Next-door neighbors and ex-best friends Hannah and Emory haven't spoken in months. Not since the fight-the one where they said things they couldn't take back.
Now, Emory is fine-tuning her UCLA performing arts application and trying to make the most of the months she has left with her boyfriend, Luke, before they head off to separate colleges. Meanwhile, Hannah's strong faith is shaken when her family's financial problems come to light, and she finds herself turning to unexpected places-and people-for answers to the difficult questions she's suddenly facing.
No matter how much Hannah and Emory desperately want to bridge the thirty-six steps between their bedroom windows, they can't. Not anymore.
Until their paths cross unexpectedly when, one night, Hannah finds Luke doubled over in his car outside her house. In the aftermath of the accident, all three struggle to understand what happened in their own ways. But when a devastating secret about Hannah and Emory's argument ultimately comes to light, they must all reexamine the things they hold true.
In alternating chapters, a skeptic and a believer piece together the story of their complex relationship with help from the boy caught somewhere in the middle. New York Times best-selling author Tamara Ireland Stone deftly crafts a moving portrait of faith, love, and friendship.
Review: I don't know why I put off reading this book for so long because once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. Now I have read and loved it I can finally return it to the library-whoops!
This book is a fabulous portrayal of the things that young people face every day and the things that they have on their plate on top of all the growing up they have to do as well as attending high school and maintaining relationships with friends and family. It explores what effect it can have on a person when something extra is added to that plate and it demonstrates that so well throughout the book. This book covers topics such as religion and identity, relationships and sex, friendships and a few other darker subjects (no spoilers). I would recommend reading the authors note at the back of this book before picking it up yourself because of possible triggers for you.
This book follows friends Hannah and Emory who have argued about something and haven't spoken for 3 months. We don't know quite what they have fallen out over and we won't know until towards the end of the book but we are treated to alternating chapters following the two of them. I really liked the way the book was structured and I feel that it allowed me as a reader to get to know the characters a lot more. I liked Hannah a lot more in the beginning of the book, Emory came off as a little selfish initially, but I definitely warmed to her as the novel progressed.
On top of this overt structure, I feel like the book almost split itself into 3 parts and each of those parts felt quite different from the last. We have the initial 100 pages, getting to know our characters and their history a little bit, then we have the middle 200 pages where we go a little deeper and a lot of things are thrown at these girls, from all directions. The last 100 pages definitely get a little deeper and darker still but there is resolution there as well, a very fitting resolution for the book in my eyes, I was very happy with the endings that these two young people got. I really liked the fact that we got to change up what was happening a little in each of these sections and it definitely made the book a page turner for me, hence reading it in once sitting!
I thought this book was so well done, the topics covered were handled well and sensitively and it really did shine a good light on the pressures that young people have to face today even when on the surface their life looks simple and/or happy. I loved the way it was written and it definitely didn't feel as long as it is when I was reading it. I recommend this book but make sure you check that author note for triggers before diving right in. Such a great read!
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