My rating:
Synopsis:
All eighteen-year-old Maisie Clark wants to do is leave her tiny town in upstate New York. Crescent Valley is home to Glenna’s, the family-run portrait shop she loves more than anything. But after years of imitating her dad’s artistic style, Maisie fears she will never find her own voice. So, she comes up with a plan: quit working at Glenna’s, go to art school in London, and, most importantly, stop painting portraits. If she can’t find her voice by the end of the year, she’ll give up art entirely.
Read More:
Unfortunately, pushing outside her comfort zone is (surprise!) uncomfortable. Maisie struggles to connect with her eccentric new flatmates, feels farther away from her best friend than ever, and hates every art course she signed up for—especially photography, where her talented but prickly partner, Eli, is not afraid to point out her every mistake on their semester-long project. Maisie is already questioning all her life choices when a crime strikes Glenna’s, reopening old family wounds she thought she’d long healed from. It’ll take even more discomfort, as well as help from Eli, her older brother, Calum, and his earnest boyfriend, Benji, to confront the layers she’s painted over the past. But maybe, just maybe, the keys to finding herself lie closer to home than she realized.
- Pages: 288
- Genre: YA/Romance/Comtemporary
- Publication date: June 10, 2025 by Flux
- Format: Paperback, Kindle, Hardcover
- Source: eARC, TBR & Beyond Tours, NetGalley
PURCHASE LINKS & BOOK TOUR SCHEDULE:
AMAZON
BARNES & NOBLE
SCHEDULE
THE REVIEW:
Welcome to my stop! I hope you all have been doing well and are having a great time reading and enjoying the summertime.
This was a very good read for me, coming of age, Maisie at 18, learning self-discovery, connecting with new people, filled with heartfelt moments as well as some humour in the mix. I loved the family dynamics, the diverse characters, and how real every single character felt through their own imperfections and struggles.
I myself am passionate about art and felt a deep connection with Maisie and how she was striving to prove herself, but also grow and learn along the way while always following her dream.
The inner voice of Maisie was fun and authentic, and the writing style was easy to follow and relate to.
Definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking for something light but with important and relatable topics.
Additionally, the cover is amazing! Illustrator: Ana Bidault
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lin's Perspective 
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