Ellis and Easton have been inseparable since childhood, but after some poor choices lead to Ellis’s life being upended, her moving to California, and not speaking to Easton, everything changes. A year later, she’s back in her hometown and forced to confront her past, Easton, and the feelings she still has for him.

This book hit me in all the emotions and was the most beautiful journey. I loved the alternating timelines and how we slowly saw Ellis and Easton’s relationship from the beginning and where it all went wrong was slowly revealed. This book was heartbreaking and hopeful and messy, much like first loves feel in the moment. I loved how it touched on class discrepancies, how family can be chosen, and how it tackled addiction. This book is easily one of my favorite YA novels I’ve read this year. These characters felt so real and I felt all of their emotions right there with them. I loved this one so much.

Thank you to Harper Teen for the advance copy.

Wow, did this book pull me in. I love when a story makes me feel, and this book did such an incredible job of making me feel every single thing the main character felt. I don't even know how to properly put into words how completely and wholly invested I was in this story, and how deeply I felt for Ellis throughout.

I think a lot of us can relate to the way Ellis felt in this story, which is likely why it was so moving. She not only lost someone she felt was her true love, but his family too. She's in a new place with new people (except for Tucker, Easton's brother, who becomes sort of a lifeline for her) and it's hard. She clearly feels so lost, and I can vividly remember feeling like this the first time I went away from home. And of course, when she comes back, everything is just... different.

Ellis's feelings and emotions are just so real and so raw, I don't know if I can think of another book that made me feel so deeply for what a character was going through. And while her romantic feelings for Easton were certainly a huge part of the story, it was far from the only issue on Ellis's plate. She mourns just as much the loss of his family, who had taken Ellis in and treated her as one of their own. Especially important, because Ellis's own family of origin was kind of a mess. Her loss of the Albreys was extra tough for her- she had felt like they had chosen her, and loved her when no one else seemed to, and them reneging (in her eyes) that love was in effect proving what she'd thought about herself all along.

Ultimately, the story is about Ellis finding herself, while rebuilding these relationships- if they can even be rebuilt- with people who meant so much to her. But first, she has to figure out who she wants to be, and understand her place in the world, too.

Bottom Line: Following Ellis's story was an absolute pleasure, and one I could not put down. I laughed and cried with her, my heart broke and soared with hers.

overall review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
hmm I’m still not 100% sure how I feel about this book. nothing about it stood out to me and honestly the whole time I was reading it, I felt dissociated and unconnected to the story, the characters, and the plot. I am also very disappointed because I had very high hopes and have been excited for it since I first saw it announced on the author’s Instagram.

plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I could see where it was going, but the way it was executed was not my favorite.

world building: ⭐️⭐️/5
there was almost no world building in this book. usually I’m not a fan of excessive world building, but there was almost not enough for me.

writing style: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
it wasn’t personally my favorite, but writing style differs for everyone!

characters: ⭐️/5
oh man. the characters… first of all I was really disappointed by the lack of diversity. usually even in the worst books, there will be some sort of token, stereotyped bipoc or lgbtq+ side character, but there wasn’t even a single one in this book 😭. now, sure. I understand it being hard to write a character that you don’t personally relate to, but let’s talk about the characters the author DID include. out of ALL the characters in the book, I did not relate to/like a single one of them, and they all felt extremely stereotyped and exaggerated to me.

now take all this with a grain of salt because this is all my personal opinion, and this is the author’s debut novel.

read if you:
like family drama
like childhood friends to estranged enemies to lovers
like books with lots of flashbacks

I finished this book in a four days! I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t put it down. There are not enough words for this story. It really hit home for me in so many ways. I laughed and I cried so many times. Unlike any other story I have read in a a long time. This book was phenomenal.! I would suggest this book to anyone at any given moment. Without a doubt has to be one of my favorite books ever! I would read it a thousand times more.
The author knew every string to pull and ever corner to turn when wanting to be relatable with the character. Kristin Dwyer is amazing with her writing. Her words, her characters, just so much it is just “chief kiss”
I want more!

Some mistakes were made

Some mistakes were made is a read that encompasses found family perfectly in all its messiness and makes you want to reread the pages over and over again.

Ellis hasn’t seen Easton in a year. Ever since she moved to California. Ever since he sent her away. But when she gets the opportunity to return home for a week she plans to show Easton how much she has changed and how much she doesn’t need him. But instead of showing him how much she doesn’t need him, Ellis realizes that it’s the opposite. She can’t live without him.

This book. The angst, the emotions, the found family. Ughhh. I would read anything Kristen Dwyer writes. The characters are the best. I am in love with all of the Albrey brothers and I could not choose one. And there are so many moments in this book that I love. Particularly the ones where Ellis is with all of the Albrey brothers.
I loved Ellis’ different relationships with each of them. They were adorable and really highlighted the found family aspect.
- [ ] And Ellis was such a dimensional character. You really see how she struggles to fit in with not only the Albrey’s, but her own family. Feeling in between. You see her learning to love and learning what love really looks like. It can be messy sure, but it’s endless and aways does what’s best for you. Even when it hurts. It’s something that I’m sure readers will relate to.

I wish I was better at reviews so I could fully convince you guys to read this and convey what a beautiful book it is, but since I’m not, I’ll just say this:
There’s a recurring quote in the book, “thoughts aren’t free.” Thoughts might not be free but Kristen has given us hers. Thoughts on love, found family, heart break, and mistakes. And I could not be happier.

So go read her sad kissing book.
Put her on the bestsellers list.
Fall in love with this story and these characters because you won’t regret it.

Kristen Dwyer deserves the world because she gives us the whole world in this book.

Thank you so much Harperteen and NetGalley for this arc. Love it so much. One of my new favorite reads. Maybe favorite of the year🤔🤔

*i think I’m going to do shorter reviews after this because I am not the person to do the long beautiful reviews😂 also I don’t know how many more angsty books I can handle. They might kill me. But I love them so much😭😭😭

** I promise I don’t give all books 5 stars. This one is just so worthy of 5 stars. Ahhhhh.

My only complaint is my heart is broken just a little by this beautiful story and that it’s over.

I absolutely loved this book! I couldn’t get my tears to stop! Beautiful, and well written from start to finish. Amazing work Kristen!

I DNF this book. I wanted to like it but i think im too old. Im sad thats the truth but young love and young love break ups just wasnt grabbing my attention.

If i read this 10-15 years ago i would have loved it though!

This book.

I inhaled it. Couldn't put it down. Dwyer expertly balances achingly raw characters, hilarious dialogue, and shifting stakes that kept me reading at break-neck speed. Some Mistakes Were Made perfectly captures what it feels like to be young and lost, exploring themes of identity, acceptance, addiction, friendship, family, loss, love, and, and, and . . .

I've never read a book with which I resonated so deeply. Dwyer made me laugh, cry, fume, and yearn, all within a matter of minutes.

This book is one I will read again and again and again.

Maybe it’s the hour or the fact that this is the first novel in a while to really grip me by the heart and push me to read it in one fell swoop, but this book is such a refreshing YA for me. It’s sad and aching but soulful.

The characters are messy and imperfect and are allowed to be so- nothing in the novel is perfect, even the people who seem to be. The parallel structure that traces the aftermath and lead up to the incident that shatters Ellis’ world tell the story in a delicate dance that never gives you everything. It’s always a few steps ahead of you, skirting the deeper truths that Ellis herself tries to keep to herself. It’s raw and heartfelt and unfiltered, dealing with neglect and substance abuse and class. And at the center, Ellis and Easton (ironic names? Perhaps) are trying to figure out themselves in relation to the pain in their past and it’s rightfully messy! Because they’re teenagers! And because life is so much messier than we imagine. I appreciated the fact that Dwyer let her teens be messy and make mistakes and love each other. The families felt natural, their rapport and dialogue not seeming too scripted or stilted. The characters felt multidimensional and lived in, with histories that lay just beyond the page. The writing too, while it felt standard for YA in some ways, it felt like a standout in others.

This was an ARC I got via NetGalley, and I am so glad I requested it after following Dwyeron Instagram for some time.

I might be too old for this book. I couldn't wait for it to end. It took so long to find out why Ellis was sent to her aunt's house. Sandry was so patient with her. What parent allows her son and friend who is a girl to share a bed? I couldn't find any character to like. This is my honest review. Thanks to NetGalley.

Some Mistakes Were Made was exactly what I’d hoped it’d be. It follows Ellis and Easton in two timelines—one where they’re growing up together in the *before* and one where they’re seeing each other again after a year apart—after everything fell apart. Ellis and Easton have always been drawn to each other. And when Easton’s mom welcomes Ellis into their home as though she’s her own daughter, Ellis and Easton grow even closer. They love each other deeply. And it isn’t until right before Ellis is ripped away from the life she’s come to know and love—and away from Easton—that they confess their feelings to each other. And a year later, the two must find a way back to what they used to be when all they feel is hurt and betrayed or risk losing each other all together.

This book was stunning and exactly my favorite genre of romance—Sad Romance (that’s the only name I have for it). It’s everything I aspire to write and everything I want to read. The writing was gorgeous, the characters felt real, and the various family dynamics were hilarious, heartbreaking, and endearing. 100% will be buying and recommending to everyone.

Ever since they were kids, Easton and Ellis have been inseparable. They’d do everything together, which included always getting into trouble. But when a decision threatens to throw their lives into chaos, Ellis is forced to move to California. Across the country.

Now it’s been a year. Ellis and Eaton haven’t talked to each other since she left. But Ellis has been invited back by Easton’s mom for a town celebration. Once again, Ellis finds herself wrapped up in Easton and his family. And in order to move forward, she’ll have to reconcile her past. Especially since she never stopped loving Easton. And the feeling might be mutual.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperTeen for an advanced copy of Some Mistakes Were Made to review! After seeing this book all over Instagram, I needed to see what all the hype was about. While this book will take you on an emotional roller coast, the characters are worth it.

One of the things that makes this book so engaging is the way the plot is formatted. Interspersed with flashbacks, we don’t get the entire story until the very end. Instead, Dwyer gives us bits and pieces throughout, seeing if you can connect the dots on your own. In this way, we also get to know Ellis, Easton, and Easton’s entire family. We get a better picture of the overall situation. And it’s guaranteed to hook you from the beginning.

Outside of the plot structure, Dwyer writes characters you can’t help by care about. And not just the main characters, either. All of Easton’s brothers have personalities and are fully fleshed out. In fact, they help with building the relationship between Easton and Ellis throughout the book. The teenage angst! You can definitely feel it througohut the book.

Overall, this is an emotional, vulnerable book that you likely won’t want to put down until it’s finished. I know I didn't!

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This book was so incredibly and heartbreakingly good. Filled with the most beautiful writing, telling the story of found family, best friends, first love, and losing it all.
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I can’t even begin to express just how much I loved this book. It had me truly feeling for the characters and utterly wrecked by the ending.
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thank you netgalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review

Some Mistakes Were Made is the story of two teenagers, recent high school graduates with a long and complicated history between them. Ellis comes from the neglectful home of two largely absent parents; her mother only comes home when she needs money, and her father is in and out of jail. Easton has been fortunate enough to be raised in a family of privilege, with loving and attentive parents.

The story begins in the present, and then alternates with flashbacks to various important points in the relationship between Ellis and Easton. It's difficult to review this book without spoilers, because I don't want to divulge the incident which causes the rift between the two friends. I do wish that the incident had been revealed a little earlier than it was, because it became a bit difficult to understand and empathize with Ellis' situation without knowing the particulars.

What I can say is that this book brings all of the angst that you could want, and had me crying real tears at several points along the way. It's a beautiful portrait of enduring friendships and found family, with a wonderful supporting cast of characters and an ending that is beyond perfect. Definitely give this one a try!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Teen for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ellis and the Albrey boys will live rent free in my mind for the foreseeable future. I ADORED them. The found family dynamic, the way Sandry was such a loving and good mom to someone who just needed it. Easton and Ellis. Tucker. DIXON THE BEST BIG BROTHER TO EVER BROTHER. 🥺 There we’re so many quotable lines, so many beautiful poems, so much good advice. I loved the introspective nature of Ellis… she recognized what was wrong with her anger, which is nice in a YA, since that age is often learning to do that, anyway? I loved it.

When I saw this book the title initially intrigued me. After reading the synopsis I was interested in learning about how their love was lost and what else would unfold. This book did not disappoint! After finishing this I was beyond in love with Ellis and Easton’s relationship. The love, the devotion, the development of their relationship, and their resistance to admitting their feelings created a beautiful and gut-wrenching story.

The writing perfectly reflects Ellis’ state of mind during this whole story. This story is told from a first-person POV that works really well to keep our hearts broken and anxious just like she was. I really loved the flashbacks in time that gave us the opportunity to see Ellis and Easton’s relationship start from when they first met all the way through to where they were now.

The way that Dwyer told the story left us to feel the same series of conflicted emotions that Ellis was feeling during their relationship. Dwyer was able to accurately portray what love can turn into when feelings are repressed. It was impossible to put down and once I finished it wanted to read it over again. Dwyer created characters that were impossible not to love and a story that was as beautiful as it was heartbreaking. I highly recommend this!

Thank you so much to Netgally and the publisher for sending me an e-arc of this book!

Characters: 3.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Plot: 3.5/5
Setting: 4.5/5
Overall: 4/5

So this book had me hooked right away. There is so much detail in the character's personality and life. I did, at times, feel like the plot was going in a circle which was a little repetitive, but at other times, the emotions the characters experienced made my heart sting a little. The ending was predictable, but I loved the insight revealed about the love interest. It might be important to note that because of the romance and trauma this book deals with, it may fit better with new adult rather than YA. Overall, this book is definitely worth picking up!

Kristin Dwyer's debut novel makes her an instant author to watch. Fans of Adam Silvera, Nina LaCour, and Jandy Nelson will rejoice and weep in equal measure.

Ellis Truman doesn't belong. Not in her ramshackle house with parents who prefer vices and addiction to actually parenting. Not with the financially and emotionally stable Albrey's whose pu=together-ness only highlights all the ways that Ellis doesn't have it together, and specifically not with the youngest Albrey, Easton, whom Ellis has loved her whole life.

After events beyond Ellis's control send her packing and completing her senior year of high school in California, Ellis is summoned back home to Indiana to celebrate the Albrey matriarch's birthday. The major problem is that it was that very woman, the one Ellis had thought of as more than a mother for the past seven years, is the one who sent Ellis away.

Then there's Easton. Ellis loves him. Ellis hates him. Ellis can't forgive him. But she has to face him.

Some Mistakes Were Made is a lament sung by every child who has ever felt abandoned, lost, and sent into this world without a proper understanding of what it means to actually be loved. The novel chronicles several different types of relationships and all the ways the ones who love us hurt us the most deeply.

Ellis's sadness is a living, breathing entity that shadows her every decision. My heart physically ached with each chapter and each new letdown she experiences. Ultimately, this novel is a tour-de-force that will leave readers reeling and yet piece them back together by the end.

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Kristin Dwyer's debut is packed full of emotion and heart. I will say that contemporary is not a genre I typically pick up, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. I cried, and whenever an author gets a physical emotional response out of me, I'm impressed and know they've done a good job.

Dwyer has such a talent for packing emotion into every word. There was a familiarity to this book: the heartbreak of young love, the raw sting of change and betrayal, and the hollowness from abandonment. I felt like a confused teen again, lost in the world and full of angst. Definitely keep some tissues close by, but please don't let that deter you from reading. I had a stupid grin on my face by the last pages. So yes, while she emotionally wrecked me, Dwyer put me back together again and left me with hope.

I really loved the characters and the dynamic they had with one another. They lept off the page and reminded me of people I'd grown up with, worked with, and still know. The themes of family (both the one you're stuck with and the one you choose), addiction, mental health, and social class are woven into every single scene and every single character. This is one of the few books I've read where I didn't feel like there were many "background characters" as all of them felt important. They all mattered. They all felt real. The banter between the brothers warmed my heart, and I want to give them all a hug. Especially Tucker.

Stunning debut. 5/5 stars

This book…. I devoured this book. In.a.day. I couldn’t put it down. It was like my kindle was glued to my hand.

Kristin’s writing is gripping and immediately pulls you in. I sometimes have trouble connecting with teenage characters but with Ellis and Easton I had such sweet nostalgia. I remembered what it was like at that age. Standing on the precipice - the world opening up before you. Each decision carving out your path making all of your feelings so, so big.

Books are sort of an addiction for me and I don’t think I’m alone. As readers, we swoop up books and stack our shelves chasing the next high. You know the high - when you are completely swept away and the real world recedes. When you come away awed, inspired and perhaps a bit emotionally rung out, in the best of ways. This book delivered - I laughed, I cried, I hid under my blankets so my kindle light didn’t wake my husband as I read well past my bedtime. This is what readers chase.

If you love:
✨A protagonist confronting rough beginnings
✨Found family
✨Friends to lovers
✨Damn good writing that makes you fiercely love each and every character.

Then this book is for you.

Some Mistakes Were Made by Kristin Dwyer is out on 5/10/22 - preorder this baby today and thank me later.

And thank you netgalley for the advanced copy!