★★★★☆
Very briefly, this is a love story about a girl who’s about to be deported that evening, and a boy who’s trying not to let his strict family control his life.
I didn’t know what this book was about before I started reading it, but the pandemic and all … The cover was beautiful and my library had a digital copy.
Of course, immigration woes are a big hit with me, since I’ve seen first-hand what a lot of it looks like. Also, my family was fairly controlling (which in retrospect could have been the cause of the immigration stuff). It was easy for me to identify with the characters.
You know what I’m loving A LOT lately? Books are diversifying their characters so much more than they used to. I remember reading years ago and all the characters were white. Maybe a Black person here and there, but that was it.
THIS BOOK features its two main characters as a Black girl from Jamaica, and a Korean-American boy. White people: don’t be intimidated by shifts like this. You can still see yourself in the characters, because as human beings we all share similar experiences and feelings, AND you’ll learn something new about someone else’s reality.
Daniel and Natasha’s love story flares up quickly, and it’s so sweet. Though it might be unrealistic, it’s a fun read with many ups and downs. The author’s use of POV shifts is uniquely done and easy to follow. I’m looking forward to a second read of this one, and to check out the author’s other book.
