I freaking loved this book. It's a summer beach book for sure, but it definitely wiggled it's way into my bitter reading heart. Sometimes, you just need a good, yet unique romance to just shake off other book blues.
An amazon summary, "Fresh out of high school, Babe Vogel should be thrilled to have the whole summer at her fingertips. She loves living in her lighthouse home in the sleepy Maine beach town of Oar’s Rest and being a barista at the Busy Bean, but she’s totally freaking out about how her life will change when her two best friends go to college in the fall. And when a reckless kiss causes all three of them to break up, she may lose them a lot sooner. On top of that, her ex-girlfriend is back in town, bringing with her a slew of memories, both good and bad.
And then there’s Levi Keller, the cute artist who’s spending all his free time at the coffee shop where she works. Levi’s from out of town, and even though Babe knows better than to fall for a tourist who will leave when summer ends, she can’t stop herself from wanting to know him. Can Babe keep her distance, or will she break the one rule she’s always had - to never fall for a summer boy?" AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE
Babe has just graduated from high school, loves to bake, works at the local cafe as manager, and has been looking forward to the perfect summer before her best friends (Penny and Chad) go off to college, and Babe stays in Oar's Rest, Maine.
...that is, until Babe's best friends break up. Penny didn't do a great job of breaking up with Chad, so she sends Babe off to clarify and settle things with Chad. Except, when Babe talks to Chad, Chad gets the brilliant idea to kiss Babe. Which isn't great.
Then, Elodie is back in town; Babe's ex-girlfriend who broke up with her when she went off to college in California, the other side of the United States. Babe was heart broken when Elodie left; they were secret girlfriends. Elodie wasn't out yet, but Babe had come out as bisexual a bit ago.
THEN, there's the new renter. Babe lives in a lighthouse, and her mom rents out their house since she travels for work and lives elsewhere. So they rent out their actual house during the summer. Babe manages the renters, and it turns out Levi Keller is the renter. He's a cute "summer boy" as the locals call them, and Babe has always sworn off summer boys. But, Levi may be an exception, there's something different about him.
With the impending sense of everything changing when Babe wanted to have one last perfect summer, what's Babe to do? ....bake. As in baking things in an oven, that wasn't a marijuana joke.
That's enough summary.
So for one, let's ignore that Babe is barely an adult, already a manager of the local cafe, already managing renter's for her mom's house, already living alone in a lighthouse, and already thinking about her future. It just seems like a LOT for someone so young, and she handles it all with ease and a deep sense of calm. Maybe that's just how Maine people work? Also, her friend Penny lives by herself on a house boat. So, maybe it's just a Maine thing. I don't know.
All of that aside, I LOVED the characterization of Oar's Rest, Maine. I hope it's a real place that people can visit because it sounds so lovely. The town also took on it's own character as such a strong community, and I loved reading about a small ocean town on the coast of Maine. It was all kind of dream-y feeling and romantic a lot.
Penny was obnoxious as all get out. I did not understand how Babe and Penny were friends. Babe kind of gets into it, but it seems like one of those things of opposites attract? But, Babe seemed crazy more mature than Penny, so I really feel like Penny should have been more infuriating to Babe? Also, Chad was just kind of there. He was more fully fleshed out in memories more so than actual interactions. So that was kind of meh.
Levi and Babe's relationship felt very natural, but also fun. It felt authentically new and not just Babe falling head over heels for someone. She went in with eyes wide open.
Whatever. The real point is, I loved the book. It was a great read, I wish I had been sitting on the beach while I was reading it (I live in Michigan and it has been raining, a LOT), but it was still pleasant to read even not on the beach.
Happy reading!
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