This book went right to my heart – a beautiful story of first love and heartbreak, found family and friendships, incredible characters, and a voice so genuine and vulnerable you will find it hard to forget.

A book that takes you though lots of emotions. Ellis has an absent family with a mother that disappears for long periods of time and a father who tries to be a father when he isn't in jail. When Ellis meets Easton and is taken in by his family, she sees a family love that she is missing. You can see the love that she is shown as she becomes part of this family. Life is still not easy for her and her obligations to her real family take her on a path of heartbreak and pain.

This book makes you feel the emotions of every character. I felt the pain as Easton and Ellis were unable to speak honestly and work through their problems until the hurt was unbearable. Can all of words and feeling unsaid be mended in the end? A great book that you won't want to put down. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve let this one sit for longer than I intended. It hurt too much. I am rarely a group-cast fan, but the supporting characters in SMWM are truly a family; I need a Dixon backstory, a Sandry & Ben get-together flashback, and to see Tucker's happy ending. The major complaint I can see arising is that Ellis is "unlikable"...but I think it's important that she was portrayed the way she is; she's not unlikable, she's a teenage girl with a hurt heart. The alternating timelines are not my personal preference, but they were handled well and the consistency of alternating chapters was very helpful to keep everything straight. Lastly, I appreciated the ending: not necessarily happy, but hopeful. I think overall this is a raw and realistic portrayal of upper teen-dom that will resonate with an often overlooked group in the way it was intended.

Initially it reminded me of Eleanor & Park, but that’s not right. I hate Eleanor & Park; I did not hate this one. I’ve only ever felt this way once before: when reading The Summer I Turned Pretty Series by Jenny Han; both empty and full of the same time. Emotions empty, heart full. Body empty, mind satiated. After TSITP I needed to expel these thoughts. My eyes flooded a page with words. But with this one, I want to keep my emotions close—thoughts aren’t free, after all.

"Easton is a habit I can't break. A feeling I can't let go of. A truth I only admit in my weakest moments."

Some Mistakes Were Made by Kristin Dwyer will undoubtedly be a highlight of your year, and will want to revisit time and time again.

A YA contemporary romance with feelings that encompass feelings that hit all the right spots, Some Mistakes Were Made is a story about the different kinds of young love: romantic love, friendship love, unrequited love, and the love that should be there but isn’t at all. Ellis is a girl who was born into a family dynamic that more about survival instincts than kisses goodnight or packed school lunches. Easton is youngest boy of the Aubrey family and the classmate that beguiles Ellis. Easton becomes Ellis’ rock, her safe haven, and then ultimately her impetus for her emotional break. That particular storyline slowly unfolds throughout the story making this such a well-crafted novel, and I promise the ending won't break your heart!

"And no matter how hard I tried to stop myself, I couldn't seem to prevent my feelings, because this where I wanted to be. Next to Easton. Watching his chest rise and my heart fall. No matter the danger. "

Their friendship leads to the Aubrey family looking out for Ellis and ultimately taking her in which creates a whole new dynamic to her relationship with Easton. The Aubrey family deserve a book of their own. I cannot begin to express how much I enjoyed reading the antics of all the family members. Tucker, Dixon, and Easton interact in a way that is easy and fun—adding the silly elements to an otherwise emotionally-charged story. I loved the Aubrey family antics so much that I began to crave scenes with them, and if that isn’t a sign that we need more from this family then I don’t know what is! The vibrancy of the Aubrey family also highlights the lack of family Ellis has on her own, and really how emotionally-stunted she is to that kind of familial love.

Some Mistakes Were Made is more than just a teen on a journey to self-discovery book. It’s appreciation, love, and friendship that is found in dark times—whether you want it or not. Even if you’re not a young adult, I have no doubt that you’ll relate to the full spectrum of emotions that are expressed, especially that feeling of thinking you know everything when you really know nothing at all.

"And that is why tears are falling down my cheeks. Not because of Sandry's kindness, but because of all the people who are supposed to be kind and aren't."

Kristin Dwyer has created such a wonderful book. With gorgeous writing, charismatic characters, hilarious dialogue with charming scenes, all within a perfectly crafted story. Some Mistakes Were Made is not a book to miss! Congrats on this beautiful new release, Kristin!

THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS...EVER. I have read this book three times over the last week and that says so much right there because I never reread. It is absolutely perfect and tragically beautiful. I cried, absolutely sobbed reading this book but also laughed so hard my sides hurt. Oh gosh, these characters, all of them, are my best friends and I will always be thinking about them. This book is now deeply embedded into my soul and heart. I cannot believe this is a debut author. The writing, the prose, and just everything is amazing. My only complaint is that the book ended, I never wanted it to stop. I HIGHLY recommend EVERYONE read this. This is a story everyone needs to hear. I will be shouting about this book for the rest of time.

This was absolutely adorable. I'm so thankful to have been given the opportunity to read this before it was released 🥰 this was an amazing 5 ⭐ read. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a quick immersive read

Some Mistakes Were Made grabbed my heart immediately and did not let go. I laughed out loud and I also cried actual tears (happy and sad, multiple times throughout). This book was heart wrenching and beautiful, with just the right amount of angst, vulnerability and love. The characters are authentic, and the dialogue is spoken in the most honest voices I've ever read in any YA novel. It's truly hard to believe this is a debut novel with the way Kristin writes, and I can't wait to read what she comes up with next (after I reread this one AT LEAST once more).

I am still not really sure if I ‘liked’ this one. I was totally invested in Ellis & Easton but so much of this story was hard for me to get lost in. Inconsistencies in behavior and missing details lead me to doubt instead of believe in the story. I felt like a parent instead of getting caught up in their story and that’s usually a bad sign for me.

Far more about the relationship between Ellis and the whole family than about simply the romance between Ellis and Easton. Dealing with complicated definitions of family, doing the right thing, betrayal, and jealousy. This was a lovely book with a strong voice. Great for fans of Sarah Dessen and Sarah Everett

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperTeen for the electronic advance reader galley in exchange for an honest review.

Some Mistakes Were Made was the story of two teenagers, Easton and Ellis, who grew up together and had a complicated relationship. They came from radically different backgrounds, though their parents had history as well. The story alternated between past and present, as well as viewpoint. They clearly grew up as best friends—almost like brother and sister—but “mistakes” cause Ellis to be sent away.

And that was my struggle with this book. Easton and Ellis were both wonderful characters, truly multidimensional, and the action, such as it was, vividly brought me back to my own teen years. But I kept waiting to find out about the “mistakes”. And in some ways, I felt like I was watching Seinfeld, where there was a story for every episode, but nothing much happened. One needs to read the entire book to find out why Ellis was sent away.

I will say, if this were made into a movie or a show, I would watch it, if only to get some clarity about what happened.

3.5 stars, rounded to 4 for really excellent characters.

I lost myself in the story on page one. The easy at which the story unfolded was magical. I felt like I was sitting on a couch having coffee with Kristen while she told me a story rich with heart, angst, laughter & the reality of growing up. After I finished I wanted nothing more than to pick it up again & reread.

Loved this debut by Kristin Dwyer. Perfect summer read for students looking for something light and fluffy but with heart. Swoon swoon swoon! I can't wait to read more from this author.

This book brought so many feelings to mind. Loved spending time with both MCs and I did wish for the mystery to be revealed a little earlier but I understand the teasing. It was still handled really well!

Would love for more from the author. She's definitely one to watch in the coming years!

This book was engrossing. If you like soap operas, or teen dramas like Dawson's Creek, you will love this book. Ellis is a girl with a father who is in and out of prison, and a largely absent, drunk, inappropriate mother. She comes from an unstable family in a lower income bracket than the family she befriends and ultimately ends up living with. The higher class family has three brothers: Dixon, Tucker, and Easton. Their mother is Sandry. Ellis and the family love each other, and she and Easton fall in love. I did at times get frustrated with the drama between Easton and Ellis--it takes them FOREVER to communicate how they are really feeling with each other--but I also had a hard time putting the book down. Sandry also frustrated me with the way that she made life-changing decisions for both Easton and Ellis. It seemed a bit like a white savior complex. Overall, if you like dramatic and angsty teen romances, you'll gobble up this book.

Some Mistakes Were Made

Synopsis:

Ellis and Easton have been inseparable since they were little; forging an unbreakable bond. Due to a momentary lapse in judgment, Ellis’ life is changed forever. She is sent halfway across the country, leaving behind the only life she has ever known and the only boy she has ever loved. A year later, with no word from Easton, she travels back to her hometown where she is sucked into the betrayal, anger, and heartache that she left behind.

Review:

The writing style pulls you in from the very beginning and leaves you wanting more. I couldn’t put this book down until I had finished. Some Mistakes Were Made is so much more than a love story. The characters were relatable, and the emotions they felt were palpable.

The characters were so well developed that you could fully understand their intentions, feelings, and motives. It was the right balance between family relationships, angst, love, and friendship. I agreed that the feelings Ellis felt were dead on, without hyperbole. This book left me emotionally raw and, simultaneously, so fulfilled. I don’t feel that I could ever fully articulate my love for this book, but I do highly recommend it.

Ellis has just graduated from high school in San Diego, and instead of feeling joy at the prospect of the next chapter in her life, she is being drawn back into the past. Her friend Tucker presents her with a plane ticket back home for his mother's birthday party and all Ellis can think of her her life before the incident and Easton, her first love. Easton and Ellis became inseparable as children when Easton talked Ellis into breaking into the school to retrieve his confiscated comic book. Through a series of flashbacks, we are walked through the years of Easton and Ellis's lives, and how they ended up separated by miles and anger. A wonderful look at love, loss, and what makes a family and home, Ellis and Easton's story ticks all the boxes for a teen romance overcoming obstacles.

Combine Legends of the Fall with Firefly Lane with Pygmalion and you have Some Mistakes Were Made. Ellis is a recent graduate who was taken in by a much wealthier family who has a history with her family. The characters are all incredibly flawed, but makes the story more believable. Sometimes doing the right thing is the more difficult and painful choice, which is a message in the text. All of the characters have their own motives, but piecing together the incident that pushed them apart took a bit too long to get to in the text.

Technically a YA romance, there is little traditional “romance” here, which I appreciated. I actually felt the physical scenes detracted from the overall text and interrupted the flow of the storyline and not always in a good way.

The dialogue between the three brothers was the star of the show for me. I also wished that we got more of Tenny and her story there.

I loved this book. I love love but most importantly it made me feel all the feels! Such a lovely debut book and I look forward to more works from Kristen Dwyer

This was a terrific book about family and all the different forms that can take. Ellis and Easton become inseparable as children and, over time, they become as close as two people can be. When they make an impulsive choice in their junior year of high school, their lives are irrevocably changed -- Ellis is forced to move across the country and, in what once seemed unimaginable, she stops speaking to Easton.

A full year passes, and Ellis is invited by Easton's mom to return home. When Ellis reluctantly decides to go, she must face the past she has been trying to leave behind, including the boy who, for most of her life, owned her heart.

This debut was terrific. Highly recommended!

It's been days since I read this book and it's still on my mind.

This debate book by Kristin Dwyer left me speechless. Her writing grabs you right from the beginning.She does not write like this is her first book by any means. You can feel the emotions of the characters and you wont want to put this one down.

Ellis and Easton have this chemistry that you can't ignore. I loved their story and journey they take. We get flash backs to their past lives together and how the distance in their life has changed them in the present. There's unresolved history and second chances. You'll also fall in love with Ben (that's all I'm gonna say).

I found myself relating to how Ellis reacts to things and reflect on my past. I heard from a bookstagramer that there are books that are like windows to who we are and this one is that. This was a window I didn't even know I needed and now that it's here I can't stop thinking about it.

Thank you Kristian for taking the leap and writing this book!! I can't wait to read more of your writing!!