A Summer Getaway: Sunkissed by Kasie West
Summer has begun! ☀️🌊
Well, technically we’re in the middle of summer but I find that irrelevant, since this book is worth reading anytime in the summer!
With a cute, nostalgic-yet-modern plot, Sunkissed is placed right in the middle of a family summer camp! I found this perfect for getting into that summer feeling, a rom-com the best choice for a poolside—or beachside!—read. 😎
✍️In the midst of feeling betrayed by her best friend, our FMC, Avery Young, is hoping for a reset before her senior year at a no-WiFi camp in the middle of nowhere. What she didn’t count on was meeting the lead guitarist in the camp’s makeshift band. Brooks (who does NOT have long hair…thank you for the suggestion) catches Avery off guard when they meet, not wanting to have met a cute boy when her ex just broke up with her. He’s on staff and assumes she is as well…when really she just spilled a drink on her shirt. Because staff and campers can’t have any relations. It’s the rules!
👩💻I genuinely enjoyed West’s writing. Brooks and Avery’s interactions quite frequently made me laugh, their witty banter hilarious as they become friends. The knowledge that they’d be in trouble if they got caught alone together, even just platonically, doesn’t stop them from making a deal: Brooks helps Avery get out of her comfort zone by trying new things, and Avery helps Brooks come up with a song for his competition. Along the way, however, both of them seem to start enjoying the other’s company too much, considering their position.
💞Avery’s was a fun, unique perspective to read on—her relationship with her family, her trials with people-pleasing and “go with the flow” attitude. Her bright and chatty younger sister Lauren and how the girls grow through the trip as well. As a plot setting, the California Blue Valley Camp provided exciting opportunities for Avery to find what she likes to do through a bit of trial and error, as well as bring in the unmistakable cozy environment to read about! Her growing friendship with Brooks gave her a fun, new inspiration for her perspective on how she wants to live her life.
📚I liked how Brooks really wanted to help Avery explore things she hasn’t done before, such as encouraging her to sing when she has stage fright, or showing her a ropes course to try. How Avery becomes someone who Brooks feels he can be comfortable sharing with about his rough home life and reason for working at a camp. After initial tension from misunderstanding at the beginning of the book, they’re little adventures made for a definite pleasant read!
Okay, enough yapping on my part. Let’s explore some more details from Sunkissed!🗺️🧭🏕️
✨CHARACTERS✨ — a brief thought…I recommend reading the book to get the full development experience!
Avery — Described as someone who would blend in with the crowd with her brown hair and regular build, I enjoyed reading her POV. She thinks a lot of things that she doesn’t say and I think when she got over people pleasing, she was great at being independent of other’s thoughts. Her dry humor gave her a distinct personality and was definitely grin-inducing. Especially when talking with Brooks! I think Kasie West did really well with her!🎤🎶🗣️
Brooks — Definitely an interesting character. Kinda hidden and private, even though he can be lively with his buddies. With a hard family at home, he didn’t open up to anyone expect Avery as they start growing closer. He’s secretly charming and naturally adventurous in the outdoors. His persistence and equally witty humor had me grinning, especially around Avery. He was also patient and kind—a must!—and apparently swoony too…🎸🏹🏕️
Lauren — She was so good! At first I expected her to be your typical tech-obsessed teenager, which she partly was, but she’s also hilarious and such a bright ray of sunshine everywhere she goes. Her attitude could be seen as flirting, but really I just think she enjoys life and tries to find fun things to do at a no-WiFi camp for two months. I loved reading about her!☀️📱💅
Maricela — Yes! Your picture-perfect camp friend! Even though she’s a counselor and Avery’s a camper, they have a blast together and their quick bond is so sweet! She was so fun and amiable in Avery’s interactions with her, I swiftly enjoyed their friendship. Definitely an important part of the summer camp experience! 🌲🛟🕶️
‼️Everyone else in this book had a great part to play and I admire how Kasie West set them all up!! Great characters overall‼️
💬QUOTES💬 — just a few… reading Sunkissed would be so much better in my opinion!
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“Sometimes staying in the box we’ve made for ourselves is so easy. It’s comfortable and familiar in there. And a lot of times, the people around us want us to stay in there, too, because that’s how they’ve always known us: in that box. But sometimes we start to change, grow, and the box begins to get small and cramped. And yet we fight to stay inside because the walls are high and climbing out seems harder than staying.”
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“He gave me a slow smile. “If she likes me back, she probably doesn't do a lot of thinking.”
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“Mom took hold of my hand. “I love you so much and think you’re amazing. I’m not saying you need to do anything differently. But if you aren’t feeling like yourself lately, if you’re feeling uncomfortable and a bit cramped, maybe it’s time to start climbing.”
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“Well, even if you lose, at least you’ll look good doing it.”
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“He laughed. “Nobody is allowed to be mad ever?”
“In my perfect world.”
“Your perfect world sounds exhausting.”
I shook my head even though I was still lying back on the couch. “No, it would be amazing.” “So you’re ready to forgive your friend because anger is better if nonexistent?”
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“You’re sunkissed,” Brooks said, his eyes traveling my face.
“What?” Hearing Brooks say the word kiss in any form made my stomach flutter.
“My mom always tells me that’s the nice way to say sunburned.” He held his suntanned arm next to my pink one.”
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“I gave a quick nod and as my chest expanded with happiness, I decided that getting myself in check was overrated.”
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⚠️CONTENT⚠️ — This is considered a clean, no-spice YA romance. These are details.
🌶️Spice/sexual/innuendo — Strictly PG! Innocent flirting. Emotional connection. Hand-holding. A few passionate, brief, semi-described kisses. Absolutely no sexual content or innuendo.
🤬Language — Very mild. Several “frick” and “freaking”. One “screw you”.
🏳️🌈LGBTQ — None.
🙏🏻Spirituality — Casual, low-stakes summer camp tradition of gathering under a New Moon and making wishes, similar to wishing upon a star. Not in the spirit of witchcraft or rituals.
Potential “Other” — Broken friendship, distant mom, hospitalized father, social anxiety, and people pleasing.
𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼 𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼
Well done, Kasie West! 🥳 I can’t wait to read more of her works this summer!! Especially since these are so easy to fly through on vacation!
📱Check out Kasie West’s social media and books here!
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