~ I received an ARC of this book on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Big thanks from the publishers for the opportunity!~
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The Summer of Broken Rules is just the YA book you’ll want to read if you’re after something fun and romantic with a touch of comedy and a lot of heart. The story follows Meredith during a summer at hers and her family’s favourite vacation spot Martha’s Vineyard. This summer, the whole extended family will be there for a cousin’s wedding and it’s the first time she and her family have been back there since Meredith’s sister died. When a surprise game of Assassin, the family’s traditional summer activity, is announced, Meredith finds herself determined to play and win like her sister would have before – and it certainly distracts her from thinking about her ex who broke up with her a couple weeks ago. She doesn’t expect to become close to one of the groomsmen who becomes her target, nor to feel herself (reluctantly) fall for him.
I really enjoyed this book because it gave me all those fun, tingling summer feels I love in a romantic comedy. The game of Assassin is thoroughly entertaining and I really loved seeing how it played out. Some of Meredith’s family are certainly competitive, which made for some really funny moments and interesting family dynamics. The way the game develops the relationship between Meredith and Wit, the groomsman, was exciting and often pretty dramatic. The whole summer vibe with the game in play was just a lot of fun and made for a really good character development and plot, which meant I was super keen to keep reading.
I also really enjoyed the characters. Meredith is a wonderful lead female character. I loved how she wanted to be known for everything she was, not just for her pretty face. There was a real depth to her character that I feel like a lot of people will relate to. The way the book explored her relationships with her ex, her sister, her friends and how she dealt with her grief was moving and true to life. I really engaged with Meredith as a character as she developed herself and came to terms with her past, what she wants and who she wants to be throughout the summer. Wit is a fantastic character, both as Meredith’s new love interest and as his own person. He is gives the story a really brightness and is just honestly adorable in every way and will definitely make you swoon right alongside Meredith. I loved seeing how the relationship developed between them throughout the story, it was lovely and everything I want in a romance. Meredith’s sister Claire, though we only meet her in flashbacks, was an integral part of the story and I really enjoyed how her character and her death was explored in the book.
This was a really fun read for me and it also had its heart-wrenching/warming moments too. I would definitely recommend picking it up when it hits the shelves next week in May. If you’ve enjoyed books like Today, Tonight, Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon, Tweet Cute by Emma Lord, and A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura Taylor Namey, this is the book for you.
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