Whitley Johnson is the epitome of a girl with daddy issues. She’s out of control, wild – she drinks too much, she’s less than careful with boys. Basically, she’s a mess. On the night of her high school graduation, a one night stand ends in her not even remembering the poor boys name…

And she doesn’t think of it again, until her father Greg – a local celebrity because of his anchorman job – comes to pick her up for their summer together.

Her parents have been divorced for six years, and Whitley looks forward to the summers. Greg’s more like her best friend than her father, only this summer things have changed. Greg has a new girlfriend.

…and his new girlfriend isn’t just that.

She’s his fiancé.

And she has two children of her own. Adorable thirteen year old Bailey. And the same boy whose face she found when she woke up the morning after graduation.

Nathan.

Let’s pause for a minute; I need to sigh a little.

I knew Kody had the ability to make me swoon – hello, Wesley Rush – and I admit that in her last novel, I never quite connected with the characters. But I did this time! Even though Whitley’s a mess, and she annoyed me a bit with her behavior, she’s a teenage girl. She had a lot to learn, and she couldn’t do that without first making a lot of mistakes. In the end though, I felt sorry for her. I felt her pain and though I couldn’t identify with her (because my parents have been married for almost forty years), it’s not hard to imagine how hard her situation was.

Plus, with a cute geeky nerd like Nathan around… *sighs again*

I really loved him, even though he did act out a few times, his intentions were good. He cared about her, and he wanted her to care about herself. That’s swoon right there.

I was so excited about the return of Harrison Carlysle, and of course, Wesley and Bianca and the Hamilton references. It made me want to re-read The DUFF immediately.

All in all, this book was a quick and satisfying read. I smiled, I laughed. I got angry and annoyed. But it’s something I think everyone who enjoys a flawed character who has some growing up to do will enjoy.

So what are you waiting for? Go get your copy right now!