ALA Booklist

Gemma Tucker thought her summer would be perfect, but parents have a habit of ruining things. For the first time in five years, she's back in the Hamptons with her screenwriter father, and she fears running into Hallie, the former BFF she treated horribly when they were 11. Before she even gets off the train, Gemma gets into a mistaken-identity situation that seems to work on one level fore resulting in a summer's worth of crossed signals and untruths. Now toss in an unexpected crush on Hallie's brother and an even more unexpected visit from her current BFF, whose name Gemma has adopted for the summer. Along with the chain of bad decisions made and lies easily told, Finn offers up plenty of teen angst, awkward situations, pool and beach parties, a bad breakup, a burgeoning romance, revenge, and a hole that keeps getting deeper in Gemma's quest to prove she's a nice person. Give this first book in the Broken Hearts & Revenge Trilogy to fans of Lisi Harrison's the Clique series.

Horn Book

Returning to the Hamptons after five years away, Gemma immediately encounters the former best friend whose life she nearly destroyed. But Hallie thinks Gemma is someone else (or so it seems), and Gemma decides it's time to make things right. Finn's writing is sharp and the story's tension high; the cliffhanger ending will have readers watching for the sequel.

Kirkus Reviews

In this first book of a series, a 16-year-old tries to repair a friendship she destroyed five years before. Gemma's summer begins with her sweet, steady boyfriend's sudden decision to break up. Then circumstances require Gemma to leave her BFF and stay with her dad—in the Hamptons, a place that holds awful memories. It was here that 11-year-old Gemma, devastated by the possibility of her parents' divorce, broke up her father and his new girlfriend, Karen, by doing horrendously mean things to her and her daughter, Hallie. Karen and her family return for vacation, and Gemma first runs into Josh, Hallie's handsome brother, but due to her massive makeover, she goes unrecognized. It is then she decides to make it up to Hallie by doing a multitude of kind things for her. But soon Gemma's falling for Josh, and the complex plot thickens. There is much for teen readers to like here: snappy and snippy dialogue, embarrassing situations, blossoming romance, pool parties and the constant tension of maintaining a secret. But the plot threads strain the moorings of credibility, and readers will have to be willing to suspend truckloads of disbelief to stay engaged. And due to the hefty infusion of mean-girl morality, it's a challenge to stick by the main characters. Here's hoping the second volume will prove a lighter hand and a truer heart. (Fiction. 13-16)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Sixteen-year-old Gemma Tucker-s summer plans are upended after her longtime boyfriend dumps her; now she-s off to the Hamptons to live with her screenwriter father, and she isn-t happy about it. When Gemma meets a cute boy named Josh on the train, things start looking up, until she realizes his sister is Hallie Bridges. Gemma betrayed the Bridges five years earlier with disastrous repercussions for both families. Before Gemma can think otherwise, she lets the siblings believe she-s someone else, hoping to make amends and sure that Hallie doesn-t recognize her. Hallie knows more than Gemma thinks, however, and she tries to settle the score as Gemma starts dating Josh. Finn (who also writes for teens as Morgan Matson) presents a mostly lighthearted and playful story of mistaken identity and revenge. There-s a good amount of physical humor (primarily at Gemma-s expense), and what generally reads as a romantic comedy takes a dark turn as it sets up the next installment in this series. Ages 13-up. Agent: Emily Van Beek, Folio Literary Management. (May)

School Library Journal

Gr 8 Up-Gemma Tucker, 16, seems to have it all together. She has a gorgeous boyfriend in Teddy, a trusted best friend in Sophie, and excellent grades. As a child of divorced parents, Gemma has dealt with tough issues in the past, but they have been mostly resolved. At the start of the novel, however, the sophomore's life begins to fall apart. Teddy suddenly ends their relationship and her mother "surprises" her with the proposition that she spend the summer with her father in the Hamptons. For most teens, this would be a dream come true, but not for Gemma. Five summers ago, after her parents had separated, she made a much-needed friend in Hallie. All was going well until Gemma made it her mission to break up her father and Hallie's mother's budding relationship, and lost her good friend in the process. The protagonist knows that going back to the Hamptons will drag up her evil past, but armed with a new makeover, she goes and attempts to win back her old friend. In this first installment of the series, Finn introduces readers to these frenemies, and the intriguing premise of revenge on a longtime foe. The novel reads more like an entry in Sara Shepard's "Pretty Little Liars" series (Little, Brown) than a book running on its own plot course. While there's a large audience of teens looking for light dramas, readers looking for more character-driven fare would be wise to look elsewhere. Colleen S. Banick, Westport Public Schools, CT

Voice of Youth Advocates

Sixteen-year-old Gemma's summer plans are derailed by an unexpected breakup with her long-term boyfriend. Instead of doing humanitarian work in Colombia with her ex, she will be staying with her father in the Hamptons, in a glorious beach house rented by a famous movie producer. Unfortunately, this vacation brings the risk of running into Hallie, a former friend whose life Gemma basically ruined five summers ago. Gemma wants to make up for her past wrongs, but a case of mistaken identity quickly spirals out of her control, leaving her in an even bigger mess.The first in a trilogy, the book is light, frothy summer reading. The setting is charming, the characters are fun, and the dialogue is realistic. There are some truly funny scenes, and Gemma is a winning protagonist. However, the book hinges on a series of coincidences that strain credibility, and the major plot points are very predictable. Gemma's prior bad behavior is understandable, but some of her other actions and choices are hard to believe. The lack of resolution is also likely to frustrate many readers, even if they know it is the first book in a series. This is an established author with a fan base, many of whom may enjoy a light, easy read with several laugh-out-loud moments. New readers, though, are not likely to be won over.Heather Pittman.