TIME OF OUR LIVES

Author(s): Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

Stand-alone or Series: stand-alone

I’m in love with cover, I literally want her outfit! The title is also a perfect fit for this book.

Time of Our Lives is a different book than the authors’ previous two books. For one, it’s not about Shakespeare. Even though there is some The Great Gatsby and F. Scott Fitzgerald woven in, it’s not as integral to the story as Romeo and Juliet and The Taming of the Shrew was to Always Never Yours and If I’m Being Honest. Another reason is that it’s not as lighthearted. This book focuses on some deep and serious topics. Not to say the previous book didn’t—they did, but the main plot of them was something lighter, like getting the guy or doing well in a play. Time of Our Lives, while also has romantic subplot, is more about the growth and journey of the characters.

The characters are an important part of this story, and their development and growth were something I really enjoyed. Fitz and Juniper have totally different ideas about college, almost opposite. While Juniper wants to be as far away from her family, Fitz wants to be home to care for his potentially ill mother. But their opposite views influence the other until, at the end, we see them reach a comfortable middle ground.

Juniper and Fitz’s struggles were real and felt like things that some teenagers do worry about. I could really connect to them, and easily see how and why they’re thinking what they thought or did what they did. Those struggles were well represented.

The romance between Juniper and Fitz was very cute. I did think it was a little rushed and honestly felt like Matt as a character was just . . . extra. He was barely mentioned after he left, and played little role in the book other than just be there to show Juniper what she didn’t want, and be the thing that made Fitz and Juniper not get together earlier.

I do wish the ending was a little less abrupt. I was thinking it was going to end with them saying goodbye and returning home. I at least hoped for a little glimpse of Lewis and Prisha at the end.

I enjoyed the glimpse of the characters from If I’m Being Honest! I love these little snippets.

Also, this book is a winter road trip. Road trip books are often summer books, but I loved the winter setting!

All in all, this was a fun book! It’s defiantly a more serious contemporary, so if that’s what you’re looking for, go for it!

My rating for this book is:

Thank you for reading and see you next time ❤