Along for the Ride

“It was so easy to disown what you couldn't recognize, to keep yourself apart from things that were foreign and unsettling. The only person you can be sure to control, always, is yourself. Which is a lot to be sure of, but at the same time, not enough.”

Normally you'd expect the romance to take center stage in contemporaries like those written by Sarah Dessen, but I have to say, this element in her books is almost always sweet but highly underwhelming, it takes a backseat to character development, friendships and complicated family matters, and I truly appreciate this. Auden and Eli as a couple left me pretty cold, but I loved their personal growth and their relationships with the supporting cast.

I loved this book way more than I was expecting to. Honestly I picked it up because I had never read a Sarah Dessen book and wanted to, and this one is coming out as a netflix movie next week.

I liked it so much because Auden was so relatable to me. I tend to get worked up about how I need to finish whatever school work and feel like I can't go out and do something fun because of it. But this summer, Auden didn't try to get ahead in school and she just let go and had a summer filled with new experiences, new adventures, and new friends.

I also think it was impactful in the idea of not being so over concerned about the future and instead enjoying where you are in that moment.

That was how this book resonated with me, but there were so many other ways I think it could resonate with different people. I think that's what makes it such a beautiful book.