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A review by juliaegreene
You, with a View by Jessica Joyce
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
i did not mean to read this in a few days but i think that does say something about the book! (sorry melanie you haven't even gotten it yet and i'm already done ... we both knew this was a possibility)
this was FUN! the combination of adventure, connecting with a lost family member, unlikely crew, reconnecting with a passion and romance that you try to hold yourself back from but it's just inevitable = a fast and enjoyable read. this would be so good to read while on a summer trip. noelle as a narrator is perfect - no other character could tell the story like she does. her emotions are described very clearly and i rarely felt like i didn't understand her motivations. i do think the star of this book is paul, who is heartfelt and inspiring and present yet nostalgic and also cheeky! i love him. theo as a male lead balances broody and soft well, so that as the book progresses, we crave more of his genuine side where he lets down his walls and still pushes noelle's buttons, but in a a fun way. the kat/paul story started to feel a bit laggy towards the end of the trip, but i think the message of it and how it helped noelle feel closer to her gram was necessary to the story. third act fight felt like a natural result of noelle and theo's fears/issues, and i liked that everything coming to a head didn't feel like a blow up, just a big release of built up emotions. the writing at times felt a bit flowery and overdone, especially when listening on audio (i went back and forth between print and audio - kyla garcia did kill it though). i do wish there was a bit more done to address the little hints that they both had been interested in each other back in school, but there was a lot going on, so i can concede. as someone who lost their grandmother recently, this book made me choke up as i read and i think the grief storyline was done using a lot of care and love. a very good start to 2024 book club <3
this was FUN! the combination of adventure, connecting with a lost family member, unlikely crew, reconnecting with a passion and romance that you try to hold yourself back from but it's just inevitable = a fast and enjoyable read. this would be so good to read while on a summer trip. noelle as a narrator is perfect - no other character could tell the story like she does. her emotions are described very clearly and i rarely felt like i didn't understand her motivations. i do think the star of this book is paul, who is heartfelt and inspiring and present yet nostalgic and also cheeky! i love him. theo as a male lead balances broody and soft well, so that as the book progresses, we crave more of his genuine side where he lets down his walls and still pushes noelle's buttons, but in a a fun way. the kat/paul story started to feel a bit laggy towards the end of the trip, but i think the message of it and how it helped noelle feel closer to her gram was necessary to the story. third act fight felt like a natural result of noelle and theo's fears/issues, and i liked that everything coming to a head didn't feel like a blow up, just a big release of built up emotions. the writing at times felt a bit flowery and overdone, especially when listening on audio (i went back and forth between print and audio - kyla garcia did kill it though). i do wish there was a bit more done to address the little hints that they both had been interested in each other back in school, but there was a lot going on, so i can concede. as someone who lost their grandmother recently, this book made me choke up as i read and i think the grief storyline was done using a lot of care and love. a very good start to 2024 book club <3
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Grief
Minor: Death and Injury/Injury detail