taylorreadsbooks's review
3.0
I received this book from EpicReads!
The Season of You and Me is the story of Cassidy Emmerich and Brian Lakewood and the summer before their senior year. Cassidy is coming off of a horrible break up and has decided that in order to forget her cheating ex she must make this summer unforgettable. So in a way that is totally not running and hiding, she decides to spend the summer with her estranged father, her step mother and her 6 year old half brother at their bed and breakfast along the Jersey Shore. She lands a job as the newest counselor at Camp Manatee and meets Bryan Lakewood. Two years prior Bryan was paralyzed in an accident and now requires the use of a wheelchair. No more surfing, no more skateboarding, but returning as a counselor to Camp Manatee is something Bryan is determined to do, in spite of those who don’t think he’s quite up for the job. Told in alternating POVs – Cass is expecting two months dealing with heartbreak and Bryan is expecting a summer of tough adjustments. Neither of them is expecting to fall in love.
I don’t usually read a lot of YA contemporary, but this was actually a really cute story. I really related to the characters. Most if not all girls have experienced the ridiculous drama that surrounds dating in high school and while I may not be paralyzed I am dependent on medication and occasional steroid injections for chronic lower back pain and can sympathize with no longer being able to do the things you used to love. I watch people running on the treadmill at the gym with the same envy as Bryan watching his friends surfing. I am in NO WAY comparing my pain with someone who has loss the use of his or her legs, not at all. Not even close. It just made it easier to relate to Bryan missing surfing and makes me more grateful for the things I can still do that he can’t. I liked getting to read from Bryan’s POV, it was nice and educational getting to be inside the mind of a paraplegic- fictional or not. He had a very positive attitude considering losing the use of his legs at age 15. He has a sense of humor about his condition, like with his t-shirts and #wheelchairperks. His one outlet of joy is his black Dodge Charger that has been modified so that he can drive it. With the exception of a few, he has a great support group in his friends and family. His friendship with Cassidy is sweet. I wish real life could work that way. I like how she never second guesses becoming friends with someone that is disabled, something that Bryan has had to deal with more then once. The summer spent in Crest Haven was a great choice for Cassidy, she was taken in by a new group of friends and with their help was able to heal from her breakup. Plus she got to spend more time with her dad and fam, and her relationship with her little brother was sweet.
He snuggled his head against my shoulder. “Cassidy?” “Yes?” “Can I just call you…sister? Not half sister?” His voice was so innocent, my heart melted. I gave him a kiss on the forehead. “As long as I can call you brother”
This is the perfect light happy summer read. Its got great families, fun friends, young love, and the ocean. What more could you want in a contemporary young adult novel?
I really enjoyed Robin Constantine’s writing and look forward to reading her other books The Promise of Amazing and The Secrets of Attraction! Thank again Epic Reads for sending me an great read!
The Season of You and Me is the story of Cassidy Emmerich and Brian Lakewood and the summer before their senior year. Cassidy is coming off of a horrible break up and has decided that in order to forget her cheating ex she must make this summer unforgettable. So in a way that is totally not running and hiding, she decides to spend the summer with her estranged father, her step mother and her 6 year old half brother at their bed and breakfast along the Jersey Shore. She lands a job as the newest counselor at Camp Manatee and meets Bryan Lakewood. Two years prior Bryan was paralyzed in an accident and now requires the use of a wheelchair. No more surfing, no more skateboarding, but returning as a counselor to Camp Manatee is something Bryan is determined to do, in spite of those who don’t think he’s quite up for the job. Told in alternating POVs – Cass is expecting two months dealing with heartbreak and Bryan is expecting a summer of tough adjustments. Neither of them is expecting to fall in love.
I don’t usually read a lot of YA contemporary, but this was actually a really cute story. I really related to the characters. Most if not all girls have experienced the ridiculous drama that surrounds dating in high school and while I may not be paralyzed I am dependent on medication and occasional steroid injections for chronic lower back pain and can sympathize with no longer being able to do the things you used to love. I watch people running on the treadmill at the gym with the same envy as Bryan watching his friends surfing. I am in NO WAY comparing my pain with someone who has loss the use of his or her legs, not at all. Not even close. It just made it easier to relate to Bryan missing surfing and makes me more grateful for the things I can still do that he can’t. I liked getting to read from Bryan’s POV, it was nice and educational getting to be inside the mind of a paraplegic- fictional or not. He had a very positive attitude considering losing the use of his legs at age 15. He has a sense of humor about his condition, like with his t-shirts and #wheelchairperks. His one outlet of joy is his black Dodge Charger that has been modified so that he can drive it. With the exception of a few, he has a great support group in his friends and family. His friendship with Cassidy is sweet. I wish real life could work that way. I like how she never second guesses becoming friends with someone that is disabled, something that Bryan has had to deal with more then once. The summer spent in Crest Haven was a great choice for Cassidy, she was taken in by a new group of friends and with their help was able to heal from her breakup. Plus she got to spend more time with her dad and fam, and her relationship with her little brother was sweet.
He snuggled his head against my shoulder. “Cassidy?” “Yes?” “Can I just call you…sister? Not half sister?” His voice was so innocent, my heart melted. I gave him a kiss on the forehead. “As long as I can call you brother”
This is the perfect light happy summer read. Its got great families, fun friends, young love, and the ocean. What more could you want in a contemporary young adult novel?
I really enjoyed Robin Constantine’s writing and look forward to reading her other books The Promise of Amazing and The Secrets of Attraction! Thank again Epic Reads for sending me an great read!
khairun_atika's review against another edition
3.0
Summer romances are always fun to read, especially if it comes with coming-of-age elements.This book was not exactly heavy on that topic. Instead, it is simply an innocent story of boy and girl meeting while trying to escape the realities of their past, present and ultimately future. I did not find it a particularly engaging read, but I did appreciate the eventful moments of summer the characters shared - of bonding with their families, inspiring other people and meeting children at summer camps. That is what makes the book a good read, but the romance did not stand out much to me. It is still a rather pleasant read though.
wandereaderr's review
5.0
Robin Constantine always sucks me in. Her books are always so damn cute and just fun to read.
randomly_kait's review
5.0
You can check out this review and others over on my Blog at Randomly Kait
I've been having a tendency to fall into book reading slumps lately... And it kinda, sorta, really sucks. I'll pick up a book, read a few pages, then put it down and walk away from it. But when I picked this one up, I finished it in one sitting! It was glorious!
I thought the idea of this story was pretty interesting. It was new to me because I'd never read anything similar. I was a little bit hesitant, because I was having horrible thoughts like: WHAT IF THIS IS LIKE ME BEFORE YOU?!?! I CAN'T HANDLE THAT KIND OF HEARTBREAK!! I know, I know, I was just being over dramatic. There was nothing to worry about, this book was perfectly adorable.
I love, love, loved Bryan. He was just so sweet, and he didn't spend too much time feeling sorry for himself...
I liked Cassidy, too... But I found myself getting annoyed with her quite a bit because she was just so obsessed with her ex-boyfriend, Gavin. I mean, even when she knew she liked Bryan, she couldn't stop thinking about Gavin. I just wanted to shake her and yell "NO! You like Bryan, you go be with BRYAN! Gavin is a jerk face butt monkey, and you need to stay away from him." There was also a time that she handled something very poorly, and it made me cringe:
SPOILERS AHEAD
That was the time that she was going on a date with Bryan, and Gavin showed up, and she introduced Bryan as her ride... she could have at least introduced him as her friend.. I'm cringing just thinking about that.
END OF SPOILERS
Anywho, this book has some of the best relationships I've seen in a while. I loved Cass and Bryan together. Their relationship was super believable and adorable, and AGH! I just love them together.
The relationship she had with her family was great, they were always there to support each other. Even her mom and dad got along okay, even though they were divorced. And I especially loved her relationship with her half brother Hunter. He adored her, and I'm pretty sure that the feeling was mutual.
And her relationship with her friends-old and new. It was always entertaining.
I loved the descriptions of the beach, and the bed and breakfast... ah... I wanted to be there, I felt like I was there. It was so beautiful.
I was a bit unsure of the whole #wheelchairperk thing at first... but then I realized that my friends and I are always putting hashtags in front of things just to be silly. But I noticed that quite a few people were really annoyed at the fact that it was in there like that.
I've been having a tendency to fall into book reading slumps lately... And it kinda, sorta, really sucks. I'll pick up a book, read a few pages, then put it down and walk away from it. But when I picked this one up, I finished it in one sitting! It was glorious!
I thought the idea of this story was pretty interesting. It was new to me because I'd never read anything similar. I was a little bit hesitant, because I was having horrible thoughts like: WHAT IF THIS IS LIKE ME BEFORE YOU?!?! I CAN'T HANDLE THAT KIND OF HEARTBREAK!! I know, I know, I was just being over dramatic. There was nothing to worry about, this book was perfectly adorable.
I love, love, loved Bryan. He was just so sweet, and he didn't spend too much time feeling sorry for himself...
I liked Cassidy, too... But I found myself getting annoyed with her quite a bit because she was just so obsessed with her ex-boyfriend, Gavin. I mean, even when she knew she liked Bryan, she couldn't stop thinking about Gavin. I just wanted to shake her and yell "NO! You like Bryan, you go be with BRYAN! Gavin is a jerk face butt monkey, and you need to stay away from him." There was also a time that she handled something very poorly, and it made me cringe:
SPOILERS AHEAD
That was the time that she was going on a date with Bryan, and Gavin showed up, and she introduced Bryan as her ride... she could have at least introduced him as her friend.. I'm cringing just thinking about that.
END OF SPOILERS
Anywho, this book has some of the best relationships I've seen in a while. I loved Cass and Bryan together. Their relationship was super believable and adorable, and AGH! I just love them together.
The relationship she had with her family was great, they were always there to support each other. Even her mom and dad got along okay, even though they were divorced. And I especially loved her relationship with her half brother Hunter. He adored her, and I'm pretty sure that the feeling was mutual.
And her relationship with her friends-old and new. It was always entertaining.
I loved the descriptions of the beach, and the bed and breakfast... ah... I wanted to be there, I felt like I was there. It was so beautiful.
I was a bit unsure of the whole #wheelchairperk thing at first... but then I realized that my friends and I are always putting hashtags in front of things just to be silly. But I noticed that quite a few people were really annoyed at the fact that it was in there like that.
angelreads's review
4.0
Ah, my heart. This book. It's been on my TBR since before it was published and I finally picked it up. Hopefully a full review to come.
bookswrotemystory's review
3.0
This book was super cute. It reminded me a lot of Huntley Fitzpatrick's books. Summer in a coastal vacation town with the locals. I can't say that there was anything too groundbreaking here plot wise. Although it is always refreshing to see the issue of disabilities addressed in YA, especially when it comes to the male protagonist. Not something you see as often as you should. The story was easy to get absorbed in and I found myself not wanting to put it down until I had finished. Just the right tone for a light beach read. I will definitely be checking out the author's other books this summer.