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Once and for All | September 14, 2017

by Sarah Dessen (Penguin Young Readers / Viking)

Once+and+for+All

Anyone who knows me knows that I am the ultimate Sarah Dessen fan, and obviously I had been anxiously awaiting her next book after 2015’s SAINT ANYTHING (one of my personal favorites). This year, I decided to do something I’ve been wanting to do for a while—a full Dessen reread! I took the summer to go back through her whole catalog and man, was it worth it. (Remy and Dexter!!!) After I finished my walk down memory lane, I finally got to crack ONCE AND FOR ALL, and—no surprise—it did not disappoint.

This latest summer romance from Dessen follows Louna, the daughter of a jaded wedding planner, as she embarks on one last summer at home before college. Louna’s first relationship ended in tragedy, and the way Dessen handles the school shooting storyline took me by surprise—in a good way. Most of Dessen’s novels feel like they are suspended in time, as if they could be set in any given time; this one, though still general enough to feel timeless, has definitely been more influenced by current events, and I think the story benefits from that.

Louna is absolutely not looking for love. Not only is she scarred from losing her boyfriend, but she’s surrounded by people—namely her mother and her mom’s business partner—who don’t even believe in it. She’s seen enough wedding day freak-outs to know that happily ever afters are not guaranteed. But when she meets Ambrose, a boy who makes no promises and never attempts to hide his playboy ways, she surprises herself by opening up again, and to a guy who might be completely wrong for her.

I loved ONCE AND FOR ALL for all the reasons that I love all of Dessen’s books: it’s smart, thoughtful, and endlessly readable. But this one has a special place in my heart, because it feels like Dessen has taken it to the next level, with a sweet but realistic view of what can happen after the big climactic kiss. This is a book that needs no introduction, but as a lifetime fan, I’ll just say—like Louna and her opinions on romance, you may think you know just what to expect, but you may yet be surprised.


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