This book handles trauma in a way that does not seem overwhelming for young people. I thought that it was a heartwarming read. The first half of the book was a bit slow, and then the second half of the book seemed a bit rushed. However the author handled difficult topics in a way that was engaging and had you really rooting for the main characters. I also liked the focus on relationships the main characters had with others, not just themselves.

This was a pretty heavy book, with a fairly strong sense of melancholy throughout. The ending did feel a little optimistic, but I would be careful of reading this if you aren't in the right headspace. The two main characters have gone through a lot of difficult experiences that aren't fun to read about.

I’m not sure why I requested this one. It may not be for me. I’m not fully DNFing it but I’m putting a pause on reading it for now. I think I just need to be in the right headspace. We’ll see how I feel late.

This review is based on an ARC

This story was an interesting read. I enjoyed following along with the characters and wanted a happy ending for them but was left gutted. I think this story is a good read for those who have lost dreams and hopes and need encouragement to push through. Broken souls seeking healing find each other and learn how to grieve and live with the loss without it consuming all of them.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

This book was just “meh” for me. I felt like I was reading it because I had to finish it instead of reading it because I wanted to finish it. I can’t quite put my finger on what it was.

It was almost a good book. Almost. But it was so hard to get into. I understand giving some information and setting up the environment and characters before starting on the actual plot but I feel like this book just had some troubles starting the story.

The writing style is actually interesting. It’s almost as if the author is trying to write a book within a book. However, I don’t think it fits her style or this book. It keeps getting further away from the story as well, too many distractions and unnecessary details and additions. Overall, it has troubles with staying on the plot.

a beautiful story about love and loss, pain and healing. my favorite quote was “i think ghosts exist because we’re not ready to stop loving the people who died, and that love doesn’t have a form to take, so it takes shapes of the person who is lost.”

A YA whirlwind romance between Hattie and Presley, centered around shared grief, PTSD, haunting presence of ghosts, absent parents, and shattered aspirations of Olympic glory. Themes of synesthesia are introduced, adding an interesting layer to the story, which I enjoyed.

Sincere thanks to Algonquin Young Readers & Net Galley for an advanced reader copy, in exchange for an honest review.

This book was good, I think what got me the most was them dealing with trauma bit being able to be there for each other.

Also, who doesn't love a good taylor swift inspired romance?

I will always stand by this opinion!

This a good story about Hattie & Presley and how they had a "implausible" connection with each other both having experienced grief and loss. They help each other grow as individuals and together to overcome their heartache.

Such a great book! This shows how couples could go through anything if they learn to communicate. I would love to read more from you... if it's a sequel of this book it would be awesome.

I don't think I ever really got into this book. Maybe it was coming off a reading burnout or maybe it was the book itself, but in the end it just wasn't for me. I definitely didn't hate it by any means.

I did enjoy both sides of the story and their respective lives dealing with trauma. And I really like the addition of Hattie being able to taste words. Personally, I haven't read anything like that before and it was a fun little addition.

Personally this just wasn't for me. I couldn't really get past some of the dialogue that made me cringe. It's a shame because this was marketed to readers of some of my favorite authors, but it was not like their book in my opinion.

Sadly, I will not be recommending this to others.

Unfortunately, I’ve had a big issue with NetGalley not sending books to my kindle so unfortunately this is one of them where I don’t have a copy of the book to review so unfortunately I cannot read or review the book because I don’t have access to a copy of it, and this is obviously really disappointing, but it is out of my hands. I cannot read download the book because it is outside of the download period

great book and loved the mystery through out the book. I loved the characters and how they grew through all of their adventures. I enjoyed this book and this author and will check them out again add them to my reading pile.

To be quite frank, this book didn’t really catch my attention. I mean, it did. The description of the book and the premise seemed really interesting but the actual book didn’t really give what I was hoping it would. I’m honestly not quite sure what the point of the book was supposed to be. I liked the dual POV though. It kind of felt like it was an extremely slow build up and then it was very rushed at the end. Like, I was about halfway through the book I believe and the two main characters hadn’t even really had a full conversation with each other. I don’t know, I had hoped I would have enjoyed it more than I did.

A Pretty Implausible Premise introduces Hattie and Presley, two teen athletes whose Olympic dreams are dashed by tragedy. Hattie, whose mother took off when she was six, hopes they will be reunited when Hattie swims in the Olympics. But when 7-year-old Elijah dies while Hattie is lifeguarding, she begins experiencing panic attacks whenever she tries to swim. Presley, an ice-skating phenom, loses his twin brother in a car accident that leaves him with injuries that end his competitive career. When Presley transfers to Hattie's high school, he immediately recognizes her "haunted shimmer." Their relationship quickly progresses in ways that are uncannily similar to the romance novel that has been Hattie's lifeline since Elijah's death. When wildfires threaten their town, an evacuation and impromptu road trip gives them an opportunity to bond over shared losses and feelings of guilt. Through encouragement from Presley's therapist and Hattie's coach, as well as the novel that is an integral part of Hattie's recovery, their healing journey ultimately leads to love and hope for the future.

I didn't vibe well with this book. While I thought the book-in-book concept was really cool and refreshing, the constant Taylor Swift references and the fact that the MCs didn't meet until almost 50% into the narrative pulled me out of the story and made a world that could have felt immersive feel disrupted.

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Thank you to NetGalley for providing an e-arc of this title. This review contains my honest thoughts.

4/5 Stars

Description: Is love a possible premise when you feel completely lost? Hattie and Presley are both handling a lot of life at one. Hattie can taste words, has an absent mother, can not longer swim due to trauma, and doesn't believe in love. Presley lost his twin, moved continents, and isn't sure what he can do anymore now that he can't skate after a traumatic accident. These two somehow intersect and begin to build something neither of them expected, but can it survive everything they are holding onto?

The good:
- I loved Hattie's and Presley's character arcs.
- The side characters were perfect compliments to the main characters
- The exploration of grief and handling trauma was handled very well.
- The book within a book was definitely a cool concept!

The loss of a star:
- The Taylor Swift references were a bit forced for me (especially as a certified swiftie)
- Timing was just not very clear to me? I was very confused and all over the place a lot of the time.

Overall: If you're looking for a coming of age, heavier romance, this is your book! Definitely check the content warnings.