(Review) The Summer I Found You

The Summer I Found You by Jolene Perry

Publication Date: March 1, 2014

Pages: 261 (Kindle)

Genre: Young Adult

My Goodreads Rating: 3 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis:
All they have in common is that they're less than perfect. And all they're looking for is the perfect distraction.

Kate's dream boyfriend has just broken up with her and she's still reeling from her diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Aidan planned on being a lifer in the army and went to Afghanistan straight out of high school. Now he's a disabled young veteran struggling to embrace his new life. When Kate and Aidan find each other neither one wants to get attached. But could they be right for each other after all?

My Review: 
This was definitely an interesting premise and it kind of reminded me of I'll Meet You There in the sense that the characters were going through some of the same things.

Kate is struggling with learning to live with diabetes and Aidan is home from the war learning to live with one arm. Okay, so their struggles are a little different, but they are both trying to find their place to fit in.

Their relationship doesn't start as anything more than a simple friendship. Each of them sees the other as a distraction from what's really going on with them. Kate's perfect boyfriend just dumped her and being seen with Aidan gives her a little satisfaction in that aspect. Aidan is working through a list of tings to get his life back and Kate is the perfect distraction from that.

The story is told in alternating POVs of the two main characters. I liked Aidan's chapters a little more than Kate's. Kate is a typical teenage girl and it shows in her narrative. She's whiny and stubborn about her diabetes and it gets her into trouble more than once in the story. Her condition is something she keeps from Aidan because she doesn't want to be treated any differently, which is understandable. I feel like, in return, she doesn't treat Aidan as if he's any different either. Kate doesn't really have a filter and says whatever she wants to say. For the most part it's amusing but there was definitely some secondhand embarrassment felt while reading this book.

I got a little teary-eyed at the end of the book when Aidan finishes working through his list. I do feel like both of the characters underwent a decent amount of change throughout the story, and that's refreshing. (Character growth is my favorite!) Overall, I enjoyed this. It's a little angsty and a little fluffy, and those are my favorite kind of stories.