I haven’t read a book that’s kept me this engrossed for a while. I’ve devoured it on my breaks at work today, and have just finished it tonight because I couldn’t wait until my breaks tomorrow to find out how it finished!

Lucy is going into her Senior year and everything has changed - her boyfriend has dumped her, her mother has moved across the country, she’s given up something she loves & she has so much extra responsibility, but she’s determined to enjoy the last year of school. Then she meets Dov, a transfer student from Israel who’s set to turn her world upside down.

This is not your usual simple love story. The complicated relationship between Lucy and her Mom (& the rest of her family to an extent) is very real, and more than you usually get to see in a stand-alone novel. The character development is also great, and I would have loved to see more of Amy and Maddie. The only thing I could say is that the ending feels a little rushed or cut short, but the path to that point & where Lucy ends up is more than satisfying.

I really enjoyed it! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

*I received this E-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review*

I will start by saying I really liked that the book included a Jewish aspect. I have no idea how accurate the representation is but I enjoyed it. I really enjoyed the indecisiveness if the main character about her future (which is very relatable). My major issue is I felt like I couldn’t completely connnect to the characters, and I just wasnted a little more for the book that was given. Overall I really enjoyed the characters, and the romance tugged at my heart stings for sure!

Lucy is a 17-year old girl that has it all on the surface. A good student, a sassy best friend, and a perfect boyfriend that her parents approve. But when Scott, her boyfriend, decides to go to off to college early, Lucy is left a sore heart at the very beginning of her senior year of high school, of course. That is...until she meets Dov -- the new kid from Israel that just moved to town. Dov is moody and quiet and seemingly temperamental, but underneath the surface, there's a lot of suffering that he'd rather forget about.

Their relationship starts off rocky, but their friendship blossoms throughout the book so beautifully that, as a reader, I couldn't help but feel butterflies all the way through. Here are two kids in the throes of what feels like the biggest moments of their lives, trying to decide whether to follow their hearts or to follow what's right.

The book was such a cozy read this winter. The character of Lucy reminded me so much of myself when I was in high school. As an adult, we often forget all the angst that comes with being a teenager trying to decide a future that is unimaginable and overwhelming. This is exactly why I love young adult novels so much. We forget what it's like to have all of those jumbled feelings for the first time.

I will say though, it took me a little longer to read this than I thought. The first half of the book is a little slow and sort of reads a little amateurish but once it gets going, it was hard to put down. It's one of those books that you can't help but get involved with the main characters.

Thank you Netgalley/Publisher for an early copy

A well-done YA novel that hooked me. I will be reading more from this author. I recommend this to fans of YA Contemporary.

When I read the blurb for Natalie Blitt's novel, The Truth About Leaving, I was reminded that there are no new ideas. The book opens with Lucy, the main character, getting dumped by her long-time boyfriend right as senior year was about to begin. I had a similar idea for National Novel Writing Month nine years ago. So I was very interested in reading this book.

Lucy's life is complicated. Her mother is a college professor and working in California, leaving Lucy, her dad, and two younger brothers home in Illinois. Lucy has had to pick up the slack for her missing mother, resulting in a life not her own.

On the first day of school, Lucy literally collides with new transfer student Dov, an Israeli boy with issues of his own. Though Lucy originally declares she has no interest in Dov other than friendship, as their friendship develops, so do deeper feelings.

What I really enjoyed about this book was the immersion in Jewishness, and how Dov schools Lucy on what it means to be Israeli. Lucy is Jewish but non-practicing, though she does take her little brothers to Hebrew school and has been Bat Mitzvahed. It's nice to see Jewish characters who are just Jewish.

Blitt's book is a great blend of love story and finding oneself - as Lucy develops throughout the text, she realizes how much of herself she's lost in putting others first, and when she finally stands up to her parents in asking for what SHE wants, it's a stand up and cheer kind of moment. Well worth the read.

There are a lot of books that deal with the turmoil of senior year, but none so deftly, I think, as The Truth About Leaving. Blitt beautifully balances Lucy's parental and societal expectations about college with her own assumptions and fears, and offers a view of life post–high school that I think is largely missing from media. Blitt also brilliantly handles a bunch of important threads, from Lucy's complex relationship with her parents, to her history with her ex-boyfriend.

Dov and Lucy's relationship is both unbelievably romantic and fully believable, and I adore them. Lucy is loving, bighearted, and determined, but that doesn't mean she has all the answers. Dov is broken and sometimes angry, but is much more than the broken boy trope—he is complex, soft, and doesn't make excuses for bad behavior. These characters have quickly found a way into my heart.

Delightful side characters abound—I would love this book for Lucy's grandmother alone—but they don't overwhelm the main plot.

As the ending approached, I didn't know what to expect, and I didn't know how I could possibly not be disappointed. But I should have trusted Blitt, who had handled all these delicate threads so beautifully this far, and who gave this book the ending it needed.

Utterly delightful in every sense of the world. Be prepared to be swept up in this story and these characters. Very unique young adult story.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book absolutely blew me away. From the premise itself I knew it was going to be fantastic and heartfelt, but what I experienced was so, so much more than I expected. I finished this in one sitting (it’s 02:08 as I write this), within a couple of hours and I’m still reeling from the beautiful reading experience.

Following Lucy through such a pivotal time of her life when she’s attempting to pick a college and finding a path that is really going to make her happy. Throughout the story she makes choices and breaks out of the boxes that society/her parents have made her construct. She smashes through the expectations and follows her own path and I truly found that element massively beautiful; the story discusses the importance of forging your own path and how to begin doing that. The growth that Lucy goes through is absolutely astronomical and she grew from a high schooler excited for senior activities to an adult excited for new experiences — experiences that she wasn’t afraid to shout about and be excited for. She is a character I massively admire.

Dov was also a character that my heart warmed to immediately. He is a sweetheart with a heart of gold and so much love to give. His character development was also fantastic throughout — and he expressed the importance of sticking to what is important to you and what matters to you no matter what anyone else says. He also brings forward the importance of compromise, family connections, friends, relationships, and the importance of not being alone. Dov & Lucy’s relationship was absolutely mind blowing. I loved the chemistry and the poetry aspect, and loved that they began to open up to each other using poetry as a device.

Following a young adult learning a new country after moving from war ridden Israel was so profound. The misconceptions that people have and how it can feel for the person relocating were written exquisitely, so much so that you felt as if you were actually nestled in Dov’s heart, feeling what he felt.

I loved the cultural/religious aspects throughout this, also, and the Hebrew elements throughout. I adored that it was a primary element in the story. I loved reading about different cultural experiences, different religions and the acceptance that was shown — particularly between Lucy & Dov’s families.

This just felt so real. From the family conflicts, to the stroppy teenage moments, to the powerful romance — I felt like I was dunked in head first into a beautiful story, and I loved every single minute of it.

This book was fantastically well written, incredibly moving, massively powerful and astounding. It is a voice that has needed to be heard in the YA genre for a long time and to have something such as this pop up is amazing. This would be a perfect read for any person, particularly those who are Jewish. I’m so happy that I got to read this book and I recommend it to every single person whom this book appeals to. It ticks all of the boxes, every single one of them, and even made me weep a little!

It must be noted that there is also LGBTQ+ representation in this book through Lucy’s grandmother who is absolutely ADORABLE and one of my favourite characters.

You know those books that leave you feeling so impacted by them, even though you can't put your finger on why? This is one of those books.

I felt so deeply while reading this book. My eyes stung with tears, my stomach twinged, my heart clenched... This book will stay with me for awhile.

I related to Lucy with her love for words and analyzing lyrics (and other works).

I'm truly going to miss Lucy and Dov.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing the ARC!

I think I wanted to like this book more than I did. I'm always on the lookout for good Jewish rep and I'd seen this mentioned, so I was looking forward to it. In that respect, it was a decent choice. But as an overall book...less so.

My main issue was that the love story didn't hold up for me. Dov didn't seem to have much personality, and the whole shy/surly guy who has Something Hard In His Past but is really sensitive and into poetry thing doesn't seem tremendously original. The Dov/Lucy falling in love process practically goes down a YA novel checklist: main character is clumsy and awkward in front of the broody new guy - check, trapped outside together in a rainstorm - check, "Do you know how hard it is to keep my hands to myself?!" conversation - check. I just didn't feel a particular chemistry between the two of them, so a large chunk of the book rang hollow and uninteresting for me.

It's especially a shame because there were elements that seemed to be new territory. The discussions of not being inspired by a particular college or subject, the pressure to balance school, home responsibilities, romance, friendship, and having a senior year experience - those had some juice to them. I liked that there wasn't a clean wrapup on the story with Lucy's mother. Most often situations like that don't get suddenly resolved, and her father admitting that they were just muddling through a little was refreshingly realistic. (Although I do wish there had been a further exploration of what seems to have been a depressive period lasting several years, followed by Lucy's mother apparently leaving that whole thing behind and kinda ignoring her daughter.) It was also nice to read a YA book where the main character does ballet without the cutthroat attitudes, eating disorders, and stress over a professional career. But I was disappointed by the treatment of Lucy's best friend Maggie, who basically existed to either say, "You loooooove him!" and "He sucks!" like a romcom best friend algorithm, and the romance plot, which was a driving force for the book, mostly left me shrugging.

This book is a fine read. The writing is solid, with occasional flashes of loveliness. The descriptions of Israel and Israeli culture brought back fond memories of my own year in Jerusalem. I'm always up for new, different, and authentic portrayals of Jewish characters in YA, and especially when it's better integrated than just a casual mention of a bar or bat mitzvah. But I wish there had been better character work done: I think the book would have been stronger for it.

A YA book with not only a hot new guy from Israel, but a Jewish-American family in the forefront. Israel and its beauty and the complex relationship not only between these two teens, but with this beautiful country that holds a sacred meaning to each of them to varying degrees. The parent-child relationship that is also explored and how Lucy doesn’t leave her best friend behind for s boy. This book is different than a lot of TA books for so many reasons—most of them great. Lucy does get annoying at times, but I think it’s her anxiety we really get to feel through the strong character development. This was a good story with romance in the mix of a very crazy, hectic, stressful and important time for high schoolers and this book doesn’t just focus on the romance, which was nice.

[4 STARS] - Arc provided through NetGalley in change of an honest review

This was a lovely and cute book, a perfect read for when you're in need of a story about a genuine and true love.

"I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars" - Og Mandino

Lucy is going through a lot of stuff in one year. She has just ended a relationship, her mother has accepted a job on the other side of the country, leaving her and her dad to take care of her brothers. On top of all that, it's her last year of school, hence she has to decide which college she will go to the next year.

In the middle of it all, a new guy has arrived from Israel and is now her classmate and partner in a poetry class: Dov. Soon they begin to open up to each other and a true friendship ignites between them.

There were so many things I liked about this book: first, since Dov was from Israel, there were a lot of references to the country and to some poets and singers from there, which I found amazing, because I got to learn something new every chapter. Also, the book was filled with poems and quotes that supported and added depth to some of the problems Lucy was going through. On the course of the book, she thinks a lot about the decision she has to take, and while she ponders through her options, she made me realize and think about my own life.

"I need to do what's right for me, as hard as it is to figure out what that is"

It was a slow paced book, the relationship between Lucy and Dov developing slowly. That's the thing I missed most, maybe if some of the dramas were better developed, or more thrill and depth were added to the book, I would've enjoyed it more.

I really recommend it and I hope you fall in love with Dov and Lucy as much as I did. <3

This was a lovely romantic read! Lucy and Dov meet at the beginning of their senior year and both are carrying baggage from past relationships and loss in their lives. Dov and Lucy find each other and as their relationship devlopes, the reader learns more and more about their lives and their families. This is a lovely book because of the growth of character that the reader sees in Lucy. She changes dramatically from the beginning of the story to the end and in a way that many seniors in high school may be feeling. Her journey is a true and believable one. Dov is also a character who goes through a significant growth. His story is just as beautiful as Lucy's and the incorporation of his culture to the story makes it even stronger. I really enjoyed this novel and the way the author deals with family, friends, growth and loss. I look forward to reading more YA by Natalie Blitt. Thank you netgalley for an arc of this in exchange for my honest opinion.

Lucy Green is entering her senior year of high school with a world of possibilities at her feet...as long as that world and all of those possibilities remain in the Chicago metro area. With responsibilties coming in the form of two younger brothers, a dad doing his best to keep them reined in, and a mom across the country, Lucy’s life has been all but figured out for her.

Enter Dov - a transfer student from Israel who makes his feelings very clear that he would rather be anywhere else than spending his senior year at Wilmette Academy.

While Blitt’s story has all of the elements of a young adult romance that can warm your soul and make you gush that internal “AWW,” she brings us characters that are so much more than your typical YA tropes. Dov’s complex background, intricately woven and delicate relationships with his family, as well as the feelings and thoughts he can only express in Hebrew come together to form a character that you long to dive deeper into, to get to know just as much as Lucy does. Lucy’s own complex relationship with her family and her struggle to make the decisions that shape her life after graduation are scenes that feel like they are plucked from a teen’s life.

While the pacing of the story left me feeling like I was tearing through pages just to make it to some kind of plot movement forward, Lucy and Dov’s stories of self-discovery, healing and setting out for life after high school make Blitt’s novel a perfect read when you want a little something more than a lighthearted beach read.

Also, planner friends, bujo addicts and memory keepers everywhere will find a little bit of themselves in Lucy - a collector of scraps of writing, poetry, song lyrics, and anything that speaks to her. The cover of this edition of the novel is sure to draw in anyone who has one of these collections of meaningful little bits of life pasted into a journal, taped to a wall, or simply held in a shoebox ready to be thumbed through.

https://www.letteringandlibraries.com/blog/the-one-with-poetry-high-school-seniors-and-important-life-decisions

The Truth About Leaving tells us Lucy Green's story. Lucy is about to start her senior year when her boyfriend breaks up with her out of the blue. She feels lost in every area of her life and doesn't know what to do with herself anymore. It doesn't help that her mother just left for a job across the country and barely keeps in touch and that it means that she has to help around the house sacrificing her social life and extracurricular activities, like her dancing. When she meets Dov, a transfer student from Israel, she realizes her priorities need to change.

I mostly liked this. Lucy was interesting and so was her family situation. What I had trouble with was her relationship with Dov. The insta-love thing really doesn't work for me. There was also a lot of army talk and glorifying the fact that 18 year old kids have to enlist and I just can't agree with that. I felt for Dov but I didn't fall for him. I enjoyed Lucy's character development but I didn't fall for her either. I guess I didn't really relate to any of them.
Still, it was a pretty interesting book and I'm sure lots of people would enjoy it.

Lucy's mother takes a job that sends her out of state, leaving Lucy to take care of her younger brothers and the home while juggling her senior year of high school. Her perfect plan for her future is interrupted when her boyfriend doesn't want a long distance relationship and breaks up with her right before he leaves for college. School starts with Lucy quite literally running into the new transfer student Dov. They form a friendship and bond over a shared culture and family expectations, and loss. The Romance is a main focus, but it is not the only focus, which I greatly appreciated. The book has a slow pace but tells a good story. A great coming of age for any reader.

Lucy is still reeling from Scott breaking up with her when she bumps into Dov. Literally bumps into him and knocks him down. Who is this new student from Israel and why is he so moody. Lucy finds herself wanting to find the answers to these questions and so many more as she begins a rollercoaster relationship with Dov and tries to find herself in the process. Should she go to the college that her parents want her to go to so she can "help out" at home or should she go somewhere far away to get away from it all? So many decisions for her to make during her senior year of high school. The Truth About Leaving is a realistic look at the decisions and stress that many high school seniors feel as they prepare to leave their parents' home to attend college.

This is just an all around good teen novel. If you love YA books, then you will really enjoy getting to read this gem. Taking me all the way back to high school and a simpler time. Pick it up as soon as it comes out!

I said I wanted to read more books I usually don’t read this year so I decided to request The Truth About Leaving from NetGalley. To be honest, I haven’t read a lot of YA Contemporaries since I was 14 and hooked on Sarah Dessen books. The last one I read was Tash Hearts Tolstoy. This one was pretty different in some ways from those books however, and similar in others.

First, it starts off with a senior in what seems like a posh high school. Lucy’s boyfriend just dumped her and her college plans hasn’t been panning out the way she hoped it would. Plus, a new boy from Israel recently transferred to their school which was something unheard off.

I’ll be honest, I cringed a lot at the start. Dov was the new kid who was either struggling to fit in or wasn’t even bothering. Meanwhile, Lucy just basically inserts himself into his life and barely a day or a few after meeting him asks inappropriate, insensitive, and frankly offensive questions. Why would you ask if terrorism and violence are part of his everyday life? For that matter, why would you ask if his brother died in combat? It struck me as inappropriate as she barely knows the guy and it just didn’t seem right for her to do that.

Lucy strikes me as a mixed-bag as a character. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing as it makes her more realistic to have both good qualities and flaws. However, it did strike me as a bit odd how it seemed like she moved on so quickly from her ex who she described as the boy she’s loved her entire life.

One thing that peeved me a lot about her character was her rudeness to her parents. I absolutely hate it when I see it in YA Contemporaries. Sure, some parents are toxic but Lucy’s didn’t strike me as being that way. They’re parents concerned about their daughter. Also, does being 18 somehow magically grant you the license to do whatever you want? I’m 19, about to graduate from college and go to law school but I still have to do what my parents tell me to.

However, I did appreciate her character growth. She has a personality and a life separate from Dov and appreciate that. She likes dancing- ballet to be specific and pursues it. She gets to know what she wants and was able to adapt to changes in her life and make decisions accordingly. I did find her decision-making somewhat hasty but given the circumstances, I suppose I can understand it.

Dov really struck me as being kind of a manic pixie dream guy. He’s not that bad as love interests go but he was really a bit of a manic pixie dream guy in the beginning. He exchanges poems with Lucy then runs hot and cold then it turns out he has a sad, tragic backstory which explains it. The whole song and dance kind of made me roll my eyes a bit. But I do like how he encourages Lucy to follow her dreams and do the things she like. He even encouraged her to dance again which was a pretty good thing.

The plot was really standard YA Contemporary stuff. Boy meets girl, they fall in love but there’s trials and drama and angst along the way. The angst here involves Dov going back to Israel for military service and whatever I may feel about compulsory military service, it was kind of annoying how Lucy can’t seem to understand it at first. She does come around to it and they resolve the conflict. For the most part though, what really made this book shine for me was the inclusion of the Hebrew language and Jewish traditions. Both Lucy and Dov are Jewish and while I can’t speak for the Jewish rep, I enjoyed the parts where it was described. I also liked that Dov speaks Hebrew here because I am a fan of different languages.

Overall, the book was okay. It’s a nice quick read and there may be a lot to appreciate. I did dock a star for the angsty teen stuff and ultimately gave it a 3 because it’s really just mostly okay for me. If you’re a fan of YA Contemporaries and looking for Jewish rep, this may be for you.

I honestly loved this book! It was so cute in so my ways. It was amazing to see the growth in Lucy as th book went on. I would honestly recommend this book.