4.5/5 STARS
This book was adorable! Sebastian is such a great main character! I loved him so much. Willie was so lovable and I want to be his best friend. Mason was a jerk, but was a good guy who just needed a small push. Amir was so precious. I loved them all.
Sebastian is trying to figure out and deal with a lot of stuff in his life. He is bisexual, but is only out to a few people. He was bullied as a kid and has some self esteem and body image issues. He doubts his leadership skills and soccer skills. He has no idea what he wants to do after his senior year is over. Soccer and his friends are all he has, and after the year is over he will be losing both in different ways. To top everything off, his former best friend who now hates him shows up at soccer camp.
Amir struggles to fit in. He is painfully shy and comes off as an asshole as a result. He is a Muslim and get shit for it. He gets nasty comments about his race. And he’s gay. He joins the soccer team to make his dad happy, but isn’t any good.
Sebastian takes on training Amir after practices to help him improve despite Amir’s protests. They grow closer during this time and their past comes to surface. They find themselves growing closer and closer, their friendship turning into something more.
I really like that this book addresses a lot of issues that teens deal with on a regular basis. One of my favorite scenes is where Sebastian is struggling with his body image and Amir tells him that everyone is imperfect and it’s okay. I was glad when Sebastian got professional help at the end of the book to address some of his insecurities and it was a good thing. Sometimes books make therapy out to be bad when it is extremely helpful.
I love how open this book was about racism and homophobia and anxiety and self insecurity. It’s important for people to read about things they are dealing with and see them in characters. And to see them handled in such a great way.
Plus, it was just such a cute book! I had a big, cheesy smile plastered across my face for most of it. And who doesn’t love the best friends to enemies to lovers angle?
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