When You Came Back by Yesenia Vargas
Two childhood friends, their blossoming romance, and the tragic secret that stands in their way...
Katia just saw the last person she’d ever expect.
Brian, who she hasn’t seen since they were nine years old. Because he moved away without saying goodbye.
Brian, who was her best friend in fourth grade and made her laugh and made forts with her in the woods.
Who left her alone when she needed him most.
Now he’s back. Her best friend, Adam, isn’t thrilled.
Except Brian’s completely different than she remembers.
He’s not the boy next door anymore. There’s a darkness inside him, and he won’t tell her what caused it.
But Katia knows the Brian she remembers is still inside there somewhere.
She’s seen a flicker of it in his eyes when he comes in close and tells her to stay away. She’s determined to find the real Brian.
And to find out what happened.
Katia just saw the last person she’d ever expect.
Brian, who she hasn’t seen since they were nine years old. Because he moved away without saying goodbye.
Brian, who was her best friend in fourth grade and made her laugh and made forts with her in the woods.
Who left her alone when she needed him most.
Now he’s back. Her best friend, Adam, isn’t thrilled.
Except Brian’s completely different than she remembers.
He’s not the boy next door anymore. There’s a darkness inside him, and he won’t tell her what caused it.
But Katia knows the Brian she remembers is still inside there somewhere.
She’s seen a flicker of it in his eyes when he comes in close and tells her to stay away. She’s determined to find the real Brian.
And to find out what happened.
My Review:
I received an ARC free in exchange for an honest review.
Brian and Katia were best friends in the fourth grade. They told each other everything. Then Brian's family up and moves away without so much as a goodbye.
Katia eventually moved on, but she never forgot her childhood best friend. Now a high school junior with a new best friend, Adam, Katia has learned to block out the popular crowd that tormented her for years. Everything is going fine until Brian walks into her classroom.
He's back but Brian is not the same boy Katia once knew. He's cold and distant. At times he pretends he doesn't know Katia and others he tells her to stay away from him. But sometimes it's like he wants to be her friend and wants to confide in her again.
Katia is determined to find out what happened to Brian, why his family moved away, and what changed in his life to make him so cold. Will Katia be able to break through Brian's icy exterior and become his friend (or more) again - without pushing away Adam in the process?
I really liked When You Came Back. It's been a while since I read a YA Contemporary novel (without a paranormal or fantasy storyline) and even longer since I have read a book with Hispanic main characters but I really enjoyed the storyline being out of my normal comfort zone, it made me learn about how a different culture of people live in our country, with struggles that I've never had to deal with.
In the beginning, I thought Katia was kind of pushy and annoying. If Brian didn't want to spill all his dark secrets to her right away she should have left it alone. But the further I read the more I loved the story. The writing is good and you feel for the characters. Occasionally Spanish words and phrases appear in the book but they're usually explained in English which is great for people who speak very little Spanish (like me). The book ends in a cliffhanger so I can't wait to see what happens in the next book.
My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Check When You Came Back out today - there's a **SPECIAL RELEASE PRICE OF 99 CENTS FOR ONE WEEK ONLY***
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