Just One Summer Book Review

I recently finished reading Just One Summer by Nicole Deese, Tammy L. Gray, Amy Matayo, and Jenny B. Jones.
Synopsis
Four Best Friends. Four Love Stories. Just One Summer.


Four college girls, best friends since childhood, have found one constant in their ever-changing lives--summer. Every June the girls choose a destination to reconnect, only this summer is different. This year, each one must face life's challenges on her own, overcome fear and failure, and learn the beauty of falling in love for the first time.

My Favorite Quote
I actually found two different parts in this book that stood out to me.

   "...how do you explain fear to a person who freely runs toward the future?  You can't." (A Summer Remade by Nicole Deese page 129)  I like this quote because I think a lot of college age people feel this way.  We fear what will happen in our futures and if we are currently making the right choice.  I really like reading stories were I can identify with characters on a more personal level.

   "People just like me, but with different shells.  But shells are just that -a personalized way of presenting ourselves to the world-a world that's spinning and moving and changing and filled with so much exterior color that often people forget to stop running and take a second to look around." (A Painted Summer by Amy Matayo page 246)  This quote I found interesting because I've met people who may look different or even scary on the outside, but they turned out to be some of the nicest, most kindhearted people I have ever met.  I also loved that the author used the word "shells" to describe one's outward appearance.

   Note: I'm not pretending to know what the authors meant by these bits that I extracted.  I'm just sharing how each quote made me think about my life and the world around me.

My Review
   I picked up this book because one of my favorite authors wrote one of the short stories in it.  I had previously never heard of any of the other authors, but I thoroughly enjoyed each novella.  Since each story had a different author, all of the girls had a distinct voice and personality.  Joss' passion is interior design, but she's afraid to follow her dreams.  Sydney's trying to escape controlling parents and an ex-boyfriend who won't take no for an answer.  Darby's living on her own and working at a job that she doesn't quite know if she approves of morally.  Avery is unwillingly reconnecting with a grandfather she's never met.  Each girl sorts through her own life's drama while trying to balance her love life and keeping in touch with her other best friends.  I enjoyed Avery's story the most, because stories of families working through their problems and finding redemption always make me tear up, but in a good way.  My favorite male lead was Lennon, Darby's love interest.  I like guys who may look like the bad boy on the outside, but actually is super sweet.
   I also really enjoyed this story because it was about people my own age.  Clean New Adult books are hard to find, but this one is definitely what I've been looking for!

Links
   http://www.amazon.com
   http://www.barnesandnoble.com