Review: Me & Tennessee by Sheridan Hernandez

In a sentence or so: Rachel is used to spending her summers with her grandparents in Florida. But this summer is different. This summer is full of new loves, lust, significant drama and self discovery.

Rachel is the only child of two very busy British parents. She isn’t necessarily unhappy, just a bit of a loner. She remains a loner most summers when she visits her grandparents on the Florida beaches. Not this summer. This summer, Rachel meets Kyle (the older and jaw-droppingly gorgeous one) and Jed (the sweet, sensitive, and just her age one). Never before has Rachel flirted with boys, hung out with a group of friends such as this, or been introduced to so much family drama.

At times she is emotionally overwhelmed, but Rachel is consistently interested in the boys and their friends. She starts spending more and more time with Kyle and Jed (aka Tennessee) and discovers more about herself, the boys, and life beyond the beach. When dangerous situations arise, Rachel has to draw on her newfound inner strength to save the relationships that she holds dear.

Rachel is naïve, yet understandably so. She isn’t from the US, she’s just 14, she hasn’t interacted much with boys (or friends, really) and she certainly hasn’t had self confidence until this summer. Keeping in mind how young she is, as the reader I was fearful for her. Like, all the time. Girls who are just starting to develop and get confidence and know they’re pretty AND hang out with older boys are a recipe for disaster. I was desperately hopeful for her that she’d find her way!

At times this read like a memoir, especially considering it’s written in first person. However, we do get to know the other characters pretty well and that added some depth and development to the story. For a coming-of-age story at the beach with a healthy dose of drama and suspense, give this one a try!

Fave quote: "Thank you for coming here. I don't just mean here to the beach today. I mean thank you for finding me." (63)

Fix er up: A few times this feel into the “and then this, and then this, and then this” trap for me. However, I was invested in the story and the characters and allowed it to sound like a memoir.

Title: Me & Tennessee
Author: Sheridan Hernandez
Publishing Info: May 2011, Synergy Books
Genre: Coming of Age, Drama, Romance

[ftc notice: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair review. I was not compensated in any way. Thanks, Sherry!]