Beyond the Break is a heartfelt coming-of-age story, that centers around faith, school, and surfing.
Whilst reading this book, I felt instantly transported to my own youth group days, as the descriptions of Lovette’s youth group experiences she provided felt like my own! I also really enjoyed how the school and youth group environments meshed together well, so it didn’t feel like we had too many characters being introduced in such a short time.
Speaking of characters, I adored reading from Lovette’s point of view, with all the struggles of gossip and love interspersed throughout. Whilst I would’ve gotten a hiding for sneaking out to do things if I was in Lovette’s shoes, I was rooting for her whilst she was still practicing swimming and surfing despite her parents orders! The surfing element truly gave me Soul Surfer vibes, which also mixed surfing and religion together, albeit this one has a lot more fluffy in comparison.
The characters also were easy to either like or dislike, invoking me internally shouting at times. I felt that Kelly was insufferable at the start (sort of like Effie Trinket from The Hunger Games), and I felt her developing more as a rounded character as the story went on was a super nice touch. I also enjoyed how the love interest (Jake) doesn’t take the front seat, rather a passenger seat in this story. The way Jake and Lovette interact at the start of the book is awkward and janky, much like when I was younger and had a crush that I was awkward around. I also could relate to Lovette’s strict parents, as they sounded just as strict as my own- something that I think I’ve only recently seen with the Stratford sisters’ dad in the movie 10 Things I Hate About You, despite Lovette’s parents being strict based on her brother’s accident years earlier.
The faith aspect of this book was well written and woven into this book, and is exactly how a lot of teens act: questioning the whys and what ifs that surround everyday life, and if something is wrong according to the ‘rules’ of religion. I liked how Lovette was called to the water based on her faith in God, which was pretty interesting to read about. I also loved the contrast between Lovette and Kelly and how they both displayed their faith, one being the loud, gossipy, judgemental one, and the other being a quiet one who’s just wanting to be left alone.
Gossip was created in the highschool setting, based on an essay Lovette had written about her love for God. Whilst felt harsh and nasty, I did feel like this was something that is the true representation of things that often happen in high schools. The way that Lovette and her other friend from Friday nice dishes and Spanish dealt with it together was nice and provided some hope that gossip doesn’t need to destroy one’s social life in the teenage years. It was also nice to read that the relationship between Lovette and Jake was sometimes cheesy and at other times, down to earth and relatable, despite the gossip that comes through.
Overall, this book is perfect for those who are interested in young adult contemporary that is a little cheesy, but also explores faith, highschool, and surfing in a lighthearted, fluffy manner that just feels good to read! I’d also recommend it to those who want something like Jenny Han’s books, but a little more sportier.
Beyond The Break is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers as of June 2nd 2020.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
For fans of Sarah Dessen and Jenny Han, Beyond the Break is a funny and gorgeous debut about a girl experiencing her first love. Well, second, if you count her faith… and that’s where things may get complicated.
Manhattan Beach native Lovette has two rules in life. One: no surfing. Not after her brother’s accident. Two: absolutely, no dating. And going into her junior year of high school, she’s pretty happy with that arrangement. She has friends, her church youth group, and God to fall back on when things get dicey. But after Jake Evans walks into her life, following these two simple rules gets a lot more complicated.
Jake is the boy from Lovette’s childhood who grew up. Handsome and sweet, he unlocks the part of Lovette that wants nothing more than to surf the waves again. And as their relationship grows, she begins to question what it means to be faithful: to her family, to God, but mostly, to herself.
Told with humor and heart, Heather Buchta delivers a sparkling debut that asks the question: Can you fall in love, be a teenager, and also be a good Christian?
