Quinn just graduated high school and is heading off to college to study business in hopes of taking over the family's wedding planning business someday. Too bad Quinn's plans are driven by her parents, instead of her true passions. Working the wedding circuit since childhood, Quinn feels trapped and really doesn't know how to deal. Couple this with continually working with her childhood crush, Tarek, that ghosted her after her profession of love, and this summer is not going the way she wanted. After rekindling her love of harps, Quinn is caught leading a double life, one where she is the obedient daughter and the other, a budding harpist following her newly found passion.
This book is a gem. It has the best representation and diversity of characters. Not only does this book celebrate the Jewish faith, diverse backgrounds, and LBGTQ+ relationships, it also talks frankly and openly about mental health. The two main characters suffer from OCD/anxiety and depression. The way these topics are covered completely normalizes mental health and seeking treatment. There is no shame in their struggles and Tarek and Quinn help lean on each other when it feels like the world is too much.
Quinn is sassy and spunky. She is struggling with what so many other newly graduated seniors struggle with - she likes everything a decent amount, but nothing screams "I love it" when it comes to college. All she does know is that she doesn't want to take over the family business. She feels forced and has zero excitement about college.
Solomon does a wonderful job with character development. Tarek was such a hopeless romantic and completely obsessed with grand gestures. He had easy chemistry with Quinn and I swooned over their interactions in the kitchen. And his surprise confession halfway through about the boat last summer rocked me (in the best way possible). But my MVP of the book had to be Quinn's best friend, Julia. She was hilarious and so awkward when it came to her crush on Noelle and I was there for every second of it.
The only thing that made me knock the book down just a small amount was how cynical Quinn was about love. I totally understand where she is coming from with the trauma she experienced from her parents' short separation, however, she really yanked Tarek around. He was so wonderful with her and understanding with her reservations about relationships, but there were so many points where I just wanted to shake her! I hated that she kept putting an expiration date on their relationship and wouldn't allow herself to find joy in it, even though it's what she wanted deep down inside.
Overall, I loved the book! Definitely recommend this book, especially if you are Jewish. This is my second Rachel Lynn Soloman book and I think I like this one better than The Ex Talk. I just bought Our Year of Maybe to read this summer!
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
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