I chose to acquire this book due to its intriguing plot. Additionally, it offers a unique portrayal of travel to Cuba within the young adult fiction genre.
Lori is beautiful, smart, and athletic. But she can’t speak or stand up for herself against a creepy guy at the gym. She also can’t tell her parents she wants to take a year off to backpack around Europe rather than go to med school. When her best friend, Faye, invites her on a weeklong trip to Cuba with her, her brother Adam, and four of his friends, she jumps at the chance. Faye is Lori’s opposite. Maybe that’s why they’re such good friends. Faye’s brother hates her, and she likes his best friend, Kellan, but wants to keep it a secret. When she hatches a scheme to make Kellan jealous, she drags everyone else into her drama—including Lori and her gym crush, who happens to be on this trip too! Soon everyone is fighting with everyone else and relationships are being ripped apart and secrets are revealed.
I valued the portrayal of the friendship between Lori and Faye, particularly the contrast between Lori's quiet and reserved nature and Faye's vibrant and promiscuous personality. Despite their differences, they managed to maintain a strong and supportive friendship. Additionally, I appreciated the character of Dean, who is Lori's love interest, and the complex dynamic that existed between Faye and her overbearing older brother, Adam. The resolution of Faye and Adam's relationship at the end was a positive development.
I found the promiscuous parts of the book less enjoyable due to content that I personally did not connect with. Additionally, there were aspects of a character, Alessio, that I did not favor, but I am unable to elaborate further without divulging spoilers.
Overall, this book is a well-crafted young adult romance suitable for leisurely reading, with an engaging beach vacation backdrop. It is worth noting that due to some mature thematic content, I would suggest this book for older teenage readers.
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