Taylor Edwards has made leaving things behind into an art form. When things get tough, she gets going. Then her dad gets some terrible news and the whole family decides to spend summer at their old lake house, where Taylor is forced to confront her past. She hasn't been to the lake for years and isn't keen to go back, but then she starts to reconnect with the people she thought she'd left behind - including Henry, her first crush, who's even cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve . . .
With fireworks, fireflies and midnight swims, the summer feels full of possibility and, for the first time, Taylor wants to hold on to the moment but is one summer really enough to have a second chance - with family, friends and love?
Having read 'Amy and Roger's Epic Detour' and extremely enjoying it, I was excited when seeing that Morgan Matson had another book out, and the blurb had me quite interested - possibly because it seemed like a proper summer read.
The book starts with Taylor already running away, her immediate reaction to anything bad. But she is handed he second chance to go to the summer house for family bonding. Her family never really got on before and with devastating news that has hit the family they're all unsure what to do with themselves, since it maybe Taylor's second chance, but it's her dads last summer.
Almost immediately Taylor runs into Henry, a part of her past she ran from and tried to forget. But desperate attempts to please her family, since Taylor feels like the lesser talented member, means Taylor is meeting Henry more often - by accident. These attempts also lead to her facing her fears, and problems with ex-best friend Lucy. I think Henry is a fantastic character who is perfect for Taylor in her times of need and he is prepared to be there for her. But I do think that this relationship could of been developed deeper and I felt slightly let down. I also think Taylor's slow regaining of Lucy's trust is good, but I think could also of been developed more deeply.
I love the setting of the story, and the characters in it. I understand Taylor's predicaments and reluctance to be at the lake house, the reasons for this come clear through flash backs of months/years before. I like Taylor's whole family, I find her brother Warren amusing and think his 'happy ending' with Wendy is well deserved.
Even though it had been made clear at the start of the book Taylor's dad's fate, for some reason I wasn't expecting it and possibly like some of the characters in the book had been expecting a miracle treatment. Pressure is put on the whole family and they are put through tests, which bring them stronger together. Each character - especially Taylor - develops throughout the book, and discovers more about themselves, and more about each other.
This book to me was very similar to books written by Sarah Dessen and would be good for fans of her books. Taylor's second chance was perfect and her ability to help others was nice. To be completely honest I don't think this book is as good as 'Amy and Roger's Epic Detour' which somehow felt more real. Nevertheless this book is worth a read for fans of contemporary/romance books.
3.5 stars out of 5
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