From School Library Journal
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Gr 9 Up—For Grace, moving in with yet another of her mom's boyfriends wouldn't be so bad, but living with
the one who previously made her life miserable? That's the last straw. Grace is looking for escape from the confines of
her small-town life in her mother's chaotic shadow, and she finds it late at night talking to Eva. So when Grace's mom
starts to horn in on Eva's own grief, Grace has to untangle her long-held feelings for her mom from her new feelings for
Eva. Blake offers a painful glimpse of life with a narcissistic, alcoholic parent and a sensitive look at the
complexities of grief and a growing relationship between two young women. Grace and Eva's immediate attraction and
slow-building romance are well drawn, as is the way that Grace's mom's chaos intrudes on everything. Also deftly handled
are the characters' multiple views of Grace's situation, all conveyed while still emphasizing Grace's perspective, which
is so narrowly focused that she isn't able to pick up on the genuine concern of others. Grace is also confident in her
bisexuality, and the text is clear that her more intense feelings for Eva are not due to a discovery that she is really
a lesbian—a common trope that dismisses bisexuality. Eva is black, and her racial identity and how it affects her
integration into both the worlds of ballet and a small New England town are less developed themes. VERDICT A solid
romance within a moving portrait of a dysfunctional mother/daughter relationship. Recommended for YA contemporary
fiction collections.—L. Lee Butler, Hart Middle School, Washington, DC
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Review
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"Blake (Suffer Love) skillfully assembles a complex story about the wonders of first love while exploring challenges all
teenagers face, such as growing up and gaining independence... a story written with realism and sensitivity."
—Publishers Weekly
"This , moving romance juxtaposed with a messy, complex mother-daughter relationship is passionately told, with
glimpses of optimism appearing through Grace’s unshakeable bonds of loyalty. Blake clearly illustrates the impact of
adult decisions that disregard the lives of teens, guaranteeing an emotional and relevant read."
— Booklist
"Despite the heavy topics addressed, the story never feels hopeless or depressing, as the author writes with nuance and
care about her cast of admirably strong, loyal, and resilient teens who face head on the challenges life throws at
them."
—Kirkus
"A solid romance within a moving portrait of a dysfunctional mother/daughter relationship. Recommended for YA
contemporary fiction collections."
—School Library Journal
"This is a gorgeous and moving novel of love, connection, romance, mother-daughter relationships, and the way pain
inextricably links them all."
—Dahlia Adler, BN Teens
"A beautiful book about two girls trying to hold on: to themselves, to each other and to the pieces of their shattered
lives. Heartbreaking, hopeful and honest. Blake has written one of most wrenching portrayals of a messy, complicated
mother/daughter bond I've seen in Young Adult fiction. Bravo!"
—Tess Sharpe, author of Far From You
"A beautiful story about love's paradoxical ability to be the most difficult yet most effortless thing in the world.
Ashley Herring Blake breaks your heart for these girls and then stitches it back together with starlit magic."
—Dahlia Adler, author of Under the Lights and Just Visiting
Praise for Suffer Love:
“Sam and Hadley's palpable and steamy romance had my heart racing. This heartfelt, realistic story kept me up reading
all night long. I loved this book."
—Miranda Kenneally, bestselling author of Catching Jordan
“Shakespeare references, betrayal, and a teacup piglet: what more could you want in a modern love story?”
—Courtney C. Stevens, author of Faking Normal and The Lies About Truth
“An emotionally vivid, fearlessly honest portrait of two very human families, with a love story that will make you
ache. Utterly beautiful.”
—Becky Albertalli, author of Simon vs. the Sapiens Agenda
"[Blake] writes a believable, emotionally satisfying romance that relies on realistic characterizations rather than
supermodel good looks, fashion, and standard plot devices. It's a refreshing change from the far more common standard
romances that so often become formulaic, and the well-integrated literary references are a bonus. A smart, satisfying
romance."
—Kirkus
"Debut author Blake puts the teens in a near-impossible situation, adeptly showing how Sam and Hadley can be more adult
in handling the complications of romance than all four of their parents . . . Readers will be left thinking about the
ways love can both hurt and heal."
—Publishers Weekly
"A strong choice for YA collections, especially where romance is popular."
—School Library Journal
"Sam and Hadley are appealing and engaging characters, especially when Hadley devastatingly, sympathetically learns the
truth. Blake doesn’t opt for the easy, happily-ever-after ending, instead emphasizing that relationships are work and
need to be handled with care."
—Booklist
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