I liked this book. I didn't love it, but I liked it well enough.

Characters: Belly (Isabel) is the main character and the story is told first person through her perspective. She is only 15, and much of the story is told through flashbacks, so I definitely take that into account in assessing her character. She was fine. I like her better than Lara Jean from the 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' series, but there are still instances of her being incredibly childish, even as a 15/16 year old.

I didn't really understand her infatuation with Conrad. I get that he's a broody bad boy, and that's supposed to be sexy...but I didn't think he treated her particularly well, even in the flashbacks. I wish all of that had been fleshed out a little better. As far as his character, he seemed a little one-note to me.

Jeremiah was probably my favorite character in the book. I like his friendship with Belly, and his loyalty to her, even though he knows that she's got a thing for his brother.

One person I could've done without is Cam. That's not to say he was a bad character. He wasn't (maybe a little boring), but he brought nothing to the landscape of the novel. I don't understand why this author thinks her main characters need to have 12 different guys salivating over them at all times. It was the same in the TATBILB series. It's unrealistic and ultimately pointless, because we all know what the fate of their relationship is going to be. It feels like all these guys only exist to prop up our main character.

Plot: There really isn't much of a plot to speak of. This is more a 'slice of life' kind of story, as opposed to an action-filled ,plot-heavy novel. And there's nothing inherently wrong with that. I really enjoy character-driven stories. If you're someone who needs an external plot to keep you interested, this probably isn't the book for you.

World building: This book was set in our world, in contemporary times, so it's not like there is some huge fantastical realm that needs to be designed from the ground up. But that doesn't mean that it's not important to set the scene, so to speak. Jenny Han did a really nice job building this world. I could picture the beach house, the beach, the boardwalk. There was a certain kind of nostalgia I felt while reading it, despite the fact that I've never been the kind of person who spent entire summers on vacation.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book while I was reading it. It was a quick read, and kept me engaged throughout. I will be reading the subsequent novels.