Name: We Were Beautiful
ISBN: 9780310766438

Heather Hepler

Fifteen-year-old Mia's scarred face is a constant reminder of the car crash that killed her sister, but a summer at her grandmother's Manhattan apartment and new friends help her find happiness again.

We Were Beautiful

Candyce Kirk

We Were Beautiful is a truly beautiful story of grief, family, friendship and learning to love yourself. Mia is still dealing with all the scars of losing her sister a few years before the story starts. It's clear that it had a big impact on their family and Mia feels that she's to blame for everything. That's why she's not in the least surprised she's being sent off to live with her grandmother who she never met.

Mia didn't only lose her sister that day, but her face was scarred pretty bad after the accident. In a way she feels she deserves this, because the accident is her fault, but it's also really hard for her. People stare and look at her like the scar is all she is! That's why she's hoping to lay low while with her grandmother. Only her grandmother has different plans.

Mia has a job at a family diner and it really changes her life. They welcome her with open arms and Fig (the owner's granddaughter) connects with her from the start. I loved seeing Mia welcomed so easily into someone's life, including all of Fig's friends. Mia is the only one who doesn't realize that after getting to know her a bit, no one notices the scars!

This journey is a hard one for Mia. On top of the grief and regret she feels, it's also hard dealing with parents who have kind of gone off the radar. That's why I loved the role her grandmother played. In the beginning, she's very distant, but they slowly become closer and I feel the love. This unconditional love is something Mia really needed.

We Were Beautiful isn't a fast and fluffy read. This story is actually pretty slow and in many ways it's Mia's diary. Her journey of dealing with all of her feelings, accepting them and even learning to talk about them. For Mia to realize that the accident doesn't define her and neither do the scars on her face. She's her own kind of beautiful!

Besides Mia's grandmother, her group of friends really play a big part in this. Fig takes the lead wither her family and then add the other members of the group. Each friend is unique and has their own history. All of them have dealt with abuse (it can be hard to read at times, but it's such a beautiful book) and have found each other to lean on and have fun with. Family isn't always blood!

Like most contemporary stories, there is a bit of romance, but it doesn't take over the story. It takes time to develop and I think in the end it helps both Cooper and Mia. Without even realizing it, they help the other in many ways! I honestly wouldn't have minded seeing them interact a bit more.

I definitely recommend reading this book, maybe only for the fact that it shows that everybody is beautiful in their own way. This is the first book I have read by Heather Hepler, but it definitely won't be the last!

We Were Beautiful

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