Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jack and Nate have both found school tricky in different ways. For Jack, coming out and bagging himself the hottest guy in school has left him oozing with confidence and ready for prom. For Nate, it’s been a different story. More shy and retiring, he’s been on the fringes of social events and life within school. At prom, Nate has decided to come out to his entire cohort to show his boyfriend Tariq how much he cares.

But, for both boys, nothing has gone to plan. Jack’s planned summer of love has been ruined after he’s dumped. And for Nate, he is newly out, but also newly broken-hearted. After they begin to rekindle their old friendship, they try and prove to the world – through instagram – that they’re over their heartbreak and moving on with their lives.

They go with Nate’s family on a camping holiday around the country which isn’t quite the glamorous glamping vacay they envisioned. With dilapidated campsites and a camper-van which is past its prime, they have to fake some of the new happiness they want to display. Will summer be enough to help them move on?

Simon James Green has an easy, humorous style of writing which allows you to connect with the characters. Nate and Jack are polar opposites, but their personalities compliment each other and the witty repertoire they have feels authentic and genuine. Each character offers an interesting dynamic to the story; Tariq and Dylan are the ‘villains’ of the story and are an important element, showing that the bad guy isn’t always what you think.

The summer trip is full of hilarious events that will make you laugh – from family-friendly festivals to an unexpected shooting range. There are lows, too, where the boys need to discover more about themselves in order to form their reaction, or understand another’s point of view. Seeing these shape Nate and Jack’s friendship over their time together was the best part of the book.

After reading this, I want to get a camper-van and travel across the UK (though maybe a few more well-planned campsites!) and have the fun summer that Nate and Jack have! It was a read to really get lost in.

Like the sound of this book? Buy it here: https://amzn.to/3h1rQbD

~ Review copy. Thank you Scholastic!