This book was really interesting. The actual story is pretty cool but the writing was a little confusing. I felt like I couldn't really tell what was going on with the dialogue most of the time. Some of the time it was obvious who was talking and who that person was talking to but then other times I was super confused. There are also a lot of long monologues. I really liked reading about the different national parks though. The descriptions of everything made me feel like I was actually there. It was pretty easy to get through but it definitely has some heavy topics so make sure you check your trigger warnings.

I wanted to DNFED it but I didn't

I found Phoebe annoying and juvenile, maddeningly spelling everything out rather than giving me two seconds to read between the lines. Kenzo is pretty standard rom com fare: he reads very much like a man written by a woman. I will say that at least the passages flow smoothly and without ambiguity, which are some of my biggest pet peeves as a reader. The book is definitely funny, which is a plus. I also enjoyed the way each chapter opened with coordinates and a little illustration--a nice touch. But this was never gonna be my jam. I tried!

Unfortunately not my favorite. The writing style was jarring and the male main character was pretty insufferable so I wasn’t rooting for the couple to get back together. Both characters read really young which made the vulgarity and frequent sex scenes feel awkward and immature. I typically enjoy emotional romance books but this one felt a bit forced and I wish it was developed more because the overall premise and formatting of the chapters was intriguing.

Thanks to netgalley for the free copy.
Unfortunately, this was a dnf for me.
Cause of the scene at the first chapter I just couldn't. Should I have given it more? maybe but I just couldn't. The characters gave me an ick.

I tried, I really did, but I ended up DNF-ing this one at 44%. I really struggled with the writing style, and I felt like it was really hard to understand. I tried to look past that for the sake of the characters, but I felt like I was reading about two people who wanted to be together and yet were staying apart for reasons that just didn’t seem like a good enough reason to stay apart. A lot of readers seem to enjoy this, though, so take my opinion for what you will.

As a teen librarian, I was mostly curious about this title for potential crossover appeal (although it will never be in my department's collection because of its explicit content) and I could imagine teens who like Colleen Hoover reading this just because of the narrative style (see below), and the characters definitely feel New Adult in their attitudes and preoccupations.

I found Phoebe annoying and juvenile, maddeningly spelling everything out rather than giving me two seconds to read between the lines. Kenzo is pretty standard rom com fare: he reads very much like a man written by a woman. I will say that at least the passages flow smoothly and without ambiguity, which are some of my biggest pet peeves as a reader. The book is definitely funny, which is a plus. I also enjoyed the way each chapter opened with coordinates and a little illustration--a nice touch. But this was never gonna be my jam. I tried!

3 ⭐️

(Trigger Warnings: Depression, self-harm, suicide and PTSD)

The title and cover art are what initially drew me into reading this book.

Overall, it was an emotional roller coaster reading this book in the will-they-won’t-they romance. The author has a beautiful writing style and an almost poetic-prose to show off introspective thoughts of characters. The thoughts that swirl around in Phoebe’s mind about her hatred for herself made my heart break and ache along with hers. The author does an excellent job portraying the characters’ feelings so that you love or ache along with them.

I will say the initial chapters of this book are very jarring and a bit vulgar. It almost turned me off to the book but I’m glad I stuck through them. The beginning tempo of the book doesn’t seem to match the rest of the story, and I think it would have been a bit more impactful for me without these elements.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I WAS SOBBING.

National Parks is a book about love, heartbreak, adventure, and getting to know yourself. It was filled with angst and emotion and just so raw. Tears welled up in my eyes so many times. It was BEAUTIFUL. I can’t believe I slept on this book. I’m most definitely going to go through the author’s backlog and read more of her writings.

Please prepare tissue while reading this book. 10/10 would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Deeply deeply emotional love story. I’m going to be thinking about it for a while. The angst, the reconnections and soulmates of it all! It was plenty heavy, please do heed trigger earnings but it was definitely a special read.

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Stunning cover!
Trigger warnings for PTSD attack and mentions of suicide.
Hard to read but in a good way , teared up a few times.
Absolutely loved the descriptions of nature felt like I was really there.

This book is beautifully written, so very emotional, and an absolute rollercoaster. I stopped for a moment when I saw on the copyright page the sensitivity warnings. I'd never noticed those in a book before and am so glad I saw them! It sort of prepared me for the abrupt beginning.

Honestly I wanted to read this book because I'm an avid visitor of the National Parks (one of those cool kids with the Passport that you stamp at each location) and I had to know what this was. I ended up really liking it, feeling for the characters and their journeys. Excitement, heartbreak, adventure, and discovering yourself, this book has it all. Especially the emotions, so prepare yourself for ups, downs, and everything in-between.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had really high hopes for National Parks, and really enjoyed the whole will they wont they sorta thing that Enzo and Phoebe had going on in the beginning. Unfortunately it got old quickly. It wasn't bad by any means, I really liked the writing style, just got bored with the characters.

“How do you tell someone over the phone you might want to die and feel better if you don’t survive the night?”

Twenty pages into National Parks, I had really high hopes for this book, and for Phoebe's character. The opening scene of this book worked so well for me – it thrusts you right into this moment at a dip in Phoebe’s mental state – I was entranced.

Unfortunately, this interest didn’t extend to the core relationship of the book. The shallow, sexual manner in which Phoebe and Enzo interact in the beginning was a little jarring to me. I knew what I was signing up for, but their exchanges felt more like a cheap porno playing out rather than the supposed meaningful relationship I’d been excited to explore. (Stilted, juvenile dialogue — “boobies”, exorbitant amounts of “babe,” constant references to genitals — heavy-handedness on sex rather than emotional connection). That, coupled with melodrama on both sides and social commentary that landed a few yards off for me, was what ultimately affected my enjoyment of this book. I was super intrigued by the premise of second-chance love and the opening — but the rest of this novel, well, that’s a whole different story.

Definitely heed the content warnings. Serious topics like mental health, domestic violence, etc. are discussed in this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was originally hooked by the description and I also loved (or still love) the cover. However, the story itself fell flat for me. There weren't enough description of the places they visited, the scenes were barely or not at all connected. It felt like we were just jumping from conversation to conversation. The conversations themselves felt sometimes very forced to me and the characters were so melodramatic I could not sympathize with them at all. It was all over for me when the female MC (I already forgot the name, whoopsie) gave her assistant drugs without her consent. Big fat no from me. I also strongly disliked how the author handled the attempt at the end. That is not how it feels to have depression and to end your life.

There were some beautiful lines for sure, but not enough to make up for the bad stuff.

This book DESTROYED me. It's raw and heartwrenching, poetic and sad, funny and loving, chaotic and messy, and it hurts so damn much.

Phoebe is a travel photographer, escaping her unhappy, abusive home where she struggled to breath. Instead, now she's able to travel, to see the world and find her place in it. Along the way, she meets Kenzo, and invites him to travel with her. Together, they have 4 years of a love she never thought she'd find.

Until Enzo tells her he needs to leave. That this life isn't enough for him anymore. He has his own reservations about leaving, so he decides the only way he can go is if he breaks her heart. Attacks all the insecurities she has, to make it really devastating.

Next comes years of them struggling to find a way to live without the other. Trying to learn how to go on without the other half of your soul, knowing that you found the one you were always meant to be with.

So many times they have a chance to give in. To fall back together and heal. Pride keeps them away. Anger at themselves, the need to find out who they are and love themselves.

I've always struggled with books where the characters love each other, but find ways that they can't be together. Instead, they keep hurting each other, making it harder until they're left with nothing more than simply trying to find a way to survive. I always want to shout "communicate"! For once, I finally got the slightest glimmer of how it might really be. A strange sort of sense to the madness.

While the writing was beautiful in ways, at times I struggled. To keep up with the mess, to understand where in the timeline I was. To separate past from present, reality to dream.

Serious trigger warnings, with a public shooting and attack, as well as attempted suicide. These are not shied away from. They are not handled delicately. They are violent and visceral and raw. They are heartbreaking.

There were parts of this I loved. That sat with me, as I tried to forever etch the beauty of the words, the raw feeling into every part of me. I cried (which doesn't happen often), tears soaking my pillow even after the final words had been read. Truthfully, I don't know if I"m recommending this, or simply trying to figure out how to survive it. I thought books like Love and Other Words (by Christina Lauren) or Some Mistakes Were Made (by Kristin Dwyer) had prepared me for this. Nothing could have prepared me for this.

If you enjoy books that force you to feel, that grab you and won't let go, that completely obliterate you, this is the one. Please mind the warnings in the description. You may find much of yourself in these pages, and if you are struggling, if you don't think you are enough, please call someone. Please don't drown alone. You deserve that much.

The content warnings were enough that I didn't want to continue, it's very centered around depression/mental health.

This book has left me speechless because how insanely good the writing and the angst is! Each It's beautifully written each sentences it. Both the characters are so complex (in a good way), reading their own POVs is like reading through their diary, revealing their thoughts, dreams, desire, and how a relationship/person could had a strong effect on you--it feels like their lives revolved round each other. I don't know how it is possible to depicting so many emotions caused by a heartbreak of separation. I love each time they're together from their not-so-meet-cute to every trips together, showing how wild, young, reckless, and carefree people can be. And yet their separation and how it affected them, how they tried to overcome their sorrows, longing, and even hope--it's so beautiful and painful to read at the same time. I love how they both tried to be the best to each other, even though they're technically not together, it shows how strong their connection and feelings to each other. And how they both finally matured and able to overcome their issues. I love the random facts about their destinations too, it made me feels like I was on that trip and witnessing one of the greatest love story happened in front of me.

Overall, this book is a story of chasing your dreams, finding who you really are, and love with an unbreakable bond is exists. Mind you, I literally cried on the 5th last chapters. This book conveyed rich emotions and messages. I want to appreciate Laikyn Meng for evoking such feelings on me.

This book was pretty good. I do not normally read this genre but it was decently entertaining! Phoebe and Enzo have a crazy complicated, but realistic relationship for two damaged people. Everything that could go wrong between them, went wrong. I will say that I was surprised by some of the actions and choices the main characters made.
This book’s trigger warnings need to be taken seriously because this book approaches lots of difficult topics like domestic violence, suicide, murder, addiction, etc. I personally do not have any triggers so I was not affected but some readers definitely will be.

This dual pov follows Phoebe and Enzo, two young adults dealing with their own personal and family struggles. I liked the idea of the book, but I think that some of the dialogue/the writing wasn't very smooth. I felt like I had to jump from their inside their heads to what was actually happening (and maybe that was intentional!)
There were lots of heartfelt moments, I think what the two main characters had was very intense. It was interesting to see their relationship progress as well as the changes in their characters. I will warn that if you dislike the miscommunication/lack of communication trope this story will bother you. Please also read trigger warnings before going into this there are some topics that may be sensitive for some readers.

National Parks is a romance novel that spans a decade and countless beautiful settings our protagonists visit throughout. It's at times light and cheerful, but it boldly tackles rough topics such as multiculturality, family dynamics, traumatic events and mental health challenges (warning - this gets really dark).

I particularly enjoyed the almost-poetry used whenever a character had a moment of introspection, that expressed the depths of human emotions in a very raw way. There's also lots of spice, which I normally don't mind, but in this instance it felt jarring compared to the rest of the writing.

Overall, National Parks entranced me with the will-they-won't-they dynamic, imperfect protagonists, and a rollercoaster of a story. Unfortunately it fell a bit short with the somewhat vulgar language, but a solid read nonetheless.

||✨Disclaimer✨||
I've received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.