Review: The End of Our Story by Meg Haston

Title: The End of Our Story

Author:  Meg Haston
Publisher: HarperTeen

Publishing Date:  April 4th, 2017

Pages:  282
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Series:  Stand Alone
Source:  Audio

 

Meg Haston's romantic and thrilling new YA novel explores a star-crossed high school relationship in a tale rife with deeply buried secrets and shocking revelations.

Bridge and Wil have been entangled in each other’s lives for years. Under the white-hot Florida sun, they went from kids daring each other to swim past the breakers to teenagers stealing kisses between classes. But when Bridge betrayed Wil during their junior year, she shattered his heart and their relationship along with it.

Then Wil’s family suffers a violent loss, and Bridge rushes back to Wil’s side. As they struggle to heal old wounds and start falling for each other all over again, Bridge and Wil discover just how much has changed in the past year. As the fierce current of tragedy threatens to pull them under, they must learn how to swim on their own—or risk drowning together.

This book seems to have been on my TBR for while and I didn't even know it. It was one of those books I chose when searching through my TBR for a new book. I couldn't even remember what it was about but it was on audio... so that worked.  I really really enjoyed this book. It was beautiful and heartbreaking. I enjoyed the writing, the characters, and the story. The ending was a bit rough, but it felt right. 

Bridge and Will had a relationship. They went from best friends as children to a romantic relationship as teenagers. But one night everything changed, changed when Bridge made a mistake and broke Will's heart. Later down the road, Will seems to be doing well... event though Bridge is not... He has a girlfriend, his life is moving forward, then tragedy strikes and everything in Will's life comes crashing down. Bridge infiltrates his life again when he needs a friend. This leads to their relationship starting again, but there is a secret that could tear them apart once again. 

I went into this book knowing nothing about the story except for the synopsis, which I barely read before starting the book. I was looking for something off my TBR that was also on audio and something that was lost in my TBR. This hit all the targets so I jumped right in. I was a little concerned after a few reviews and ratings I read on Goodreads. This book surprised the heck out of me and surpassed my expectations. I loved this book, it wasn't what I expected at all but I so loved it. It almost had a noir feeling about the book but more romance than mystery. It had a mystery though. It also had some coming of age aspects and of course the romance. It really was a great read for me. 

The story is told... once again in one of my favorite ways to tell a story, in dual timelines. There are the past events told both by Bridge and Will and then the present in both POVs. It was so intense at times. Piecing it all together. I figured out the big mystery way before it was revealed however, I didn't know the details, I figure out the secret. I felt it was pretty obvious. 

The story actually tore my heart to pieces. I wanted everything to be okay and I felt so much for both Bridge and Will but especially for Will. His life was complicated and tragic and so messed up, but he kept it together for the world to see. On the outside, his life seemed really good, but truthfully... it was a mess and he was hurting. 

Bridge had some issues, she has never been the same since Will and Bridge broke up. She was still in love with him but didn't know how to speak to him anymore. One night at the grocery store, Will's dad tells her not to give up on Will.  His words are what brings the two back together after the tragedy strikes. Bridge makes herself available for Will. 

Really this story is just good and it felt so real. The writing and the tone, it just made it all so clear to me. My heart broke, tears fell, my heart warmed, there were some really so sweet moments. It had everything I was looking for at the time I read this book. It was good, but tragic too, but also beautiful, testing the strength of friendship, love, family, and the truth. 

I think the only thing that brought my rating down a notch, the mystery was easy to figure out and the ending, although honest and fitting, was not how I wanted it to end. 

So good. I loved it, even though it broke my heart!

Meg Haston is the author of How to Rock Braces and Glasses and How to Rock Best Friends and Frenemies. She lives in Jacksonville, Florida, where she writes and works as a counselor in an independent school. Paperweight is her first young adult novel.