ABL Review At-A-Glance
Ø Title: Our Year of Maybe
Ø My Rating: 5
Ø Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Ø Author:
Rachel Lynn Solomon
Rachel Lynn Solomon
Ø Format:
Paperback ARC*
Paperback ARC*
Ø Publication Date: January 15, 2019
Compare to:
Goodreads Synopsis
Aspiring choreographer Sophie Orenstein would do
anything for Peter Rosenthal-Porter, who’s been on the kidney transplant list
as long as she’s known him. Peter, a gifted pianist, is everything to Sophie:
best friend, musical collaborator, secret crush. When she learns she’s a match,
donating a kidney is an easy, obvious choice. She can’t help wondering if after
the transplant, he’ll love her back the way she’s always wanted.
anything for Peter Rosenthal-Porter, who’s been on the kidney transplant list
as long as she’s known him. Peter, a gifted pianist, is everything to Sophie:
best friend, musical collaborator, secret crush. When she learns she’s a match,
donating a kidney is an easy, obvious choice. She can’t help wondering if after
the transplant, he’ll love her back the way she’s always wanted.
But Peter’s life post-transplant isn’t whateither of them expected. Though he once had feelings for Sophie too, he’s now
drawn to Chase, the guitarist in a band that happens to be looking for a
keyboardist. And while neglected parts of Sophie’s world are calling to
her—dance opportunities, new friends, a sister and niece she barely knows—she
longs for a now-distant Peter more than ever, growing increasingly bitter he
doesn’t seem to feel the same connection.
Peter fears he’ll forever be indebted to her.
Sophie isn’t sure who she is without him. Then one blurry, heartbreaking night
twists their relationship into something neither of them recognizes, leading
them to question their past, their future, and whether their friendship is even
worth fighting for.
Sophie isn’t sure who she is without him. Then one blurry, heartbreaking night
twists their relationship into something neither of them recognizes, leading
them to question their past, their future, and whether their friendship is even
worth fighting for.
My Thoughts…
Every once in a while, I get a book that makes
me so glad that I have a book blog. Without
my book blog, I would never have seen or known about Our Year of Maybe, and I would have missed out on a wonderful,
contemporary novel. Sometimes, I am so
thankful that I get to read these books and get to live in these stories for a
time.
me so glad that I have a book blog. Without
my book blog, I would never have seen or known about Our Year of Maybe, and I would have missed out on a wonderful,
contemporary novel. Sometimes, I am so
thankful that I get to read these books and get to live in these stories for a
time.
In this coming of age story, we find best friends,
Peter and Sophie, on the cusp of major life changes. Most obviously, Sophie is giving Peter a
kidney. But beyond that, the pair are
figuring out their relationship with a healthy Peter, who they are as adults
instead of children, and what they want to do as high school comes to an end.
Peter and Sophie, on the cusp of major life changes. Most obviously, Sophie is giving Peter a
kidney. But beyond that, the pair are
figuring out their relationship with a healthy Peter, who they are as adults
instead of children, and what they want to do as high school comes to an end.
The reason I loved this book is simple: I
related to it so much. I’ve never
experienced the pain and terror of a potentially life ending illness. I’ve also, thankfully, never been in need of
an organ transplant, so you may wonder how I could relate to this story. For me, these issues were almost secondary to
the characters and events taking place. Rachel
Lynn Solomon so perfectly writes about the feelings of first love, unrequited
love, and complicated friendships, with a deep understanding of being a
teenager trying to figure out these complex emotions.
related to it so much. I’ve never
experienced the pain and terror of a potentially life ending illness. I’ve also, thankfully, never been in need of
an organ transplant, so you may wonder how I could relate to this story. For me, these issues were almost secondary to
the characters and events taking place. Rachel
Lynn Solomon so perfectly writes about the feelings of first love, unrequited
love, and complicated friendships, with a deep understanding of being a
teenager trying to figure out these complex emotions.
There were moments from Sophie’s point of view
that I literally felt in my chest how she was feeling, because I remember all
to well what that was like. Later in the
book, Sophie’s mom gives her some advice that I wish I had when I was
younger. After recounting her own
struggles with love, she says, “You are going to stop feeling this way. I can
promise you that. I wish I could tell
you when, but this kind of unrequited love doesn’t last forever, kiddo. It just can’t….Our hearts wouldn’t be able to
take it.”
that I literally felt in my chest how she was feeling, because I remember all
to well what that was like. Later in the
book, Sophie’s mom gives her some advice that I wish I had when I was
younger. After recounting her own
struggles with love, she says, “You are going to stop feeling this way. I can
promise you that. I wish I could tell
you when, but this kind of unrequited love doesn’t last forever, kiddo. It just can’t….Our hearts wouldn’t be able to
take it.”
Full stop.
I could have saved myself so much heartache and time if only I figured
out and believed that emotions are temporary, fleeting, and though their scars
may linger, the acute pain will ease and change. They have to, otherwise, our hearts wouldn’t
be able to take it.
I could have saved myself so much heartache and time if only I figured
out and believed that emotions are temporary, fleeting, and though their scars
may linger, the acute pain will ease and change. They have to, otherwise, our hearts wouldn’t
be able to take it.
Go read this book. It’s easy to read, funny at times, and so
freaking relatable that I am little worried Rachel Lynn Solomon read my high school diary. There’s a giveaway below and some links to
buy Our Year of Maybe if you aren’t
the very lucky winner. Can’t wait to
hear some of your thoughts.
freaking relatable that I am little worried Rachel Lynn Solomon read my high school diary. There’s a giveaway below and some links to
buy Our Year of Maybe if you aren’t
the very lucky winner. Can’t wait to
hear some of your thoughts.
* Special thanks to Rachel Lynn Solomon, FFBC Book Tours, and Simon
Pulse for providing a copy of Our Year of Maybe in exchange for an honest review.
Pulse for providing a copy of Our Year of Maybe in exchange for an honest review.
Book Links:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2PQXXwh
Bookdepository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Our-Year-of-Maybe/9781481497763
TOUR SCHEDULE
AUTHOR
RachelLynn Solomon lives, writes, and tap dances in Seattle, Washington. Once she
helped set a Guinness World Record for the most natural redheads in one place.
She’s the author of You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone (out now from Simon &
Schuster/Simon Pulse), Our Year of Maybe (1/15/19), and Today Tonight Tomorrow
(2020). A short story of hers will appear in the anthology It’s a Whole Spiel (Penguin Random House/Knopf, fall 2019).
GIVEAWAY
Prize: Win a signed copy of OUR
YEAR OF MAYBE by Rachel Lynn Solomon (US Only)
YEAR OF MAYBE by Rachel Lynn Solomon (US Only)
Starting date: 9th January 2019
Ending date: 20th January
2019
2019
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