Lauren Morrill

Sloane Emily Jacobs and Sloane Devon Jacobs, from very different worlds but both with problem families, meet in in Montreal where they will stay in the same hotel while attending camp, one for figure skating, the other for ice hockey.

Being Sloane Jacobs

Monicap

So many good contemporaries in a row! Is it possible I've found my contemporary niche?

First off, lets get this out of the way--this book is SOOOO Parent Trap. Expect Lindsay Lohan nostalgia while reading this.

Also, it was really cheesy with the romances and all. But I liked the cheesy in the case.

Characters I Loved: Both Sloanes, Andy, Bee, Nando, Cameron, Matt, Melody... Let's face it, all of them. 

I really wish that Nando and Matt were developed a BIT more. Especially Matt. I AM a romantic, but I also don't believe that he changed because sunshine comes out of Sloane E.'s butt (to quote Sloane D.)

But it's okay, because this book was fun and cheese and Parent Trap nostalgia and it wore it well.

laura

It was super cute. A prefect read during the olympics. i LOVED seeing both figure skating and ice hockey represented. I loved both girls and the romance drama that developed. Cute story!

Jeni Enjaian

Gag. While part of the book did not repulse me, the rest felt so formulaic and absolutely ridiculous that it did not take much time at all to read this book. I don't recommend this. Nope. Glad it was easy to read. Otherwise I would have set it aside quickly.

Switching places with someone else has never been more fun than in this novel about following your dreams and finding your heart from the author of Meant to Be --perfect for readers of Emery Lord and Morgan Matson! Meet Sloane Emily Jacobs: a seriously stressed-out figure skater who choked during junior nationals. Now meet Sloane Devon Jacobs, a spunky ice hockey player who's been suspended from her team for too many aggressive hip checks. The two girls are on their way to skating camps in Montreal when a luggage mix-up causes them to meet. Pretty soon, the Sloanes realize that this is the opportunity they’ve been waiting for: the chance to escape their lives and switch places for the summer. But it didn't occur to Sloane E. that she might meet a hockey hottie; and Sloane D. never expected to run into a familiar (and very good-looking) face from home. It's not long before the Sloanes discover that convincing people you're someone else might be more difficult than being yourself. *** "A twist on the identity-swap that's both cozily familiar and fresh . . . . sweetly uplifting." --Publishers Weekly "Enjoyable." --Kirkus Reviews “Sweet and satisfying.” --Booklist “Super cute, super hilarious and a totally fun read. I’m a big fan of the “two people switch places and fool everyone around them” plot line (see: The Parent Trap), and Being Sloane Jacobs pulled it off awesomely.” –HelloGiggles.com

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After reading and falling in love with Lauren Morrill's Meant to Be in 2012, I was thrilled when I was approved for an ARC of Being Sloane Jacobs. I adore Lauren's writing style and her character development and just knew I would adore Being Sloane Jacobs. I was absolutely right. 
Being Sloane Jacobs is the story of two girls with the same name, but very different backgrounds, interests and attitudes. Sloane Emily Jacobs is a girlie girl figure skater. Sloane Devon Jacobs is a tomboy ice hockey player. Their paths cross in an unexpected way and they build a friendship. As they do have a strong resemblance to each other and neither of them is particularly happy in their current situation, they also decide to swap lives for awhile. Both of them are heading off to a training camp, so it should be relatively easy to fool people who don't know them. They educate each other about the other's hobby and go their separate ways. Is the storyline a long shot? Sure. Did that stop it from being absolutely adorable and charming? Not even close. 

I loved the characters in this book! Both Sloanes were wonderful. They were real and easy to connect with. Because the book is written from the perspective of both Sloanes, the reader gets a great glimpse inside each of their heads and really comes to understand the struggles they're each going through on and off the ice. The love interests in the story, Matt and Nando, were both swoony and adorable. The romance was believable and sweet in that teenage "first love" way. It progressed naturally and the couples were a great fit. It all just left me with a huge smile on my face.
If you're a fan of young adult contemporaries, figure skating and happily ever afters, you'll adore this book as much as I did. It was fun, not overly angsty, utterly charming book. I can't wait for more from Lauren Morrill. She's rapidly becoming one of my favorite YA contemporary authors. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lisa ✩ @lifeinlit

I had read the description for this book so long ago that when I started reading, I had no idea what it was about. I wasn’t worried through. After adoring Meant to Be to pieces, I already knew that I loved Lauren’s writing style and assumed this book would be filled with just as much cuteness as Meant to Be. Annnnnnd… I was right. :)

After only a few chapters I couldn’t help but compare this to The Parent Trap, which was only my favorite movie as a child! Now, I know I’m going to date myself here, but I’m NOT speaking about the Lindsay Lohan movie. I’m talking about the classic version with Haley Mills. I must have seen it at least 20 times and I know every word by heart. So to be reminded of this wonderful childhood memory right off the bat gave me such a warm and fuzzy feeling that I was already hooked.

The whole idea of this story is a bit silly, but that just made it more fun for me. Sloane Emily Jacobs and Sloane Devon Jacobs couldn’t be more different. The only thing they have in common is their name… literally. Sloane Devon is a hockey player with a big future, almost as big as her temper, yet she’s having trouble shooting the puck. Sloane Jacobs is a figure skater who was “the best” before an injury incapacitated her for a while. She’s now back, but not sure she wants to be. They are both “punished” by having to attend a camp in Montreal; Sloane Emily, a figuring skating camp, and Sloane Devon, one for hockey. After colliding with each other in a hotel, they decide to switch places. They both skate, so how hard can it really be to learn the other sport. Hehe… that’s where the fun begins.

Yes, this story is predictable. And yes, it’s super silly and over the top at times. But it’s adorable. I really enjoyed it, and it was exactly what I was looking for. If you’re in the mood for a fun read that you don’t have to think too much about, and you don’t mind not taking it too seriously, I’d say give this one a go! With a bit of romance and snarky mean girl drama thrown into the story, it’s sure to please almost any contemporary reader. :)

(Thanks to Delacorte and Netgalley for the review copy!)

Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!

Lacey

Originally posted at Booklovers For Life

First off, let me just start by saying I ADORED Lauren Morrill’s first book, Meant to Be, which was just the cutest book I’ve ever read. So of course I’d be excited for Lauren’s next novel! And was it good? Yes! Being Sloane Jacobs might not have killed me on the cuteness level as much as Meant to Be did, but this book was different and refreshing and so fun to read.

The blurb had me intrigued the second I read it. Two girls with virtually the same name who are complete opposites decide to eff it all and switch lives for one summer. Sloane Emily Jacobs is the quintessentially good girl who has to keep up appearances because of her politician father. She’s a figure-skater, but her life has been rough lately after finding out things about her father. Sloane Devon Jacobs is a tough hockey player who also has family problems, but doesn’t have the same wealth as Sloane Emily does. Both of them haven’t been performing as well in their respective sports, due to some serious stress and nerves, so they decide to take a chance to get away from their stressful lives–Sloane Emily will be playing hockey for Sloane Devon, and Sloane Devon will be figure-skating for Sloane Emily.

It’s actually pretty freaking hilarious seeing the two of them being exposed to a different sport for the first time in their lives. Sloane Emily thinks hockey is nasty–everyone’s sweating, there’s smelly gear, and it’s such a contact sport. Sloane Devon, on the other hand, thinks figure-skating is a puny sport. It’s not at all hard, right? WRONG. Figure-skaters seriously bust their ass while performing, and the summer is an eye-opener for both Sloane Jacobses. But slowly, the two of them prove themselves, dedicate themselves, to learning and practicing more in their sports.

I know practically nothing about figure-skating or hockey, but I loved how Lauren Morrill was able to make me feel the apprehension from both girls when they first start practicing. It was like I was right there next to them, experiencing the sport for the first time as well. Lauren Morrill wrote the sports aspect of the book perfectly, in my opinion. It wasn’t too much, or too little.

And the BOYS! The boys in this book are seriously way too cute! I adored Matt–he and Sloane Emily are perfect! They were my favorite couple–the figure-skater and the cute hockey player! But Sloane Devon and Nando are pretty great too!

It was pretty amazing to see how as both Sloane Jacobs become more comfortable in figure-skating and hockey, they learn more about themselves, and what sports truly mean to them. The summer started off as something risky but fun, but in the end, held a much deeper meaning for them.

The only bad thing about this book was that I took FOREVER to read it. Seriously. It took nearly a month. I don’t know why I took so long, because it wasn’t like I didn’t like the book–I really did! But I guess other books got in the way, and blah blah, but yeah. I probably would have loved Being Sloane Jacobs a lot more if it weren’t for me taking so gosh darn long to read it, but I still really really enjoyed it.

Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me an ARC to review.

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