Karole Cozzo

When Jordyn's autistic brother joins her at her elite school her junior year, she is determined not to let anyone know they are related, even if that means closing herself off to her closest friends Erin, Tanu, and Alex, the football captain she secretlyloves.

How to Say I Love You Out Loud

Sven Test

This review was originally posted on Latte Nights ReviewsJordyn has an autistic brother whom she has never spoken of at her new school. All is about to change when her brother's school closes and now he will be attending the same school as Jordyn. The last thing Jordyn wants is for everyone to find out they are related so she never says a thing. I was kind of bothered by the fact that Jordyn didn't want anyone to know her brother was autistic. I did understand why and all the struggles and difficulties she was going through but it still bothered me. After reading more about her situation, I got more insight into her life and could better understand her. 

I loved almost all of the characters, especially Alex. He was an incredible friend to Jordyn and I immediately fell for him and how much of an amazing person he was overall. We have Phillip, Jordyn's autistic brother and the way he was portrayed was spot on. The author really showed how it is for autistic is and how frustrated they get when someone doesn't understand them. At times, it was very emotional because you could really feel for Phillip. It is sad to say that the way people reacted to Phillip in the story is how we react to seeing an autistic person and I'm glad the author didn't downplay this at all. 

"[...] I'm going to work on loving you out loud.. I'm going to work on living out loud."

This is a really strong and eye-opening story. Jordyn gave a speech at the end that opened my eyes even more to autism and it is a great message for kids, teens and adults to read.This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews

Lisa ✩ @lifeinlit

Jordyn has recently joined a new school, where she’s making new friends and creating a new life for herself. Her worst fears come true when her autistic brother’s special school closes and he is therefore forced to join her school until a new school location is obtained for him. Jordyn loves her brother, but the thought of anyone finding out that her brother is autistic is beyond her imagination. She has kept this fact hidden for the entire summer and into the school year, and she fears having it known now.

The fact that Jordyn was ashamed of the fact that she had an autistic brother was a very real concern that I think many people are faced with. Whether it be autism or another disability, it’s tough for younger people to accept that it’s okay to have a differently-abled sibling or member of the family, and to not be embarrassed by their disability, but instead embrace it. It’s easy to hate Jordyn in this story and judge her for feeling the way she does, but it’s also important that we look at why she felt this way, and how she grew and changed her opinions throughout the story.

The characters in this story were so much fun. Jordyn, though completely lost and overly judgmental, was still easy for me to relate to. She had her issues that she really struggled with… but the struggle was real, and I could completely appreciate it. Alex, Jordyn’s friend that she met over the summer, was impossible not to fall in love with. He was such a wonderful friend and so supportive to no end. Phillip character was extremely important to this story as well, very realistically showing his struggles with his disability, as well a show it affected his entire family and everyone else surrounding him. The way the kids at school reacted to the incidents he was involved in seemed pretty accurate and honestly broke my heart at bit. It was nice to see the strong parental presence Jordyn’s mother had in her family. We don’t see that nearly enough in YA.

The swoon factor was definitely there… and it was strong!! I don’t want to say too much for fear of spoiling anything, but just know that despite the sensitive and extremely important issues that are discussed in this book, you will also find yourself giddy and swooning all over the place.

This was such a strong story that really stuck with me long after finishing. I think many people will benefit from this story, both for the message regarding children with autism and other disabilities, as well as learning to grow and become a better, understanding, and more loving person. The writing was strong and the story line was even stronger. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what Karole Cozzo comes out with next!

(Thanks to Swoon Reads for the review copy!)

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

When Jordyn's autistic brother joins her at her elite school, she's determined not to let anyone know they're related. Even if that means closing herself off to all her closest friends, including charming football, stud Alex Colby. But despite her best intentions, she just can't shake the memory of kissing Alex last summer, and the desire to do it again. Can Jordyn find the courage to tell Alex how she really feels - and the truth about her family - before he slips away forever?