I had no idea this was going to be such an emotional read! I'll confess that at first, I wasn't sure if I was going to like these characters: Jolene is rebellious(ish) purely for the sake of aggravating her stepmom (who I really sort of felt sorry for) and Adam comes off as a bit holier than thou and is horrible to his dad. If you've been around the blog for long, you know that I sometimes have trouble with "unlikeable" (to me) protagonists. There's even a hint of almost-cheating involved in the story. So, it's a testament to Abigail Johnson's writing ability that she soon had me wrapped up in these characters' lives and wrapped around their little fingers. Sure, Adam is a jerk to his dad, but it's only because of his deep love for his mom and his inability to see past her pain. Jolene is mean to just about everybody, but her life is a mess, and the more you learn about her, the more you see how she pushes people away as a defense mechanism. I so wanted happiness for these two and I was holding on by my fingernails whole they made poor choices that ripped them further from the elusive goal.

This is a story of both family fragility and family bonds that just won't break, even in the most difficult of circumstances. In the end, tears were shed (by me and the characters), and I was left with that feeling of satisfaction that you get when everything is wrapped up perfectly but not too tidily.

I highly recommend this book!

***Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley for review purposes. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

This is more of a character exploration than a story with a clear goal from the outset. The characters are fascinating - two teens spending every other weekend at an apartment complex with their dads. Their situations are vastly different - her parents are divorced and both parents use her in their battles with one another. Her dad is never there, leaving her with his girlfriend, the affair that finally broke the marriage. His parents are separated and their whole family is grieving. His life before the loss was fairly normal, so he's pretty well-adjusted. The book focuses on what happens between the two of them when they spend time together every other weekend.

I enjoyed watching the dynamic play out between the two teens, the contrasts in their families setting up the contrasts in how they see life. Jolene's situation is pretty dark. And the author did a great job of creating a satisfying ending that didn't rely on unrealistic magical fixes to everything that is wrong. Fans of the author's previous work (I loved Even If I Fall!) should not miss this one! (Language, TW: sexual assault)

Every Other Weekend is the first book I’ve read from Abigail Johnson but it surely won’t be the last. I loved this dual POV story of two teens spending every other weekend together as they navigate their complicated home lives.

All Jolene wants is to be a filmmaker and escape her current life. The pawn in her divorced parents’ games, she likes to re-imagine her life as it would be if it was a movie—using her mind to direct the bad memories into good ones. Adam, on the other hand, just wants his two separated parents to reunite and for life to go back to normal, or as much as it can ever be now that his eldest brother is dead. Both forced to spend every other weekend with their dads, Jolene and Adam become friends in their falling apart apartment complex.

Every Other Weekend contains such a realistic portrayal of teens. It also looks at grief, dysfunctional families, and trust problems. This heartfelt novel will leave you with all the feels as you watch Jolene and Adam slowly fall for each other in the midst of all of their hurt and pain. But it’s not all sadness as they have such great banter! If you’re a fan of slow burns, you will most definitely love their relationship as they start off as shaky friends and transition into something else. Oh, and you’ll probably want to have tissues at the ready as you read this book.

Overall, fans of Katie McGarry will love Every Other Weekend! I’m excited to read the rest of Abigail Johnson’s backlist in the future.

Every Other Weekend follows two fifteen-year-olds from broken homes, who develop a deep bond while seeing each other on their respective "Dad weekends." Jolene's parents had a messy divorce-- her dad had an extra-marital affair, her mom has a drinking problem-- and are using her as a pawn in their schemes to hurt each other. Adam's parents are separated in the wake of grief following the death of his older brother. Both Adam and Jo are hurting, angry, vulnerable, and defensive, and in each other manage to find someone to confide in and feel safe with.

This book had some amazing aspects. The characterization felt very realistic, and I really believed that Adam and Jo are friends. Their banter is great, and their connection really leaps off the page. Adam and Jolene are very flawed people, but that works well with the storyline and everything they're going through. The variety of tough topics that the book handles is ambitious (grief, divorce, child abuse/neglect, toxic relationships, sexual assault), but overall well done. I especially liked the progression of Adam's family's problems and reconciliation. Even though, as an adult reader, I kept getting really angry with the way Adam's parents were (not) handling things. There's a good amount of lighter moments to balance out the darker aspects.

However, this book is toooooo long. There are definitely things that could have just been cut out altogether (the entire Erica subplot, for example), and things that could have moved along a bit quicker. The pacing was also strange, with a big plot point not starting until about the 75% mark. The Guy aspect should have begun much earlier in the story and developed alongside everything else, to make a more seamless fit into the narrative and a better showcase of the insidiousness of this behavior. Pieces of Adam and Jo's lives outside of their shared weekends could also have been better integrated into the rest of the story.

In the end, though the book is much longer than it needs to be and the pacing drags it down somewhat, I really enjoyed the character development in Every Other Weekend, and I think the story explores a handful of important and relevant topics in a responsible and relatable way.

TW: death of a loved one, divorce/separation, emotional infidelity, verbal/physical child abuse and neglect, controlling/manipulative relationship, grooming and sexual assault of a minor

My main problem with this book were the untrue visitation rules about the kids legally having to go to the non-custodial parents every other weekend until they were eighteen. This is not true in Pennsylvania where the story is set (or in the US from what I read). The child can ask not to go at any age, and a judge will consider the case, but fourteen is the age in PA where the legal system says it's okay for the child to choose not to go with very little question, and this decision has no affect on child support, or alimony payments. When a story is Realistic Contemporary I feel it should be realistic. These made up "rules" were used for cheesy eye-rolling drama bombs. Also the one mother's mental health problem about being home alone every other weekend made no sense because both boys went to school all week, and their visitations could have been staggered so one of them was home with her every weekend. Also, this book was way too long for what it was. There was lots of filler in the first half.

However, the pluses were HUGE pluses: a budding teen romance with no sex, the word "wanna" only showed up once or twice in 400+ pages, it showed how the father isn't always the villain in a divorce or separation, and that no one is responsible for the mental health of another at the expense of their own; not even adults. And finally... a YA author who wrote intelligent teenage punning and humorous banter! The teens felt real in this story, not written to a trope or formula. *There was a forced physical contact scene, so heads up to those sensitive to that type of content.

Oh my gosh I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. It ended up being one of my favorite December reads. I don’t tend to reach for this genre, but I’m so glad I did with this one. Adam and Jolene wiggled their way into my heart and I’m so ready to share them with others! Their friendship starts as an accidental hello from across balconies and fake posing photos for Adam’s mom, but turns into a fabulous tale of friendship and love.

This was such a needed story for some. Jolene’s life is no where near perfect and the way her parents treat her as a pawn happens every day! I loved every minute of seeing her grow into such a strong woman and learning that love and being cared for is out there. Plus the fun movie easter eggs as a big movie buff was perfect.

Oh and our sweet sweet Adam, grief is such a hard topic for many. Everyone goes through it differently and at different paces and she nails how it affects everyone in the family. I also love that the author has included information for anyone who has gone through or is going through any of the events that happen in the book.

For me, this book was okay. It had a lot of melodrama and focused on basically all the bad things that can happen to two teenagers. It's a cute romance but very dark. Fans of darker contemporary fiction (John Green, Five Feet Apart, etc.) will enjoy this novel.

I instantly fell in love with Abigail Johnson’s writing when I read EVEN IF I FALL early last year (seriously, what that book did to me…!), so I knew immediately I wanted to participate in this tour for her newest contemporary novel, EVERY OTHER WEEKEND. And just like with Abigail, I instantly fell in love with Jolene and Adam when I started this book. Their lives are so different, yet they come together every other weekend in rather strained circumstances, and the friendship that develops comes as a surprise to both of them. Jolene is one of my favorite characters I’ve come across in quite some time; she’s so strong and yet so vulnerable, so smart and creative, so assertive and driven, and just an absolute delight. Her sarcasm and humor are top notch and in some ways she reminded me of myself. And Adam is totally swoon-worthy, so sensitive and sweet and empathetic and also quite vulnerable, and his relationship with his mother just warmed my heart (especially as the mother of a son myself). Watching the relationship develop between Adam and Jolene was just delightful, even as you cheered for them while they each worked on their own separate family issues.

I don’t know how she does it, but put simply, Abigail writes like an angel! She makes you feel like you are right there with the characters, rather than viewing from afar, and she pulls such intense feelings out of you, without it feeling like she’s intentionally doing so (if that makes sense). It just all feels so natural, I guess is the best way to describe it. It’s like, you know how you have some friends who tell you stories or stuff that’s happening to them, and you just know they are saying certain things to pull an emotional reaction out of you? And then you have other friends that confide in you, and you know that they just need to tell their story, to get it out there, and they’re not looking for a particular reaction or emotional response? Well, Abigail is that second type of friend – she has these beautiful stories and characters inside her, and she just wants to get them out there, to share them with her readers, but she’s not jerking on your emotional strings just for the heck of it. Her characters will elicit strong reactions in you, as Jolene’s parents did for me, but even with all their faults they never veer over the line into caricatures that feel designed to create those specific feelings. Again, it’s all just so natural and so good, you’re swept up in the story without feeling like you’re being pulled along.

Anyway, I’m not sure if that all makes sense (it does in my head, but kind of hard to put on paper!), but suffice it to say that I adore Abigail’s books and I want to introduce her to as many readers as I can. If you are a contemporary fan, this is a no-brainer, must-read for you. If you want a book that deals with some tough issues in a very organic way, pick this one up. And if you enjoy a good story of first love, definitely don’t let this one pass you by. I highly recommend EVERY OTHER WEEKEND!

RATING: 5 bright stars!

**Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for purposes of this blog/Instagram tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book.

Emotional and at times heart breaking. This well written story will remain with you long after you read the last page. Absolutely pick up this gem of a book. Happy reading!

How do I sum up this emotional rollercoaster in one of our short reviews? I don’t get emotional. I’m a self-proclaimed heartless monster. But I felt close to these characters and their pain was mine.

As a child of divorce, Jolene’s story hits especially close to home. And it’s an all too familiar story for so many. When people get divorced they have so much to divide and they often forget that children are people and not property.

Adam and Jolene are forced to grow up quickly and their slow-building reluctant friendship is truly touching to watch.

The characterization in Every Other Weekend was so well done that I’d believe it if these two walked straight off the page.

4.5 Stars

Everty Other Weekend is about two kids whos partents are in the process of a seperation/divorce.

Adam's family is broken, his dad moved out, his mom is always sad and he can't seem to get along with his brother anymore. He's desperate to fix them and bring them back togethet, but he doesn't know how.

Jolene's family on the other hand is can never be fixed, and she knows this. Her parents always faught before the divorce and still do, only now it's through lawyers, and she's stuck in the middle desperate to get away.

Each forced to spend every other weekend at their dads they become neighbours, friends, and maybe there's something more there?


This book touched on a few subjects, but at the forefront is divorce, which I can relate to very well. I'm also a child of divorce and though my situation isn't at all like either of there's I found I could still sympathize with them.

Infact I think even without that personal experiense this book does a good job of walking you through the characters situation and though you might not agree with their actions, I think for the most part it's easy to see why their doing what their doing.

I feel that, even though not all the parts of the storty aren't beautiful by themselves, this story is beautifuly told and I absolutely recommend it.

Every Other Weekend is my first Abigail Johnson book, but it definitely won't be my last. I can't wait to go back and read her backlist titles.

Trigger warnings for negligence, abuse and sexual assault. There is also a major plot point over one family losing a son/sibling and them grieving him. A side plot with a friend involves a very manipulative boyfriend as well.

I wasn't really sure what to expect going into this one since I hadn't read any previous books from the author. I have a habit of skimming a synopsis and liking how it sounds and then completely pushing the plot out of my head. I tend to like to go into books rather blindly so this usually works well for me.

I really loved that the story is told in both Adam and Jolene's perspective. I wasn't sure if it would at first since it started out with Adam's so I was preparing myself for a male perspective throughout the story. Once I got the first section of Jolene's perspective, I figured I was going to love it. Dual perspective books tend to be ones I enjoy a lot since you get a little more background information as well as being able to be in both of their heads.

Adam and Jolene meet on Adam's first weekend at his dad's new apartment. Adam's parents have separated and him and his brother are spending every other weekend there. Jolene has been coming to her dad's for awhile. Her parents divorced quite awhile ago and unlike Adam's parents who are civil around each other, Jolene's parents are basically out for blood when it comes to one another.

I really enjoyed the length of Every Other Weekend. The book is over 500 pages and because of that you're getting much more of their story. You really get to see their relationship develop from just meeting to being friends to being much more. It's rare for me to find contemporary books that are this length and I absolutely love it when I do come across it.

After going back and looking at the synopsis, this book definitely deals with some heavy topics that I wasnt expecting. There's a lot of negligence when it comes to Jolene and how her parents treat her. Her dad is basically never at the apartment. He has his young girlfriend there with her because its mandated in the court papers for her to have supervision. Jolene's mom is an alcoholic who's obsessed with her weight and freaks out on Jolene for everything she eats. She's also abusive and it actually upsets me that the abuse and neglect weren't challenged in the story.

There is also a sexual assault scene with a man who is a neighbor in the apartment building. He honestly gave me weird vibes from the moment he showed up in the book and I kept thinking something was going to happen and then when it did, I dropped my phone and had to stop for a few minutes. I'm very thankful for how that was handled and all the things that followed after that scene.

Overall, I really enjoyed Every Other Weekend. It had some moments that upset me and made me sad, but unfortunately that is a reality for some families. I would give Every Other Weekend a 4.5/5. I liked quite a bit of the story, but there were a few parts that I wish had been handled differently.

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this! I come from divorced parents, visiting my dad every other weekend, so that part completely resonated with me. The main characters, Adam and Jolene, are very likeable and funny. I love the banter and teasing that happens between them, you can't help but root for them! They "fall for eachother" slightly fast, but they don't act on it straight away, so it's not insta-lovey at all, I don't feel like. The raw and raw story behind Jolene's family is a sad but a real truth in today's world, and I appreciate that part of the story not having a happy ending, to wrap the book up in a bow...despite it kind of still being better in the end, and everyone somewhat happy. I think the author did well portraying how it can be very difficult for family to deal with a loss, despite still loving each other. All these aspects together in this story made a great book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

How does anyone expect me to project my feelings on this book after what I just went through READING IT?!?!?!

I've no words. It was simply amazing, is all I can really say in a shortened version.

Our main characters—Adam and Jolene—are both so different and so unique that it really made them stand out within the story. That's something I feel a lot of characters lack in most books nowadays; they're all ordinary and following after some "typical" character ideas that are so overused, it's hard to connect to them in ways we want to.

In this story, though, we're able to connect to these characters, and we're able to truly feel their emotions through their words and actions.

Something that was a big part of this story was the negligence and abuse from Jolene's parents. Her father hasn't seen her in person for nearly two hundred days, and her mother gets physical whenever she doesn't comply to her wants. It's a situation many of us either can't completely relate to or understand way too well. And maybe this book could be the stepping stone to someone's understanding or someone's savior. I fully believe that this book could be something that reaches someone out there and tells them you aren't alone.

The only problem I faced with this book was how slow it was. For sure, this is a complete slow-burn story, and it took me a little by surprise. I feel like it killed a few of the scenes that were meant to 'wow,' which really disappointed in the end.

All in all, though, this book did really blow me away. I wasn't expecting the ending, and I loved that not all the ends got wrapped up in a neat, nice present like some books try to do. For that, I rate EVERY OTHER WEEKEND 4.5 stars.

Although this book felt a little long and was quite angsty, I did enjoy the relationship built between two hurt teenagers looking for love.

Jolene is a child of a very bitter divorce. Her parents use her to fight against each other, her mother actively abuses her emotionally in order to try to get more money from her father, her father completely ignores her and leaves her with the woman he had the affair with on his weekends. Jolene hasn't really had good relationships with anyone and spends most of her time viewing the world through her camera lens where she can rewrite reality to what she wants it to be.

Adam is struggling with his family's grief. His father has walked out and moved into an apartment and now Adam and his older brother Jeremy have to visit every other weekend. Adam is angry because everything that seemed good and perfect in his life has suddenly been destroyed and he feels like no one is trying but himself. The first day he gets to his dad's apartment building he runs into Jolene, well actually he climbs over his sixth floor balcony onto hers, and even though she's mean and angry, she at least seems better than spending time with his dad and brother.

Thus starts a beautiful and intense friendship.

I loved this book. This became problematic as I ended each section and went, okay, just one more, and then I'd look at the clock and realize it's 2AM. Johnson just handles the topics of the book in such a perfect way.

Adam and Jolene are just friends, even as the story ends, they never really have that conversation about whether or not they are in a relationship. Adam knows that putting a label on it will make Jolene feel more pressure and assumes that eventually Adam will break up with her. The continuous conversation between them, even though they are maybe feeling something else, is just something every good relationship needs. I love how they handled the conversations about grief, and how Adam didn't think he needed to hold in everything when talking to her. I loved that Jolene realized that things could be problematic when he starts dating Erica and they work their friendship around it. I love the building and rebuilding of relationships in here. This is not an easy novel to read, and there are parts that are upsetting, and possibly triggering for people, but this is such a great story about how friendships matter, and how those can turn into something else but don't have to. It's really wonderful.

I'm not lying when I am saying that I didn't cry. I was able to hold back my tears from spilling all over the place. Such was the book. And honestly, it wasn't just the plot or the characters that engaged me in the book, it was also the way the book was written, with so much purity that it was very difficult for me to stop reading after some point.

Although the story focuses on Adam and Jolene, it talks about more important issues. It discusses how important it is for a child to have a proper family, how important it is for a person to feel loved. It is also focuses on the circumstances that a family goes through when a family member dies. It talks about how a single moment can change a person's life. The need to be able to adapt to changing circumstances. The need to realise the importance of oneself and the fact that no one should be able to make you feel small and think otherwise. The need to raise your voice against a wrong that happened to you, to set a precedent for others to be able to gather that courage. The need to be true to yourself about your feelings. The need to work towards your dream and never give up whatever the situations be. And sooo much more.

Trust me when I say that it wasn't only these parts which made the content more substantial. It was the power of the book which made me feel plenty of things. The characters were not only relatable but they were also inspiring figures. And the thing that actually made me love this book so much more was the lines. It was the lines that took my breath away, ahhh.... So beautiful.

So, there's no doubt that I loved this book. And this falls into the category that whenever I'll see something that erupts my heart with joy, I'll remember this book. And I won't stop talking about this book till the people around me will get tired of me.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me this copy of Every Other Weekend. This story was so sweet, heartwarming, heartbreaking in some ways and just in general a great story. I really enjoyed it and I felt all of the emotions you could come up with reading this book. I loved reading about both characters Adam and Jolene and how different they were yet so perfect for each other. Jolene was hilarious in this story which I think helped a lot with their friendship and relationship together. Adam was adorable too He definitely was a lot different than Jolene with his personality but it totally fit him.
Definitely a great story and I would recommend it to everyone. Loved the writing and dialogue.

In this angsty coming-of-age story, our two protagonists come from broken families struggling with the fresh wounds of divorce. Adam’s family falls apart after the death of his older brother, and Jolene is being manipulated by her parents in a nasty financial battle. Every other weekend, they find themselves in the same apartment building when they are with their fathers. Adam and Jolene find solace in each other. Romance simmers through all 512 pages.... sometimes frustratingly slow.
I worry that the length of this novel will deter young adult readers. Though the characters are realistic and the dialogue feels authentic, the plot is slow moving. Since I was invested in the characters and their families, I got through it rather quickly. This one has serious “John Green” vibes with heavy themes, including sexual harassment and grief, but there is a nice balance of sweet and humourous moments too. Killer cover- it’s definitely one that will attract readers.

4.5 / 5 ⭐

As I’ve mentioned before, last year I really rekindled my love for YA. Years ago many teen romances were just that: boy meets girl, boy wants girl, someone cheats, blah, blah, blah. You get the picture. But today the YA genre delves into some pretty deep and serious topics. This book is no exception.

Adam and Jolene are fifteen-year-olds that meet when they are forced to stay at their respective dads’ apartments every other weekend. They soon form a friendship over the fact that they are casualties of marriages torn apart.

Adam’s family has been suffering since the death of his older brother. It’s like his family doesn’t know how to grieve together, so they pulled apart instead. Jolene has been used as a pawn by her divorced parents for so long that she’s not sure she matters to anyone, or ever has.

There were a few things I loved about this book. The banter between Adam and Jolene was very well done. Although this book has very serious topics, Jolene’s snark and wit cracked me up quite often. And though the book deals with grief, divorce, neglect, and sexual assault, it also deals with friendship and forgiveness.

Don’t laugh - but it’s books like this that touch on topics that stir up certain emotions in me, which makes me wish I had the physical copy. Silly as it sounds, it would give me something to hold on to.

Thank you to @netgalley and @inkyardpress for this arc for review.
Make sure to get your copy January 7, 2020.