Never vacation with your ex

Review by Booklist Review

As a rising volleyball star with a "perfect" social media presence, Kaylee Jordan is under an immense amount of pressure. Every year, she looks forward to her vacation with her best friend Dean and both their families. But this year, the vacation is less relaxing--because Dean is now her ex. After a tumultuous start, Kaylee offers to teach Dean her rules for how to get over an ex (based off her vast experience in this area). Dean agrees, but as they spend more time together, it becomes more and more clear that maybe breaking up was the real mistake. Real-life couple Wibberley and Siegemund-Broka's YA romance is a fluffy beach read with heart; Kaylee's struggles as a student athlete and living up to her former Olympian mother's image are relatable. While the conflict preventing the main couple from getting back together drags a little, it doesn't detract from the fun of this vacation rom-com. Overall, this will appeal to readers who enjoy second-chance romances, vacation settings, and a peek into elite athletics.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Living in the shadow of her beach volleyball Olympic gold medalist mother, 17-year-old Kaylee Jordan strives to make a name for herself in the same sport. Thanks to her drive, a grueling training schedule, and supportive rivals and mentors in the form of boyfriend Dean Freeman-Yu's younger sister, another up-and-coming volleyball star, and Dean's mother, Kaylee's mother's former volleyball partner, she becomes a nationally ranked athlete, successfully cultivating a reputation beyond her mother's influence. When the competition season is over, Kaylee is usually excited to spend the summer at her parents' Malibu beach house with Dean's family. But after Kaylee dumps Dean, this year's respite simmers with tension. Keen to remain friends, Kaylee endeavors to teach brokenhearted Dean how to get over her. In between practicing volleyball drills, she offers him dating tips and encourages him to find someone new, but when Dean starts pursuing someone else, Kaylee finds her feelings for him reigniting. Developing rifts between Kaylee's and Dean's mothers and dilemmas confronting Dean's younger sister add further emotional depth to this frothy, sports-forward beach read by married creators Wibberly and Siegemund-Broka (With and Without You). Kaylee's family is white; Dean's family is Jewish and Taiwanese. Ages 12--up. Agent: Katie Shea Boutillier, Donald Maass Literary. (Apr.)

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Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 8 Up--There's only one thing threatening to ruin Kaylee's beach vacation in Malibu: her ex-boyfriend, Dean. Chronic perfectionist and volleyball superstar Kaylee is looking forward to the three-week trip her family takes every summer because it's the only time each year that she lets herself relax. In the pictures she posts to her almost half-million followers on Instagram, Kaylee with her dark blonde hair, tan skin, and muscular build appears to live a perfect life. In reality, Kaylee puts so much pressure on herself to live up to everyone's expectations that she suffers from debilitating migraines due to the stress. Her mother is an Olympic Gold Medalist in beach volleyball, and Kaylee can't escape comparison. She also can't escape Dean, whose parents are college friends of her parents and a fixture of their annual Malibu vacation. Taiwanese American Dean, with his long dark hair in a bun and his hipster style, has loved Kaylee since childhood, but is struggling to digest their recent breakup. What follows is a steamy, banter-filled attempt at getting over an ex while falling in love again. High school sweethearts themselves, Wibberley and Siegemund-Broka craft a second-chance romance with plenty of forced proximity set on the dreamy beaches of Southern California. Kaylee and Dean's dialogue radiates with sexual tension and their heat is balanced with a thoughtful exploration of friendships, perfectionism, and passions versus professions. Secondary characters are fully developed, and the summer beach setting is lushly described. VERDICT Highly recommended. Fans of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen's summer romances will devour this book.--Samantha Lumetta

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Review by Kirkus Book Review

A serial dater is forced to go on vacation with her latest ex-boyfriend because their parents are best friends. Seventeen-year-old Kaylee Jordan is a nationally ranked athlete determined to follow in her mother's footsteps to Olympic beach volleyball glory. But as committed as Kaylee is to volleyball, the same can't be said about boyfriends. Her romantic relationships never last, so it's no surprise when she dumps aspiring filmmaker Dean Freeman-Yu after only two months. But Dean isn't just a random classmate; he's her lifelong friend and the son of her parents' college besties. They're also about to go on their annual joint summer trip to the Jordans' Malibu beach house for three weeks. Since it has been less than a month since the breakup, Kaylee decides to coach Dean through the heartbreak she caused using her usual survival guide tips, like investing in a hobby, saying yes to invitations, and taking fun daytrips. Usually, second-chance romances take place much longer after a couple breaks up, but this story works thanks to Kaylee and Dean's strong family connection. Kaylee's family is White; the Freeman-Yus are Jewish and Taiwanese, and Dean is bisexual. A moving subplot about how Kaylee lives in her three-time Olympic gold-medalist mother's shadow adds depth to her development, and it's refreshing to read a romance in which it's the girl who's the elite jock. A breezy, beachy teen love story. (Romance. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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It would be easy to pick something impulsively, to decide one post in thousands didn't matter much. I don't, though. I force myself to evaluate each of Brianna's shots until finally I decide on one where I'm running back from the net, volleyball in hand. The sunset shines off the top of my dark blond ponytail, which is overdue for a color appointment to return it to a shiny yellow-gold I look tan, which is good--​studying for finals turned my skin pale beige, but thanks to my mom's genes, one or two days outside returned me to bronze. In the photo, I'm mid-​laugh, my expression offering no hint of the effort these photos took. I look casual. Carefree. Which people respond to, I've noticed. While they engage with my sports content, they love the unguarded humanness, the reminders I'm a person. It's one principle I've learned on Instagram and found extends into real life--​no one loves a princess who doesn't make it look easy. "This one," I say. I hold out the phone to show Bri. She doesn't look to see the photo I've chosen. "You really don't want to call Dean," she comments, her brown eyes on me. Just like I did in the photos, I put on a smile as I begin editing. "Thanks to your excellent photo taking, I don't have to," I say, willing my headache to remain manageable until I get home. I work steadily, warming up the muscles I've developed from years of doing this. First, I change the contrast, then play with the saturation to keep this photo consistent with the color profile on the rest of my feed. I write my caption, tagging the local clothing company. When I'm about to hit post, my phone buzzes. It's a text from my dad. Remember we have to book flights for California tonight. I need to know what days you have practice. Unexpectedly, the logistical reminder is exactly what I need right now. I let out a breath, immersing myself momentarily in the thought of Malibu, where my family goes for summer vacation every year. The memory is enough to ease the pressure in my head. Crystal water. Soft sand. California sun. The trip coming up--three weeks in Malibu, between training and tournaments--will be my chance to unwind after the busiest year of my life. I can't wait. Feeling renewed, I post the photo. I set my phone on the table, then reach for a fry, finally ready to enjoy my dinner. My phone vibrates to life once more. When I look down, my heart stops. It's my dad. I read his message once, then over several times. Fighting past the zigzags in my vision, I start to hope the headache is making me see things. The Freeman-​Yus are getting into LA a day before us, so the earlier we can fly out the better. "Crap," I say quietly. Bri pauses expectantly, fry midway to the ketchup. I show her my phone, which she reads expressionlessly. "Kaylee," she says calmly. "Tell me your dad means different Freeman-​Yus." I wish I could. I thought it would go without saying. I thought it was obvious our vacation plans would change this year from the tradition of our California trip every summer with my parents' closest friends. Friends who they've known since college, who they settled down on the shore of Newport, Rhode Island, in part to be near--​the Freeman-​Yus: Terry Freeman, Darren Yu, their daughters, Jessie and Lucy, and their son, Dean. Dean Freeman‑Yu. Dean, who I've known and vacationed with in Malibu since we were in diapers. Dean, my very recent ex‑­boyfriend. "Tell me you're not going on vacation with the guy you just dumped," Bri prompts me. I feel like I'm watching my Malibu escape go up in flames, their devouring heat licking my face. I shove my phone into my sweatshirt pocket. "I absolutely am not," I say. Excerpted from Never Vacation with Your Ex by Emily Wibberley, Austin Siegemund-Broka All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

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