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amcinnis's review against another edition
4.0
Overview: Hart dies and his soul is put into another body. He has to make his girlfriend fall in love with him again, but he can't tell her who he is.
I was impressed with how much backstory there was in the "before he dies" part of the book. The FMC, Ruby, and MMC, Hart, are only in 11th grade in high school, but they're inseparable and have loved each other their whole lives. The middle of the book felt a little slow to me. It was about Hart (being in a new body) having to form new relationships with Ruby, his friends, and his new family. He can't "speak the words" to tell anyone who he really is so they think he's Jameson, the owner of the body he's in. He has to find a way to show them that he's Hart. The end of the book made me cry. I had a love/hate relationship with the angel Lourdes throughout the book, but she eventually won my heart. This book is clean/not spicy so it is perfect for both young adults and adults.
I was impressed with how much backstory there was in the "before he dies" part of the book. The FMC, Ruby, and MMC, Hart, are only in 11th grade in high school, but they're inseparable and have loved each other their whole lives. The middle of the book felt a little slow to me. It was about Hart (being in a new body) having to form new relationships with Ruby, his friends, and his new family. He can't "speak the words" to tell anyone who he really is so they think he's Jameson, the owner of the body he's in. He has to find a way to show them that he's Hart. The end of the book made me cry. I had a love/hate relationship with the angel Lourdes throughout the book, but she eventually won my heart. This book is clean/not spicy so it is perfect for both young adults and adults.
kearstenkeepsreading's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Oof! Sometimes you just need a book that’s going to rip your heart out then glue it back together. This book did just that! Be aware that if you are a book cryer this one will have you crying tears of heartbreak, joy, and sadness.
We start with Hart and Ruby a couple of high school kids who went from friends to lovers and love and know each other and the deepest levels. We are introduced to them a few days before “the end” and you know something is coming you just don’t know from where or for who. We get to see the love and joy that Ruby and Hart have together and then you’re hit with it. What you know has been coming for a few chapters.
Hart takes on an extra shift on the boat he and Ruby work on and despite Ruby’s pleas to not go he ends up going anyway. Through a series of events Hart ends up overboard saving the owners child at the expense of his own life.
Then we jump five months ahead. Ruby is a shell of herself. Her friends have drifted away and she can’t bring herself to find joy in anything she did before. Especially when every memory has a piece of Hart in it. Unbeknownst to her a hitch in the universe is about to turn her world upside down and she has to decide if she will allow herself to move forward and on or allow herself to be pulled under by the grief.
This is such a great story filled with so much love, not just romantic love but family and friendship through the toughest of times. It’s about letting go and learning to find a way forward even if it breaks your heart. It’s also about never giving up and that true love can even make the universe bend to its will.
We start with Hart and Ruby a couple of high school kids who went from friends to lovers and love and know each other and the deepest levels. We are introduced to them a few days before “the end” and you know something is coming you just don’t know from where or for who. We get to see the love and joy that Ruby and Hart have together and then you’re hit with it. What you know has been coming for a few chapters.
Hart takes on an extra shift on the boat he and Ruby work on and despite Ruby’s pleas to not go he ends up going anyway. Through a series of events Hart ends up overboard saving the owners child at the expense of his own life.
Then we jump five months ahead. Ruby is a shell of herself. Her friends have drifted away and she can’t bring herself to find joy in anything she did before. Especially when every memory has a piece of Hart in it. Unbeknownst to her a hitch in the universe is about to turn her world upside down and she has to decide if she will allow herself to move forward and on or allow herself to be pulled under by the grief.
This is such a great story filled with so much love, not just romantic love but family and friendship through the toughest of times. It’s about letting go and learning to find a way forward even if it breaks your heart. It’s also about never giving up and that true love can even make the universe bend to its will.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Grief
khaleesit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.25
bookishgirl089's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
georgiasbookescapes's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Ruby and Hart have loved each other since they were children. But in a bid to make more money for their sailboat, Hart dies in a tragic accident. But due to divine intervention Hart gets a second chance in the body of bad boy Jameson. Now Hart has little time to find his way back to Ruby.
Younger me as a teen would honestly have frothed this book about soul mates who met as children! And I think many people will LOVE this book. But unfortunately for me I think I was the wrong age for this youthful soulmates story and found it too young for my preferred taste. If you love YA and soulmates you’ll love this!
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin for this ARC!
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin for this ARC!
sl_val15's review against another edition
2.0
2 stars
************************************
How can I describe this book according to the synopsis: Ride Your Wave meets You've Reached Sam
Meaning I should get the tissue boxes ready.
************************************
How can I describe this book according to the synopsis: Ride Your Wave meets You've Reached Sam
Meaning I should get the tissue boxes ready.
anisiaguerrero's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
5.0
adriannasophiabookss's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you so much to Penguin Random House for sending me a copy of this book to review! The premise sounded really unique and heart wrenching so I wanted to pick it up.
This is a YA romance novel with a hint of magical realism. Ruby and Hart have been best friends and soulmates since they were kids and when Hart tragically drowns in a boating accident Ruby is absolutely devastated. However, Hart has been given a second chance. The catch? His soul is transferred to the body of the local bad boy Jameson Romanelli who Ruby can’t stand. When he returns to town as Jameson his goal is to get Ruby back but forbidden to tell the truth about his situation, it may be harder than he thought. Ruby however is immediately drawn to Jameson when he emerges from his coma and the two develop a tentative friendship. Will Ruby work out the truth or is Hart destined to be lost to her forever?
This was heart wrenching. Although Hart dies within the first few chapters, through his inner monologue as Jameson you really get to see the depth of his love for Ruby and you get a sense of how their relationship was which causes you to root for them. The fact that nothing was simple in terms of Hart’s situation also made the plot more interesting and there were multiple times where I thought he had finally succeeded but then the moment would slip away. The whole thing with Josie is what really got me, I love my dog with my whole heart and it just made me think about how she would know me if I was in this situation and what that would be like.
The magical realism elements were really interesting. Lourdes was a really fun character and the added consequences for her made the stakes even higher. I’m really attached to these characters. The whole time I just fell a rollercoaster of emotions, there would be happy scenes and then tense scenes and sad scenes. This book is compared to You’ve Reached Sam which I haven’t read yet but from what I’ve heard I would say this packs the same emotional punch.
If you’re looking for a good angsty and emotional YA romance then this is for you. Also the cover is stunning which is a bonus. This came out on 6th June so you can pick it up now. Grab the tissues though.
This is a YA romance novel with a hint of magical realism. Ruby and Hart have been best friends and soulmates since they were kids and when Hart tragically drowns in a boating accident Ruby is absolutely devastated. However, Hart has been given a second chance. The catch? His soul is transferred to the body of the local bad boy Jameson Romanelli who Ruby can’t stand. When he returns to town as Jameson his goal is to get Ruby back but forbidden to tell the truth about his situation, it may be harder than he thought. Ruby however is immediately drawn to Jameson when he emerges from his coma and the two develop a tentative friendship. Will Ruby work out the truth or is Hart destined to be lost to her forever?
This was heart wrenching. Although Hart dies within the first few chapters, through his inner monologue as Jameson you really get to see the depth of his love for Ruby and you get a sense of how their relationship was which causes you to root for them. The fact that nothing was simple in terms of Hart’s situation also made the plot more interesting and there were multiple times where I thought he had finally succeeded but then the moment would slip away. The whole thing with Josie is what really got me, I love my dog with my whole heart and it just made me think about how she would know me if I was in this situation and what that would be like.
The magical realism elements were really interesting. Lourdes was a really fun character and the added consequences for her made the stakes even higher. I’m really attached to these characters. The whole time I just fell a rollercoaster of emotions, there would be happy scenes and then tense scenes and sad scenes. This book is compared to You’ve Reached Sam which I haven’t read yet but from what I’ve heard I would say this packs the same emotional punch.
If you’re looking for a good angsty and emotional YA romance then this is for you. Also the cover is stunning which is a bonus. This came out on 6th June so you can pick it up now. Grab the tissues though.