Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill
Meet Sloane Emily Jacobs: a seriously stressed-out figure-skater from Washington, D.C., who choked during junior nationals and isn’t sure she’s ready for a comeback. What she does know is that she’d give anything to escape the mass of misery that is her life.Publishes in US: January 7th 2014 by Delacorte
Now meet Sloane Devon Jacobs, a spunky ice hockey player from Philly who’s been suspended from her team for too many aggressive hip checks. Her punishment? Hockey camp, now, when she’s playing the worst she’s ever played. If she messes up? Her life will be over.
When the two Sloanes meet by chance in Montreal and decide to trade places for the summer, each girl thinks she’s the lucky one: no strangers to judge or laugh at Sloane Emily, no scouts expecting Sloane Devon to be a hero. But it didn’t occur to Sloane E. that while avoiding sequins and axels she might meet a hockey hottie—and Sloane D. never expected to run into a familiar (and very good-looking) face from home. It’s not long before the Sloanes discover that convincing people you’re someone else might be more difficult than being yourself.
Genre: YA contemp
Source: Netgalley via Random
Series? No
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I picked to read Being Sloane Jacobs because it was an advanced copy available in exchange for my honest review on Netgalley and not only is the cover adorable, but the synopsis really intrigued me. I love watching hockey and pretty much automatically pick up anything to do with hockey or with figure skating in ya fiction. I have also read Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill and enjoyed it, so she is an author that I watch anything that comes out by her.
I was not disappointed, because the characters swept me away. At first it was a little confusing with two main characters with the same first and last name, but they had distinct voices and they were pretty radically different. Though, the more I read, the more that I found they had in common. They come from different home types-rich versus poor, they play different sports- figure skating versus hockey, they dress differently, look at the world in different ways, have different temperments and have different upbringings. But they both face pressure of expectations, family dysfunction, and confidence and really understanding if they love what they do or if they are just good at it. Or they were. Sloane Emily had a big fall in her last competition and is just now re-entering the scene and Sloane Devon has been choking when it comes to scoring goals.
I loved the dual perspective and wasn't really confused going back and forth most of the time. When the roomies first entered the picture it was confusing adjusting to them switching places and new people being on the scene, but I quickly settled into their settings.
While I questioned the plausibility of them pulling off actually switching places, I completely love the concept and the execution. I think that it was believable that some of their skills easily transferred and they did have issues, I think that them excelling and holding up the other's reputation, that is where the ground gets shaky. But Lauren convinced me with her writing, and with the friends that came along and helped them.
Both discovered a lot about themselves, gained a new perspectives on other sports and what they go through. They also had friends that helped them discover who they were and where they fit into things, and the overall character development was good. Sloane Emily gained more confidence in herself and ability to stand up for herself, and Sloane Jacob filed down some rough edges and learned to appreciate beauty more.
Each Sloane had a romance that I think was well placed, and I especially like how supportive they were and that they brought out another side, or helped them to see both their and the opposite sport in new ways. I like how Sloane Emily's love interest had to prove himself and it was fun watching him woo her and both of them open up to each other. Sloane Devon's guy was actually someone she knew before, but they both saw each other in new lights.
I appreciated how the family issues weren't magically dissolved at the end, but that there was hard work and effort being put into healing the families.
The epilogue was sweet, and although things were wrapped up really well, it gave me hope that there might be more time back in these characters' lives but I can't be sure.
My question to you, my lovely readers:
Have you wanted to switch places with someone?
