Listen to Your Heart by Kasie West

Thank you to @kidlitexchange and @kasiewest for providing me with a free copy of Listen to Your Heart to read in exchange for an unbiased review.  All opinions are my own.

Kate Bailey isn’t an extrovert.  Instead of hanging out with friends like a “normal” teenager she’d rather be on her family’s lake, alone with her thoughts, the sun, and the water.  Kate finds herself pushed out of her comfort zone when she is chosen to co-host the school’s podcast so she can give advice to her fellow students. Kate is hesitant at first, but finds that she’s pretty good at both listening and giving thoughtful advice, that is until an anonymous caller asks about a topic she has little experience in: love.  Kate thinks she knows the caller interested in her best friend, Alana, and the more time Kate spends with who she thinks is the caller, the more she herself falls for him.  I loved this fun summer romance, and I think you will too! 

Listen to Your Heart is a wonderful breath-of-fresh-air summer read for anyone who enjoys a good young adult romance.  It has all of the ingredients you need for a good light-hearted read:

• coming of age
• a love triangle (maybe even a love square?)
• overcoming obstacles
• overcoming bullies
• time on the beach
• a happy ending

The setting of this book is one that West is clearly passionate about, as she currently lives in central California and loves to spend time on the water.  Her passion is mirrored in the main character and works well for the plot. The lake is the perfect backdrop for the summer romance(s) that are destined to happen, and the nod to how technology can impact our everyday life is intricately well-woven into the story.  

There were times that I stopped reading the book because it made me so nostalgic for the love story in the classic (does this make me old?) Sleepless in Seattle.  West has given it a modern twist, but taken the elements of the call-in advice show and seemingly impossible love.  If you or your young adult reader enjoy Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan together in any movie, I think you’ll also enjoy picking up this book.  

The only thing I didn’t like about this book was that it was just too perfect.  Every problem that arose I could see how it was going to be solved. While that may not be your cup of tea, I found it to work well in Listen to Your Heart.  

Kate’s introverted nature was bound to be challenged for the better.  Her best friend’s crush was bound to become hers as well. Kate’s love of the lake helped her branch out and learn more about who she wants to be.  There’s always a positive spin on any negative situation in this book, something that I think will keep me coming back to West’s books over and over again.

I devoured West’s story about love, friendship, and coming of age in just a few days, and I think you’ll want to pick it up this summer too!  

TL/DR: Listen to Your Heart is a wonderful breath-of-fresh-air summer read for anyone who enjoys a good young adult romance or is looking for a modern Meg Ryan-Tom Hanks kind of story.
Rating: 5/5 stars