Some Mistakes Were Made

Swifties, Outer Banks bingers, or Emily Henry fans, this is the ya contemporary romance for you!!

With a friends-to-lovers romance across socioeconomic lines, a precious found family with annoyingly likable big brothers, and angst for DAYS, Some Mistakes Were Made is emotional, compelling, and hopeful.

CW: underage alcohol use, brief drug mention, incarcerated parent, parental abandonment

I should probably start with the positive. I enjoyed the flashback chapters leading up to the conflict the story focused on. Those were the chapters I wanted to read the most. It was interesting reading Ellis and Easton's relationship progression and seeing just how much they went through. I also liked the family dynamics and how Ellis was a part of the family. That was really sweet. Now what I didn't enjoy were quite a few things. First, Ellis was an incredibly unlikeable character. There were so many flaws to her that were clearly stated multiple times throughout the book. It was so much to the point that I felt the author was convincing me to hate her. I understand why she has so many flaws because of her background and family abandoning her. With that being said, I would have much rather read a story of her growth in overcoming rather than put a love story in the mix. I felt like she hadn't totally grown in the end. Let's talk about the love story now. It's incredibly unhealthy. Period. There was so much miscommunication and unnecessary drama when the characters could have just spoken honestly with each other from the beginning. There were horrible arguments, to the point that I don't even know how they could still forgive each other, let alone love each other. With everything they went through, I just can't support their relationship. Overall, this book was depressing and made me feel icky inside. I also didn't appreciate the loads amount of language. I know I'm the minority here, but this book was definitely not for me.

I'm a sobbing mess. 😭

About a third of the way through the book, I texted a friend I was not feeling it. It was an okay read but not what I expected. Note: I expected A LOT. So blame me.

BUT about halfway through the characters just got to me. I felt myself suddenly tear up and I didn't stop crying until the last word, acknowledgements included, and I didn't know how to continue with daily life hours after putting the books down.

Some Mistakes Were Made cut through my soul. The characters felt so real. I fell in love with them and my heart broke when theirs did.

Kristin's writing style seems simple but it's a craft, a talent to convey so many emotions in so little words. I flew through the story, I was right there in between the pages, in the house with Ellis and the Albrey family, and I wish I could have stayed there a little longer. Maybe even entire summer?

I read a review about this on booksta where someone said this is a Taylor Swift song meets Colleen Hoover and that was the only reason I picked it up. This was just okayish at best. I get it Ellis was just a teenager and and had shitty parents but she was mad at Easton and his mom because they gave her a chance for a new life when she almost threw it away. The way she treated Easton at times, if you reverse the role I would have been furious.

Holy crap, this book. I read it in one sitting, I literally didn’t move from my seat until it was done. I don’t normally read contemporary romance, but I am SO GLAD I read this book. Best book of the year so far.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC! So, I don’t normally read contemporary YA. It’s just usually not my jam… but I couldn’t put this one down! Kristin Dwyer does an incredible job immediately pulling you into the emotions of Ellis, and doesn’t let you go for the entire book. Ellis and Easton were best of friends from early adolescence- to the point of Ellis being quasi adopted by Easton’s family. Feelings evolve, as they do… and then before they have a chance to really unpack said feelings *spoiler alert*, Ellis makes a choice that jeopardizes both of their futures in order to protect her ex-con father. This results in her being sent to live with her aunt in California, and she cuts off contact from Easton. When she returns to Indiana and has to see Easton again, things are… complicated. I laughed. I cried. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even if (as Kristin herself said) I also wanted to smash their faces together for 350 pages.