Every Other Weekend by Abigail Johnson

“It doesn’t matter because of you. Two weekends a month. It’s not a bad trade-off.”

Every Other Weekend is an incredibly touching novel about family, love, friendship and striving for your dreams. I loved this book, the writing, the plot and the characters! We follow two teenagers as they are navigating their own family issues, which find them staying in the same apartment building every other weekend with one of their respective parents.

The main characters, Jolene and Adam, were captivating and relatable as they each try to find how they fit into their families that are falling apart in different ways. Jolene is an aspiring film maker who is a bit rough around the edges from watching her parents’ marriage break apart, resulting in an ugly battle between her mom and dad. Adam is a sweet and friendly boy mourning the loss of his oldest brother. His mom was unable to prevent her grief from coming between herself and her husband, and he has moved into the same apartment building as Jolene’s father. Jolene and Adam meet up every other weekend and go on their own adventures to try to escape their realities.

All I have to say is, I officially have a new book boyfriend! Everyone deserves their own Adam Moynihan. He truly loves Jolene for who she is and it’s just the cutest thing. She can be harsh and crass but he’s always so gentle and sweet to her. I found myself being so happy that each of them found one another and it was really interesting to read about Jolene slowly opening up to Adam over time.

Another aspect of the book that I really enjoyed was the multi-media component that was included. Text messages between Adam and Jolene were included for the time period between weekends and I feel like it made the relationship seem much more real. I feel like a lot of the story would have been lacking if we didn’t have that insight into the lives that they’re living whenever they’re not at the apartment.

Building off of that, I liked the alternating chapters and the formatting of the book with the contrast between the weekends where Adam and Jolene are together and the “in between” times when they’re apart. The weekends seem to be so great and kind of like their sanctuary while the “in between” times are messier and harder for each of them as they face real life. This really captured the whole essence of the book and the suggestion that Adam and Jolene were each other’s safe place.

This story truly and deeply explores what happens when someone else’s happiness matters more to you than your own and what you’re willing to give up for them, including your own happiness. I loved the relationship in this book that was both realistic and something that we should all hope for. I really enjoyed this book and I think that it explored a lot of interesting topics while also having the main things I enjoy in a YA novel!

Thank you to Abigail Johnson, Inkyard Press and FFBC Tours for sending me a physical copy in exchange for an honest review!

To see other reviews from this book tour, click HERE