The Summer of Broken Rules by K. L. Walther was published in 2021, and it is a young adult romance. If you are looking for a novel to read this summer, this is the book for you.
This novel is basically summertime in a book. The story follows an 18-year-old girl named Meredith Fox, who is on her summer vacation in Martha’s Vineyard, where her grandparents own a few cabins in the forest.
After her sister’s death, Meredith is at first hesitant to go back to Martha’s Vineyard. This was her sister’s favorite place, so it brings back a lot of memories. However, Meredith doesn’t want to miss her favorite cousin’s wedding, so she decides to attend.
Meredith’s family has a yearly tradition of playing the ultimate game of assassin, where they shoot each other with water guns. Meredith’s sister always won the assassin game, so it is very important for Meredith to win this time.
The family dynamic of this story is so heartwarming. It’s the picture-perfect big family. The parts where Meredith is just hanging out with her family are my favorite moments. The characters in this story are so loveable and funny, especially Sarah, Meredith’s cousin. You can tell how much she cares about Meredith just by the way she talks to her. The times they spend together are some of the most emotional moments in the novel.
Meredith’s grief over the loss of her sister has put a haze over her life. The days blur together, and she often feels responsible for her sister’s death, wondering if she could have done more for her.
Meredith begins to isolate herself from her friends and family. Her long-term boyfriend also breaks up with her, saying she isn’t the same anymore. (Which is a horrible thing to do!)
On her way to Martha’s Vineyard, Meredith meets Wit, who is the groom’s step-brother. Although this is a romance novel, the relationship between Meredith and Wit isn’t the focal point of the story, which is refreshing.
This novel is ultimately about Meredith’s journey to accepting her sister’s death. It’s also focused on Meredith mending relationships with her friends and family and learning how to love again.
This is the perfect summer read. With a lighthearted romance, and a realistic portrayal of grief, this book is the perfect balance of comedy and pathos. I wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I did, and if I could read this again for the first time, I would.
The Summer of Broken Rules is currently free on Kindle Unlimited, so if you subscribe to that service, please read this book! You can also order it today on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
And after you finish reading this book, you should also check out Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter and Happy Place by Emily Henry.
