Kaye's Reviews > Big Island

Very sweet YA, f/f romance, set in Australia. Samira and Alex meet during a two week summer journalism course in Tasmania. Samira is from Brisbane and her father is a successful businessman and conservative politician. Her uncle who also teaches at the college invites her to stay with him. It is a change for her learning to navigate transit, cook meals and even do laundry. But mostly she loves the course and makes good friends while doing it. Alex is bright, driven and local. Even though their time together is brief, there are budding feelings between the two.

Fast forward another year and Samira is back visiting her uncle again and volunteers as an intern for the college paper. And of course she runs smack dab back into Alex. Alex is working for the paper before heading to university in Melbourne. A year older, and both with more experience they easily fall back into their previous friendship. There are some good extras issues going on. Alex’s home life is difficult as the dad and brother work weeks at a time in the mines and mom is distant. Samira has ignored applying for college as her father wants her to stay in Queensland so he can use her as a prop for politics and business deals. And I love that they are investigating real issues for the paper.

I’m new to the author and was blown away at how well the story flows. The kids are age appropriate in behavior and actions. There is very good communication and a good sense of friends beyond the pairing. The romance is closed door and goes slowly from kissing to wanting more. And I love how both girls have to speak up for themselves, respectfully for what they want. Recommend for 9th grade and up. This was published May 2022 and I received a copy from Ylva Publishing via NetGalley. (4.5 Stars)