Every Other Weekend by Abigail Johnson
Adam Moynihan’s life used to be awesome. Straight As, close friends and a home life so perfect that it could have been a TV show straight out of the 50s. Then his oldest brother died. Now his fun-loving mom cries constantly, he and his remaining brother can’t talk without fighting, and the father he always admired proved himself a coward by moving out when they needed him most.
Jolene Timber’s life is nothing like the movies she loves—not the happy ones anyway. As an aspiring director, she should know, because she’s been reimagining her life as a film ever since she was a kid. With her divorced parents at each other’s throats and using her as a pawn, no amount of mental reediting will give her the love she’s starving for.
Forced to spend every other weekend in the same apartment building, the boy who thinks forgiveness makes him weak and the girl who thinks love is for fools begin an unlikely friendship. The weekends he dreaded and she endured soon become the best part of their lives. But when one’s life begins to mend while the other’s spirals out of control, they realize that falling in love while surrounded by its demise means nothing is ever guaranteed.
It was definitely the premise of this book that drew me in. Two children who are forced to spend time with someone they don’t want to decide to cut their losses by hanging out together instead. Ooooh, drama galore.
Yes, Every Other Weekend is a classic YA romantic drama, but that doesn’t mean it’s boring. This was a nice wholesome take on the forbidden relation story; Adam and Jolene will only keep seeing each other as long as their families are broken.
Jolene is definitely the more complicated character here. She keeps herself closed off, and tries to play everything off. The way her parents treat her leave her starved for love, and she isn’t always able to accept the good things in her life. Adam, on the other hand, is basic. He’s understandably angry and hurt, and he doesn’t really try to hide it. He thinks that anything is possible if someone tries hard enough, and while he doesn’t fully understand Jolene all the time, he’s always supportive. Both undergo oodles of character development, and that really comes off as the main point of the story: watching as two people grow and evolve from the circumstances they live through.
The plot plays out well, with some trivial issues, some deeper issues, and some really stressful issues. Still, Adam and Jo handle everything well enough, and you know that everything will turn out fine-for Adam at least. The story doesn’t try to sugarcoat things, nor does it force an unrealistic happy ending. Things work out as well as they can, which somehow leaves it feeling more possible and more heartwarming.
Every Other Weekend is a great, light summer read.
This book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Jolene Timber’s life is nothing like the movies she loves—not the happy ones anyway. As an aspiring director, she should know, because she’s been reimagining her life as a film ever since she was a kid. With her divorced parents at each other’s throats and using her as a pawn, no amount of mental reediting will give her the love she’s starving for.
Forced to spend every other weekend in the same apartment building, the boy who thinks forgiveness makes him weak and the girl who thinks love is for fools begin an unlikely friendship. The weekends he dreaded and she endured soon become the best part of their lives. But when one’s life begins to mend while the other’s spirals out of control, they realize that falling in love while surrounded by its demise means nothing is ever guaranteed.
It was definitely the premise of this book that drew me in. Two children who are forced to spend time with someone they don’t want to decide to cut their losses by hanging out together instead. Ooooh, drama galore.
Yes, Every Other Weekend is a classic YA romantic drama, but that doesn’t mean it’s boring. This was a nice wholesome take on the forbidden relation story; Adam and Jolene will only keep seeing each other as long as their families are broken.
Jolene is definitely the more complicated character here. She keeps herself closed off, and tries to play everything off. The way her parents treat her leave her starved for love, and she isn’t always able to accept the good things in her life. Adam, on the other hand, is basic. He’s understandably angry and hurt, and he doesn’t really try to hide it. He thinks that anything is possible if someone tries hard enough, and while he doesn’t fully understand Jolene all the time, he’s always supportive. Both undergo oodles of character development, and that really comes off as the main point of the story: watching as two people grow and evolve from the circumstances they live through.
The plot plays out well, with some trivial issues, some deeper issues, and some really stressful issues. Still, Adam and Jo handle everything well enough, and you know that everything will turn out fine-for Adam at least. The story doesn’t try to sugarcoat things, nor does it force an unrealistic happy ending. Things work out as well as they can, which somehow leaves it feeling more possible and more heartwarming.
Every Other Weekend is a great, light summer read.
This book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
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