[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. ]
Summary
It hit her in the middle of her speech. Rachel Walls, valedictorian, looked around at her graduating class and realized most of the people in front of her probably had no idea who she was.
Rachel’s high school years were focused. Determined. Disciplined. But what did she have to show for them besides this moment as valedictorian and her admission to her dream college? She has one friend at school. She knows her classmates from their social media accounts and hallway chatter and gossip, not from real life.
When her best friend leaves for a summer music program, Rachel’s “social life” dries up. Her big weekend plans include decluttering her room. That’s where she finds her grandmother’s book A Season of Yes! It looks and smells ancient, but the underlined passages catch Rachel’s eye.
What if, instead of isolation and self-preservation, Rachel started to say yes to the opportunities in front of her?
Yes to a party.
Yes to a friend.
Yes to a dip in the pool.
Yes to a roller coaster.
Yes to flirting.
Yes to Clayton Carville.
Review
This was cute and fun. I liked Rachel and her family and friends. I thought the identity crisis was perfect – Rachel’s ready for college, there are unknowns ahead. Graduation kicks off a season of reflection. And in this case, Rachel is second guessing her choices in life so far.
It’s also not uncommon for college students to try on a new identity. That’s what Rachel does here – she tries on the identity of a person who says yes. And it’s mostly good for her. She rediscovers an old friend. She has a couple small adventures. And she gets to explore some romantic possibilities.
The downside is that in her haste to say yes and change things up, Rachel forgets about wisdom and discernment. And that leads to trouble. And as in most great young adult literature, she starts to learn from it.
I enjoyed the journey with Rachel and her friends. Fans of contemporary YA, contemporary YA romance, and fans of love triangle stories should check this one out. (Language, underage drinking)