Review: My Best Friend, Maybe by Caela Carter

My Best Friend, Maybe by Caela Carter

Colette has been bored and lonely ever since her best friend, Sadie, dumped her the summer before they stared high school. She tries to be perfect for everyone left in her life: her parents, her younger brothers, her church youth group, even her boyfriend, Mark. But Colette is restless. And she misses Sadie.
When Sadie tells Colette that she needs her old friend to join her on a family vacation to the Greek Islands, one that leaves in only a few days, Colette is shocked to hear their old magic word: need. And she finds herself agreeing.
Colette tries to relax and enjoy her Grecian surroundings but it’s not easy to go on vacation with the person who hurt you most in the world. When the reason for the trip finally surfaces, Colette finds out this is not only a fun vacation. Sadie has kept an enormous secret from Colette for years...forever. It’s a summer full of surprises, but that might be what Colette needs .

GR
Publishes in US:  June 3rd 2014 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Genre: YA contemp
Source: Bloomsbury via Netgalley 
Series? No

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    I wanted to read this because it sounded like a nice summer read, and also based on friendship. I wanted to find out what happened between their friendship and what it is that Sadie has been keeping from Colette.

    The story is mostly told in Collette's present, but she does have sections that go back to when her and Sadie were such close friends as kids. It is nice to get these glimpses of how they were together and that they had a long history as best friends. It also makes me relate with Colette even more because it shows me what she is missing in her life. 

    Where we start with Colette's story there is so much change going on. She is supposed to go on a summer mission trip with her straight and narrow chaste boyfriend Mark, who is graduating and going to college while she will be in her senior year. One of her current closest friends, Luisa is applying for a senior year abroad. So, after being dumped by Sadie (as she sees it) those are the closest people to her because even though she has a lot of people in her youth group and town that she knows she isn't really close to them. 

    When Sadie approaches her about the summer in Greece, Sadie says yes right away, surprising them both. But then she is waivering on if she can go, if her parents would approve, and what about her planned and fund raised trip to Costa Rica? She isn't sure about that status of her future with Mark. This began the process that continued through the book of Coley (her nickname) realizing who she really wants to be instead of playing a balancing act from the "Good Colette" that her parents and their high expectantions and moral/religious values weigh on her. On the other side she wants to break out the brave/fun Coley that says yes to trips and wants to get to the bottom of the seperation with Sadie. 

     I actually didn't guess Sadie's secret until a little before Coley herself found out. I guessed a lot of things, things that could actually make an interesting story if it were the secret, but finally all of the "you don't know" and the judging/downer/mean looks from others. Sadie's side of the story actually makes a lot of sense and I could see how she could have percieved everything that happened, but I also feel for Coley. Over time she lost her best friend and the fun and lightness from her life. 

    But she realizes that she needs to open up and let others in more, as well as make decisions for herself based on feelings, on facts and not on expectations. I ended up enjoying her talks with her father, because even though he has the same beliefs as her mom, I think that he goes about showing them better. Yes, there is talk of religion, but Coley isn't quite sure I don't think, she's just grown up with the background, and in church, so she is a little more towards the conservative because of her upbringing. But Coley's mom is the more vocal and pushes it to Coley as well. I know that, as a christian mom, she wanted to protect Coley, and wanted to pass along what she believes and values. But... the makes mistakes, but I also liked that she finally admitted she was wrong how she handled things and was more willing to actually listen to Coley. So, it is really one of the first times I can think of where a parent shows such growth. 

    The romance is nice, although at times, I think it is coming close to stepping into areas that make me a little mad. (There is semi-cheating, dishonesty/secrets.) I know that Mark is a good guy and he will be great boyfriend, but I just think that he and Coley hid too many things from each other, and they were just comfortable together, it was accepted, but I don't think that they were really in love, and didn't have the chemistry that Coley for sure desired. There is another guy that comes into the picture, and their chemistry and eye flirting as well as him being semi-forbidden made my toes curl, but I also think it taught Coley a lot. 

     I like the direction and the emphasis on friendship, and second chances, as well as actually verbalizing problems instead of making big decisions and actions based on assumptions. Where they ended up and how things looked for the future really fit the book, and I was satisfied with the wrap up. But mostly I love the hope for the future, for new things, maybe even a sequel, hint hint Ms Carter. But even if I don't get more of their stories or romance, then I like where it ended. 

   

Bottom Line: Story of Colette discovering who she is as well as big emphasis on friendship and second chances.

My question to you, my lovely readers:
Have you ever majorly drifted from a childhood friend? Did the gap remain or ever reconcile? Or do you still have friends from childhood?