Review Detail

“The Summer We Kissed at Blackbird” by Marie Lopez follows main character LC as she spends the summer before college at her family’s cottage in Michigan with longtime family friends. Along with her brother, Bronx, best friend, Hannah, and Hannah’s brother and another good friend of LC’s, Gavin, she is looking forward to the best summer ever. This includes her Fourth of July birthday, the day she’ll turn eighteen. She also finds herself learning more about Connor, a guy who lives in a neighboring cottage and who hasn’t been the friendliest in the past.

When the gang learns that Connor’s best friend passed away, they try their best to include him in their summer fun. They hope it will help take his mind off of things; however, little do they know that they will be in for much more than they bargained when Connor pulls them all in a bit too deep with his depression and upset. Even though everything seems to be going well between them, LC and Gavin have a strong flirtation going on, backed up by years of hanging out and clearly having some sort of feelings toward each other. LC is desperate to find a way to tell Gavin how she feels, but every time they get close to this happening, something interrupts them. Connor doesn’t seem too happy about this potential coupling either, as he is always asking LC questions about her relationship with Gavin, and since she doesn’t yet have one beyond friendship, she continually claims nothing is going on, despite longing to change that narrative.

LC’s anxiety and trying to make everyone happy is how she feels is the best way to cope with Connor’s sadness over the loss of his friend and the issues he shares with her that deal with his relationship with his parents. Their connection deepens, though she sees it as only friendship, while Connor seems to see it as something more. Throw in the fact that LC doesn’t know quite what’s going on with Gavin, and everything seems in disarray at times.

While the novel touches on themes of friendship, kindness, indecision, and anxiety, it also is an easygoing read that is perfect for a day at the beach, especially because that’s where it takes place.