Review: Summer of Sloane by Erin L. Schneider

Title: Summer of Sloane

Author:  Erin L. Schneider
Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Publishing Date: May 3rd 2016

Pages: 291
Genre: YA Contemporary Chic Lit

Series:  Stand Alone
Source: ARC 

 

Warm Hawaiian sun. Lazy beach days. Flirty texts with her boyfriend back in Seattle.

These are the things seventeen-year-old Sloane McIntyre pictured when she imagined the summer she’d be spending at her mom’s home in Hawaii with her twin brother, Penn. Instead, after learning an unthinkable secret about her boyfriend, Tyler, and best friend, Mick, all she has is a fractured hand and a completely shattered heart.

Once she arrives in Honolulu, though, Sloane hopes that Hawaii might just be the escape she needs. With beach bonfires, old friends, exotic food, and the wonders of a waterproof cast, there’s no reason Sloane shouldn’t enjoy her summer. And when she meets Finn McAllister, the handsome son of a hotel magnate who doesn’t always play by the rules, she knows he’s the perfect distraction from everything that’s so wrong back home.

But it turns out a measly ocean isn’t nearly enough to stop all the emails, texts, and voicemails from her ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend, desperate to explain away their betrayal. And as her casual connection with Finn grows deeper, Sloane’s carefree summer might not be as easy to find as she’d hoped. Weighing years of history with Mick and Tyler against their deception, and the delicate possibility of new love, Sloane must decide when to forgive, and when to live for herself.

I am going to be honest. The cover drew me in and the cover is what made me read this book. The title is pretty cool too. I am not always in the mood for contemporary and it's prbably what I read the least but I just had to read this one. Look at that cover. I loved loved loved this book. It was so much more than I had anticipated and I could just gush all over it for a very long time. Its a story full of betrayal, hurt, loss, forgiveness, inner growth, redemption, and moving on. It was so so good. Really it was guys. So good. 

Sloane had a pretty good life until her forever best friend told her she was pregnant, and the father was Sloane's boyfriend. This throws Sloane's life into an upheavel. She lost both her best friend and her boyfriend... all in one night. This was right before heading to Hawaii to visit her mother for the Summer. Once in Hawaii, Sloane decides this will be her summer. All about her and moving on. She finds frienship, family loyalty, family secrets, love, and in all of it her way in life and of course forgiveness. 

This was such a great book. I wil admit that I generally really stay away from books that have the subject of cheating. I just don't like it and I hate that it's in books. I mean I hate that it happens so it's talked about in books. Its always such a hard thing to go through and get over. Its a strong betrayal and it casuses so many different feelings. It's never just one sided and it's always deeper than it seems. It's a very sensitive subject. So I went into this book thinking I will see how it goes. It got tons of good reviews and I just love the cover. So  I had to read it. 

I must say this book handled the subject surpremely. What I loved... this book was about the after effects, the hurt involved, and how bitterness can take over if you allow it too. Mistakes are made and no matter who is right or wrong...everyone involved is hurt. The issue isn't the cheating in this book, the issue at hand is how you choose to deal with it once it happens. I liked that becuase it wasn't dwelled on. The actual affair... the feelings and moving on is what it was about. 

Sloane was a character I connected to and fell for right away. I felt bad for her. It was hard. In this siutation I just couldn't see how she could have done anything to encourage or prevent or even have a clue it was an issue. It was crazy. She was so devestated and angry. She chose to move on and found it, it's not as easy to do as to say. She has to discover herself and what loyalty and real love is in order to forgive and move on. What is more important your loved ones mistakes or how they feel and admit to those mistakes afterwards. Sloane was sensitive but strong. She amazed me. 

The romance in the book was okay. It wasn't the focus and I felt that. I felt it was a bit out of place at times but it was still sweet and nice. I did like the love interest, Finn. He felt real and geninue and I enjoyed his story too. He was also troubled and had some devestating things in his past.... not to mention a very cold father. So he was good for Sloane but I think Sloane was better for him.  

I enjoyed the friendship, the family, and the inner growth of this book. It had so much to offer. I felt moved, I cried, I wanted to just hug Sloane one moment and yell at her the next for making the wrong choices. She did make some bad choices but they never felt unwarranted. She was young and hurt and needed to heal. In the healing time she couldn't see beyond the anger and hurt.. so her decisions were understandble. 

The pacing and the writing were just perfect. Fast but not too fast pacing, everything fell into place beautfully. The writing was stunning and I just couldn't get enough of this read. 

It really was a very moving read. 

I really loved this read. It had so much deep and overcoming to it. Can't wait to see what more this author does.

Erin L. Schneider is native to the Pacific Northwest, attended college in Honolulu, and - although Hawaiian - should never be allowed on a surfboard. With more than twenty years in corporate merchandising, she’s now a full-time writer living in Seattle with her husband, Neal; their baby boy, Kellan; a rowdy German shepherd named Ronin; and two crazy cats, Ono and Poke. She’s a member of both the Pacific Northwest Writers Association and SCBWI, and is also co-founder of the YA Buccaneers. 
SUMMER OF SLOANE is her debut novel, out May 3, 2016 from Disney-Hyperion. Visit Erin online at Erin L Schneider or on Twitter: @ErinLSchneider1.
Erin is represented by literary agent Lisa Grubka of Fletcher & Company.