Book Review: Nantucket Red.

Title: Nantucket Red.
Author: Leila Howland.
Series: Yes, #2.
Pages: 288.
Source: Netgalley, for Review.
Publisher: Disney Hyperion.
Published Date: 5/13/14.
Links:
Book Depository
Goodreads

Summary:

"Cricket Thompson's lifetime of overachieving has paid off: she's headed to Brown University in the fall, with a spot on the lacrosse team and a scholarship that covers almost everything. Who knew living in the dorm cost money? An Ivy League education seems to mean living at home for the next four years.

When Cricket is offered the chance to earn enough cash to afford a real college experience, she heads back to Nantucket for the summer. But the faraway island challenges Cricket in ways she hadn't anticipated. It's hard to focus on earning money for next year, when she finds her world opening up in entirely new ways-to art, to travel, and, most unexpectedly, to a future completely different from the one she has been working toward her whole life. A friendship blossoms with Ben, the gorgeous surfer and bartender who encourages Cricket to be free, even as she smarts at the pain of seeing Zack, her first love, falling for her worst enemy.

But one night, when Cricket finally lets herself break all her own rules, she realizes she may have ruined her carefully constructed future with one impulsive decision. Cricket must dig deep to fight for her future, discovering that success isn't just about reaching goals, but also about listening to what she's been trying to ignore-her own heart."

My Thoughts:

Nantucket Red is the second installment to Nantucket Blue, and OH MAN was I excited for this one! These two books are honestly the best reading choice when going to the beach, or even just sitting outside to tan; they're amazing!

It was last summer when Cricket spend her break working at a hotel, cleaning rooms and earning money. Last summer she went with the intend to help her best friend grieve the death of her mother, and to get a little bit of time alone with the boy she's been crushing on for years. But nothing turned out the way Cricket imagined it to, but instead the boy blew her off, and her best friend pushed her away. Cricket spend the most of the summer working, or with Zack...her best friend's little brother.

Nantucket Red takes place a few months after that, when Cricket graduates high school, and has been accepted to Brown University with a few grand in scholarship money; enough to pay for schooling, but not enough to dorm there.

She isn't disappointed about not getting the whole "college experience", but when her step grandparents offer to double whatever money she makes this upcoming summer, Cricket doesn't hesitate And she knows exactly where she needs to go....Nantucket.

Not has a hotel maid this time, but as a waitress.

While earning money is her main focus, Cricket can't keep her thoughts off of the bartender working with her, Zack and his new girlfriend, and her strained relationship with her best friend. Cricket knows that it's going to be another crazy summer...

Final Verdict:

Nantucket Blue was an amazing read, so I had these enormous expectations for Nantucket Red. While I can say things didn't go or play out as I expected them to, all my expectations where met and SO MUCH more!

First off, Cricket is AWESOME! I love how she can focus on something, and can wash everything out in the background. She doesn't let anything get in the way or distract her from reaching her goal, and I think that's absolutely amazing! She doesn't give up on something, simply because some boy caught her attention, like many girls in the YA genre do.

For Zack and Ben, I would have to say that I think either one would have been good for Cricket, each in their own distinct ways. Towards the end of the story, when things get a bit messy, I kept switching back and forth between Zack and Ben, and wasn't sure which one, if either of them, Cricket would end up with.

The characters were amazing, the story was filled with love, family, friendship, and a bit of heartache. I absolutely enjoyed following Cricket's summer stories!

If you're looking for the perfect books to end your summer reading with Nantucket Blue and Nantucket Red are the books you should pick! The read is light and quick, and the endings are always happy!