Horn Book (Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)

After the death of Trixie--Ben's sister and Lucy's best friend--the budding romance between the two fell apart, and they stopped speaking. Now, a year later, Ben and Lucy find themselves drawn to each other again, though grief, anger, and pain continue to complicate their relationship. Ben and Lucy have authentic chemistry in this character-driven and appropriately solemn romance, Biren's debut.

Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

The first summer after Trixie's death is a hard one for all the families who knew her, especially for her best friend, Lucy, and Trixie's brother, Ben.Though they were close when Trixie was alive, now that she's gone they can't seem to find a way to be together that doesn't hurt. So the two white teens try to stay away from each other. But that's not easy in their small Minnesota town, especially when they both work for the same family at a lakeside resort. Will they ever be able to find their way back to the comfort and love that existed between them before a bad case of survivors' guilt made everything inescapably sad? Lucy's cute new neighbor and Ben's habit of using girls to distract him from his feelings make the situation even more complicated. Biren's debut novel offers a tender look at a particular moment in the lives of two teens, a moment that feels real and uncontrived. Her book begins after the tragedy, and Biren proves deft at filling in the back story without overshadowing the problems of the present. New friends and young cousins provide some levity and comic relief that work well against the backdrop of raw emotion. The best kind of tragic love story. (Fiction. 15-18)

School Library Journal (Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2017)

Gr 9 Up-When the pain is too much, sometimes you have to give it away. So it is for Ben and Lucy, who were on the verge of something special when Ben's sister, Trixie, who was also Lucy's best friend, died unexpectedly. The day of Trixie's funeral, Ben lashed out at Lucy, and the two of them have been finding ways to hurt each other in the months since. They can neither avoid each other in their small resort town nor ignore the lingering feelings they have for each other despite dating other people. As both begin to move beyond their own grief, they are drawn back together. Fans of Sarah Dessen and Huntley Fitzpatrick's books will find much to love in this emotional romance. The inclusion of Ben's point of view is effective and sets the novel apart in a sea of stories with one-sided pining. The setting, a small Minnesota town, is fully realized and gives added depth to the characterizations as well. However, the appropriation of an Inuit cultural practice, inuksuk , as a symbol for the two white teens' relationship is a poor choice. VERDICT Cultural appropriation mars an otherwise promising debut that's recommended for libraries with a high demand for romance. Elizabeth Saxton, Tiffin, OH

Voice of Youth Advocates

Ever since last summer, Lucy and Ben have done everything they can to avoid each other. Those carefree months of flirting by the lake, getting close, and finally telling each other how they feel are long gone. Trixie’s sudden death is a constant reminder of the chance they lost and the friend and sister they will never get back. Overwhelming grief turns Ben against his family as he finds escape in drinking, partying, and a series of girls who are completely wrong for him. Lucy tries to forget everything that has happened and give more of herself to her family’s restaurant. A new boy in town, combined with seeing Ben every week at the dining counter, does not make it any easier. Now that a year has gone by and the anniversary of Trixie’s death approaches, Lucy and Ben’s grief draws them together, no matter what they try to do to deny it. This summer may be the summer that their healing brings them closer than ever before.

ALA Booklist (Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 CDT 2016)

No one knew Trixie had a heart ailment. When the ace swimmer was in the water one summer day and her heart gave out as she was freestyling to the lake's island, life pretty much imploded for her family and friends. Brother Ben and his almost-girlfriend Lucy, incidentally Trixie's best friend, wander through the following year heartsick with grief, guilt, and loss. Should Ben have been with Trixie when she was swimming and saved her? If Lucy hadn't been with Ben that day, might Trixie not have drowned? Meanwhile, traumatized Ben pushes Lucy away now, leaving her bereft twice over. Biren's tender story aches as the teens and their families try to put the pieces of their lives together again and find a way to heal. It also paints, in careful detail, the daily life and special rituals in a small lakeside Minnesota town. The compelling story will leave readers feeling the characters' pain and cheering for them at the same time d looking forward to more from this author.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

The first summer after Trixie's death is a hard one for all the families who knew her, especially for her best friend, Lucy, and Trixie's brother, Ben.Though they were close when Trixie was alive, now that she's gone they can't seem to find a way to be together that doesn't hurt. So the two white teens try to stay away from each other. But that's not easy in their small Minnesota town, especially when they both work for the same family at a lakeside resort. Will they ever be able to find their way back to the comfort and love that existed between them before a bad case of survivors' guilt made everything inescapably sad? Lucy's cute new neighbor and Ben's habit of using girls to distract him from his feelings make the situation even more complicated. Biren's debut novel offers a tender look at a particular moment in the lives of two teens, a moment that feels real and uncontrived. Her book begins after the tragedy, and Biren proves deft at filling in the back story without overshadowing the problems of the present. New friends and young cousins provide some levity and comic relief that work well against the backdrop of raw emotion. The best kind of tragic love story. (Fiction. 15-18)