Title: Be the Girl
Author: K.A. Tucker
Publisher: K.A. Tucker
Publication Date: 1/21/2019
Source: ARC from the author
From the national bestselling author of the Ten Tiny Breaths series and The Simple Wild comes a poignant story about a girl trying to change her future while evading her past.
Almost sixteen-year-old Aria Jones is starting over. New postal code, new last name, new rules. But she doesn’t mind, because it means she can leave her painful regrets behind. In the bustling town of Eastmonte, she can become someone else. Someone better.
With the Hartford family living next door, it seems she will succeed. Sure, Cassie Hartford may be the epitome of social awkwardness thanks to her autism, but she also offers an innocent and sincere friendship that Aria learns to appreciate. And Cassie’s older brother, Emmett—a popular Junior A hockey player with a bright future—well … Aria wishes that friendship could lead to something more. If he didn’t already have a girlfriend, maybe it would.
But Aria soon finds herself in a dicey moral predicament that could derail her attempt at a fresh start. It is her loyalty to Cassie and her growing crush on Emmett that leads her to make a risky move, one that earns her a vindictive enemy who is determined to splinter her happy new world.
K.A. Tucker writes captivating stories with an edge.
She is the USA Today bestselling author of 18 books, including the Causal Enchantment, Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series, He Will Be My Ruin, Until It Fades, Keep Her Safe, The Simple Wild, and Be the Girl. Her books have been featured in national publications including USA Today, Globe & Mail, Suspense Magazine, First for Women, and Publisher's Weekly. She has been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance 2013 for TEN TINY BREATHS and Best Romance 2018 for THE SIMPLE WILD. Her novels have been translated into 16 languages.
K.A. Tucker currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto with her family
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I'm going to do my best to write a review while not spoiling the story for you. I will say that this is a very necessary story. It's message is super important and one that I wish I'd had in my pre-teen years.
Aria Jones has just moved across the country with her mom, moving in with an uncle in a house she has never before visited. Normally in Young Adult books, this is where we read the angst and bitterness from the teen who has been forced to leave a life she loves for the unknown. For Aria, however, the unknown is exactly what she is looking for; a clean slate, a new start.
As Aria meets her neighbors, she notices right away that their daughter, Cassie, while friendly, is definitely different. Their son, the attractive hockey-playing Emmett, makes an equally strong impression on Aria. Even the knowledge of Emmett's beautiful girlfriend doesn't calm the raging in the Aria's blood anytime he is around.
School is tricky but Aria quickly finds herself befriending a couple of social outcasts rather than finding a place in the spotlight. One of her new friends has appalling taste in fashion and the other barely speaks, but Aria is content with her new place and her new life except for the longing she feels toward her gorgeous neighbor.
The more Aria is around Emmett, the harder she falls for him. He is so much more than just a pretty face. He is an incredible person. His girlfriend, Holly, while practically perfect on the outside is definitely hiding something underneath. As much as Aria would love to be the one to break them up, she has promised to keep her head down and stay out of trouble. Unfortunately, her attempts to help Emmett celebrate his and Holly's anniversary lead Aria to have to face a decision that could threaten to undo all of the plans so carefully laid by herself and her mother.
That's all of the summarizing I am capable of doing without spoiling the story, so I will leave it at that. I do want to address Cassie, though. As I mentioned above, Cassie is different. Cassie has autism. I was thoroughly impressed with the author's handling of this disorder. Cassie's effect of those around her is apparent and never failed to make me smile. I loved the way Tucker showed the 'realness' in the way the family both championed Cassie and was frustrated by her. Aria's friendship with Cassie is a really special thing separate and apart from anything having to do with Emmett and I am utterly grateful to the author for that. For while this is a young adult love story, it is so much more than that. It showcases friendships as well as the way families can come together to make each other stronger. It was, overall, an excellent read.
5 out of 5 Stars
I Am - Christina Aguilera
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