Original review posted on Forever Young Adult on 4/16/20: http://foreveryoungadult.com/2020/04/16/time-of-our-lives/

BOOK REPORT for Time of Our Lives by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

Cover Story: Confusing
BFF Charm: Yay x2
Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Talky Talk: He Said, She Said
Bonus Factors: College, Road Trips, Cameos, Family
Relationship Status: Let’s Be Roommates

Cover Story: Confusing

Well, they took pains to get the cover models right at least. Fitz is a tall, lanky red-head, and Juniper does have freckles and a mass of curly dark hair. The style matches the authors' last book's cover, so I suppose they’re trying to make a visual connection for former readers; however, the vibe does not fit the story at ALL. It’s supposed to be the middle of December on the East Coast, and I cannot see Juniper wearing those boots and mini to admissions info sessions.

The Deal:

Fitz’s mom is forcing him on a road trip with his older brother to visit colleges all over the East Coast over winter break, despite his insistence that he’s fine attending college near home. His issue? Fitz’s mom has the gene for early onset Alzheimer’s, and he knows that soon she will need him around. How could he ever think of going away and leaving her all alone?

Juniper, the oldest of five children with a very close-knit family, cannot WAIT to get away to college to find her independence and get out from under the judgmental gaze of her Tía. (She’s also super pumped about the academics part, as a self-proclaimed nerd.) Along with her boyfriend, Matt, Juniper departs on her own college tour, and it just so happens her fate will converge with Fitz's during an info session at Boston University.

Fitz and Juniper have completely different priorities that put them at odds, but there’s something sparking between them that could challenge everything about the way they see themselves and the next four years.

BFF Charm: Yay x2



Juniper is such a confident, studious person; a Rory Gilmore type (before everyone seemingly began to hate her) who meticulously researched universities and dreams of walking ivy-covered halls discussing famous architecture. Most of her family cannot comprehend why she longs to strike out on her own, but after years of driving around her younger siblings, providing free babysitting, and free kitchen labor at the family restaurant, she is tired of being taken advantage of. I am also jealous of Juniper’s excellent memory, but I know I’d get just as frustrated as she does when I fact-checked people using exact quotes of our prior conversation and it doesn’t go over well.

And then there’s Fitz. I wanted to smush him. He’s paralyzed by the overwhelming fear of what will happen to his mother, and filled with bitterness about how his older brother prefers playing beer pong and sleeping around than visiting home, leaving him to shoulder all the responsibility. He’s got himself so worked up about everything, and there were times I could relate to him a little too much. He carries a dictionary around as a distraction and security blanket, because if he can find a unique word to describe his feelings or a situation, he can make some sense out of chaos.

His love of linguistics, combined with his tall, wiry build and angular face, offhandedly reminded me of this super-interesting dialect coach and teacher, Erik Singer, from YouTube who dissects movie accents (and more). While that guy isn’t a redhead, I thought this is totally who Fitz could grow up to be. (Also if you’ve never watched any of his videos, you’re welcome.)

Swoonworthy Scale: 7

So as I was starting this book, I had to go back and double-check some early reviews, because I was told this contained a sweet romance, and yet, um, Juniper already HAS a nice boyfriend with whom she begins this road trip. How was that going to work? But never fear; while there’s obviously a connection between Fitz and Juniper, nothing is acted upon until Juniper and Matt have ended things, and they do so in a way that mostly feels believable, especially for a high-school couple really contemplating their future together for the first time.

For Fitz and Juniper’s side of the romance, it’s all a bit heady and sweet, and I was charmed. There’s a bitter sweetness that lingers over the whole affair, as we all know these two don’t live in the same state and won’t be making their college decisions based on one another (rightfully so). All the time we have is now…

Talky Talk: He Said, She Said

It’s clear my love of the first book I read from this writing duo was not a fluke (and neither was Rosemary's!). Juniper and Fitz are very different than the brash, overly-honest Cameron, but it was as easy to fall for them in just the same way. The authors’ writing oozes vulnerability and an authentic understanding of how exciting, scary, and overpowering it feels when you’re on the brink of the rest of your life. We may not all have the luxury of touring some of the most popular colleges on the East Coast and having a hope (or a care) to get into one, but the feeling of having to pick the place and the major you’ll spend the next four years growing into is pretty universal. If you’re past your college years, you’ll look at this book with some nostalgia; if you’re still a teen yourself, you can take notes from a mostly realistic, sometimes dreamy look at this seminal time in one's life.

Bonus Factor: College



It’s an under-utilized locale in YA novels but a lot of big coming-of-age changes happen at college! Also, college is just fun. I was not into Greek life at all, so I would've ditched that frat party like Fitz, but the parties you have with your friends in your dorms just chilling 'til 3 a.m. are just as fun. And there's cool and crazy traditions like the Primal Scream (look it up, or better yet, just read the book!).

Bonus Factor: Road Trips



If we don’t discuss the actual act of driving during a road trip, then I wholeheartedly approve of them! Juniper and Fitz have some deep conversations in the car, which seems to be the perfect spot to air your darkest thoughts. Something about sitting side-by-side but not having to look at each other in eyes makes it easier to talk about those heavy topics.

Bonus Factor: Cameos



From what I recall, this writing pair enjoys putting little cameos of former characters in every book they write. It took me a hot second to realize we were eavesdropping on this particular couple because they were from If I’m Being Honest, but once I did, I had to go back and give it a closer reread for a glimpse into their “ever-after”.

Bonus Factor: Family



Some of the “family” from this book were treading the anti-bonus waters, especially Tía, who dishes out a heavy helping of guilt and manipulation alongside her tamales. I really don’t prescribe to the idea that family should be allowed to get away with disrespecting your decisions and treating you like dirt in the name of familial loyalty, and Tía, man, she really pushed my buttons. But no one in Juniper’s family was completely right or wrong, so there was some compromising that needed to be done on both sides. Hopefully you all come out stronger for it.

For Fitz, his family squabbles really just emphasized their need for honest and open communication, though I certainly empathized with his choice to bottle things up, as a person who longs to avoid confrontation myself...

Relationship Status: Let’s Be Roommates

Oh my gosh, Book, we’re going to the same university! You are so cool and fun and real; we should totally try to get a dorm together!

Thank you Penguin Teen for sending me this ARC. This book is one for your heart! What I mean by that is, it is such a heartbreaking full of love story. I felt like the characters were so well developed, they were passionate for their families and their choices. Fitz is one of those charters thats just so sure of himself but still so lost in the world. I loved him. I think his charters is a lot like a lot of teenagers or young adults in this age.

I think this book is great for teens going to college. I think a lot of the conversations had would really relate to them. But as an adult reading this, it was a little harder to connect with the main idea, since I already went to college. But still very fun to read!

This wasn’t my favorite book by the author duo but still a solid one. I enjoyed reading about junipers and fitzs feelings on college and how different they are.
I also loved how at the end of the book they both changed their minds and wanted different things and I also loved the family aspect in this book a ton.
Sadly I didn’t love the romance in this book. Maybe if Juniper wasn’t in a relationship at the beginning of the book and got together with Fitz right after the relationship ended I would have enjoyed it more but it just didn’t feel realistic.
Still a solid read!

This author duet pair will forever be one of my top anticipated authors ever since I read their first young adult debut, Always Never Yours. I loved that book and If I’m being honest.

Time of Our Lives was still a top anticipation book of the year for me and I still enjoyed it very much, but I didn’t feel quite as connected to the characters as I did for the other books. Small spoiler: The two characters from If I’m Being Honest did make an appearance in the book, though I feel like that scene could have been left out.

I did like the idea of the plot line even if I wasn’t the intended audience. I think I would have loved a college bound type of young adult book when I was in high school and I think it’s great that young adult is finally starting to represent that time of life more. People need guidance then especially since there’s so much uncertainty, especially for this year’s high school seniors.

I’ve been out of college for several years now, but a college bound road trip was still a super fun plot to read about!! Again, I would have been all over this book in my high school senior year especially.

I did like the main characters, but I actually liked the older brother. I seemed to find him a bit more relatable and he went through character growth also. I liked how Fitz changed through the book.

Time of our lives was a 3.5 star rating which rounded up to a 4 star. This book will be perfect for those about to go through college for the first time and need something to forget about all the stuff we are going through right now.

Thank you Netgalley and publishers for allowing me the chance to read and review this book. You totally made my day when I received the email for approval.

Time Of Our Lives follows young Juniper and Fitz who are both about to graduate, with very differing future perspectives. Fitz fears college and everything that it encompasses – mainly leaving his mother who’s diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s. Fitz is running against the clock, trying to figure out a way to make his mother understand why he wants to stay close to home, while she’s trying to get him to consider colleges farther away and to live his life without worrying about her. Juniper’s the exact opposite. She is constantly reprimanded by her argumentative aunt, always somehow in trouble for what her younger siblings get up to, Juniper can’t wait to get as far away from home as humanly possible. When Juniper and Fitz meet, each on their own college tour, two worlds collide.

At odds from the very first moment, neither seems to be able to understand the other. Fitz questions why Juniper would ever want to leave her family whereas Juniper doesn’t understand why Fitz would take on all that responsibility for a future that might not materialise until years down the line. What they both begin to realise though is that sometimes, circumstances can’t be what you want them to be, and sometimes, they’re exactly what you need without knowing it.

You know that feeling when you’re reading a story with two point of views and can’t wait for one to be over so you can read about your favourite character again? Yeah, this wasn’t the case here. I was equally invested in both Fitz’s and Juniper’s individual journey and even gladder when their paths collided. Fitz’s storyline, especially was such a refreshing one to find in young adult contemporary. Instead of being selfishly ignorant of other’s needs, Fitz feels compelled to sacrifice his future to keep his mother safe and happy. Even his stilted relationship with his brother Lewis was beautifully explored and showed that sometimes, by trying to protect the people we love, we end up hurting them more. But this is a book filled with second chances, with realising that family comes first but doesn’t mean that you yourself aren’t important, too. Both Fitz and Juniper learn from each other and end up becoming better versions of themselves by showing what the other might not see because they’re too close to their family.

Sure, there were some awkward YA sentences thrown into the mix about how the guy isn’t aware of how hot he really is and the girl does seem to be getting over her relationship way too quickly considering she wanted to spent her future with another guy, but that still didn’t take my enjoyment of the story away.

All in all, this was a wonderful contemporary about two people anticipating and fearing their futures and coming to grips with the realities of having to leave their home to build their own identity away from the places they’ve grown up in. I’d recommend this to anyone who is about to graduate and has some existential fears about leaving those they love to figure out who they themselves are. A beautiful story about what it means to grow up, grow apart and find the way back to the ones you love.

- Review to be published January 21st 2020