Overall, this book blew me away. It was an amazing read and it is definitely one of my favourites of the year. With the writing paints every scene in the hues of summer and the plot pulling me further and further into the book, it was impossible to put down. I definitely recommend this for anyone who wants a book that they cannot put down and a book that will fly by. Thank you so much to Xpresso Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!

I may give this one another try at a later date, but it sadly really wasn't working out for me this go around. The characters just seem so melodramatic and over the top - and I know that can be a thing in YA, because 99% of us are/were/will be melodramatic as hell during our teen years! - but it felt like it was being *over*-done for the sake of progressing the story. I also felt like there were a lot of threads being opened up and then dropped abruptly without any actual conclusion to those aspects. All of that aside, I feel like the teens at my library would enjoy this a lot more than I did, so I will probably still order a copy for our collection!

It’s the summer after high school graduation in the small beachside holiday town of Oar’s Rest. Babe has been looking forward to spending it with her best friend Penny and Penny’s boyfriend Chad. Babe knows things will change when they start college, she just wasn’t expecting it to happen so quickly. First, a misunderstanding leads to her losing both of her friends. Then Levi, the cute customer at the coffee shop where she works, catches her attention - but she knows better than to date a summer boy after what happened to her mother. And, finally, her ex shows up and starts making waves. It’s not quite the summer Babe was expecting. But it might just turn out to be even better.

It took a while to get the drift of this book, as I couldn’t tell who the narrator was or even what sex they were for half of the first chapter. In addition, it felt like I had missed a previous book, as we are thrown into the story and given very little background information. For example, it’s not explained how two recent high school graduates have their own homes (Babe the lighthouse and Penny the houseboat) until about a quarter of the way in. The chapters are very long, and the book is extremely long overall for a young adult novel, although it’s probably technically new adult (but without the explicit sex). There’s a lot of unnecessary detail throughout, but it all adds to the atmosphere. The book is extremely well-written, with near-perfect editing, and littered with gorgeous seaside similes and metaphors. Sights, sounds, tastes, and smells are evocatively portrayed, and I loved the descriptions of the food, so much so that I was disappointed there was no recipe at the end. Perhaps an accompanying cookbook is in order?

By the end, you’ll want to visit this town and meet all of its inhabitants. An impressive debut.

Warnings: coarse language, underage drinking, sexual references, LGBT themes, drug use.

I liked how Babe knew who she was and what she wanted out of her life. She was such a solid character, which I appreciated about her. She is comfortable with who she is and her sexuality, it makes no difference to her if a person is male or female to find attractive. I also appreciated all her baking (which completely made me hungry for some sugary baked goods!) and love of feeding others to creating happiness through food, that is something that I 100% relate to. Babe was lonely (the loneliest girl who was always surrounded by people) and adrift when it came to the people around her, but she knew herself.


I went into Small Town Hearts expecting a super cute, fun summer romance book. Which there was definitely a summer romance and a few adorable, sweet scenes, but overall the vibe I picked up from this story was sadness. The book made me feel depressed for Babe and her turmoil and I wanted to hug her in the most desperate of ways. She has basically been left on her own to sink or swim by her mother, one of her best friends is the WORST (a total jerk/user who I never liked) and another friend is a coward who is afraid to be single, and the girl who broke her heart shows back up to break it all over again. The one bright element of the book was Levi and his genuine sweetness and openness, he was exactly what Babe needed. I feel like I couldn't set aside how depressed the story made me the reader feel to take joy in the happy moments. Side note, the ending was perfect and really cute. for those who are looking for that.


I thought this was a good book overall, but not what I was hoping it would be. I know a ton of other people who absolutely adore the story, I just think I was looking for something else at the moment. I would love to read more from the author because she is fantastic at making an emotional connection between the characters and the reader.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of the blog tour hosted by Xpresso Book Tours.

I’ve just started this earlier today and finished it in a day. And considering that I’m a painfully slow reader, that says a lot about how much I adored this book!

Let me start off by saying that the characters are spectacularly-written. If you know me, then you probably know that I am a character-driven reader which means my reading experience largely depends on the characters of the book. So it came as no surprise that I would rate this so highly. Granted, a couple of characters were superficial and “just-there” but I feel like they weren’t really valuable to the main story. The ones that are, though? They were so realistic and I loved every single one of them.

I instantaneously liked Babe Vogel, our main character, mainly because I feel like we’re very similar individuals in the sense that we both fear change, however minuscule it may be. She is also mind-numbingly sweet and loyal to her friends, even though she ends up getting hurt most of the time. But most of all, I liked her since she developed so well through the course of this story. I actually felt like a friend, so proud of who she’s become by the time the book came to a close! Not to mention, she also cares for the environment as she still picked up her trash to throw away even in the middle of a thunderstorm! AND she bakes!!! If all those reasons didn’t convince you in the slightest that she’s one of the best main characters there is, then I don’t know what will.

Poppy, Babe’s best friend, is a character with many flaws which grew on me. I was initially aghast at how Babe managed to be on good terms with Poppy for so long because it seems to me like Poppy was a selfish and manipulative person. However, I understood that she had her reasons and came to realize that she was one of the most realistic characters among them all.

And then there’s Levi. I can’t stop swooning over Levi while reading, and as I’m typing this, I’m falling head over heels in love with him once more! He is definitely the epitome of a perfect book boyfriend. Aside from being extremely talented, he knows exactly how to treat a girl [Babe] right. He was very mature in the entirety of the story and I admire him for that, especially considering that he’s eighteen.

On the other hand, as if the fantastic characters weren’t enough, the storyline of Small Town Hearts is breathtakingly genuine and the romance so heartwarming that I just couldn’t get enough of it!

Small town. Coffee shop. Friendships. And a summer boy. Those are four of my soft spots so seeing them all in one book and be executed properly? Lillie Vale has outdone herself on this debut novel.

Oar’s Rest indeed sounds like paradise, plus the food, coffee and baked pastries mentioned made my mouth water numerous times! The romance was everything I could have hoped for too! It was equal parts charming and honest, which was made extra special since it was the only thing that was mostly going right in Babe’s summer that turned upside down. And although it didn’t touch upon much familial aspect, this book shined because it deals with problems on close-knit friendships as everything seems to change the summer before college.

Overall, I absolutely recommend Small Town Hearts because aside from being such a sweet and romantic read, I think this is an important book for young and new adults such as myself. This book has definitely made its mark on my heart! I would definitely be on the look out for more of this author’s works!

Small Town Hearts is such a fun and sweet summer read that can truly be read anytime of the year.

Babe Vogel is a character that you will immediately fall in love with. She has been on her own for a while now living in a lighthouse that she absolutely loves, and now that she is officially done with high school she can work full time on her passion. Working at the local coffee shop where she gets to showcase her baking and is now the manager of the store. She loves her job dearly and it really shows throughout the story as she makes several important decision for the shop and for her future. We also see Babe’s personal life through friendship struggles, ex’s showing up, and possibly even a new love interest. Babe is bisexual and I loved how this was shown in a very natural way and how it was never made to be a big deal throughout the book and how supportive everyone was about it.

Overall I really liked this story. Babe is a strong character who is also still a teenager trying to figure everything out. She did seem a little bit more mature at times but I blame that on the fact that she is a manager and has been living alone for quite a while. The love interests shown in this story were heartbreaking and also lovely to see unfold. We get to see a failed relationship and how it can still affect someone months after it has ended, and how it makes them uneasy about certain things in future relationships. I’m really glad this was shown because a lot of the time we just see this get pushed to the side and just forgotten in stories. Now for the friendships in this book. There were so many great friendship moments between Babe and Lucy, and how work friends can become best friends over time. I also liked Babe’s relationship with Penny and Chad and how we got to see their friendship evolve over time and how things can fall apart and come back together when times get rough.

Small Town Hearts has so many great friendship moments that made me fall in love with it. Yes, the romance was also a big element of the story, but it wasn’t the main focus and Babe had so many other interests in it without that being the main focus of the story. I’m really excited to see a healthy friendship being showcased more in YA books and I hope this trend continues.

REVIEW SET FOR 7AM CST ON 3/21

I loved the setting of this book. Featuring a cute, small, beach town in Maine, we follow the main character as she lives the cutest life as a barista, living in a lighthouse, and even some fun competitions. This is the perfect beach read!

And if you love stories with baking and sweet goods, this one will leave you hungry. The writing made my mouth water, and accented the story wonderfully. 

There is also LGBT representation. The main character Babe struggles with an ex girlfriend while also swooning over a summer boy. The romance was cute too! 

The book focus on change and that period between high school and college when you're trying to figure out life and her new goals. The plot was very relatable while also providing the perfect spring/summer read. 

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.

After reading Small Town Hearts, I need to go and move to Oar's Rest. It has all your typical small town feelings. I love how it was described and all the little places I would love to see. Babe even lives in a lighthouse! That seems like such a great place to settle in. I could even picture myself sitting at the café she works at with a treat and a book. The author did a great job making me feel like I was there.

Small Town Hearts is about Babe. She just graduated high school and is finding her way in the world. Babe won't be going to college, but she doesn't feel like she's missing out. She loves baking and would be happy to take over the café she works at when her boss retires (she's already saving). It's clear at the beginning of this book, she really hasn't realized that graduating may change her friendships.

Babe, Penny and Chad have been friends for as long as she can remember. Penny and Chad were an item, but even that has changed. I had a hard time with this friendship. It wasn't really fair to Babe and I felt for her, because she was so afraid of losing her friends. All Babe wanted was a great summer together and it feels like that's slipping away. Even though I thought it was amazing Babe was loyal, I wished so many times she would stand up for herself when Penny wanted her to do something. Lucy made this so much better for me though. I loved her character and she was there for Babe while she was figuring everything out. I even thought what Lucy said about a lot of people thinking they don't need more friends after a certain amount. It kind of makes me wonder how many people have that.

Babe is bisexual and I love how comfortable she is with her sexuality. Small Town Hearts also shows us that coming out can take time and isn't always easy, but I loved that it showed us that it doesn't matter who you love. The author did a great job with that aspect of this book.

Just like most contemporary books that I love, we have romance in this book. Levi is a summer boy and Babe's rule is not to fall for them, because they leave when the season is over. There's something about Levi though that she just can't resist. My favorite thing of this romance was that this wasn't a case of insta-love! There was an attraction/interest, but feelings slowly developed. Levi was so sweet and down to earth. Exactly what Babe needs! Their story really kept making me smile!

If you're looking for a book that brings you to the summer during the darker winter days, makes you feel like you're in this small town building sandcastles, has amazing characters and a cute love story, definitely pick up Small Town Hearts!

Small Town Hearts is the kind of book that makes you feel warm inside despite the freezing cold weather. It is a cute and summery read set in a picturesque beach town, and the main character is realistic. I would definitely recommend this one to fans of Sarah Dessen and Morgan Matson.

❀ REALISTIC PLOT

This book tells the story of Babe, a girl who haas just graduated high school and is spending her summer working and contemplating the changes that will occur in the fall. However, she finds herself falling for a tourist, which she knows will come to an end at the end of the season. The story is filled with adorable summer vibes, and I loved reading about the cozy beach town setting. I mean, the main character lives in a lighthouse and there are annual sandcastle building contests. I found the book to be realistic, and I liked how it shows that there are more pathways than going straight to university after high school.

❀ INTERESTING MAIN CHARACTER

Babe is such an interesting character, and she is very mature. She knows exactly what she wants and sets goals to obtain it. She also works in a coffee shop, which I adored. I’m here for any book with food/cafes. As well, I enjoyed how Babe’s voice is realistic for her age and how her mistakes make her believable. She has a bit of a rough summer, but she doesn’t complain very much, which I appreciated.

Small Town Hearts is a cute and summery read about summer love and the future. I enjoyed the main character, and the beachy setting is well-developed. This is the perfect book to enjoy in the warm weather.

Lillie Vale‘s debut is a gorgeous, fun, heart wrenching tale of a frightful time in a teen’s life: the summer after high school. With poignant prose, Vale explores friendship, love, found families and how to be true to yourself with the added fun of making the reader hungry at least twice a chapter. Seriously, make sure to have sweet treats on hand when you dive into the Babe’s summer, so that your reading-induced cravings don’t get out of control.

Oar’s Rest is the idyllic small town à la Stars Hollow where it’s all local business and everyone knows everyone. Vale’s descriptions of the physical setting and the emotional atmosphere creates a place that jumps off the page and manifests around you. Over the few days I read this book, I felt like a Summer Girl in Oar’s Rest where it was my respite from the real world, but I had to leave at the end of the season.

Babe’s summer is fun and romantic, but — as with all good things — there is a heaping side of deeply emotional moments. Vale never names it as such, but it is clear to anyone with it that Babe struggles with Anxiety. Her descriptions and metaphors for how Babe is feeling when things start to spin out of control are so real and true to the experiences I have personally had with anxiety. I felt so seen reading about how Babe’s stomach reacts to situations where she’s nervous. Vale put beautiful words to a feeling that I know well. There are quite a few passages detailing the roiling of Babe’s insides because it seems like she never gets a break between her two best friends leaving her in the dust, a returned ex, a new boy, and an absent mom.

For readers, Babe’s (former) best friend Penny feels like a villain. I’ve had friends like Penny and I wanted to protect Babe from my past mistakes of letting a “friend” treat me like that and deciding getting rid of me was the change they needed. I wanted to hold Babe close and tell her it’s okay for her to walk away from someone she thought would be around forever. But Vale doesn’t let that happen — she shows Penny’s side of their friend break-up with empathy and care. Sure, I still think Penny sucks (Team Lucy all the way!) but I understand where she is coming from and why she treated Babe the way she did, even if she bungled her handling of it. Babe learns (and I remembered) that not all friendships have to be forever and that friendships can evolve to be something different, something less. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Which leads us to her entanglement with and angst about Levi…

As a teenager who spent most summers in a small lakeside town, I adored the idea of Summer Boys or of being a Summer Girl myself. With this concept at its heart of the romance, SMALL TOWN HEARTS uses the classic YA coming of age summer romance. Vale takes a spin on this, though, with her protagonist being adamant about keeping her distance from the Summer Boy in question. Of course, she ends up not being immune to his inherent kindness and their chemistry. Babe knows she can’t keep him, so she deals with a constant internal battle, especially as they become close friends and the question of something more looms near.

Despite their ??? status, the two don’t play games with each other’s emotions. Babe and Levi have healthy communication on what they’re thinking and feeling throughout their relationship, which is exceptional to see, especially in YA lit. I think there aren’t enough healthy models for relationships in contemporary (or past, now that I think of it) media, so it was really refreshing to see a couple be largely honest with each other. To add to that, there wasn’t any jealousy rooted in the fact that the main character is bi. Levi not once has a problem with her orientation or suspects she’s more likely to cheat because she can be attracted to anyone regardless of gender. I loved that their romance was treated as legitimate and didn’t erase Babe’s queerness, despite it seeming like a hetero relationship.

Levi is the most precious of soft cinnamon roll boys and I want to protect him as much as I want to protect Babe. He’s so supportive and kind, but also his own person in need of support. The balance of give and take in their relationship is *chef’s kiss*. Even the couple’s Third Act Fight (typical to romcoms — they have to have trouble somewhere) isn’t really a fight? It’s more a miscommunication and misunderstanding than an actual fight. Vale has her characters resolve their issues beautifully, leaving the reader with a feeling of hope, that no matter how much things change or how many people leave you, it will be okay.

I implore you to support Lille Vale’s debut as it comes out today. Her writing is marvelous and her story lovely. Spring is barely here and it has me itching for summer, so if you’re in that boat, grab a copy of SMALL TOWN HEARTS and visit Oar’s Rest for a taste of warmth and relaxation.

"Your family gave you roots, your past made you who you were. Both gave you a home, a place to go back to...I hadn't realized that roots could also be a noose around your neck...it strangled you into compliance and habit. It made you love being held in place."

I loved this book so much. It's my favorite read of the year so far and it's definitely going to stay in the top five. This is a book I would have loved and needed as a teenager, characters that I needed as a teenager. I really connected with Babe and some of the issues that she was working through. Specifically her anxiety about change (especially right after high school), losing friends, and feeling like the burden is on you to keep the friendship going. I loved seeing her grow and develop throughout the novel. Her realization that sometimes you have to let things go is an important one to have. The first and second parts of the quote above happen chapters apart and I feel like the quote puts her journey into a nice little summary. Also, she bakes, works in a coffee shop she wants to own, and lives in a lighthouse. How cool is that?

One of my favorite things about this novel is that Babe's friend breakup with Penny is treated just like Babe's breakup with Elodie. Penny is given the same importance, if not more, as Elodie. People talk a lot about how friends are just as important as relationships, but it's rarely shown. In Small Town Hearts, however, Babe is so worried about her friendship with Penny falling apart that sometimes it even pushes her romantic feelings to the side. It was a refreshing change in a book. I loved Babe and Levi's relationship, but I love even more that it wasn't the only focus of the plot.

Another refreshing part of this novel was how Babe's sexuality was treated. She's bi on the page immediately. No coming out story, no hate from other characters, no shying away from the word, just acceptance. And it's not that those other stories aren't also important, but there's so many books that have those plot lines. It was amazing and lovely to see a book where the main character (and other characters) was comfortable with her being bisexual.

There's so much in this book that teens and young adults are going to love and take away from this book. Growing up, changing, letting go, and accepting these things is something that a lot of people struggle with. I hope that everyone who picks up this books loves it and it helps them the same way it would have helped me as a teen. The way it helped me now.

As I was surrounded by snow, this book transformed me into a summer lovin' tale full of romance and growth. It has the perfect recipe for a great YA contemporary as it explores self-love, complicated friendships, and following your heart.

"Getting involved with a summer boy was dangerous. Because Levi Keller wasn't mine to keep. I had to remind myself of that."

Small Town Hearts takes place in a quiet town of Maine (think Stars Hollow) yet the rep in this story is GREAT. I'm from a tiny suburban town and it always irks me when they get written with little to no diversity. I'm proof (plus the 5 other Filipino kids in my high school) that there is plenty of other races also living in small towns. So, this book made me happy to have other races represented throughout.

Our main character, Babe (who is bi !!!), is a recent high school graduate. She wants nothing but the perfect summer with her two best friends before they start college.
I've read plenty of YA contemporaries where our characters are seniors and those are great, but I've always wanted more books to explore what comes after graduating. It's a tough experience for everyone. After you spend your entire life in a certain routine, everything begins changing. Will my friends leave me behind? What do I even want from my life? How do I begin again? Even with plenty of drama to go around, this book does a good job exploring this stage in our lives through all of its characters.

"I didn't want to be the kind of friends who drifted apart after high school, the kind who could live in the same town and still be strangers."

.. And the romance is EVERYTHING.
I really think good guys are underrated in YA. Ones who are pure and sweet without a complicated life history.. They're just nice. Levi is so refreshing. Babe and Levi have the sweetest summer romance I have ever read. I fell head over heels for these two! :)

What a great debut for Lillie Vale!! I am looking forward to reading her future work! She's a fantastic writer. I loved how well she explored so much with characters full of depth, but still managed to deliver it all through a overall light-hearted story.

This book is the perfect summer read. I highly recommend it! <3

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and this contemporary romance was sweet while also addressing some of the issues books featuring summer relationship don't. I would recommend this books to readers who enjoy Sarah Dessen or Morgan Matson with its sweet relationship and a protagonist many readers will be able to relate to.

Small Town Hearts is a book that is easy to love—it fills your heart with warm nostalgia and sweet memories of summer, friendship, and love. Babe, our lovable and refreshing protagonist, is a small-town girl who is facing that melancholy transition period in her life of post-high school graduation. As her childhood best friends, Penny and Chad, prepare for college, this summer is meant to be the perfect one to spend together, but things get thrown off the rails when a messy kiss threatens their plans. Things get even more hectic when Babe’s ex-girlfriend, Eloide, arrives back in town from college, and an artsy summer tourist named Levi decides to spend his summer in Oar’s Rest.

The small-town setting of Oar’s Rest has the same heartwarming feel of Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls. It’s a place where everyone is family and anywhere you walk, you’ll see a friendly face. Everything about this town speaks to the heart from the friendly strangers who make a short pass in the novel and the local restaurants with delicacies that will make your mouth water to the tight-knit community which inspires daytime boat trips and bonfires under the stars. This is the type of town I’ve always wished I could have grown up in or at least visited. Simply reading about Oar’s Rest makes it feel personal so when Babe and the rest of the characters move throughout various locations in the novel, it feels like you’re there with them.

Lillie Vale’s writing is absolutely gorgeous and beyond exceptional for a debut novel. Vale has a talent for capturing emotions—both the intense and the subtle—and catering to the five senses. You can see the glimmering reflection of the sun against the ocean, and you can smell the savory aroma of grilled seafood. You can feel the fresh summer breeze against your skin as Babe bikes through town, and you can hear the hustle and bustle and friendly chatter at the Busy Bean, the town’s local coffee shop. One moment your stomach will be longing for creamy clam chowder and hand-churned ice cream, but the next, your heart is aching over Babe’s romantic struggles and broken friendships. Even with the most enticing and descriptive scenes, Vale leaves you wondering and slightly tugs at your heart, making this book impossible to stop thinking about even after you’ve put it down.

One of the best aspects of Small Town Hearts is the variety of multi-faceted friendships we encounter. At the forefront, we have the iconic trio of Babe, Penny, and Chad. Childhood best friends but, of course, things get turned awry when Babe and Chad accidentally kiss and Penny finds out. We see the lasting impacts on Babe and Penny’s friendship and how the dedication to the friendship was unequal from the beginning. Although I sometimes got frustrated with how Babe would let Penny walk over her, it’s also very telling of Babe’s character that she never gave up on their friendship. To contrast this messy trio, we have Lucy, one of Babe’s coworkers and a sweet angel. She served as an amazing support system, and I loved her character so much.

If you know me, you know I love fluffy romances, and this book did not disappoint. First, we have Babe’s ex-girlfriend who’s re-entered the picture, but more importantly, we have our favorite summer boy, Levi Keller. He was cute. He was swoon-worthy. He was patient. AND he accepts Babe for who she is and is incredibly supportive. I know in romance we immediately like to think of grand gestures and big moments, but what made Babe and Levi’s relationship so touching was how organically it developed. We see their day-to-day conversations about random topics to introspective long-term life plans.

On top of all the fabulous writing, picture-perfect setting, and characters who I will protect, Small Town Hearts is a book that reflects on thoughtful messages like finding yourself and your passion and the necessity of higher education and whether it’s for everyone. I can’t recommend this book enough whether you’re looking for something to warm your heart or to pull you out of a slump. This book has made my favorites list, and I hope if you read it (and you definitely should) that it’ll make yours too.

This was NOT turning out to be the summer Babe was expecting. She had planned to laze her days away on the beach with her besties eating tacos, but one mistake, and she was ousted from the group. To add to her misery, her ex-girlfriend was back in town after unceremoniously cutting Babe out of her life. All seemed lost, until a silver lining, in the form of a summer boy, appeared.

I am going to tell you right now - I was rooting for the summer boy from the very beginning. Levi was such a sweet little cinnamon roll, and it was easy to see that he made Babe something she hadn't really been in a while - happy. He was honest and a straight shooter, and he didn't leave her questioning everything she did or said. Their relationship was delightfully healthy.

It was easy to understand Babe's reluctance to open her heart to Levi, though. She was nursing quite a few wounds due to abandonment. Her mother left, her girlfriend left, and her best friends (kinda, sorta) left. How was she supposed to allow herself to fall for a boy, who was scheduled to leave at the end of the summer?

Alas, my heart didn't care, because these two shared a great friendship and a meaningful connection. And his friendship came without expectations, UNLIKE some of her "friends".

A big part of Babe's story was the conflict with Penny and Chad. I guess it's part of growing up, but it's also sad to see a long friendship run its course. It was definitely hard for Babe, and Vale did a wonderful job capturing those emotions. I felt for Babe and raged against her friends. I suppose I should commend the author for inciting these emotions in me, because I sort of felt like I went through the stages of grief during the demise of this friendship.

Aside from the romance, which was the star of this book for me, I also loved:

• The setting - What a fantastic little seaside town Vale brought us to. I loved exploring Oars Rest, and thought the author did a wonderful job pulling me into this local.

• The residents of Oars Rest - Babe's mom and friends sort of sucked, but she was not without support. Her boss at Busy's was a sort of surrogate father to her, and she found an honest friendship in Lorcan and Lucy, who were both wonderful. Sometimes found-families are just better.

• Sandcastle competitions for the win

• Baked goods. Lots and lots of amazing sounding baked goods. Oh, and seafood too.

• She lived in a lighthouse!

• End of summer traditions

It was a summer of many ups and downs for Babe, and she learned a lot about life and about herself.

Rep: Bisexual MC, Black SC, biracial ex-LI, Chinese American SC

CW: manipulative friendship, mention of casual drug usage (weed, not shown on the page), alcohol consumption (on page), alcohol abuse (a character drinks and parties to the point of dehydration and sleep-deprivation; two characters get wasted and are too drunk to fully consent to sex with each other); in this edition use of a racist term (tr*be - "It always felt like once people had their tribe, they didn’t have a lot of time for new friends.") during the included quote. Note: having spoken to the author, she's accepted this note and while it's too late to change the current edition, she mentioned correcting it in further print runs. 

From the get go, Small Town Hearts had a great knack for setting. At the heart of it was The Busy Bean, the coffee shop where Babe sells her baked good and works as a manager. It has a certain eclectic charm that is illustrated well in the furniture from various patio sets and alternating lettering styles displaying the daily specials on a board.

Vale constructs a comforting setting. Oar's Rest comes to the reader's mind not only through visuals that she sets out for them, but through scents that are described and used to round out the image of the town. It almost makes it a 3D image and puts the reader that much more in the story than any other.

There were some characterization choices that I thought were interesting, such as when Babe & Penny compare Penny & Chad's relationship to Rory and Logan of Gilmore Girls. Penny/Rory, in their respective works (book/show) don't tend to notice what they're asking of others, the demands that their actions place on others, and I found this a super apt comparison.

Penny did not end up being my favorite person. There's some growth on her part, but it was difficult to read her interactions with Babe. There's language she uses that's subtly manipulative of Babe & Babe's feelings as well as judgment toward Levi when "first meeting" him at a houseboat party and offering him weed/alcohol but also "water if you're not into having fun".

I wasn't sure, at first, if the tension between Babe & Penny was casual friends depending upon one another or something else, but as one scene plays out (Penny asking Babe to, essentially, cement a breakup with Chad) it becomes clear that Penny knows what she's doing. Events spiral from that one request, and from the past decisions that have happened between Babe, Penny, and even Chad, to create a whole mess that intertwines the entire narrative.

Babe & Levi had some sweet moments, despite the tension that was running between them for a variety of reasons. Their dates around town, their conversations, there were some truly lovely, intimate moments that bolstered the quickly formed relationship.

There is something I found slightly odd, maybe offputting, about the tone of the characters. Before their ages were explicitly stated, and perhaps even a bit after that, I would've said based on the way they acted, the situations they were in (living conditions, certain freedoms, etc.), that this was more a New Adult novel and that most of the main cast was in their early twenties rather than late teens. Like, there was a disproportionate amount of young people to older (late twenties and up) residents. These characters were all 17-19 and not quite acting like it. They had jobs, "houses", and responsibilities that didn't quite mesh with the personalities that had been presented on page.

There is a brief explanation given as to where Babe's mother is (she works on a cruise ship most of the year) and why Babe is able to afford living in a lighthouse (given funds). It felt a rather convenient way, though, to avoid developing a familial relationship between Babe and her parents because both are essentially absentee what with her mother working on a cruise ship and her father being a relative unknown to the reader.

Overall, while the action seem choppy/repetitive at times, creating a sometimes rough reading experience, what was good was good and what wasn't awful. I really could see Oar's Rest in my head and sinking into a setting isn't always easy. I wish that it was possible to visit such a place, get a picnic lunch at Lorcan's seafood shack, and wander down to the beach. Small Town Hearts is a wonderfully atmospheric novel and getting to settle down with a snack and a good read is totally something to look forward to with this debut.

I loved the descriptions of food and coffee in the story! As for the plot, I have plenty of students who enjoy reading romances on Wattpad, and they would enjoy this novel. It has much of what faithful teenage romance readers want in a book!

I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All quotes are taken from the ARC, and all opinions are my own.

Overall: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 5/5
Awesomeness Factor: 5/5
Review in a Nutshell: Small Town Hearts is a fantastic read, with something for everyone, from an adorable romance to a great portrayal of the ups and downs of friendships.


"This was the summer that everything had come undone, unspooling our lives like the wickedest of storms. Now there was only the calm, the after.

"We get to come back from our mistakes. We have to believe that’s possible.”

- Premise -

Small Town Hearts follows Babe, who lives in the lighthouse of her small town that attracts a fair share of tourists and visitors during the summer months. When she meets Levi, an artist, she must remind herself of a very important rule: never fall for a summer boy. But when she finds her friendship with her two best friends crumbling, and her ex-girlfriend back in town, falling for the wrong boy may just save her summer.

"Oar’s Rest held on to memories. Every first kiss, every last kiss. Every tragedy, every miracle. It was greedy for them.”

- Writing & Setting -

Lillie Vale’s writing style is amazing. Her voice is the perfect blend of the humor and wit that’s now a must for lighthearted contemporary romance, and the elegant prose of heavier, sometimes denser reads. It sets the tone for this fun, adorable, yet grounded story. It also helps to vividly portray the town of Oars Rest, which is probably one of my favorite aspects of this book. I grew up in a small beach town that can get touristy, and the entire time I was reading this book, I kept seeing my hometown. Lillie Vale’s portrayal of Oars Rest made me remember why I love my town so much.

"I could be the captain and get us through these rough waves.”

- Plot -

There are a lot of things going on in this book, but it never feels heavy. There is constant action, angst, and drama stirred by the various relationships (romantic, platonic, and familial) and the unique events of an Oars Rest summer. No moment is dull, there is always something interesting happening, and always something you’re waiting for, dreading, or anticipating.

"Whatever was good about us, we’re choking it to death. Our roots are too tangled. We need to have space to breathe.”

- Characters -

Not only was the setting crazy relatable for me, but also the characters. Babe is such a fascinating protagonist, with flaws that hit home a little too hard, and so many great strengths. Her character growth over the course of this book is amazing! Meanwhile, her best friend, Penny, was equally grounded. I want to go on about her more but I don’t want to give anything away, but let’s just say she struck a nerve with me. That was one thing I really adored with this book. There were no cliche mean girls in this book, which is something that you see in YA contemporary too often. Instead, you’re given down-to-earth, scarily realistic characters that will remind you of people you know in your life, both for better and worse.
The romance in this book is absolutely adorable, and Levi is such a great love interest. Also, I was so happy to see a bi main character fall in love with someone of the opposite gender and no one calls her straight or minimizes her sexuality! Honestly, everything with the LGBTQ+ rep in this book was amazing. I was so happy with how her ex-girlfriend was handled. She was still in the closet while they dated and broke up, and I loved that she was never blamed for not wanting to come out, and that Babe respected her privacy and protected her secret even if led to more issues for her. It was just really great.

"We were beginnings and middles, but we weren’t endings. They were still up there in the clouds somewhere, waiting for us to catch up.”

- Conclusion -
Pros- Great LGBTQ+ representation, amazing setting, relatable and realistic characters
Cons- ???
Overall- 5/5 stars.
Small Town Hearts should be added to everyone’s TBR. It’s adorable, fun, yet full of heart and depth. This is a book you can’t miss!

"Because the strength of a lighthouse is from its being alone. From being a beacon of light in the darkness, a finger showing you which way is home.”

I usually do not read books like this but the description made me want to read it. The author did a good job with this story. I thought the emotion, the characters, the connection between the characters was great. This was a fast paced book that was easy to read. Thank you NetGalley.

Small Town Hearts could have been an outstanding YA romance but it ends up being predictable and forgettable. It's a real shame because I was so excited to read a ya featuring a bisexual heroine. As there's just so little out there, I'd hesitantly recommend this one--it's an easy read and lacks staying power, but at least it's a story that speaks to teens who are often overlooked in ya.