A review by sundeviljewels
When We Collided by Emery Lord

4.0

Often I tell myself I will only give five stars to fictional books that make me cry, or to non-fiction books that truly help me. I would rate this one 4.5/5 stars. Never, did I think I would rate a Young Adult book so highly, but hit me in the gut when Vivi flew off her Vespa flying in to a tree, reminding me of falling off the motorcycle. Then, in Jonah's final chapter, Vivi does not meet him to say her final goodbye, but tacks a note to a tree, and explains her final gift to him can be found on the restaurant patio. This artistic masterpiece of his family in the ocean, represented by sailboats, and his father, who passed from a heart attack, his boat says "Bon Voyage." This was Vivi's way of saying goodbye, and of Jonah's father also saying goodbye. This scene brought tears down my face. I thought this would be a simple, cute love story, but it touches on depression and bipolar disorder, and I appreciate Emery Lord's honesty in her Author's Notes.