It’s all about the timing.
Tegan was the most well-known girl in her small-town high school. She was beautiful, popular, and…frankly…quite mean. True to the stereotype, she was dating the star of the high school team and, together with her trio of mean girls, they ran the school. As luck would have it, she was assigned to be a math tutor for one of the “nerdy kids,” Derek. Their first sessions were less than pleasant as they had very little in common, and Tegan was not ready to confront his brutal honesty when he called her out for being incredibly rude. However, over the course of their years in high school, they became the best of friends. It seemed obvious to everyone else that their friendship was turning in to something more, but, the timing; they could just never get it right. They graduated and attended separate colleges while staying committed to their close friendship. Derek had a string of girlfriends, and Tegan was stuck in a dead-end relationship with her high school “sweetheart.” Tegan was planning to break up with her long-time boyfriend when she discovered she was pregnant. After Tegan announced her pregnancy to him, Derek realized that their relationship would never be more than a close friendship. Their paths took different directions, and they grew apart. He married another girl, they had a baby, and Derek and Tegan’s friendship ultimately dissolved after one devastating phone call.
Fast forward thirteen years, and Tegan and Derek’s fated paths crossed again. After a horrific tragedy, Derek found himself back in his hometown and forced to confront Tegan who was still deeply hurt by the way their friendship ended. There were so many obstacles they must overcome to repair their friendship, and even more drama awaited them when their two teenagers became enemies at school. On their quest to revive their practically deceased friendship, they realized they both want more from their relationship than just a good friend. It’s a race against their horrible timing to see if they can finally be who everyone thought they should be so many years ago.
- Why I read it: Sent to me by a member of one of my book clubs on Facebook
- Trigger warnings: Language, sexual content
This was a serious rom/com in that it dealt with some heavy issues, but in a lighthearted way. I enjoyed the characters’ witty banter with each other, and I thought the main characters were developed well. I always like it when I feel like I would be friends with at least one of the characters in a book. I felt some parts were slow, but not slow enough for me to stop reading. By a third of the way into the book, I was invested in it and wanted to see what would happen. It was slightly predictable, but not in a horrible way. It would be a great beach read or book club pick if the group is in the mood for a romance.