Book Review-Nantucket Blue

I just finished reading Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

For Cricket Thompson, a summer like this one will change everything. A summer spent on Nantucket with her best friend, Jules Clayton, and the indomitable Clayton family. A summer when she’ll make the almost unattainable Jay Logan hers. A summer to surpass all dreams.

Some of this turns out to be true. Some of it doesn’t.

When Jules and her family suffer a devastating tragedy that forces the girls apart, Jules becomes a stranger whom Cricket wonders whether she ever really knew. And instead of lying on the beach working on her caramel-colored tan, Cricket is making beds and cleaning bathrooms to support herself in paradise for the summer.

But it’s the things Cricket hadn’t counted on--most of all, falling hard for someone who should be completely off-limits--that turn her dreams into an exhilarating, bittersweet reality.

A beautiful future is within her grasp, and Cricket must find the grace to embrace it. If she does, her life could be the perfect shade of Nantucket blue.

I sometimes have a hard time with YA contemporary novels.  For some reason, I often find the main characters to be immature.  Thank goodness this wasn't the case in this book.  I tought Cricket was pretty mature for her age.

Slight spoiler--the tragedy that happens is that Jule's mom has a brain aneurysm.  This hit a little close to home because the Christmas before last I got a text that one of my good friend's mom had passed away due to the same thing.  How heartbreaking.  And Cricket so wanted to be a good friend.  Yes, Jules was cruel to her but honestly, losing your mom would change you.

The boy who was off limits I didn't really see coming.  I mean, looking back I can see the signs but I didn't see it until pretty close when it happened.  As I said above, I liked Cricket.  I thought she had a good head on her shoulders.  She was smart and strong and true to herself. 

Overall, a good YA contemporary story.  Good character and good storyline always help!

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

Nantucket Blue will be released on May 7, 2013.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2013 150+ Reading Challenge: 14
2013 ARC Reading Challenge: 9
2013 Debut Author Challenge: 5
What's in a Name? 6 Challenge: Emotion
 2013 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 11
2013 Standalone Reading Challenge: 2
2013 Quick Fix Challenge: 5

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.