I received a free digital copy from the author/publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Kay, Vera, CJ and Saint - four teenagers living in Lourdes, Michigan, in 1968. In love with each other and misunderstood by everyone, the gang make a pledge to jump off the ledge of a local cliff in two weeks time.

TW: Mental health issues, physical abuse, incest, fat phobia.

3.5 stars

This is one of the stories where you have no idea what to think at the start, you think you do in the middle and by the end you’re back to square one but feeling slightly empty like you’ve lost something precious. There’s definitely a lot of depth and emotion in this book, and it’s hidden in the crazy exploits of the kids who are going through so much stuff of their own and not really having anyone but themselves to turn to. Saint has a lot of turned in anger inherited from his father but remains calm, serene but distant on the outside. CJ is gay, and in 1968 that isn’t the best thing to be and he still doesn’t really understand it himself, Vera has a lot of daddy issues, brother issues and also is dealing with a birth defect and then Kay is overweight, had a mother who killed herself and a stepmother she hates. Yeah, lots of issues to explore.

I liked how this book was wild and free at times where things were explored almost accidentally. Because it’s 1968, it’s obvious that a lot of things around sexuality weren’t understood and accepted yet so we see a lot of accidental experimenting with the group such as bisexuality and cross-dressing. It made me uncomfortable at times because it was almost done in a mocking way but at the same time, it was quite beautiful.

I particularly enjoyed Saint and CJ’s sexual intimacy scene. It was beautifully done and I would have much preferred that relationship over Saint and Vera as I hated it.

I enjoyed most of the characters except Vera who had the most issues out of all the gang but was the most horrible and pushed the others into situations and thoughts that they didn’t want to be in, or have. The Pledge was her idea in the first place (i mean, what kind of person strolls up to their friends and convinces them all to join her in a suicide leap).

The last chapter felt a bit drawn out for me, which meant by the time the thing we were waiting for came about, everything felt a bit stale for me and almost emotionless. It was like everything went from psychedelic colour to grey in the space of a few pages and I didn’t really care any more. I enjoyed most of the story though, it was a wild ride.

Would be good for people who liked The Careful Undressing of Love, .