Review: Sometimes it Happens by Lauren Barnholdt

4 yummy peanut butter cookies.

Cover Love:
Meh. Don't love it. But it doesn't turn me off either.

Why I Wanted to Read This:
Lauren Barnholdt is becoming one of my favorite YA authors. I loved One Night Changes Everything and then her Witches of Santa Anna series of ebook novellas. So when this one became available on Galley Grab I was very excited to read it! Here's the synopsis from Good Reads:

On the last day of her junior year, Hannah's boyfriend Sebastian dumped her. Facing a summer of loneliness, Hannah turns to her best friend Ava for comfort. Ava does what BFFs do: she stays by Hannah's side...until it's time for Ava to head up to Maine for the summer. Also left behind is Ava's boyfriend, Noah, who's such a great guy he gets Hannah a job at the diner he waits tables at. Slowly, Hannah comes out of her funk thanks to Noah's good conversation and their fun times at the diner. But things get complicated when their friendship turns into attraction--and one night, into a passionate kiss.

The novel opens on the first day of senior year; the day Hannah is going to see Ava, Sebastian, and Noah all in one place. Over the course of the day secrets and betrayals are revealed, and alliances are broken and reformed. In the end, everyone is paired up once again, but not the way you might think...

I Kept Reading Because: I couldn't put it down.

Romance?: Oh yes.

What I Liked (& Didn't):
I liked how the author made Ava & Hannah's relationship grow and change. Hannah began to realize that Ava wasn't perfect and that she was able to stand on her own as her own person.

Not that it gave Hannah a good enough excuse to cheat with Noah, but it helps.

Also, the whole "cheating" aspect of relationships is examined. Things are not always black & white.

I really liked Hannah and I adored Noah. They were a good fit.

I liked the format the author used to write this book--the first day of school started the book but memories of the summer were spread throughout. Kept me really interested in the story and the characters!

To Sum Up:
Good characters and a good romance kept me engrossed in this contemporary YA book!