When a teenage girl signs up for a DNA service and discovers she has a younger sister, the newfound siblings decide to meet up at summer camp to unravel their shared past.
Many passionate readers have heard of Reese Witherspoon's Book Club and have likely picked up a title or two that she has recommended. But did you know that she also does YA picks? Emma Lord's new novel You Have a Match was Reese's Winter '21 YA Book Club pick, but this soul-searching novel set against the backdrop of a summer camp is best read during the warmer months. I decided to read this novel because I previously read and loved Emma Lord's debut, Tweet Cute. While Lord's sophomore novel doesn't quite soar to the hilarious heights that Tweet Cute did, it is still a solid read.
Abby never expected to "get a match" when she signed up for an ancestry DNA test (think 23andMe). She mainly wanted to prove to her best friend Connie that she is the one with more Irish blood. But there it is sitting in her results - she has a full-blooded sister named Savvy that she had no idea even existed. From there, You Have a Match becomes a story about sisters reuniting, fighting (as sisters do), and attempting to bring their long-lost families together again. Bonding (or sometimes not!) while at summer camp and devising ways to make their parents meet-up, Abby and Savvy's antics are reminiscent of an updated Parent Trap with a twist.
More introspective and character-focused than exciting and plot-driven, You Have a Match is an excellent read for young adults who are on a journey to discover themselves and understand their families better. However, a large percentage of this novel is encompassed by the characters having conversations, albeit important ones, about what they feel, what has happened in the past, and where they want things to go in the future. While this dialogue will be relatable to anyone going through a similar situation, it makes for some very long and tedious reading passages. I would have preferred if Lord SHOWED us how Abby, Savvy, and their families learn about each other and grow, rather than spelling it all out for readers through conversation.
Availability: Book
Rating: *** Stars (I liked it) Reviewer: Brooke, Public Relations Librarian
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GENRE: Coming-of-Age Stories; Teen Chick Lit CHARACTER: Well-Developed TONE: Feel-Good WRITING STYLE: Richly Detailed SUBJECT: Adoption; Crushes; DNA Testing; Families; Family Secrets; Friendship; Identity; Self-Discovery in Teenage Girls; Sisters; Social Media; Summer Camps; Teenage Boy/Girl Relations; Teenage Girls; Teenage Romance; Teenagers
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