After the Moment by Garret Freymann-Weyr

Leigh Hunter is getting ready for the summer before his senior year in high school, he’s going out with an amazing girl, is already worrying about college applications, and the like - he’s a typical 17 year old boy. But when his step-sister Millie requests that he come live with her at her time of loss, he has no qualms about picking up and moving to a different state to live with his father, stepmother and stepsister.

Although his main goal is to help Millie overcome her loss - he soon begins to fall for Millie's friend Maia. Maia Morland is a veritable train wreck. She has issues with her mother, her beloved step-father is in jail, she's suffering from anorexia, cuts and has even burned herself at times. Leigh can't help but want to help Maia, but sometimes best intentions don't always work out as planned.

I absolutely love how this story starts. Leigh is at a party at a posh apartment in New York City and in walks Maia... it's been years since they've seen or heard from each other. And although you are reading in the third person, you know Leigh still has some feelings for Maia. What happened? How did they get here? Why? I love that!

Thus my interest was piqued and I read the whole thing in a few hours flat. I loved Leigh. He was such a good boy. He was helpful, selfless and just the all-around perfect boyfriend that all girls dream of. Maia, although flawed, was also likeable. Although she had issues with self-mutilation, you just couldn't help wanting to take her under your wing and protect her from everyone, including herself.

I am surprised that this is considered a YA novel - since it did touch on some heavy issues, yet I can understand why since most of the main characters are all teens. I can honestly say that I enjoyed this.

It is a story about love, loss, heartbreak, trust and betrayal. It is about coming-of-age and first loves. Ms. Freymann-Weyr's writing is simple, her characters are relatable, and her story is immensely engrossing. This is one that shouldn't be missed.

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