Our Year Of Maybe by Rachel Lynn Solomon

5⭐️

Thank you for Simon Pulse, Rachel Lynn Solomon and netgalley for an E-Arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Beautiful, compelling, incredible story about friendship, love, heartbreak, forgiveness.

Our main character: Sophie Orenstein, an Aspiring choreographer would do absolutely anything to help her best friend, Peter who has been sick his whole life with kidney disease. Sophie has to wait until she turns eighteen years old to make one of the biggest decisions of her life.... will she be a match for Peter, who has been on the transplant list for a new kidney.

From there comes a beautiful story about friendship, whether the friendship will survive such a event. Love; in more ways then one heart can handle. Forgiveness; one way may not always be the correct way to life through ones life.

Things I loved about this book:
- The setting was in Seattle 😍
- Friendship/heartbreaking realistically
- DIVERSITY/REPRESENTATION
- Family coming together
- Dual POV

Rachel deserves a reward for this one, I hope everyone reads this book once it’s released until the world!

Barnes and Noble: posted review at 10:37 A.m.

This was an absolutely beautiful book that tackled so many important issues. This book didn't drag nor did you feel weighed down by all the heavy topics. Sophie and Peter have to navigate life after a transplant and what it really means to give and receive a kidney. There's a lot of talk on feeling guilty or indebted to someone because of what they've done for you. A kidney is a huge deal but there are everyday instances that could cause someone to feel this way too.

Sophie and Peter are inseparable, but they have to navigate high school and what it means now that Peter is "healthy". How do you go from being each other's everything to just being a part of their life? How do you set aside your romantic feelings for someone when they're all you've ever wanted?

Our MCs are messy and they make a lot of mistakes, but that's a part of being human. This whole situation is complicated and while Peter and Sophie hunt for the right answer they might just find there isn't one.

Another big topic in this that I absolutely adored was toxic friendships and friend breakups. One of the most important lines in the book is about when romantic relationships end, you can always fall back to being friends. But when a friendship ends, that's just the end.

Religion is a huge part of this book and I learned a lot about how Judaism works. I loved seeing it from so many characters perspective and watching our characters come to terms with religion and what being Jewish means to them. I think everyone has had a similar struggle in their lives and it was really refreshing and comforting to see similar struggles with religion in a YA novel. Also, I loved that Peter is unapologetically bi AND Jewish. I really want to see more of that. Being gay and religious is obviously a struggle but it isn't always THE struggle when it comes to questioning religion.

Overall, this was a beautifully written book that tackles difficult issues while pulling you into its world. These characters will find a place in your heart and you'll laugh and cry along with them.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Simon Pulse through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

Another A+ novel from Rachel Lynn Solomon, OUR YEAR OF MAYBE is beautifully written and hauntingly emotional. From a dual POV, best friends Sophie and Peter go through life-altering decisions and ramifications when Sophie donates her kidney to Peter in his time of need.

The book explores complicated friendships, loyalty, bisexuality, religion (Judaism), and unrequited affections in ways that are so authentic and natural, I felt a part of the story. The codependent friendship was painfully honest and so achingly familiar to me, I found myself holding my breath as I read, too scared of the layers of emotions the words peeled back and exposed in me.

Rachel Lynn Solomon is one of my favorite authors and she has another homerun with her sophomore novel.

4.5 stars

Luscious, poignant, and another stunner from Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone. It’s safe to say that Our Year of Maybe was just as moving and well-written and finely crafted as Solomon’s debut, and I could not be more excited.

Sophie and Peter are such different and dynamic main characters–they change so much in this novel, but not in a rushed way. They’re dynamic and they learn and they find out new things and they grow and it’s really great story-wise seeing this, but it’s also great for teens to see this coming of age happen.

If anything, this whole book felt so natural, which is honestly one of the things that I like the most about Solomon’s novels. Natural in the way that although Solomon writes about specific situations with specific people and specific hobbies, they’re all fitting together and you wouldn’t think twice if these people were real and this actually happened in real life.

Not only is it natural, but it also keeps it real and Solomon talks about so many things not commonly represented in YA–Judaism, masturbation, bisexuality, sex, toxic friendships, and so much more. It’s the little things that counts, and some of the smallest scenes are still things that are so rarely portrayed in YA and it really feels like Solomon knows teenagers and just how big the struggle is.

It’s just so refreshing to read her books, and Our Year of Maybe did not disappoint plot-wise. With books that are very friendship/family focused, it can be scary in case things become slow, but I’m really glad to say that Solomon does an amazing job of keeping things interesting and happening and progressing in the story and letting it flow, even though the plot is very intangible in the way that it’s not a physical force.

And the exploration of toxic friendship was amazing, of course. It wouldn’t be rated this highly if it wasn’t. I really loved how in the beginning, I was kinda shipping Peter and Sophie (I mean they’re childhood best friends and I love that trope), but by the middle, I was definitely just wanting them to be happy as possible, even if it meant separating.

Plus, the ending scene was just wow. I am not ashamed to say that I cried during it and was feeling all the feels as it happened. Whew.

I admit that Our Year of Maybe was slightly less poignant for me than You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone (and when I say slightly, I mean very slightly) just because I resonated more with Tovah and Adina’s story more than Sophie and Peter’s.

This is why I took off a half star (so you know which one is my slightly more favorite), but also understand that this is by no means saying that Our Year of Maybe was written worse–just that I personally didn’t enjoy the subject matter as much as You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone.

If anything, I think Our Year of Maybe is written and developed better than You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone, but the topic itself wasn’t something I was as connected to.

Overall, Our Year of Maybe was just as good, if not better, than You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone–and both of them are amazing. I definitely recommend if you want a real contemporary that explores so many themes and lessons teens will need.

Rachel Lynn Solomon has hit it out of the park with another stellar book about teens at a crossroads. Just like her first novel, Solomon writes an emotional and compelling book about the diverging paths that the future can hold. Our Year of Maybe is about two teens, told from two different perspectives. Each main character grows throughout the story and their personal arcs completely hooked me.

I read this book in less than 24 hours because of Solomon's realistic characters. I was so instantly in love with Sophie and Peter, a pair of best friends since childhood, and I needed to know their stories. Sophie has made the decision to donate a kidney to Peter, her best friend. Each of them knows that this is a second chance at life for Peter but they have different ideas of what may happen after the donation. Sophie has been harboring secret romantic feelings for Peter for a few years. Sophie makes it clear that she did not donate the kidney to him to make him return her feelings but she has a dash of hope that it might make them feel more connected. Peter, incredibly grateful that his best friend has made this decision for him, is so ready for the chance to be a regular kid and explore the unknown world of high school but he is unaware of Sophie's feelings.

Sophie and Peter have always been connected through their love of music. Peter plays the piano and Sophie dances to his pieces. They're infamous in their families as a creative team and Sophie assumed they would always be partners. As Sophie and Peter start to drift apart after the kidney donation, each of them returns to their love for the arts. Sophie finds comfort and strength in dancing. Peter makes new friends through his musical skills and joins a band. Each of them finds a support team when they need it most. Solomon not only writes incredibly dynamic main characters but her side characters are interesting too. Peter, who is bisexual but hasn't told Sophie yet, has the opportunity to finally be around queer kids like him for the first time. A cute guy in his class invites him to join a band and he explores his bisexual identity for the first time within that group. Meanwhile, members of Sophie's dance team reach out to her and help to lift her up by supporting her interest in choreography. Sophie feels so left out and heartbroken when Peter announces he has a boyfriend. Their friendship remains in flux for much of the novel and readers will be crossing their fingers that the two characters can work it out.

Solomon also provides some greatly needed Jewish representation within Our Year of Maybe. Sophie and Peter also originally connect through religion. Peter's dad is Jewish and Sophie's parents met on a Birthright trip. Sophie and Peter both have different relationships to their faith but they bond over sometimes feeling like the only Jewish kids. Peter questions his connection to Judaism since he never had a bar mitzvah and doesn't know any Hebrew. Throughout the novel, each of them reflects on their connection to religion and they're provided the opportunity to explore what it means to them.

Like the characters in Rachel's first novel, You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone, Sophie is an incredibly complex teenage girl who doesn't hold back. I love that Sophie was passionate about dance and hated to smile on stage because dancing isn't about being delicate and sweet to her. She's dyslexic and proud of the way that she has adapted to her learning style. She is an audiobook listener and even attends an author event for YA fantasy series with one of her dance team friends. She's comfortable with her sexuality and expressing herself. Sometimes she's selfish, messy, and angry and I'm so glad YA readers have her.

Our Year of Maybe will break your heart and then put it back together again. Readers of contemporary YA will adore this book and find two characters to add to their favorites list.

Rachel Lynn Solomon blew me away with her debut book, You’ll Miss Me When I am Gone. So, I can’t tell you how excited I was when I found out that her second novel, Our Year of Maybe was to be released soon. I NEEDED this book! I once thought that Solomon could not get any better than her debut, but I was wrong, this book is everything I ever hoped it could be and so much more.

Sophie has been in love with Peter almost her entire life. They are the best of friends. Sophie would do anything for Peter and she does by giving him a kidney he so desperately needs. They share a bond that is unbreakable, but once Peter receives his new kidney their relationship slowly starts to change. Sophie wants more while Peter is finally free to explore life and live for once something he was unable to do while he was sick. Their friendship is tested over and over again, but will their friendship take the ultimate hit one evening when things go to far?

I really fell in love with Sophie and Peter. They are young sometimes impulsive, but they always had each other’s best interest at heart. Their story really made me think of some of the friendships that I had when I was younger. I don’t think I have ever shared so close of a bond with any of my friends at least not like the one Sophie and Peter share. Also, to give my kidney to someone, that is such a hard decision to make, but one that Sophie did wholeheartedly. Sophie is brave and such a wonderful person deep down inside.

Sophie’s love for Peter is so easy to see and feel. But, on the other hand as the story progresses you can see how both Sophie and Peter are codependent on one another each for different reasons. Their lives are both changing and with that comes a sense of independence as they both come to terms with where their friendship is going and even if their friendship can survive. With the new kidney, Peter has this whole world now opening up to him and he is finally able to see and do things he was unable to do prior to the transplant.

Rachel Lynn Solomon really delves deep into teenage life with Sophie and Peter without the unnecessary drama that is often associated with being a teenager. They are fleshed out relatable characters that are three dimensional and I felt like I really got to know the both of them on a personal level which made both Sophie and Peter relatable and loveable all at the same time. Solomon shows how teenage life is sometimes messy and flawed, but on the other hand shows that real bonds can be formed no matter how young or old you are. While Sophie and Peter are both young they do have this level of maturity about them and their characterization just goes to show how much of a fantastic and talented writer Solomon really is.

Our Year of Maybe is absolutely brilliant and breathtaking. Rachel Lynn Solomon writes from the heart and it so easy to see all of the love and passion she puts into her stories and characters. This is one of those books that you instantly know should be on the bestsellers list. It is a timeless story that will be talked about for years to come. This is a five star must read book.

Our Year of Maybe is a book that will cause you a heartbreak and a half, and you won't regret a minute of it.

[su_quote style="modern-orange" cite="Goodreads" url=”GOODREADS LINK TO YOUR BOOK"]



Aspiring choreographer Sophie Orenstein would do anything for Peter Rosenthal-Porter, who’s been on the kidney transplant list as long as she’s known him. Peter, a gifted pianist, is everything to Sophie: best friend, musical collaborator, secret crush. When she learns she’s a match, donating a kidney is an easy, obvious choice. She can’t help wondering if after the transplant, he’ll love her back the way she’s always wanted.

But Peter’s life post-transplant isn’t what either of them expected. Though he once had feelings for Sophie too, he’s now drawn to Chase, the guitarist in a band that happens to be looking for a keyboardist. And while neglected parts of Sophie’s world are calling to her—dance opportunities, new friends, a sister and niece she barely knows—she longs for a now-distant Peter more than ever, growing increasingly bitter he doesn’t seem to feel the same connection.

Peter fears he’ll forever be indebted to her. Sophie isn’t sure who she is without him. Then one blurry, heartbreaking night twists their relationship into something neither of them recognizes, leading them to question their past, their future, and whether their friendship is even worth fighting for. (Goodreads) [/su_quote]

I received an eARC of Our Year of Maybe via Netgalley and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Our Year of Maybe needs trigger warnings for mentions of antisemitism, mentions of antagonism due to character's dyslexia, chronic pain, failing kidneys, kidney transplants, toxic friendships, sex between a male and female character, sex between two male characters, male and female masturbation, self-loathing and mentions of a parental death by cancer.

It is a hard, emotional novel that spoke deeply to me as a reader. I've been in a few codependent relationships over the years, though not quite in the same way that Peter and Sophie were. Our Year of Maybe will force readers to think about their own friendships and relationships with their family members with good discussions to be had on so many levels.

I loved that there were very different emotions expressed toward Judaism from all of the Jewish characters, and the organic way we got to see Peter exploring how he felt about it.

Seeing both of them realize that there were other people outside of each other was very interesting to watch. I loved seeing Peter grow into a part of the band while Sophie became part of the cheer team. I particularly loved this quote.

"I gave Peter a piece of me- but maybe I also have him the freedom to figure out who he was without me. And I should have realized much sooner that I’d given myself the exact same thing."

I loved that this book ended on a bit of a messy note, because Sophie and Peter both have a lot of growing left to do, and I'm so glad that they get to do it separately. Maybe they'll be friends again someday. This is a beautiful novel that you won't regret spending time with.

I highly recommend that if this sounds up your alley, you grab a copy on Amazon or Indiebound.

[su_box title="ABOUT OUR YEAR OF MAYBE" style="default" box_color="#ff4400" title_color="#f2f2f2" radius="3" class=""]

Title: Our Year of Maybe

Author: Rachel Lynn Solomon

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Length: 384 Pages

Release Date: January 15, 2019

Rating: Highly Recommend

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Fiction

Representation: Jewish author, nonpracticing Jewish MC, bisexual MC, dyslexic mc,

[/su_box]



Want to help support Let's Fox About It and help it go ad-free? Subscribe to our Patreon!

Disclaimer: All links to Indiebound and Amazon are affiliate links. If you buy through those links, LFAI will make a small amount of money off of the sale.

Sometimes, you stumble upon a book you’re just feeling certain about. It’s just a feeling, really, it’s just because of some keywords in a synopsis, because it’s an author you already love, because your most trusted bookish friends have loved it. You just know.

I’m not certain why, but this happened with Our Year Of Maybe. I haven’t read anything by the author previously and, despite hearing praise about her debut, You’ll Miss Me When I Am Gone, it’s not what made me say “that’s it”. It’s the synopsis, the original, unique idea and oh my god ALL THE FEELINGS I had while reading this.

AN ORIGINAL STORY WITH TWO GREATLY SHAPED CHARACTERS AT ITS HEART
Our Year Of Maybe tells the story of two best friends, dealing with the aftermath of a kidney transplant between them. That’s the general idea and, friends, that’s already where this book had me, with the originality of its synopsis, the best friends links and all the feelings that goes with it all.

Told in alternative point of views, we get to know Sophie, a kidney donor for her best friend and next-door neighbor Peter and, well, Peter. Right from the start, we get to grasp these two characters and their complex, strong, codependent friendship on the page, something I adored. Yet, if the synopsis and the overall plot of the book deals with their friendship (and the little something more Sophie feels), this book isn’t solely about what links them together: it’s also about them individually.

It takes a stunning writer to give life to characters on the page and that’s what Rachel Lynn Solomon did: each of the main characters were three-dimensional, realistic and well thought-of, from the start. Sophie is passionate about dancing and choreographing, though she does not quite believe in herself. She also happens to have dyslexia, something that is quietly mentioned in the story and yay for rep. Peter is a pianist, a reader, passionate about music and still trying to find where he fits in with his own beliefs when it comes to religion, as he is half-Jewish. What made this read even more stunning, was the character-growth each of them went through in the matter of 300 and something pages. I loved seeing them grow, change, question themselves, their identities, who they are, what they believe in and the kind of person they want to be, too.


A STORY ABOUT AN ALL-CONSUMING FRIENDSHIP
Obviously, I’m going to talk about Peter and Sophie’s all-consuming, codependent friendship and the complexity of it all. For a fan of childhood friends trope and best friends trope, let me tell you, this felt like the icing on the cake and even more. I adored seeing the two main characters together and apart, grasping with love, friendship, the lines drawn between the two, the messed-up feelings and messed-up fights that tore my heart into a million pieces. Our Year Of Maybe is about friendship, it’s also about finding yourself on your own when you’re always used to be part of a pair and I loved that discussion thorough the book and how each of the characters grew, while realizing that. .

FAMILY VIBES, SISTERS, ADORABLE SIDE CHARACTERS
Our Year Of Maybe takes us on the perfect contemporary ride so, if you’re a fan of character focused-books, questioning identity, friendships, love, I’m telling you that you need this. It doesn’t stop there though: Rachel Lynn Solomon adds tastefully a little side of family vibes, with heartwarming moments between Peter and his dad about being Jewish, incredible and complex sister vibes with Tabby and Sophie, an adorable group of queer friends for Peter (who is bisexual, by the way, stated on page from page one, yay!), music and bands with strange names and BOOKSTORE KISSES and soft adorable boys and love interests and I should stop there. Probably. Most likely.

OVERALL
I’m guessing you know what my ending here will be. I hope you’ll pick up this book and I hope you’ll love it. If you’re a contemporary fan, or looking for a contemporary to read, let this be the one you’ll pick up soon. It made me cry and feel everything and honestly, that’s all I ever want to find in my books.

This is probably going to be one of "those" reviews that just amounts to incoherent gushing, and I am not sorry. When I heard there was a new Rachel Lynn Solomon book coming out, I had no doubt I'd like it. I loved You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone , but more than that I could just kind of tell that the author had a certain... specialness to her writing.

And right I was. This book was absolutely everything I had hoped and expected, but then somehow, it was even more. In YMMWIG, while I related to the characters quite deeply on a human level, I never went through many of the things they had gone through. This one... well, it was different. Because it spoke to me. Told me things I needed to hear. And honestly, it's pretty damn powerful when a book has that ability.

And sure, I will tell you about all its positives from a more objective angle! The characters are incredibly relatable, whether you have been through any of the junk they have or none at all. Just like YMMWIG, it has the uncanny ability to make you love and care for these characters. They are flawed, and messy, and at their cores just good, decent people trying to navigate the world. The world with all its unwanted feelings and harshness and ups and downs.

You need more? Sure! It has funny moments, charming moments, heartwarming moments, and yeah, heartbreaking moments. The stories-within-stories make the pages fly by. You'll learn so much about all the relationships, beyond just their friendship-turned-mess. You'll see them coming of age, and dealing with all the highs and lows it encompasses.

And yes, maybe you'll learn something about yourself, or about relationships of all sorts. Maybe this book will help you process some of your own bullshitty life stuff. Maybe it'll tell you stuff you had to hear, had to hear in the way Rachel Lynn Solomon tells it. Maybe, if you're really lucky, it'll be exactly what you need.

Bottom Line: This book is beautiful and honest and relatable, and quite frankly, flawless.

This was such a great book! The characters felt real and well developed, I LOVED that Peter was bi, and boys playing piano? Be still my heart. *swoons* Basically, this book was amazing and you should read it if you enjoy books by Stephanie Perkins, Becky Albertalli, and Sarah Dessen. I'll be posting a full review, including my favorite quotes, on Kait Plus Books FRIDAY, JANUARY 11 at http://kaitgoodwin.com/books!

Thanks NetGalley!

This YA Contemporary hit home for me in many ways. My step-mom received a new kidney almost one year ago so it was humbling to read about Peter’s journey. My step-mom was on dialysis for almost a year when she got the call that a kidney was available. Although she received hers from a non-living donor her journey to recovery has given her a new light on life. Within four months she was out on her motorcycle with my brother and in just a few months she’ll be able to travel again. Rachel Lynn’s accurate portrayal of the healing process was spot on for me. I’m glad there is a story out there that brings kidney disease into light and Rachel Lynn did a wonderful job of that.

Sophie has lived her life for Peter and now she’s given him one of her kidneys. Sophie’s adjustment to a healthy Peter is not what she expected and when she starts realizing just how much she loves him, and as more than the best friends they’ve been, she starts to wonder if he feels the same. What she isn’t aware of is that Peter has a secret and when he starts to have a life outside of him and Sophie the tension builds and she’s left wondering if their relationship will survive.

Peter is healthy for the first time in his life and has a whole new freedom he’s never experienced. Not only are his parents releasing the reins a bit but he’s made some new friends. Peter also starts to feel a yearning to know more about his Jewish roots. What he doesn’t notice is how much he’s left Sophie behind and his nagging guilt about her kidney starts to weigh on him.

Follow Sophie and Peter through the uncertainties they two face in their new world of change. Will their friendship survive or will it come crumbling down?

Isn't that cover simply stunning? It may have been one of the reasons why I had wanted to read this book in the first place, as well as the plot. I love beautiful book covers and that alone makes the book be rated highly. I can't rate a book alone on just the cover because that's not the point of a review.

This thought may seem a little bit redundant now from me, but I had no way of knowing which way this book was going to go for me. I honestly wanted to DNF the book based on the prologue alone because it was a sex pact and I was just like... woah. We don't know anything about these characters and they are making a vow to be each other's first when the timing is right? Uh..... am I the only one not ok with that? But I reminded myself that a prologue is a prologue, it takes place way before the story starts so I had to keep telling myself that in order to get over that huge warning misgiving it kept giving me.

I was able to get through the next few chapters since they weren't like that, we were able to get more of the friendship between Peter and Sophie. One major thing I did not like about this book is how Sophie seemed to be dependent on Peter, even though there was a reason why she was. For example, I didn't like how she didn't always try new things or make new friends because she was too worried about Peter and his health and seemed to put her life on hold for his. She basically was willing to do anything for him to take his pain away. That part I was ok with since they were best friends, but it was dependent thing I wasn't ok with.

Then there was the fact that she thought she could try to use something that happened to her in order to get what she wanted out of their friendship in order to make it be more.

I was able to let those things go (mostly) because teenagers aren't perfect and it's unfair to expect teenager characters to be perfect.

This story was a 4.5 out of five stars and I rounded up to five on Goodreads. It was written well, with just those things as some misgivings. I liked the friendship aside and this book was actually pretty emotional. I didn't cry, but I'd say there could probably be some trigger warnings for health and sexuality stuff. I'd recommend this for the older high school students. I was glad I was given the chance to read this book. Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the chance to read this book!

My review will be up on my blog on Saturday, January 12.

I cannot express enough how much I loved this book. The intensity and realness of the story was so beautifully written and so bittersweet. The dual POV gave a unique insight to the complicated tapestry of the main characters’ relationship. I would 100% read this a million times over.

Peter and Sophie's characters were so well developed. I really appreciated being 'with them' as they grew and went through phases of their friendship. Teenage life can be messy and this book embraced that without being too dramatic. I found their feelings realistic and thought out which made them really relatable.

Our Year of maybe has the feel of a coming of age novel with themes of codependent relationships, sexuality, and unrequited love. A great story that taught me that sometimes we become dependent of someone else life or a certain situation that we forget our own or we used them as a clutch to our happiness and that sometimes the bonds that we hold dearly can become toxic if we don’t stop it.

This is the story of Sophie an aspiring choreographer that will do anything for her best friend and secret crush Peter. Peter a gifted pianist but needs a kidney to live, and the only match is Sophie who will do anything for him. But what happens when post transplant life isn’t what either of them expected.What happens when bonds become distant or even broken is it worth fighting for them?

I became intrigued in reading this story since I read the blurb. The characters are very well written
that you can’t help but relate to them and their situations, the coedependent relationship really hit home, this a book that has everything I wanted and needed when I open it. This a great book to start the year, if you are a fan of Rachel read it or just read it because it truly is an amazing book.








*****A special Thank you to the Author, plublisher, and Netgalley because I was provided an Advanced Readers Copy to share my honest opinion. *****

Our Year of Maybe is a charming story about love and friendship. It's about that VERY fine line in between the two. What do you when you're hopelessly in love with your best friend? What if they don't love you back? Sophie finds herself in this position. She is willing to give her best friend Peter a part of her, literally, because she loves him so much. The love starts to change. Sophie finds herself
having to navigate through love, heartbreak and dance. Peter is also struggling with his health and also his new ability to explore his bi-sexuality. Our Year of Maybe was emotional, real and charming. I really loved how this story played out. The ending surprised me and I loved it!

This book will break your heart and put it together, break it and mend it again and again. A deep lesson in love and finding oneself, even if that means things need to fall apart to come back together.

Rachel broke my heart over and over with this book and it's beautiful.

***Actual rating: 4/5 Lovin’-So-Hard Stars***

"And then I let go of him first, this boy who never belonged to me.
I
let
go
first. "

Peter and Sophie have been best friends since childhood; growing up together, Peter’s feeling for Sophie is always nothing more than F.R.I.E.N.D.S. whereas Sophie starts having undeniable crush on him day by day. When Sophie realizes Peter never feels the same as she does, her secret crush morphs into a much more dangerous obsession, which has totally taken its toll on their friendship. There’s only one goal Sophie’s determined to achieve: Getting Peter to love her back, even if it meant giving him her kidney when he’s so desperately in need of one.

Just when Sophie thinks Peter will change his feeling about her after gratefully accepting her kidney, she’s proven completely wrong. Peter finds the keyboardist in his newly joined band, Chase, so attractive that the more time they spend with each other, the more often they’re aware of the chemistry between them.

Torn between not wanting to let Sophie down and following his heart to be with Chase, Peter makes some good and bad decisions along the way. Good decisions? He does eventually pluck up the courage and tell Sophie where his heart belongs in all honesty. Bad ones? Well, under the most frustrating circumstances, Peter does something unforgivable (in my opinion) to Sophie and shatters her heart as a consequence.

What I appreciate most in this book is the character development. Both Peter and Sophie grow so much throughout the story and I love all the experiences shaping into who they are today. From Peter and Sophie’s self exploration, they show me that people indeed change all the time. During different phases in life, one will be affected by people they meet, people they befriend, and things they encounter with. Even if the friends around you may turn into someone you barely recognize, just bear in mind there’s still innocence in their characters and that their true essence still remains unchanged.

Moreover, the best part of this book to me is the ending. The story’s wrapped up flawlessly and beautifully because Peter and Sophie finally figure out who they are and whom they’re destined to be this entire time. Seriously, I can’t think of a better way to sum up the book and *sigh* even recalling the perfect ending to Peter and Sophie’s story puts a goofy smile on my face!

Unfortunately, despite the fact that I thoroughly enjoy almost 90% of the book, there are still plot designs and concepts I don’t fully agree upon. For example, Sophie’s younger sister gets pregnant, becomes a mother, and grows her own family with her teenage boyfriend at such a young age as 16. The whole story makes this incident look like the most normal thing ever. As if teenagers nowadays can do whatever they want without having to take the responsibility/consequences seriously.

Aside from the premarital sex reference, I find the mention of sex toys (*cough* vibrators *cough*) quite disturbing as well. I don’t mind if people use them to satisfy their carnal desire but I personally think it’s utterly unnecessary and irrelevant to highlight something so private in a young adult novel. I mean, don’t you think it’s a bit inappropriate for younger readers? *shrugs*

All in all, Our Year of Maybe is a coming-of-age, contemporary, diverse story featuring bisexual characters and focusing on self-explorations. Even though the book’s not 100% my cup of tea, I can easily foresee its success once published officially since it’ll certainly be an overnight sensation in the LGBTQ+ community as well as diverse readers/advocates/supporters. Besides, because of the wonderfully written character development, readers can resonate with the protagonists without doubt ; hence, I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone thinks about Our Year of Maybe, and I of course will RECOMMEND this book to those who’re uncertain of themselves or those who’re still in search of their questionable existence (like me before reading this book).

***Thanks to the author and the publisher for kindly sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.***

Heart-breaking, soul-crushing, world-shattering . . . I could go on. This book wrecked me. I knew I liked the author's debut (and expected similar painful undertones and themes for this one) but I had no idea how much I would be able to connect to a character who could not be farther from myself. And yet, Sophie's experiences, while incredibly specific, feel universal. We've all suffered her pain. We've all been through her suffering. And there are a lot of readers who will see themselves in this book, where they might not have otherwise had the chance. I can't even describe how brutally honest this book is. 17-year-old me needed this book, but 23-year-old me loved it just as much. It broke me apart and put me back together. The emotional turmoil the characters go through leaps off the page. It is my hope that readers adore this book as much as I did.

I jumped at the opportunity to read this book based on all the amazing things I had heard about Solomon's debut, You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone, and let me tell you, it was a great decision. This book was a painfully beautiful exploration of a friendship and how quickly something so seemingly solid can deteriorate.

Sophie and Peter shared a friendship, which worked well in a bubble, but post-transplant, a lot of cracks begin to become more prominent, and I know I struggled with being both happy for and frustrated with Peter.

What could be more amazing, than to be given a chance to actually live? Peter had made peace with the idea, that he would not have a long life. His world was pretty much his parents, his doctors, piano, and Sophie. He never really took the opportunity to figure out who he was or what he wanted out of life, and therefore, I was overjoyed that the transplant worked. Peter had the opportunity to go to school, make new friends, and explore his identity. He was rushing forward, but he wasn't taking Sophie with him, and that pained me.

I am going to tell you right now, there were tears, many tears. I think I cried during each and every one of Sophie's chapters. Sophie was the one I felt was being left behind. Even if I understood the why's, it still broke my heart, because I identified so hard with her. And unrequited love always, ALWAYS causes me heartache. Loving someone, who will never return those feelings is never easy, and Solomon did a fantastic job pulling me into Sophie's emotional wreckage.

The alternating point of view was a nice way to juxtapose the way Sophie and Peter were dealing with their changing friendship and their new situation. Sophie was struggling with being left behind and not having her feelings reciprocated, while Peter grappled with wanting to explore his options, while feeling so indebted to Sophie. It was not easy for either of them, but I was glad that BOTH were having new and positive experiences.

A quick run-down of things I adored
• Great family dynamics and present parents
• Siblings
• Mark the chinchilla
• Music, music, music!
• Dancing and the dance team
• Books
• The band, Tabby, Luna, Josh, Chase and his family - I loved them all

Overall: A wonderful story of love, family, friendship, and identity, which was messy and packed with emotion.