I can't really review this because I couldn't finish it.  The story just didn't grab my attention.

I Was Provided A ARC Through NetGalley
(Possible Spoilers)

 Once And For All is a beautiful book about second chances, the many forms of love, and life. Louna Barrett & Ambrose Little are characters that I instantly want to revisit.

Louna Barrett is looking forward to a easy summer. She's preparing for college in the fall, and spending the last summer working for her mother and godfather at where they run a sucessful wedding planing bussiness. But the summer might not be so easy when she has her best friend, pushing her to make it a epic one, before they head to college. Her best friend, Jilly, wants her to embrace the dating life and get back out there. But Louna isn't so sure she's ready for that. She's still dealing with a past relationship, one she finds hard to talk about.

One thing that is sure making her summer interesting, and she can't decided if its in a good or bad way yet, is the tall, handsome, a little unique, and just a lot to take in,  Ambrose Little. He's a loud, says what he wants, pain in her side. And now he'll be working next to her all summer. But Louna finds her self fascinated, with the way Ambrose lives. He just lives his life, does not care what anyone thinks, and does everything with a smile. Maybe the epic summer of memories isn't such a far off idea for Louna.  If only the past, didn't make her so nervous of the future.

Amazing characters. Silly, loving, strong and real. While reading Louna & Ambrose's story, I felt like I've know them forever. Louna is a sweet and simple, girl. She grew, healed, and found something special in her epic summer before college. Ambrose was a very different, but total lovable, goofy, sweet character. I couldn't get enough of him. Not only did I love Louna and Ambrose, like with all Sarah Dessen's Novels, I was fascinated by each one of the side characters in this book. Each one brings something special to this fantastic story.

Each time I open the pages to a new Sarah Dessen novel, I find myself instantly hooked. Captivated by the flawless storytelling, each unique and lovable character, and a story that is sure to stay with me. Sarah Dessen's writing has held my attention for years. I have been reading her work since I was fourteen, and twelve years later, I still get so excited to dive into her books. I am drawn into her stories and I don't want to leave. I fall in love with each book. Every time.

After reading and falling in love with this book, and shedding a few tears, I will hands down recommend everyone read this book. All Sarah Dessen books. She is a great voice for all generations. She makes you reminisce about first crush's and love. See the dynamics of all kinds of families, friendships and relationships. Touches on real, scary and sad things that happen in our world.  And shows the hope everyone has, for love, life, happiness and second chances.

*I read this in March 2017. I wrote this review in March. Book is out in June. I read it as an arc. As always, this is my completely honest opinion.

Once I heard the summary of this novel, I knew I had to read it.

Here’s the thing. My parents work the wedding industry-they’re wedding photographers (and children’s photographers, but in this case, I’m focusing on weddings). It’s the family business. This means, I assist a lot (especially in the children’s photography). Working the wedding industry is being part of a special community. Immediately, I knew I would love Louna.

I especially love how cynical she is about love (being kind of cynical myself), but I love even more how Sarah Dessen weaves a story that’s both happy and sad and everything in between.

This book touched me and made me feel all the things. It reminded me why Dessen is the queen of YA and why her readers love everything she writes. Her books have a depth to them that sometimes you don’t notice until you’re halfway into the book. I cried while reading this book, but I also laughed. It was hopeful, it said that new beginnings do happen.

I think what I love most about this book is that it’s real. Louna’s feelings, Ambrose’s feelings, even Louna’s mother and William’s feelings are genuine. These characters are developed. I vividly imagined them to the extent that I could see myself engaging with all of them in real life. I know people in the wedding industry here that are a lot like Natalie and William.

Just for kicks, I started Once and for All while working at a bridal fair. Day 2 started really slow, so I sat down on the couch and read to my heart’s content. It was hilarious seeing wedding antics while observing wedding antics.

My parent’s wedding studio is Hidden Kiss Studio if you want to check them out. They travel. 😉

This book definitely made me want to read more Sarah Dessen. I’ve read (in this order): Someone Like You, Saint Anything, Along for the Ride, Just Listen, and Once and for All. Which one should I read next?

Sarah Dessen's novels are classics. Over the years, I've made my way through each and every one of them. They're some of my favorite books to read during the summer and I've read most of them multiple times. Once and For All is Dessen's best yet and that's saying something. If you've ever hesitated to pick up one of her novels for fear that it might be too sweet and sugary, now is the time. This novel has an overall light and fun tone, but it doesn't shy away from heavier topics. 

The plot has a rewarding sense of parallel structure without loose ends and unnecessary questions. Louna is cynical about love without coming across as pretentious or holier-than-thou. Your feelings about Ambrose change along with Louna's. He at first comes off as annoying and will grate on your nerves, but throughout the plot he grows on you and he was one of my favorite characters. 

Louna and her mother work in wedding planning, which of course comes with drama and some bridezillas, but it never demonizes the women who want everything possible out of their wedding day. Instead it recognizes how the most level-headed women can feel the weight of the stress of a wedding and all that comes with it. The fast-paced nature of the weddings and the dramatics that ensue add a comedic element to the novel, along with all of Ambrose's antics. 

If you're looking for something to read this summer, Once and for All is it.

I have only recently discovered Sarah Dessen’s books, but I have enjoyed each one that I have picked up. I had high hopes for this one, and I can safely say that I was not let down. This book tells the story of a wedding planner’s daughter and contains a main character who is a real thinker. There are many flashbacks throughout the book, which add a lot of anticipation. Once and for All is a cutesy yet serious book that I am sure will appeal to everyone.

One of the main things that drew me to this book is the originality. The main character is the daughter of a wedding planner, but doesn’t believe in true love herself. I found all the behind-the-scenes wedding aspects to be so fascinating, and I learned that I would never be able to handle the stress of a job like this. The plot thickens as an arrogant rich boy is recruited to work for the wedding company, and I loved the comedic conversations he and the main character have. The way that the staff always predict how long the newlyweds’ marriage will last was also very entertaining. This book is cute and amusing, perfect for the beach.

Louna is a character with such a complex backstory that I wasn’t expecting when the book first began. She is so developed, and I really enjoyed how she is always up for a challenge. Louna is respectful, hardworking, and a great problem-solver, which comes in handy when brides freak out. I found her character to be the perfect narrator for a book like this, and she brought a lot of heart to the book.

I really enjoyed the use of flashbacks in this book. It’s kind of hard to describe without spoiling, but the bit of suspense added to the story really gripped me. This book is a bit slow-paced, so it takes a while to get to the big reveal, so it does kind of lose its thunder. However, I still liked being transported back to Louna’s past for an explanation of her actions.

Once and for All is an adorable contemporary with wedding planning aspects and a logical main character. I loved the use of flashbacks and the suspense that came with them. Whether you are a new or longtime Dessen fan, this book will not disappoint!

3.5 stars

I had high expectations for this one, and while I liked Once and for All, I didn't love it. Louna and Ambrose were likable characters. Ambrose quirky and charming and Louna is his complete opposite, but what's sad is that I didn't feel much chemistry between them. Not on the same level I felt the chemistry between Louna and Ethan. (No worries, there isn't a love triangle. Ethan is her ex, but that's all I'm going to say because spoilers.) Nonetheless I liked the sense of adventure in this story, and of course, I loved watching each character grow and learn, as they always do in a Sarah Dessen book. What was even more fun was the little teases about old book friends like Wes and Macy and Auden and Eli. <3 Even though I was slightly disappointed, I still liked Once and for All, and I recommend giving it a shot--especially if you're a long time Sarah Dessen fan like myself.

3.5 Stars, Read May 8, 2017

Being the daughter of a popular wedding planner, Louna has practically seen every type of wedding imaginable, some with hysterical brides, others couples with cold feet or misbehaved wedding guests, and not uncommonly all of the above sometimes. Witnessing the imperfect side of those in romantic relationships has made her somewhat cynical about happily ever afters and question if they even really exist. It doesn’t help that her first love ended tragically. So when Louna meets happy go lucky, serial dater Ambrose her heart by default knows to be wary of stepping into romance territory and she decides to keep him at arm’s length. But that isn’t going to stop Ambrose seeing as he’s finally met the girl that he really wants.

The day has come. I, Summer, have been approved to read a book by one of my top three favorite authors. (They are, in no particular order, Sarah Dessen, Cassandra Clare, and J.K. Rowling in case you were curious.) I had hoped that my few years of blogging would eventually lead to this surreal moment.

So, yeah, to say that I’m kind of a massive Dessen superfan would even be an understatement. Before I knew I was granted access to this eARC, regardless of whether I was going to get to read this early or not I had already preordered my copy since the premise had me so pumped (and I take pride in the fact that I own all of Dessen’s books and in multiple editions). Because, come on, a second chance love story written by Queen Dessen herself? With weddings and wedding planning stuff? And a sprinkle of rom-com feels? A million times YES! (It almost feels like I’m accepting a proposal with that enthusiastic answer, haha.)

Therefore it shouldn’t be much of surprise that I finished this baby in a matter of days. And I’d say that this is one of the better works that Dessen has written in a while. (Her last couple were good but not amazing, in my opinion.) I think Once and for All will also be a more memorable one because there’s a dash of harsh but relevant reality included in the subplot (with Louna’s first relationship).

Which brings me to the fact that Once and For All is quite a strange and unique book. Readers get to experience two (well, technically, even three) different relationships that involve the main female protagonist. (And a myriad of relationships with the male lead since he’s kind of a ladies’ man and all.)

“Are you serious, with all this?”
“What this?” I nodded at the door, which Grace had left slightly open behind her. “The way you talked to her. Is it a joke, or not?”
“I never joke when it comes to pretty girls,” he replied. Of course he didn’t.
“Don’t feel bad about not understanding me, though,” he said. “I’m kind of an enigma. Mysterious, hard to know.”
“People that are hard to know don’t often announce the fact they are hard to know,” I pointed out.

Each of the three romances that Louna experiences are so different. With Ethan it feels exactly as how she describes it to readers: a little too fast and rushed, but also nothing short of enchanting. Almost dream-like even. Which also adds to the theory of how first love can feel magical or so I’ve heard. With Ambrose, Louna builds a steady friendship that involves a lot of bickering and silly betting. I believe readers will get the most rom-com feels out of this one. And lastly with Ben, more of a brief rebound that is underdeveloped (which is the point because it’s not supposed to last).

“Look, you don’t have to explain yourself,” he said easily. “I’m not for everyone.”
Again, this was said with such ease, a plain truth. What was it like to be so confident even in your failings that you weren’t the least bit bothered when other people pointed them out? I was almost envious.

Ambrose is unlike most of the Dessen boys I’ve encountered so far. If I met a guy like him in real life I wouldn’t be attracted to him or deem him dateble at all. He doesn’t do serious relationships or commitments, but I suppose it’s alright since he at least is honest and open about it from the start. Though I was hesitant toward liking him, I’m sure that there will be readers that will be charmed by Ambrose as much as Louna (eventually) was. He has his flaws and his initial morals in regards to dating and relationships are questionable, but he does prove to readers multiple times throughout the story that he’s not a bad guy.

"I’d spent less than a day with Ethan, but still felt he knew me better than just about anyone. You can’t measure love by time put in, but the weight of those moments. Some in life are light, like a touch."

From my earlier statement about Louna and her three relationships it can be predicated that flashbacks are, indeed, used. I normally don’t like this type of storytelling but I did think it was executed well and not in a confusing or boring manner. In fact, I really enjoyed getting to the parts of Louna’s past with her first love. It was exciting and the perfect blend of romanticism and realism that readers need amidst the cutesy and playful story with Ambrose. The way the flashbacks were incorporated provided a good balance, surprisingly.

"The time we’d been together had been so short and yet so intense that everything was sped up, like the difference between dog and people years. I already felt like I’d known him forever. This was what love was. I knew it now. And it changed everything."

And with Louna’s short but romantic time together with Ethan readers really get the sense of how it’s not the duration of the relationship but rather the intensity of one that truly matters. I’m no expert in romance, dating, or relationships, but it feels like Dessen really nailed this concept. Once and for All exemplifies the idea that love and heartbreak can happen with no specific time parameters. It doesn’t matter how long a couple was together for. It could have been 5 years or five months, but they could have still felt the same level or impact of love or heartbreak as long as their relationship possessed enough depth.

“For a set period, I agree to date the way you do, multiple people, no commitment. At the same time, you find one girl and see her exclusively. We see who bows out first.”

Needless to say, the cliché, cheesy elements often associated with romance contemporaries were certainly present, but this wasn’t necessarily a bad thing for me (well kind of-I’ll bring this up again later in the review).

However, there is a twist about Louna’s past with Ethan that readers may love or hate. Personally, I have mixed feelings about it. There were many hints that lead readers to realize what had happened with Ethan and how Louna’s relationship with him ended. I thought the twist worked okay but, in hindsight, I also didn’t think I interpreted it to be as deep as Dessen probably wanted it to be for readers.

Louna’s experience with her first boyfriend is devastating, sure. But, personally, I didn’t feel like it was on the same scale of depth as what Dessen’s previous heroines have had to deal with before e.g. Annabel’s rape or Macy’s grief over her father’s death. But maybe I felt this way because I had already guessed the big twist early on and knew that Ethan and her were a failed relationship because of it. Therefore, my final rating wasn’t influenced by this.

Instead it was on the too cheesy ending. How Louna moves on from her traumatic experience with her first relatonship and overcomes her skeptism towards love was a bit too cheesy (and unrealistically coincidental) for my liking. I won’t elaborate on this because of major spoilers, but I think those that have read Once and for All know what ending scene I’m pointing to.

"It took a lot to have hope in this world where so little evidence of it existed. We may all start in the same place, at a church, watching a couple begin a whole new life together. But what we glimpse beyond that is different for each of us, a funhouse mirror reflection of our own experience. Maybe if nothing bad had ever happened, you didn’t even consider those clouds and storms ahead. But for the rest of us, even the brightest sunshine carried a chance of rain. It was only a matter of time."

I loved that the plot revolved around weddings and wedding planning. I found the theories that Louna, her mother, and her mother’s best friend and business partner and Louna’s gay godfather, William, collected after years of experience in the business to be comical and fascinating. Dessen goes in a lot of detail with the entire thing-perhaps, a little too much at times-from the way flowers are arranged, the process of getting the venue, etc but I didn’t mind.

And I was especially fond of how Dessen depicted an only child with a single parent that had a business. I could relate to the many responsibilities and obligations Louna had when she helped out her mom. Without signing up, wedding planning became something she was an expert in and she was ready to leave it behind after high school; college was her escape. This book truly brought me back to when I had to work at the family business during high school myself. (Like the fact that Louna had to work her graduation day reminded me of when I worked the morning of my prom. The things we, kids that grew up in family businesses, had to sacrifice and get used to.)

But going back to William, I noticed (and appreciated) Dessen’s attempts of diversifying the cast by including people of color and different sexualities. Though, it’s disappointing that they were all supporting roles. It was nice to see that this book had more of a melting pot cast compared to her previous work.

“It’s about the courage to go for what you want, not just what you think you need.”

Gosh, I promise I wasn’t planning to write an essay for this review, but I guess I was so excited to touch on so many aspects of the novel that it sort of happened naturally. Anyway, I thought Once and for All was yet another delightful read by Queen Dessen. It still doesn’t beat my top favorites by her, but I believe it’s probably the best she’s put out in recent years. Actually, if I did quarter or smaller decimal ratings 3.75 stars would be more of an exact, true rating.

To conclude, I couldn’t have thought of a better way to start my summer than this. So to fellow returning devoted fans of Dessen, this will definitely be the perfect summery read you’ve been long awaiting.

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Quotes were taken from an uncorrected advance readers copy.

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Thank you Viking Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review Once and for All. In no way did this affect my reading experience or honest review.

I love looking at reviews of Sarah Dessen’s books and seeing people who have left their teenage years behind who continue to read her. That’s how long she’s been writing. I think this is her 13th full length novel, and while they are all standalone, characters do inhabit the same universe, with some previous couples popping in and out of each other’s stories. It’s one of the fun parts of reading—who will cameo in this one? (Not telling, the surprise is the best bit!)

In Once and For All, Louna is a 17 year old girl who works part time for her mother’s wedding planning business. She’s practical, organised, and can follow a run sheet like nobody else. Ambrose bursts into her ordered world, bringing with him spontaneity, chaos, and idealism, a combination that irritates the heck  out of cynical Louna. It’s terrific to see her take him down in a few sharp, sentences, and the number of times she could say (but doesn’t), I told you so, is hilarious. Dessen, the word master, describes Ambrose through Louna’s eyes the first time she sees him:

He was like that upside-down exclamation point at the beginning of a sentence in Spanish, the mere appearance of which warned of something complicated ahead.

Trouble! That’s for sure.

While it’s clear the end game is romance, Dessen doesn’t avoid serious topics. She’s also interested in portraying family in its many guises. Here we have Louna’s mother, abandoned by her husband when Louna is only two, joining forces with William to became creative wedding planners, and thereby creating an odd but thoroughly significant family unit. Both Natalie and William are cynical about love and happy-ever-afters, but paradoxically, this makes them the perfect combination for planning weddings. William as a gay man, has been a strong supporter and father figure to Louna for 15 years, and is always there when she needs him. I love this expression of family.

A serious topic explored here is that of school shootings. Louna’s experience is long distanced, but completely traumatising. Her involvement is told through flashbacks and accounts for why she dismisses Ambrose so utterly. The emotional impact on readers when it’s revealed shows how good a writer Dessen is… she lays out the clues, and as we swap back and forth between hard-edged Louna fighting off charming Ambrose, and the one night of intimacy Louna shared with her soul mate Ethan, and the pay-off is a long-time coming, increasing its authenticity and satisfaction.

As I say, it’s more than just the romance. Louna’s best friend Kirby juggles the job of babysitting many younger siblings, her own part-time work, a boyfriend, and a jittery Louna, unable to move on after Ethan. When Louna’s mum employs Ambrose (for a variety of reasons), his ineptness and lack of concern for that, tires Louna, but also frees her up to enjoy her last summer. The weddings being planned are sentimental but sometimes hilarious (a circus theme? Really?), and then there’s the rescue dog, the dare, and the ongoing trauma of Ethan. He’s a pervasive presence, both good and bad.

This is an engaging book, with lots of story and character. Dessen takes her time and as you’d expect, it takes a while to tie up all the threads satisfactorily, but she does and they do, and I completely loved this book.

Thanks to publisher and Netgalley for offered an advanced copy. Out everywhere on June 6. Highly recommended for lovers of Sarah Dessen’s work (naturally), and for teens who enjoy novels that are more than just the romance, who love that all the characters shine, and who love their boys swoony, yet flawed.

I always look forward to whatever new book Sarah Dessen comes out with each year. She's an immensely talented writer and her ideas never seem old or repetitive, which is impressive for someone who's written as many books as she has (and largely dealing with the same type of subject matter!) I enjoyed Once and For All very much (though it wasn't as good as Saint Anything but that one is hard to top!)

Once and For All tells the story of 18-year-old Louna, about to head off to college after one final summer working for her wedding planner mother. Louna's mother is *the best* wedding planner around, so Louna has learned a lot of things about how to manage all types of brides, grooms and weddings. She's also learned a great deal about love and is cynical about "happily ever after" something she picked up from her mother and her own romantic past. The flashback chapters where the story of Louna's previous relationship unfolds were some of my favorites, though Dessen lets readers know ahead of time that the ending will be tragic (some more sensitive readers might need a TW for violence and mass shooting situations). Even still, I enjoyed those chapters and seeing two different types of Louna: the Louna we saw as readers and the Louna that she was before that moment.

Of course, it wouldn't be a romance without a new guy and he comes in the form of Ambrose, the wild and unpredictable brother-of-the-bride. Ambrose, heedless of consequences and anything but fun, is forced into working for Louna's mother over the summer, which often puts him at odds with Louna. However, they grow to enjoy one another's company and develop and understanding and eventually challenge each other to a bet involving members of the opposite sex. I actually liked Ambrose a great deal. Normally I tend to roll my eyes at the boy-man characters but I found Ambrose to be charming, endearing and consistently more likable than Louna. I felt like he was a great character and I really found myself rooting for him throughout the events of the novel.

All and all, Once and For All was a great read and another win for Sarah Dessen! I would recommend it for teens who like a romance with substance -and a little bit of tragedy- and for those readers who like to fall in love with their characters. Louna and Ambrose are substantial enough for another to connect with and grow to love!

Now if only Sarah Dessen, Queen of YA Romance and True Love, could write a novel featuring a girl who loves another girl. But maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part ;)

Dessen’s latest YA novel takes readers to the world of wedding planning. Louna’s mom busily helps brides plan and prepare for their upcoming nuptials. Louna helps in the business. At one of the weddings, she meets Ambrose, a very confident, charismatic young man who drives her absolutely crazy. But, Louna is not looking for companionship or a relationship; recent events in her life have left her numb when it comes to love. As the full story unfolds, readers may need a tissue.

Set up like many of Dessen’s novels – young heroine, with a problem, meets a great young guy who helps pick up the pieces – this is one of my favorites. The characters are fun, with the quirkiness of a wedding planner’s world bringing out some eye rolling moments. Its light writing style draws the reader into the narrative, where the reader discovers the heavier, darker elements in the plot. I found so many quotable lines throughout the book, making readers think about life and what really matters. You’ll laugh; you’ll want to cry; and there are times when you want everyone to live happily ever after. Highly recommended.

A feel-good story sprinkled with humour. This was just what I needed to get me out of a reading slump. I have liked all of Sarah Dessen's books but this is my favourite. Complex, fun characters, an unusual setting, interlinking relationships, and wit = a great book!

Louna has grown up around the wedding business run by her mom and her mom's best friend.  After a heartbreaking experience with love herself, she is somewhat cynical about the idea of true love herself.  When her mother hires the brother of a groom, Ambrose, Louna can't believe it.  Ambrose drives her crazy in general, and by the fact that he's always surrounded by girls and is constantly dating a different one.  A bet between the two - that she can't go on frequent dates and that he can't commit to one person - leads them right to each other eventually.  But after her great heartbreak, can Louna take a chance once and for all? This was such a great read.  I enjoyed every moment.  I absolutely loved both Louna's and Ambrose's characters and found myself relating to both of them.  I normally recommend Sarah Dessen books to my students - I have several on my school bookshelf, in fact.  I will not recommend this one because there is one part that is just too mature (sexual situation) for my students, and honestly, I felt like it didn't need to be there.  I would definitely recommend to older girls, but not my middle-school aged ones.

Review to come when I'm not falling asleep!

Updated: 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.

I was super excited to get this book as I am a fan of Dessen. Counting this book, I have read 12 out of 13 of her books and the rating breakdown is as follows:  1 star=0, 2=3, 3=4, 4=1, 5=4. So averaging out to 3.5 total or liked to really liked. I would say this one was more okay to liked.

It followed the usual elements of Dessen, young girl struggling with something meets a boy who she doesn't necessarily like at first but through various somewhat unrealistic experiences learns he has a heart of gold and is the one for her. As usual, I liked the dynamics of the female relationships and seeing the interplay of our MC and her family. I especially liked Louna's family and found her mother and godfather to be great. I liked the incorporation of wedding planning and liked seeing how that played out into Louna's beliefs of love. 

Criticisms would be that something very serious and very bad happened to Louna's love and it never felt like it was properly addressed. Like she was just basic heartbroken but if she'd been that devastated wouldn't they have done more to help her? As a counselor, I have to advocate for counselor's on this one. I think Louna needed to be seeing one but on the other hand I also think the level of devastation she did have was unrealistic. The insta-love with BF 1 was pretty hard-core, going to far as to <spoiler> lose her virginity to him on the very first night she meets him (which is also the only time they were actually together in person) </spoiler>. That definitely bothered me. The fact that that twitter-pation was set up to be the ideal <i> love </i> that every other relationship in her life would have to live up to was CRAZY. Love...real love...is NOT like that. It is not the butterflies, hormones, insanity that you admittedly will have with someone at first. It is seeing that person at their very worst, physically, mentally and emotionally and STILL loving them, and the same for them with you. Yes, you should have chemistry but....love lived out on a day to day basis is way more than just sharing pie with a boy one night in a diner.

Speaking of chemistry...I wasn't feeling this one. Yes Ambrose was charming but it seemed so forced and I never could get a sense of the spark between the two of them. I think the love relationship was sacrificed at the cost of keeping the story on Louna's development. However, if the focus was to have been on Louna growing and healing, then that could have been handled better. Like I said before, she only seemed to show some indication of change right at the very end and it didn't seem appropriate.

Overall, I was thrilled to get this ARC and pleased that Dessen had tackled some hard subjects while including more diversity. Compared to my 5 star rating on her last book though, this one just didn't cut it for me.

When Louna's first love ends tragically she focuses on school and her part-time job working for her mother's wedding planning business. The last thing she is interested in is Ambrose, the wayward son of her mother's latest client. But forced to work together, they try to accept each other's very different set of values.
Ms. Dessen has done a great job in describing Louna's maturing in a very realistic way. Unlike some of her earlier titles, this book is lighter and a fast read. Thoroughly enjoyable.

I'm not gonna comment on my favorite topic: the writing style. There's a reason why Mrs. Dessen is one of the most famous authors out there today. My main focus, even while I was reading, were the plot and the characters.
I really loved the story and the setting it was in. It was well-executed, well-presented and very fun to read. It seemed, and this is going to sound odd (it is to me too because I have little knowledge of synesthesia) but I saw it like spring, in blue and beige pastels.
I enjoyed the characters too. Louna was beautifully written and her development was the main point of the story. For the first time in a while I actually enjoyed having the romance part of the story slightly in the background.
It's a great book, and I'm glad I got the chance to read it and write this review before it's release.

I received this e-arc for an honest review, thanks a million!

The book synopsis really fits the book description, the wedding organizing involves so many things, especially when there are more weddings at the time. Louna, the main character is about to graduate from High School and at the same she is employee to her mom who’s the wedding planner together with her best friend/ business partner William. Thus this is a snap of very busy, crazy wedding season with more to come. Louna doesn’t believe in “happy ever after”, not after what she had to go through. The book will be emotional read, all sums up to it and I loved the dramatic ending! 🙂 sneak peek, let me not tell the spoilers.

I have not read many books by the author, this is actually my second book, and the first one was read years ago, thus this was new discovery about author’s writing.
The book starts with present and then switches to another timeline, continuing with two different timelines throughout the entire book, mostly Louna’s memories. Louna is giving a reader a vivid description, and story line about each of other characters, including her best friends, whose aim is to sent Louna back on dating AND recording the amazing summer before the college.

Mr. charming, Ambrose, is annoying and one day/night dating person, who flies from one girl to another like a butterfly and have bunch of them running after him at every corner and place. This is something Louna has to deal on every day basis when Ambrose get the co-worker position at her mother’s company. And plus to all of that, she has to show him how to work on certain tasks.

It’s a fun and emotional read, dramatic at the times. I was surprised by the ending and what was behind Louna and Ambrose!

Exactly what I want from a Sarah Dessen book. Romance, heartache, and love.  Humorous and full of emotion, Sarah Dessen continues to write YA novels that are so much more than just a teen love story.  The wedding planning aspect of this story was a delight to read and the struggle to survive after facing a terrible loss make this a strong book. I loved it and look forward (as always) to more.

When I got the notification for this Galley, my high school self just about screamed. High school self had read every Sarah Dessen book she could get her hands on, multiple times, in a rotating order. High school self and friends rated the dreamy-ness of all the love interests (Wes was our favorite, Dexter a close second) and mapped out which characters crossed over into other books. High school self even wrote an article for the school newspaper about Dessen’s books and it made the front page of the entertainment section for the May issue.

But let me get to the point.

Sarah Dessen’s writing has an almost magical quality to it that sucks you into the pages and pulls on your heartstrings and steals your time away, because before you know it, it’s four in the morning and you’re internally sobbing over characters that you just met. At least that’s how it was with Once and for All.

Once and for All is about love– not just romantic love, but first love, family love, broken love, all love in its many forms and functions. It’s also about weddings and bets, but I’ll get to that. Louna is our main character in this novel, she’s a smart, overly cautious, recent high school graduate, working at her mother’s wedding planning business for the summer. Being the daughter of a highly popular wedding planner, she’s seen weddings of all shapes, sizes, and meltdowns. As expected, Louna is cynical about love and marriage and happily ever after. *cue dramatic flashbacks to Louna’s first love*

Enter Ambrose. He’s an absolutely charming weirdo and I mean that in the nicest of ways. (I think he’s up there on that list with Wes and Dexter, now.) Abrose is a bit cocky and a lot rich, but as Louna’s counterpart, he loves to love (and by that I mean he’s a serial dater). After a bit of a rocky start, Louna and Ambrose develop a friendship and place an entertaining bet– but as to what, you’ll have to read and find out.

Dessen has tackled some serious topic in her other novels and Once and for All is no exception. Louna’s flashbacks, which alternate chapters with real time, build up to some heartbreaking truths that I won’t spoil, but Dessen is really on the nose with writing about the somber subject.

Once and for All nicely tells us Louna’s journey to self discovery and coming to terms with things that you cannot change. The cast of characters are fun to get to know and all add their own purpose to the story– shout out to Louna’s mom and William for the best duo and BFF Jilly for being all around awesome. The novel lives up to Dessen fan expectations and delivers a satisfying ending. High school self would be proud.

Once and for All comes out June 6, 2017.

4/5 Stars.

I received a free e-ARC of Once and for All from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.