What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick

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Book summary:

Gwen Castle's Biggest Mistake Ever, Cassidy Somers, is slumming it as a yard boy on her Nantucket-esque island this summer. He's a rich kid from across the bridge in Stony Bay, and she hails from a family of fishermen and housecleaners who keep the island's summer people happy. Gwen worries a life of cleaning houses will be her fate too, but just when it looks like she'll never escape her past—or the island—Gwen's dad gives her some shocking advice. Sparks fly and secret histories unspool as Gwen spends a gorgeous, restless summer struggling to resolve what she thought was true—about the place she lives, the people she loves, and even herself—with what really is.

          When I first read My Life Next Door I couldn't describe how much I enjoyed it. It was all I asked for, sweet, innocent and extremely emotional. Honestly, April couldn't be here soon enough to finally grab this one and enter Fitzpatrick's world once again. I wish I could say everything turned out great this time around but that's not the case. So I'll just split my review into things I liked and those that I did not.

Good:

• I'll start from the setting here. I always felt some connection with sea and water and I always felt comfortable around it so to be in a world where sea is part of everyday life was a huge enjoyment for me. 
• Cass. Well while I assume some people will have problems with his perfection I loved him so much. It's unreal taken in consideration his age but it was wonderful to imagine someone like him existed. 
• Humor. Maybe my favorite thing in this book. I loved how in certain moments our characters became really witty and I had to suppress my chuckle couple of times as my family thinks I'm crazy enough already. 
• Multiculturalism. Now I do sound like an English lit student but cannot help myself. I loved every word of Portuguese, only what bothered me was that I have no idea what was the background of it. 

Bad:

• I don't want to rant here but I'm afraid it'll turn out like that. But I don't think that this book has a single responsible parent/adult. I mean sure you are all busy and stuff but these kids are going wild in front of your eyes. 
• Gwen. Our main character here. I did like her wit and the way she puts up with everything, but that's about it. I have huge problems with her recklessness and they way she acts towards sex and boys. My main fear in life is losing control over myself and it comes so easily to Gwen. 
• Viv. This is tricky. She is Gwen's best friend and her cousin's girlfriend and while she might have had reasons for her actions I don't approve them. 
• Length. My biggest problem her, but this book was unnecessarily too long. I got bored a lot and I do understand why some people gave up.
• Way of storytelling. It's really confusing at the start as you don't understand Gwen and her attitude but her memories showed like flashes in right situations. So you discover things bit by bit. Which isn't bad idea but I was lost through most of the book. Besides there is painfully too much narration.

In-between: 

• Romance. Well as this is contemporary romance book of course I wanted to see romance on every page, which I did get. I liked that things moved relatively slow after the drama at the start of everything, but I wasn't feeling it. I did at the moment and it was sweet but not entirely. 
• Class-division. It's a good thing that it showed the relationships in their society, but Gwen sometimes annoyed me with Cass being a white-collar. If he doesn't care, why do you?

This turned out a bit too long, sorry for that. All in all, I expected more. 

Rating: 2.5 or 3 stars.

Until the next time,