There's nothing more compelling than being a young adult and having a plan. That is, until life gets in the way of that plan, and now you're stuck, making it hard to get out of your own way. That's exactly what happened with the main characters in this book, Jurzie and Kaige. This book was a coming-of-age story with a moral that was clear as day. "'Sometimes shit happens so that other shit can happen,' I smiled, causing her to blush as she avoided eye contact."
Jurzie was the picture-perfect girl. She attended the college of her choice and had her sister, best friend, and boyfriend, Elias right by her side. Her mom was an attorney, and her dad a dentist, literally putting anything she wanted right in the palm of her hands. But as stated before, life has a funny way of changing things. Tragedy hits Jurzie, leaving her spiraling into depression and trying to figure out what her next move should be. "I'm honest, Jurzie. I haven't seen much of my girlfriend outside Facetime in the last few weeks." While Jurzie is trying to get her life back on track, she meets a welcoming distraction, Kaige. "'Who is that?' Keturah asked, turning around with a protective mug. 'My annoying group partner.'" Kaige further complicates Jurzie's already complicated situation and she's left wondering if her obligatory feelings towards Elias are more important than her heart. "'That man has your mind spinning,' Draya snickered, causing my eyes to jolt open."
Kaige's life was untraditional from the start. Born to a mother with bipolar disorder, made things even more challenging, but when his father is convicted of a crime and sentenced to fifteen years in prison, he's left being the sole guardian of his two little brothers, Paris and Lynx. Add a full-time job and college to his plate, and you can kind of understand Kaige's frustration with life. "I didn't sign up for this shit. It was placed in my lap because there was nobody else, but I was tired of solving problems I didn't create-shit, tired of solving problems at all." When Kaige finally opens up to Jurzie, he starts to feel and envision things that didn't matter before, making just about anybody reading this root for him and Jurzie's relationship. "I didn't grow up like Jurzie. We don't see the world the same, but she looks at me like it's something in me worth looking at. I feel motivated and inspired when she's around, and I need that sometimes."
This read isn't your traditional love story. The sub-plot in this book touched on mental illnesses, our frustrating justice system, along with trauma. The cutesy stuff that Jurzie and Kaige did just happened to take over. Coming of age stories are at the top of my list when it comes to tropes, and Kaylyn captured the essence of it perfectly. And for those of you that hate when the book ends, and need more of the characters, the epilogue will give you a peek into the matured versions of these characters. Giving any sucker for a happy ending another reason to swoon. If you're looking to grow up with some characters and fall in love while doing it, this is perfect read for you.