The third thing you need to know is this:
The girls run into one another accidentally at their Montreal hotel.
It is not a pleasant exchange at all…until it is.
Both girls happen to be checking into the hotel at the exact same time WITH THE EXACT SAME NAME and literally bump into one another. They knock each other down, resulting in the literal mix-up of their luggage, which results in the mix-up of the tagging of their luggage – the “Sloane Jacobs” tags get placed in the wrong places. It could happen, right? When each girl is sent to her own room, she realizes that HER luggage is sent with the other Sloane Jacobs. They both head downstairs at the same time – complete with snarky attitudes, I might add – to get things sorted out, and the hotel management does an amazing job of not only fixing the luggage problem, but offering them both a free dinner. (Keep those guests happy!) The problem with this (if there is a problem with free dinner) is that there is only one table left at the hotel restaurant and the two have to dine together. This means that they have to actually talk to one another. It doesn’t take long for them to lose the attitudes and begin talking about themselves, their lives, why they’re in the city, which camp they’re going to, etc. And they both realize that they’re going to places that neither want to be. And one of them has the brilliant idea that they should just switch places for the duration of the camp.
WAIT! This is the real world, you say!
That could NEVER WORK!
STOP! STOP IT RIGHT NOW!
THIS ISN’T THE REAL WORLD.
This is a book. It’s a story! And in this story, it works swimmingly. And it is marvelously charming and whip-smart. And funny. And a super-cute, fun read. And I kind of loved it.
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Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill gave me exactly what I was looking for when I cracked it open. I wanted a fun story, an escape, something that would make me chuckle. I wanted something that I could visualize in my head like a movie. I wanted a little bit of romance and a little bit of adventure. And that is exactly what I got…along with an absolutely stunning cover. For the second time, Lauren Morrill has delivered. I think I may be seeing a pattern here with this gal, and I’m liking what I see.
Once both girls decide that they are going to make the switch, they quickly school each other on how to be each other. This is interesting, you see, because you have a Washington, DC high-power political socialite with tons of money vs a Philadelphia-raised, hockey-playing, doing-the-best-she-can-with-what-she’s-given girl who doesn’t know what fashion even looks like…not to mention that they don’t even know the rules of nor how to play the sport of the other Sloane. All it takes for each girl is an all-nighter and BABY! THEY’RE READY TO GO!
It just so happens that they look so much alike that no one notices that they aren’t the correct person. When they arrive at their respective incorrect places and check in, it’s a little bit of a rough go for about a day or two, but it is soon smooth sailing as both girls realize that they just may be able to pull this thing off. Always a bit apprehensive, both girls realize that they actually enjoy these new sports a great deal and they’re able to learn them and do very well at them. It’s really fun to read.
What’s just as fun or maybe even more fun is all of the stuff that goes along with the switch…
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I suppose camp wouldn’t be camp without the roommate from hell, and each girl gets one. They’re awful, but they both made me laugh. Each girl also has a camp friend, and these are both pretty great although they are very different. Of course, each girl also has a boy she is interested in – one girl is interested in a boy at the camp she is attending and the other girl freaks out a bit when she sees a boy out-and-around, outside of camp, that she knows from back home in the United States (what are the chances?). Even while pranking the roommates, becoming closer to the new friends, and developing crushes that turn into sweet romances, both girls have to maintain their secret – which means they have to maintain living a lie. It’s stressful for them both and there are times throughout the story when each girl wants to tell the truth to these people that they are really starting to like quite a bit but things always end up happening to prevent the truth from coming out…until something really huge happens and it does.
I have to admit that even though the story is lighthearted, I held my breath because I was worried for the state of all of these friendships and relationships after THE THING happened. I actually liked it when both girls were having their opportunity to be someone else – I mean, who hasn’t wanted that chance in their life at least once? I KNOW I HAVE and I sometimes still do.
Being Sloane Jacobs is a fun story, like I keep mentioning, and JUST LIKE I WANTED, it was so perfectly easy for me to visualize – it was one of those books that played out perfectly like a movie in my head. I could have even created a soundtrack at just the perfect moments if I wanted to – I was having that much fun with it. I loved the quirky awkwardness of both Sloane girls – these are two girls at this age when AAAGGHHH they just want things to go the right way but they’re learning that LIFE OFTEN TAKES TURNS YOU DO NOT EXPECT. Both girls have had things happen to them in recent weeks that have derailed them, that keep them awake at night, that have messed up their ‘good things’ – which are, in their cases, their sports – and instead of maintaining and trying to deal with these issues, they both escape and run away from these huge problems. While it works for a while and is even a little fun, both girls learn in a really great coming-of-age kind of way that you cannot run away from your problems and if you do, THEY WILL FIND YOU. Even so, the silver lining in all of this is that both girls were able to learn something new that they enjoyed and meet new people that will likely be long-term relationships for them both, and that is pretty darn awesome too, and also quite coming-of-age.
So I have to really hand it to Lauren Morrill for this one. It’s fun and quirky and fluffy in the way of Meant To Be, but there is still plenty of meat to this one! It’s just not at all hard to swallow and it doesn’t weigh you down ONE BIT when you’re reading it. In fact, it still will make you chuckle and laugh and YOU GUYS, I FREAKING LOVE HAVING BOOKS LIKE THIS IN MY BACK POCKET. I just happened to pull this book out and read it at exactly the time in my life when I needed a fun book like this, and I think that made it all the better. Lauren Morrill, I salute you and give you double high-fives.
I recommend Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill to fans of Young Adult Contemporary stories, fans of romantic comedies and quirky characters, fans of stories with some humor in them, and fans of books that include sports. This author is 100% for making me have a great time while reading her books, you guys. No stress involved at all. THAT IS SOMETHING HUGE. I hope you read this one and enjoy it like I did.
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Being Sloane Jacobs will appeal to fans of:
Young Adult Contemporary
Romance(s): No triangles. Slowly Developing.
Great, Fun Characters
Great Setting – Montreal, Canada
Fun Plot – Plenty of Humor
Fans of Sports – Hockey & Figure Skating
Alternating POV
Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill
will be available for purchase on January 7, 2014.
**I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion and review. I received no compensation for my thoughts and they are totally and completely my own! Thank you Delacorte/Random House Kids!
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Thanks to the generosity of
Lauren Morrill and Random House Kids,
I have ONE COPY of
BEING SLOANE JACOBS to offer ONE WINNER.
*US Only please!* *Ends Tues Jan 14th, 2014*
Christina R. in the rafflecopter
I LOVED Lauren's first book – she's amazing with setting and romance and the couple is always very bantery and fun to read about.
This one sound awesome – love the cover. The couple in the shot really grabs you and makes you think it's a fun book:)
This book sounds like a lot of fun. OK pretty improbable but good for a few laughs. I bet it would make a fun movie too. Thanks.
Love the cover! Can't wait to read it! Thanks for the giveaway!
I'm so excited for this book, I've read so many great reviews about it and I love the cover!
Fabulous thoughts!! I got this arc awhile back, I think Im kicking myself for letting it set for so long now….Ill have to move it to the top…:)
I love the cover! It's so pretty! =D
My god that cover is gorgeous! I've been seeing reviews of this and I'm super excited to give it a shot, it seems like the perfect book to enjoy on a cold night 🙂
Lauren Morrill has gotten some fantastic covers! I really enjoyed this one too. It was so much fun and I agree — totally played out like a movie in my head 😀
The concept for this is so crazy but it totally won me over! I just finished reading it and am glad I enjoyed it so much, as did you. Though I scoffed at the plausibility, it really did seem to work while I was reading it.
I have been so excited for this one! I loved Meant to Be & I can't wait to read Being Sloane Jacobs!
I'm so excited! I really loved Meant to Be (such a cute read!) and can't wait to read another book by Lauren Morrill 😀
The book has alternating chapters from each girl's perspective. I thought the two girls' voices sounded awfully similar, but that didn't keep me from enjoying the book. There is no fairy tale ending, but it does end on an upbeat note and has a positive message about friendship, being there for your family members and staying true to your dreams, even if they're not what you originally expected.