The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

A brief bit from the author's website:

Macy’s summer stretches before her, carefully planned and outlined. She will spend her days sitting at the library information desk. She will spend her evenings studying for the SATs. Spare time will be used to help her obsessive mother prepare for the big opening of the townhouse section of her luxury development. But Macy’s plans don’t anticipate a surprising and chaotic job with Wish Catering, a motley crew of new friends, or … Wes. Tattooed, artistic, anything-but-expected Wes. He doesn’t fit Macy’s life at all–so why does she feel so comfortable with him? So … happy? What is it about him that makes her let down her guard and finally talk about how much she misses her father, who died before her eyes the year before? Sarah Dessen delivers a page-turning novel that carries readers on a roller coaster of denial, grief, comfort, and love as we watch a broken but resilient girl pick up the pieces of her life and fit them back together.

My Take:

I picked this book up towards the end of summer and thought maybe it would be a way to usher the summer out and fall in.  Loved the characters in this book!  Especially those on the more quirky side.  The grief that Macy is carrying around with her every day was so huge, but she didn't see the elephant (of her grief) strapped to her back.  Watching the love between she and Wes develop was wonderful.  It was like a gift that eased the burden of all of that grief and made it all more manageable.  I think so often we go through life thinking we can manage it all, no matter how great the weight.  It was nice to see her grow in the end to realize that it's not so bad to need to lean on someone at times.  I'm giving this one 5 sawoony kisses!  Oh, and tomorrow is my birthday!!  Woo hoo!!