Ratings3
Average rating4.3
Tai Talagi and Ollie Birkstrom have been inseparable since they met as kids surfing the North Shore of Oahu. Now they live with their best friends and Ollies kid brother in a pulled-together family, all of them piled into a run-down beach house. They share cooking, bills, and the saltwater running in their veins. Tais spent years shutting down any feelings for Ollie. Theyre friends. Their family depends on them. But with Ollie off on his first world tour and his dreams of a pro surfing career finally within reach, their steady world shifts. is the relationship worth risking their friendship, their family, their dreams, for a chance at something terrifying and beautiful and altogether new?
Reviews with the most likes.
I wish I could rate this more than five stars because it's one of the most incredible things I've ever read.
The imagery in this book. Jesus, I could probably wax poetic about how stunning everything sounds and how realistic it was. I almost felt I was there with Ollie and Tai and I could feel just how much they loved each other
The Blue House Kids!! My children, who I love and adore. Sunny being outspokenly asexual!! Honestly being on the ace spectrum myself it was so so important. The idea of these guys having such a strong friendship that they all live together and all basically raise each other and Ollie's younger brother is just such a lovely concept. I love that it's not all rosy and that sometimes making their lives work is a struggle for them.
Honestly the realism in this book shocked me a little. It felt real and honest and beautiful to me.
Also can we talk about how the two main characters are both queer. How one of them is demisexual. That's honestly incredible and the sheer amount of rep in this book; POC, gay characters, asexual characters, demisexual characters, queer characters - it's just stunning.
Please, I implore you to read this book. To say that this is Pene Henson's debut novel as well, it's simply outstanding.