Reading Metrics
Description
At the beginning of her last summer in Kentucky before leaving for college, Natalie is once again visited by the apparition she calls "Grandmother" and meets a new boy, Beau, who changes her life. The plot contains profanity and sexual references.
Quick Summary
If you're into contemporary YA that feels like a slow-burn mystery mixed with a coming-of-age story, this one's for you. Emily Henry creates this atmosphere where Natalie's small Kentucky town feels both cozy and slightly unsettling, especially with the supernatural element of these visions she keeps having it's not scary horror, but more dreamlike and puzzling. The romance between Natalie and Beau develops in a way that feels genuine and complicated, not just the typical meet-cute, which older teens will appreciate. What really stays with you is how the book handles themes of identity, family secrets, and that feeling of being on the brink of something huge before your whole life changes. I'd say if you've enjoyed other Emily Henry books or novels like "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson that deal with heavy emotional stuff in a small-town setting, you'll probably love this too. Parents should know it deals with mature themes and has some profanity, so it's best suited for upper high school readers who can handle that complexity.