Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland

Goodreads Blurb

For Cricket Thompson, a summer like this one will change everything. A summer spent on Nantucket with her best friend, Jules Clayton, and the indomitable Clayton family. A summer when she’ll make the almost unattainable Jay Logan hers. A summer to surpass all dreams.
Some of this turns out to be true. Some of it doesn’t. 
When Jules and her family suffer a devastating tragedy that forces the girls apart, Jules becomes a stranger whom Cricket wonders whether she ever really knew. And instead of lying on the beach working on her caramel-colored tan, Cricket is making beds and cleaning bathrooms to support herself in paradise for the summer.
But it’s the things Cricket hadn’t counted on--most of all, falling hard for someone who should be completely off-limits--that turn her dreams into an exhilarating, bittersweet reality.
A beautiful future is within her grasp, and Cricket must find the grace to embrace it. If she does, her life could be the perfect shade of Nantucket blue.

Nantucket Blue arrived right when I was aching for a fluff, so the timing was absolutely impeccable. And the best part about it? I loved the book.

Just to get it out of the way, my one problem was with our main character. While completely real with her own flaws and misconceptions, she was a bit annoying to me. She interfered with almost everything, even if she did have good intentions. Whether it was with her mom's love life or barging onto an island and her friend's vacay (when clearly she wasn't wanted) it annoyed me so much. And then she did such drastic things for a crush. Maybe it's because I never had a serious crush, but...I didn't like how desperate she seemed sometimes. And I also felt she apologized when the other person should've--maybe it's just me though! I did love her determination and her development as the story progressed though.

But oh, I did love all these other complex characters. Some of them had surprisingly deep layers that I loved and they were absolutely hilarious at times! They're easy to relate to characters who were so real--the whole story was. There were these people who twined with each others' lives and left just as quickly as they came, and I loved that because that's just how life is! And the resolution was another favorite of mine--they didn't all come together into one gigantic ending. It was pretty open-ended and I loved it. There were so many possibilities! But even if I am a fan of open-ended stories, I really wish we could've had an epilogue of some kind--just for a little closure?

The romance was so adorable--that's all I can say. Okay, maybe it has more to do with the absolutely adorable and cute love interest, but still. In these kinds of books, we always know that the main character falls for someone else...but I really don't want to say who. Just know that he's sweet and romantic and so hilarious sometimes.

The writing was definitely one of the strong points too! The setting was beautifully described, taking us right to Nantucket. Not only that, the relationships were, by far, one of my favorite parts. They were like the characters--flawed, sometimes broken, real, and layered. Whether it was familial, friendship, or romance, they were all amazing to read and just made everything so much better!

Filled with laughs and sighs, Nantucket Blue is one of those books absolutely perfect for the beach side! (The first inside pages even match the sand!) It's a wonderful debut that definitely makes you realize that you're in charge of you're own life and that you have to be the one to guide yourself.

Pages: 304
Genre: Contemporary/Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Rating: 3.5-->4 stars

Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

Goodreads Blurb

High school senior Leah Jones loves nothing more than flying. While she’s in the air, it’s easy to forget life with her absentee mother at the low-rent end of a South Carolina beach town. When her flight instructor, Mr. Hall, hires her to fly for his banner advertising business, she sees it as her ticket out of the trailer park. And when he dies suddenly, she’s afraid her flying career is gone forever.

But Mr. Hall’s teenage sons, golden boy Alec and adrenaline junkie Grayson, are determined to keep the banner planes flying. Though Leah has crushed on Grayson for years, she’s leery of getting involved in what now seems like a doomed business--until Grayson betrays her by digging up her most damning secret. Holding it over her head, he forces her to fly for secret reasons of his own, reasons involving Alec. Now Leah finds herself drawn into a battle between brothers--and the consequences could be deadly.

One of the best contemps for sure...but I say that a lot! But this one is definitely for all those people who love sexy romances and/or guys. It's one of those sad-more-romancy-though kind of books that, even while they deal with real-life (SAD) situations, the romance was one of the biggest parts of the book. And I wouldn't have it any other way! 

I loved the characters! Leah was so kick-butt without seeming annoyingly so. She was so tough and used to this hard life, standing tall all the while. It's just something you have to admire about her. But she has her flaws. She just refuses to show them. And I loved that about her. She takes solace in flying and it seems so...understandable the way Echols put it. Leah was...so complex and she went through a lot of development throughout the book. In ways more than one.

And DANG! Jennifer Echols defintiely knows how to stir up a swoony romance and two equally hot guys. But, you know, only one guy can really capture your heart here. HELLO Grayson. He was like...Ash-like. And that's one of the biggest compliments I can give. Grayson was so aloof and cold towards Leah, but there were those flashes of warmth and kindness that just made your heart melt! It was so adorable...but then Grayson would be aloof again. But by then, we all knew that there was something behind that mask. And DAMMIT. I LOVE GRRAYSON SO MUCH. YOU SHOULD BUY THIS JUST FOR GRAYSON. He was like, the perfect YA bad boy.

*cough*

Anyways, I absolutely loved the plot. It wasn't boring at all. Grayson was blackmailing Leah to, get this, date his brother. But he never says why. And that's one of the biggest, burning questions. If Grayson loves Leah...why would he want her to date his brother? But, the reason made so much sense, and it was so touching. And it does sound like a love-triangle, but it wasn't. One of the boys got the boot in such a way that it...well. I can't say, now can I?

There was obviously a ton of research involved as well. But it didn't really appear that way, unless you were looking for it. I actually learned a lot about flying (but fats and I don't mix well. It went through one ear and out the other) and if I could remember it, I think I'd be a decent flyer and at least not get anyone killed.

Jennifer Echols writes a fantastic love story mixed with the story of someone discovering who they are and what they're worth. Touching and totally hot at the same time, Such a Rush is definitely one for contemporary and chick lit lovers. Real characters with real problems, this is definitely a twist on the norm. 

Pages: 336

Series: Stand alone

Genre: Contemp/Romance

Publisher: MTV  Books

Release Date: July 10

Rating: 5 stars

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Goodreads Blurb

Taylor Edwards’ family might not be the closest-knit—everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled—but for the most part, they get along just fine. Then Taylor’s dad gets devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend one last summer all together at their old lake house in the Pocono Mountains.
Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven’t actually gone anywhere. Her former best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend…and he’s much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.
As the summer progresses and the Edwards become more of a family, they’re more aware than ever that they’re battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance—with family, with friends, and with love.

You know, just as a warning: When you reach the last half, I advise you to grab a tissue or two (or three, or four, or—you know what? Just take the entire box.) Seriously. You’re going to need it. If there’s one word to describe Second Chance Summer, it’s heartbreaking.

Can I say heartbreaking again? Yes? Ok, it was completely, utterly heartbreaking. All these things were happening and you keep thinking “he’ll be okay. He won’t die. HEA right?” but I’m spoiling this now: it’s not a Happy Ever After ending no matter how much you want it to. It was just inevitable but somehow you ignore the oncoming tragedy with the romance, the friendship, and all things inbetween. But when it does happen, it strikes you completely unaware, even when you know it’s happening in the next chapter. It’s this dreaded feeling that builds up in you and when it happens…agh! A book filled with second chances, I loveloveloved it!

Second Chance Summer seemed more like an insanely descriptive diary rather than a book, and that’s a good thing. Actions seemed so real, not far-fetched. Reactions were probable and the characters reminded me of what my friends would’ve done if I had slighted them like that. Characters seemed real. I haven’t read Matson’s debut, but you can bet I will after reading Second Chance Summer!

As sad as it is, Second Chance Summer is definitely a great Summer-ends read. Not one you want to read at the beginning of summer, but definitely one that will end your summer with a bang. Seriously guys. Y’all have to read this!

Pages: 468

Series: Stand-alone

Genre: Contemporary/Romance

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Release Date: May 8, 2012

Rating: 5 stars

"Standing across from me, five years older, all grown up, and much cuer han I remembered him being, was Henry Cosby."