Quinn Anderson

I finished reading this book last night, and I'm still smiling. Because the identical twins Aiden and Max have been very close all their lives, we get Max's point of view in addition to Aiden's and Oliver's, and it is a DELIGHT.

I snickered at one reviewer unhappily surprised at how different the twins were. THEY ARE TWENTY; always individuals, regardless of a lifetime of habit and, during the summer of this novel, they're having to acknowledge the less-healthy habits. Anderson's characters are always great, and these three boys are no exceptions. They aren't immature, they are in the process of maturing, all three of them in different ways and affected by the other two. It's a beautiful story told with kindness and humor and love. All four parents are also delightful in very different ways.

Another reviewer despaired at these twenty-yr-olds' immaturity. Reader, I cackled. The human male body doesn't even finish maturing until around 24, let alone the mind. (Female bodies tend to be sooner by several years, ditto minds, although always it's a range and outliers. Biology is messy.) We catch them as the catalyst of change hits. Of course they'll act immature!

Anyway, this is a great low-stress novel GO READ IT if you adore brotherly love versus that other kind!… (mer)

Balancing humor and a love story with a serious problem is tricky, but for me, Anderson succeeded beautifully. There's more telling rather than showing emotions than is ideal, and one tap at the fourth wall, but as a whole, this story works particularly in the use of tropes, more like road signs rather than templates: every one of those approaching left me anxious, only to end up then smiling in relief. These guys are so sweet, so motivated. So in love even before they're aware of it. I liked that Anderson spells out Sam's reasoning so carefully, and doesn't shy away from Wesley's struggle. I liked their use of google and Instagram, and all the assumptions. I really enjoyed this one.… (mer)