does but I couldn’t help but begin to think that Chris deserved better, and that perhaps they were not actually meant for each other. Perhaps I didn’t know well enough why they liked each other so much to begin with, and whether those reasons were real or based on lies. I still liked Maia, don’t get me wrong, but I just couldn’t see what she was bringing to Chris’s life that he wouldn’t have been better without. I don’t think all readers will agree with me, and there will likely be plenty of people who think of Chris and Maia as their new OTP. But I won’t be one of them, as much as I wanted to be.

I relied on the ending to bring me closure and explanation for this but found myself disappointed. Not only did the ending not help me to understand why I should want them to be together, but it seemed to be overall too quick and inconclusive. The last section leaves things relatively open-ended for the characters. The last few lines, to me, made it unclear as to what was going to happen to them and how exactly they had affected each other’s lives. I didn’t quite understand what meaning I was supposed to take from the final line, although I could tell it was supposed to bring a certain impact. There are only a handful of stories, in my opinion, that can successfully pull off an open-ended ending. This was not one of them. In fact, YA romances, in general, rarely are. Again, some readers will likely enjoy the ending. But because I was already beginning to doubt my stake in the story, it was not enough for me.

That being said, I did really enjoy "Something Like Gravity" overall, and would rate it 4 out 5 stars. Fans of John Green will likely appreciate Amber Smith’s writing style and willingness to take on hard topics. Those who enjoy the next-door-neighbor element of the romance in "Hart and Seoul," or the science-based and space discussion in "The Sun is Also a Star" would probably enjoy this new release as well.

After Chris almost runs over Maia with his car, their relationship isn't off to the best start. But since Chris is new in town and doesn't know Maia's past, they gravitate toward each other. After all, they are neighbors, at least for the summer. They can't ignore each other forever, especially in a small town like Carson.

Not only is Maia struggling with the death of her sister, but Chris has his own baggage. After recently coming out as transgender and suffering a terrifying assault, he's struggling to figure out how to move forward as himself. But as the summer goes on, the two figure out that maybe they need each other in order to move on from both of their pasts. Though romance is at the back of both of their minds, maybe them falling in love was inevitable. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy to review! Before we get into the nitty-gritty, can we just admire how absolutely beautiful this cover is? It's one of the reasons I requested it on NetGalley in the first place, though I had heard great things about the book as well. It should have been included on my June Releases to Watch Out For post, because it's definitely one you should keep an eye on.

Told in alternating chapters, we really get to get in the heads of both Maia and Chris. Despite a rocky beginning, they quickly become close, utilizing the freedom of summer to just be together. One of the things I enjoyed the most about was the journey that both of the characters go through. They're both struggling with their own problems, but with each other, they're able to kind of work through them, and I thought that was beautiful.

I also did a bit of research about this book, because it's a book with a transgender narrator by someone who isn't transgender. I always like to see if these stories are authentic to the voice they're portraying. For the most part, it seems like Smith does it justice, as long as you keep in mind that it isn't own voices. But! We should also make sure to support stories from Own Voices authors as well. I'll be doing a post about that later this month!

All in all, Something Like Gravity is a beautiful love story whose release date is perfectly settled in the middle of Pride Month. If you're looking for a slightly different romance to read this summer, definitely pick this one up!

4/5 stars

This was not a light romantic read, but rather a realistic YA novel about a relationship between a grieving girl and a trans boy who are both dealing with family issues. While Chris and Maia have great chemistry, I like the fact that their relationship is not just love at first sight and happily ever after and all the other typical romantic notions of "love" but that it's complex and human and more about navigating ups and downs rather than a definitive yes or no. Isn't that what relationships are really like? They're evolving and complicated and I liked how the author really showed the tensions that happen in REAL relationships. I'm also reading this for Pride month which makes me so happy because finding Pride reads for YA is something I definitely didn't grow up with! <3

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

I got an ARC of this book.

Lets start with the cover. It looks like a lesbian romance novel. Chris does not pass in this picture. Why do I point this out? Chris passes 100% f the time in the book without any questions by anyone. He temporarily moves to a new town and NO ONE ever says or does anything that implies that he doesn't pass as 100% male 100% of the time. One character asks if he is gay, but that is the closest it gets. I know many guys that passed most of the time as male without hormones, but they passed as much younger than they were as teens. Chris passing as a 17 year old male without hormones is very unlikely when he is 17. 

My next issue is Chris is trans. Before you grab your pitchforks and scream I am transphobic, I am a trans man. I started my medical transition at 15. I have no issues with trans people being represented in media. I have problems when they are badly written characters that makes it really obvious that the author is cis. Chris's entire trans life boils down to binding, almost being raped, and coming out while in the middle of hooking up with someone. So lets start with binding: the binder that Chris is wearing is one I have seen before and have worn before, basic google image search and you get the image. The issue is when you are binding running is not really the best idea. It inhibits your ability to breathe. Binders are also super expensive, so it is unlikely that Chris has too many binders laying around to go running in them all the time. Sleeping in a binder can be super dangerous because of the breathing issues. There is a scene where Chris takes off his binder and sleeps with someone in his bed. He then sleeps shirtless. Based on how strongly Chris reacted to his chest, it seems super unlikely that he would sleep without a shirt or a shirt and a sports bra (does some binding) while someone else was in the room. His backstory is very much "trans people can only ever be hated, raped, and killed" which is what the media seems to think. I am so done with that idea and I hate that yet another story with a trans lead has that basic plot. It also seems unlikely that Chris would have been unaware that they were trying to rape him, considering how everything went down. Coming out in the middle of a hook-up is dangerous. Chris had not started hormones or had any forms of surgery (never mentioned ever wanting them for that matter). There would be some pretty obvious issues with this plan that even someone who isn't super trans versed would notice (erections for example). The sex scene where Chris is super against his chest being touched, but is all about about his genitalia just read as a lesbian sex scene. There was no dysphoria, which seems so odd considering how Chris was acting throughout the book. Not all trans people experience dysphoria about their genitalia or experience it all the time, but the way Chris was written would imply he would experience dysphoria around his body. So the trans character was not believable at all. Was I still excited that a trans character was dating and doing normal teen things? Hell yeah. Had I wished that a trans author had written this character so I could have actually seen myself in him? HELL YES. 

So now that I have ranted, the rest of the book in a few sentences. The characters were flat. I didn't ship them. I didn't care about what was happening. There were cheap tricks to try to elicit emotions (the dog plot). There were too many coincidences at the end that made the story wrap up very nicely, without actually addressing any of the major plot points. It was just an eh story. Why two stars? It wasn't a terrible book. I really enjoyed Maia's character development and how trauma was represented for her and her family. If the story was all from Maia's perspective or Chris wasn't trans then this book would probably have been a better book.

FInally a book with a transgender as the lead character. It was even better that it was a trans boy who was in love with a girl!
However, I just couldn't get into it, there really wasn't too much of a plot in my own opinion. I enjoyed the characters especially Chris, although the rest of the book was lacking for me. I'm not sure why I couldn't get into it, but I didn't.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

Chris, a transgender boy, finds himself spending the summer in a small town with his aunt, while his parents cannot seem to stay on the same page regarding Chris’s gender identity. While his aunt, Isobel, is a wonderful support system in his life, Chris fears that his parents’ marriage is crumbling and that he’s the one to blame. Chris hopes to get away and find peace in a place where no one knows who he is. While away, Chris has a run-in with the girl who lives next door, and she makes him feel the most normal he’s ever felt in his life. He wants desperately to hang onto that feeling.

Maia has alienated herself from her friends and family setting in hopes of somehow becoming closer to her sister, Mallory, after her death. No one in her family seems to give themselves time to grieve after Mallory’s very sudden loss, and Maia is not sure how she should proceed after Mallory dies and she suddenly becomes the center of everyone’s worlds again. She finds comfort in meeting the boy who just moved in next door. Even though his move is the talk of the town, he’s the one person who didn’t know Mallory and doesn’t know anything about the past Maia’s trying to run away from.

The two quickly find comfort in one another and they fall in love with the idea that just maybe they’re meeting each other at a time where they need each other the most.

Told from the perspective of both Chris and Maia, Something Like Gravity takes us through the motions of healing during a time when everything seems to be going wrong, and it takes just one person to make the future feel right, bright, and full of hope.

Overall, this book was outstanding. Chris and Maia have a very beautiful relationship, and I think each character has so much to give to the other. They feel like two halves of a whole person. It was also so refreshing to read a book with a transgender lead, and especially one that didn’t go through the motions of both characters questioning whether a relationship is right or wrong because one of them is transgender. Their relationship evolved naturally, and that made it feel very raw and very real.

This book gave me butterflies that I hadn’t felt in quite a long time. It was bittersweet and incredibly painful at times. Amber Smith has a wonderful way of showing the complexity of portraying love, loss, and the growth that comes with both.

I was especially excited to get approved for this book in time for Pride month! YAY!

First, I am cis and straight reading this. I've read a few similiar books, this one was good, well written, but it felt more like I was reading a lesbian book, I did see the trans thing, and appreciate that it wasn't all struggles and trans struggles, it was just a "she's a he now" and that's that, he already came out, already went through the struggles and acceptance of himself that so many other books explore, this is more of a after the acceptance and the coming out and the binders and the research, meeting someone and falling in love, a light romance of first love type stuff.

While I was reading, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, the truth to spread across town, something like Boy's Don't Cry to happen, but as I'm reading and it's just a boy and a girl who meet and fall in love, I realize I don't need the drama, why should a YA romance about a boy and a girl be any different than any other light YA romances out there, why does there have to be drama and angst? After I finished the book it stuck with me for a while the ending and how it ended, the promise of a the future, I really did like it. Great writing.

Amber Smith has done it again! This is a fantastic story that addresses the challenges that many teenagers — and even adults — face in a world that is not always accepting or understanding. But the message behind it was one of hope, strength, and compassion. This is so much more than just a summer romance. It’s a journey of self-discovery, and sometimes meeting the right person at the right time along the way makes it all worth while.

Chris is a transgender boy visiting his aunt for the summer. After having been assaulted the year before, it’s no wonder he keeps his secret under lock and key...that is until he meets a girl who changes everything for him. Falling in love for the first time can be both exhilarating and frightening, but trusting someone you love to accept you as you are, especially when you feel the world around you doesn’t, isn’t easy.

Maia lost her older sister, Mallory, unexpectedly and while her family is still coping with the loss, Maia is trying to find her place in the world without the shadow of her sister hovering over her. Her first encounter with Chris could have had a much worse outcome and there are a few bumps in the road as their friendship begins to bloom, but as time goes on they can’t seem to stay away from one another. The heart wants what the heart wants, but secrets and lies have a way of tearing the ones you love from your grasp, even when they aren’t meant to hurt them.

I have never rooted so hard for two characters to not only be together, but to find themselves when deep down their true selves were there all along. Sometimes you just need someone to show you the way. Chris and Maia were fantastic characters and it was great to finally see a transgender character getting the spotlight. They were so down to earth and relatable; I could definitely see myself befriending them in real life.

I highly recommend this one!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2654945599

I was so excited about this book. The cover is beautiful and the summary really pulled me in. We need more stories like this in YA lit. Strong, positive trans male representation is so important. I can't speak on the accuracy of the trans representation, but I did love Chris's character.

Overall this story just fell so flat for me. YA summer romances are my favorite, but this one was simply boring. I felt like nothing was happening and I had a hard time making myself pick it back up. I found Maia to be pretty uninteresting and I didn't care about her most of the time. She had no personality and her chapters were just so BORING.

Overall this story was alright, but it wasn't what I hoped it would be.

This comi if age story was both heartbreaking and heart warming throughout and I loved it. It was my first book about a trans boy falling in love. Such a wonderful and eye opening story.

Unfortunately, this novel was really not for me. Thank you to netgalley for giving me the opportunity to try it. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and I just didn’t find the story interesting.

Beautifully written and a real page-turner. I fell in love with this story and the characters. It was so emotional and i couldn't put it down!

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, and Margaret K. McElderry Books for the advance reader copy of Something Like Gravity by Nicole Amber Smith, in exchange for an honest review. Just as I loved Amber Smith’s first YA book, The Way I Used to Be, so did I love and tremendously enjoy, Something Like Gravity. Amber Smith’s characterizations were authentic and sympathetic and spot on. Chris is such an honest, likable character and Maia is in so much pain as she struggles (even after a year) with her older sister’s sudden death. The parents were so realistic too; Chris’ mom and dad are supportive but it is not easy (Chris questions many of their emotions and motives) while Maia’s parents are grief stricken, isolated, angry and barely speaking to one another. Maia’s friends stay by her side as Maia ignores their texts and pleas to hang out. I could not stop turning the pages as Chris and Maia, strangers at first, become friends and much more. But will they forgive each other as secrets become exposed? This is an honest look at teen bullying, friendship, grief, and forgiveness. Amber Smith uses understanding and compassion in a must-read gripping story. Highly recommended.

Unfortunately, my copy of this book expired before I was able to finish it, I was only a few chapters into it. I am planning to continue this book when it is published to be able to see the rest of Chris and Maia's story and see what happens. Thank you for letting me have a copy of this book, even if I was unable to complete it.

A beautifully written story about love and grief from the perspective of two teenagers, Chris and Maia. As I learned more about the challenges these two teenagers and their families survived I wanted them to figure it out. The characters are real and likable.

**I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review of this book.