What I Thought Was True

What I Thought Was True is a summer romance with a little more depth than usual.  I didn't think it was quite as multi-leveled as Sarah Dessen tends to pull off, but I was pleasantly surprised by the complexity of this seemingly simple summer romance.  It isn't a typical summer fling story though.  The main character, Gwen Castle, lives on a small island and definitely cannot wait to escape it.  She just has one more year of high school to go and she will be free.  She just has to make it through the summer first.  The one problem, she is constantly bombarded with the one boy she can't seem to get out her mind, despite their less than pleasant past.  He is a rich boy from across the bridge.  She shouldn't have to even see him over summer break.  Unfortunately, he has taken the job yard boy to the island.  Now she can't avoid him.  Over the course of the summer, she begins to realize that she never really knew him, or even herself really.  While all the relationships and people around her seem to be changing or revealing truths she never saw coming, Gwen is forced to decide for herself what she really wants and what will truly make her happy.  Mistakes is the underlying theme of this story, but perhaps some mistakes are not that at all.  Perhaps it is the mistakes that will shape the future and decide the truth path.  I rather enjoyed the characters in this book.  Gwen, trying to be herself despite an unfortunate and maybe undeserved reputation.  Cass, a good guy plagued by an unfortunate choice in best friend and a family that expects more from him.  Emory, the little brother that is not quite right, but finds his way to every heart.  There are more characters, but those three are my favorites.  I just loved little Emory.  Grandpa Ben was a lot of fun too.  Coming from a small town that is invaded by outsiders in the summer, I could relate a little to how Gwen felt.  For her though, it was a bunch of rich entitled people coming in for the summer and treating the island people like the hired help, even those who weren't.  Mrs. Ellington and her group of ladies provide a fun comic relief.  It did bother how long into the book you have to wait to find out what happened between Cass and Gwen in the spring.  It is alluded to throughout, but not revealed until almost the ending.  That bothered me because it left me unable to fully develop an opinion of Cass.  I liked him from the beginning, but couldn't know for sure if I should, since I didn't know whatever he did or didn't do to Gwen previously.  Overall, I enjoyed the book.  It was a solid three out of five stars for me (I rarely give anything five stars, so keep that in mind.  Three for some people may be low, but for me it is a solid book).  You can decide for yourself.  Happy reading!