Thank you so much to Holiday House / Peachtree and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.

Claire goes on a mother daughter day whilst on holiday in Maine, then after her mom shares a shocking secret with her, her mom collapses. Her brain has an aneurysm, leaving Claire worried what might happen to her mom.

This was a beautifully told, heart breaking story done in a verse style. I really enjoyed reading this story and it reminded me of when my dad had a heart attack and how terrifying it all was, it made me very much connect to Claire and all her fears and worries and extra emotions she didn’t expect to have.

I loved reading her story, her journey, you felt everything with her. Claire was a wonderfully well rounded character, she had so many struggles inside her already and then with her moms secret, then her moms aneurysm that makes her so scared. Then as her mom comes out of it such a changed person it makes everything so much more difficult for her.

I liked the addition that Claire was a book lover, she had a book with her that was so similar to the life she was going through whilst on holiday and I actually loved that little nod, that a story that felt so unattached to you, suddenly matched what you were going through. Then she went searching for a book that had a better outcome, one going the direction she prayed hers would go. I also liked the way the story ended wrapping the story up perfectly.

I enjoyed all the characters we meet through the story and how each one played a perfect part within Claire’s life, her emotions, her struggles. I really liked her friendship with Deshawn and how they were going through a similar thing, being there for each other the whole time. I liked her Aunt Bobbi and how she helped her grow within herself by giving her a talent she didn’t know she had, it gave her a newer fresher focus whilst going through so much.

This was an absolutely stunningly written story, i was taken away with this story and was with our protagonist every step of the way. It was honestly so lovingly and beautifully written, sharing this deep story with us. We now have a book where the parent survives of an aneurysm as Claire was looking for. I also really appreciated that the author shared her personal story with us at the end of her own aneurysm’s and all she personally had to go through.

I highly recommend this book, I really do, it’s beautifully told, it will touch your heart and you will be connected to the characters so quickly and be feeling so many emotions during the whole read. It’s such an important and powerful book, plus it’s written in verse which makes it easier to read for many and is a great way to read a story.

A tender novel-in-verse, Claire and her family are on vacation in Maine and mom suffers a brain aneurysm. Because dad was fishing, Claire ends up at the hospital with mom. Mom told Claire something that keeps weighing on her mind. Dad shows up and over three weeks they see changes in mom. Will mom be okay? Does Claire tell anyone what mom said?

This was a nice look at what it's like for a child to witness their parent experience a severe medical event. Being written in verse instead of prose makes it quick and easy to get through. I do have a lightly heightened fear of getting a ruptured brain aneurysm though.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free review copy.

This book provides great way for middle grade kids to access and process difficult emotions and experiences around grief, loss, and hope. I like that it is written in verse, making it easier for younger kids to stay engaged without having to read long paragraphs of text.