An engaging read about all the Venn diagrams of friendship & family - where we fit, where we don't, and how those perceptions are colored by our own biases. Protagonist Annabelle is pulled in so many directions. She's an island kid at a mostly-resident boarding school. She feels like academically, she's behind everyone else . . . and it does seem from the text that she has some accommodations for learning disabilities, but it's never really clear whether those are actual, or imposed by the rigorous academic setting in which she finds herself. She's a standout swimmer, and it ends up splitting her between her friends and the older/more advanced swimmers she's encouraged to join. Her two closest friends are going separate ways for the summer; Jeremy to an off-island camp, and Mia to hang out with newer, "cooler" friends. Plus she gets a letter from the father she hasn't heard from in years, and it upsets the balance she's achieved with her stepfather, Mitch.

I really liked all the ways Annabelle analyzed her friendships and the interactions of those around her. They were both insightful and occasionally incorrect enough to read as authentic. The conclusions drawn are sometimes very accurate, and sometimes . . . very immature.

Not sure if I'll put this in my library since I'm K-6 and it's definitely a middle school story. There's some minor substance use, handled in an appropriate way, but it may be a little mature for my patrons. If I were a middle school library I would hand this to students in a heartbeat. I think many kids will connect, if not exactly with the demands of swim team and private school, definitely with the overall themes.

While I'm sure there is an audience for this book, I'm not it. I was frustrated with the number of plots left behind in favor of the "romance" plot (Annabelle's apparent learning disability, her mother's insistence on perfection, Annabelle's frankly worrying poor self esteem) and disturbed by the conclusions drawn regarding Mia and Annabelle's fading friendship. Readers particularly interested in tales of young love might be intrigued (certainly it is scoring VERY well on Goodreads currently), but this has never been an area of interest for me.

A lovely book about a teenager trying to make sense of her feelings and the world around her. My 10yo enjoyed the story but in all fairness, this book may be more suited to a slightly older child.

A cute and uplifting middle grade book about fitting in and loving yourself for both your strengths and weakness. A must read for anyone.