Let it be said that I am writing this review with shaking hands, staring at my computer screen through tear-blurred eyes. This book is an emotional roller coaster that I would recommend to absolutely anybody. As a disclaimer, this review will contain both minor and major spoilers.Before I go off on an emotional tangent let me just say a few (non-spoiler) things:This books will break your heartThis book will mend your broken heart This book will break your mended heart again... and again...and again...This book is amazing, and although the idea of gay main characters is enough to turn a reader off, this book contains a wonderful message of living life to the fullest and making sure that you are the happiest you can be. This book taught me the importance of love, and loving who makes you happy.**possible spoilers ahead... just saying**Now for my emotional, and random tangents concerning aspects of this book (these are going to be 150% random and will follow no chronological order)I was scouring my brain, trying to find things that I DIDN'T like about this book and I could come up with less than one. I loved everything about this book, and it wasn't that this book was a literary masterpiece that should be cherished by everybody forever and be held to some ridiculous, and barbaric, standard of greatness *cough cough* TFIOS *cough*This book moved me in ways that I never thought a book could move me.I really enjoyed Ben's teenage years. Coming out in 7th grade couldn't of been easy, and although he was ridiculed for his sexuality, his tolerance and "I don't give a s**t" reaction to it was admirable. I also enjoyed his teenage relationship with Tim, who was kind of an amazing, yet really annoying, character. You could feel the emotional struggle Tim was going through, having to deal with the internal turmoil of discovering, and accepting your sexuality is not easy. It was amazing how, even though we don't experience his point of view (until Something Like Winter, which I'm starting TONIGHT), you could still feel the uneasiness, with himself, that Tim felt. I also loved how, although there were some... intimate scenes... the romance was the leading factor throughout all of them. It never turned raunchy and it was always about the love that Ben and Tim had and that was pretty cool to me. I hadn't read a book with a sex scene that really captured the romance and intimacy that came with it.Tim and Ben's relationship was amazing! I absolutely loved it, it made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me SO MAD, BUT, it was amazing!OH AND ALLISON! I love Allison, and yes I understand that you're supposed to, but I have a friend who is just like Allison and I couldn't stop laughing whenever Allison would speak. I also enjoyed Allison's personal life story too. Having strong supportive characters with back stories as important as the main character is important to me, and I really could feel Allison's pain throughout her family struggles. The parents were favorite characters of mine as well. I wish I had Ben's parents (love you guys xD!). It was blatantly evident how important Ben's happiness was above all other things and that was cool! Tim's parents were relatable to me, although Ben's parents are relatable to some as well as Allison's dad. I understood their concern with Ben and Tim's "friendship" ;) , especially when it came to sticking to their religion. The parent scenarios were almost the most exciting because anything could happen. FLASH FOREWARD to PART TWO 1999 ***MAJOR SPOILER AHEAD*** Jace... Jace, Jace, Jace... Alright, this second part is going to be entirely on Jace because I love him so much!Jace is amazing, he is the perfect boyfriend/husband, he's witty, smart, funny, charming, cute, sexy, perfect. He's everything Ben needs or could want and I can't BELIEVE he's dead. (hopefully you took my spoiler warning seriously).Jace and Ben's relationship had me swooning, and falling hard for both Ben and Jace as we discover new aspects of this new mystery man (which we learn about in Something like Autumn.. can't wait to read it!)! Just when everything seems to be going right for Ben, who shows up again but Tim, freaking Tim! Now, don't get me wrong, I love Tim too, but really!?! UGH! I wanted to scream at Ben for even thinking about lusting after Tim again. For starters he's a low-key stalker (but so was Ben). He also is obsessed with Ben, and that's a bit strange too. However, Tim is still incredibly charming and when he confesses his ongoing love for Ben while sitting by the water, I almost cried. When Ben talks about thinking of his teenage years, I flash back to the beautiful, intimate, funny, and cute moment that Tim and Ben shared and I realized that I would have a problem choosing who to love too... JaceSkip ahead to the end... the heart-breaking, jaw-dropping, 'OH MY GOD NO' moment of the book. The ending.Now, I messed up, and accidentally read a spoiler claiming that Jace died. I tried to forget it, shove the thought away, but after you read it, it never disappears. The worst part is, it isn't until LITERALLY the last 10 pages. Jace and Ben get married and your heart leaps to new heights before it comes plummeting back down. I didn't lose it until Jace told Ben his head was hurting, just like before. I knew it was over and the tears started to flow. By the end of Chapter 27, I was a big ball of tears and emotions. I broke along with my heart because this wonderful man, this wonderful couple, this wonderful story I had just LOVED came with a crash landing.I cried so hard (and currently am holding back tears), but in comes Tim, in the last chapter to mend my little broken Ben and put the pieces back together. This last chapter mending my little broken heart too and as I read the last page, the last sentence I felt like I had just lived this roller coaster of a life Ben Bentley has and I didn't want it to end.IT WAS SUCH A GREAT BOOK!!!Thinking through this story some more, I've found some things I didn't like:1) It was too short (personal preference.. obviously). I just want more of Ben, and Tim, and Jace. I'm almost afraid Something like Winter WON'T be as good as Something Like Summer (fear strikes me)2) The writing style, and Ben's thoughts, and his actions still reflected the impulsive teenager he once was. I understand that was almost the idea, having those impulses lead to the renewed relationship with Tim, but although he was a mature teenager, he was the same mature teenager, just 7 years older. I want to read this book again, to experience the rush of love with Ben once more, to have my heart leap when his does, fall when his falls, and be mended when his heart is repaired. I'm so eager to start Something Like Winter and I hope that it only makes me love Ben and Tim more. I apologize for this lengthy review but this is one of the first books that I've read in 2014 that I really really LOVED! I started it at 11:30 on 12/18/14 and I finished it at 11:56 12/19/14One day of reading, but I feel as though I've experienced a lifetime of emotion. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Something Like Summer!Thanks Guys for reading!Comment if you have any questions, or just want to chat about this book!Yours Truly, ~Prestin M This is the first M/M YA book that I’ve read and I cannot be grateful enough that I did read it because it has helped me come to terms with my sexuality. Being born in a country where both the state and the church have forged ideals of what should be the norm, being gay included, has forced people like me to hide deep in the closet. But after reading this early this year, the entire Something Like Series in fact, and hundreds of M/M books after that, I can at least say that I am now honest with myself. I am gay and it will not change. It’s kind of funny how a series focused on ordinary lives of fictional people can have such a huge impact on your own. Somehow I can’t help but be envious of Ben for having to live an honest life despite the pain and sorrow that went along with it. I can’t help but wonder if there are real people out there like Ben and Tim who are living the life that they’ve wanted… no, needed. And that is what this series is all about to me. It’s HOPE. It’s hope that there’s someone out there perfect and waiting for me. It’s hope that although not everyone can be happy with who you are, at least the people that actually mattered support and love you all the way. It’s hope that despite the pain and hardships that are sure to come in trying to live a life of honestly, somehow it will all be worth it in the end. And although having to cling to this hope can be dangerous, I cannot let it go. Because having a window a little open to let the tiniest bit of air in is better than suffocating for keeping it closed. I aspire for a life like Ben’s because I know that a happy ending is possible.
What do You think about Something Like Summer (2011)?
Absolutely amazing! I laughed, screamed and cried reading this book!MUST READ!
—savannah
You know what, I laughed and I cried. That's five stars for me.
—primain
…liked…but Tim was just SO TERRIBLE!!!!!!!
—Alli
A wonderfully real and heartbreaking journey.
—Ahlexas11
