Review Detail

TOSSED BY THE WAVES by Erin Reilly is a coming-of-age novel about a close-knit friend group as they grapple with going away to college, life’s hardships, romance, and how they want to show up in the world. Though it’s a feel-good contemporary story, the way it’s structured makes it suspenseful and mysterious, and at the same time, deeply wistful and melancholic. It’s the perfect read for someone who really wants to sit in their feelings, and in many ways, it’s the literary counterpoint to Taylor Swift's music. It evokes the same kind of tone as albums such as Evermore and Folklore.

Major plot twist aside, what I really love about this book are the characters. They may be idealized humans, but they’re people readers will easily want to be friends with, each with a unique personality and reason for being in the story. I often found myself longing for the sense of community and belonging the characters have with each other. It’s certainly a beautiful example of how special and rare it is when you find people you mutually connect with, and is a fantastic example of what found family can mean.

Along those lines, the book in many ways made me nostalgic for experiences I’ve never had, as well as places I’ve never been. That being said, beach towns all share a similar spirit, and I so enjoyed the ocean as a backdrop for the characters’ experiences. I can relate to needing to sit in the sand and listen to the waves in order to process life as it happens. I also always wanted to live right on the beach, so in that aspect, as well as others, I was living vicariously through the characters.

TOSSED BY THE WAVES is a summer bonfire of a read, set at the ocean, surrounded by warmth and loved ones. The message of the book is simple: the best person you can be is yourself.