"It's just--being in love doesn't define you. It doesn't go to the most deserving. It's not something you collect, like, the more the better...It's a wound left behind. It changes you, but not always in a good way. It's a godd*mn scar."


Gabe kept giving his all to one girl who never appreciated it and just got him in trouble. Now he is shipped of to his Grandmother's house while his mother "fixes" his situation.  Lena is a "miracle", a survivor of a heart defect, and leads a completely sheltered life. And in the rare instances she is alone, it seems that something usually bad happens to her. But one day she is given another chance. 

Due to unforseen circumstances these new acquaintances find themselves on an  adventure together in the city. Gabe is the tour guide and Lena has a chance to see things that she never has. 

This is my one shot. This is my one day of not being the pain in the a** sister or the miraculous daughter. This is my one moment to just be Lena. 

A promising night goes awry with some missteps, miscommunication, and unwanted encounters. But sometimes a silver lining can be found and things can turn around. These two have one eventful night that will change them both in ways they never expected. Maybe they are the one to help heal the scars they have been living with alone. 

How can the world tilt so easily--so quickly and irrevocably, and leave everything looking so different in the company of someone you hardly know?

They both have scars from their past, family dynamics issues, and have felt isolated. Gabe's family life is not supportive and issues with his ex are pretty chaotic. Lena has been completely sheltered and smothered her whole life and treated like a glass doll that could break. It was interesting to see these two stumble through awkward situations, build a connection, and start to expose their secrets and fears. Lena needs to experience life and Gabe needs to learn to open up, find a purpose and have someone believe in him. They seem like opposites, but share some common needs. 

Isn't that what life is about? Collecting scars. Touching people with them? Having them as permanent reminders when people leave?

Lena has lived a sheltered life. Very sheltered. Having survived a heart condition as an infant, her parents worked hard to keep her safe and healthy. Her naivete added a freshness to the sights of Boston, and though she was embarrassed at her lack of experience she wasn’t against the new adventure, even as she faced fears she had never considered. 

Gabe isn’t quite sure where he fits into his world. His ex-girlfriend only gets him into trouble, and his mother is only interested in her political image. 

This story only takes place over the course of one day. One very long day, but one day nonetheless. I loved the way their acquaintance, friendship, and attraction progressed. It was a very natural flow, with the back and forth that comes from not having much background on a person. Their timeline was sweet, and perfect considering they end up spending nearly 24 hours getting to know each other.

I loved what happened the more time the two spent in the city. From Lena’s perspective, the newness and novelty of spending time with someone who didn’t treat her with kid gloves gave the same fresh, eye opening experience she felt. And from Gabe’s perspective, his usual haunts held new meaning as he shared each with Lena. Through their conversations and questions, they learned things about themselves that needed to be discovered, but could only be learned in such an organic way. 

Many of the side characters were frustrating in their treatment of Gabe and Lena. Though most of the storyline is just Gabe and Lena, those moment with Gabe’s mother and ex, and Lena’s parents had me feeling anger and the similar feelings as the characters. But as much as I didn’t like those characters, they provided external conflict that motivated the decision making process of Gabe and Lena during their day together. 

This was a sweet story about finding one's place, taking risks, and letting people in. During so much of the story, Gabe and Lena struggle to fit their experiences into their expectations. When unexpected result after unexpected result means their quick trip into the city turns into something else entirely, they each find meaning in the spontaneous journey. This was a quick read, and as a YA book it was also relatively level. It had great, even levels of drama and discovery without feeling over the top or dramatic.