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Ever since last year’s homecoming dance, best friends-turned-best enemies Zorie and Lennon have made an art of avoiding each other. It doesn’t hurt that their families are the modern day, Californian version of the Montagues and Capulets.
But when a group camping trip goes south, Zorie and Lennon find themselves stranded in the wilderness. Alone. Together.
What could go wrong?
With no one but each other for company, Zorie and Lennon have no choice but to hash out their issues via witty jabs and insults as they try to make their way to safety. But fighting each other while also fighting off the forces of nature makes getting out of the woods in one piece less and less likely.
And as the two travel deeper into Northern California’s rugged backcountry, secrets and hidden feelings surface. But can Zorie and Lennon’s rekindled connection survive out in the real world? Or was it just a result of the fresh forest air and the magic of the twinkling stars?
Okay, this is one of the easiest favorites that I’ve ever had. It was adorable, feely, and just so much fun. It actually got tears welling up in my eyes (and my cred as a soulless heartless book princess just died in a corner), and I just had so much fun. It was so heartwarming, and now I don’t know what to do with myself because I’m off being a total pile of goo.
Where do I even begin with this? I knew I wanted to read this the moment I heard about. Even though I will never go camping a day in my life (bugs, bugs, and more bugs = nooooooooooooooooooooo for Mandy), I have this weird obsession with outdoorsy camping books. Did I expect that it was going to end up on the favorites shelf so easy and quickly? No, but I’m in such love.
The charactersssssssssssssssssss. I absolutely loved Zorie and Lennon. They had such unique voices and dynamic voices. They were SO easy to root for, and I FELT for them. Omigosh, I felt their pain, joy, and I AM JUST A MESS FOR THEM OKAY. They are so realistic, and they were aognreianerantilewatn. I HAVE NO WORDS OKAY. STILL A PILE OF GOO.
I also LOVED Joy. Joy is Zorie’s stepmom, and they had one of the best parental relationships that I’ve ever seen in YA. There was no dreaded evil stepmom, which was SO refreshing, and the deep way they cared for each other GOT me. MY EMOTIONS ARE IN A BLENDER AND THINKING ABOUT THEM IS JUST LIKE HITTING TRIPLE SPEED. AM I GOING TO END EACH PARAGRAPH WITH ALL CAPS PROCLAMATIONS? PROBABLY BECAUSE FEELS.
And the romanceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. *screaming* I’m a princess of swoon and hearts and feels, but to be honest, YA hasn’t bringing the feels for me lately. I haven’t had many ships that were sailing for me, and I wasn’t sure what was up. Was my King Triton nonsense turning into evil villain status where I couldn’t feel the love tonight? NO. BECAUSE MY HEART WAS SAVING UP ALLLLLLLLLLL THE ROOM FOR THESE TWO. It was hate-to-love, which can go sometimes sideways for me, but it was just the right amount for this one. They progressed so naturally and organically, and I rooted for them the moment they wandered on the page. They were just adorable and feely and I’m just done in for them.
The plot was super interesting as well. At times, I felt like it could have gotten boring, but things just kept being interesting (lol, imagine that, Mandy, books staying interesting the entire time? Isn’t that a book’s job????). Anyway, I loved the adventure and all the little plot twists along the way. I mean, it is focused a lot on characterization, but it still had a lot of action going on.
The writing was fantastic as well. I’m totally going to be reading everything Jenn Bennett writes in the future, since I was so her easy, breezy writing. I liked her descriptions and style and flow.
Overall, this was such a delightful read. I found myself dying internally over how fantastic it was – from the characters, romance, plot, and writing. I just couldn’t stop binge reading it, and I just want to sum up all the feels in words but my brain will not work. Just read it. Please. If you’re looking for something adorable and fluffy and fun and swoony. PLEASE THANK YOU. 5 crowns, and the princess train is finallllllllllllllly back (omg, the first of the year???????): Rapunzel for the swoons and Aurora for it being a contemporary classic for moi!
I love this. I can’t believe you cried in it.. I wonder if I will. I am also stonehearted, usually. But man if I am not secretly a little romantic (as my heart told me yesterday while watching Jane the Virgin.) Immediately adding this book to my TBR, if I havne’t already.
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IKKKKKK. I’m not entirely even sure WHY I cried, but it just came to me, Kyera. And lol, maybe the feels will find you again. 😉 But yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss. Can’t wait for you to get to it!
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I’ll have to check it out then 🙂 I have her other on my Kindle
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Yesssssssssssssss! I haven’t read her first one but I’m now quite intrigued to do it. You haven’t read it right?
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No but it’s been popular at the library I work at so it’s on my radar now…once I’m not drowning in books of course lol
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Oooooh, okay, good to know. And lol, yes! I don’t blame you since I definitely know the feeling. XD One day for sure!
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For a hot second I looked at the five crowns and thought there were six, and considering how much you fangirled I would not have been surprised.
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Ahahahaha, but that would have required me making a whole new graphic, and you know me – that truly would have been surprising.
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You think? You’re making new graphics every day. Considering how many stars were in your eyes for this book I would have EXPECTED a six crown review.
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But idk how to get the crown thing back. If we ever lose them, we are screwed since that was a custom ordered crown, and Mandy’s not about to make that hamburger again.
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Uhhhhhh was that english?
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No. Spanish.
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*GASP*
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I’m so excited! I just picked this up at B&N oh a whim and now I am super excited to get to it :] I was going to wait until we were a little closer to summer for this one, what do you think?
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Yessssssssssssssssss. It’s just so adorable and fun and cute. But that does sound like the absolute perfect plan! It has super good summer feels to it, and just makes you want to go camping (even if you hate camping XD). Good for the feel good feels.
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I love this fangirl review, because I loved this book too!!! The moms owned this book. All three were incredible. I think Bennett always writes fabulous adult characters in her books, and Zorie and Lennon was the best. This book left me with so many feels, that I am getting teary-eyed just thinking about it.
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Yessssssssssssss. After I read your review for it, Sam, I was like, okay, forget waiting, I must read this book now, and SO SO glad that I did because it was amazing. And I’m super glad to hear that about Bennett! I’m definitely going to have to find her books asap. But yessssssss. I just want to devour it all over again.
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I think I saw another review gushing about this book, but you’ve officially convinced me to read it! I love good parental relationships (like a stepmom who isn’t totally evil, what the heck?!) and I definitely need to swoon-worthy romance. Terrific review! 😀
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OOoooh, YAYAY! I’m super excited for you to read it. I think that was honestly the best part of it – I mean, there was so much other good things, but I was just so impressed that we didn’t get the whole Evil Stepmother trope which, as a princess lover, definitely gets a bit old. XD And there were definitely some swoons. 😉
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Haha yesss, a non-evil stepmother always makes me so happy too! 😉
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Wow if it it made you cry, I would be a human sob! Great review, Mandy! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s nice to see those five crowns. I love camping, though I could do without the bugs, so I might give this a shot!
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Bugs are the worst, Rendz. Biggest reason you will never see Mandy pitching a tent. But definitely no bugs involved in this one! 😉 Only adorable feels and enjoyment.
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Bugs are a big no-no for me too. I’m literally eaten alive every summer XD. But I prefer no bugs and adorable feels!
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Yes, yes, very good choice. So much nicer.
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