About the Book:

Title: In the Same Boat

Author: Holly Green

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Release Date: July 20, 2021

Pages: 368

Genre: YA Contemporary, YA Romance

Synopsis:

In the Same Boat is the hugely entertaining blend of romance and thrilling adventure that you never knew you needed.

Sadie Scofield is just a few days away from the race of a lifetime. The Texas River Odyssey may be 260 miles and multiple days of arduous canoeing where every turn of the river reveals new dangers-downed trees, alligators, pitch black night-but those dangers pale in comparison to going another year knowing that her father is ashamed of her.

Last year, Sadie caused a disastrous wreck that ended her father’s twenty year streak of finishes, and he’s never looked at her the same. Now, she knows that finishing the race with her brother, Tanner, is her one shot to redeem herself. She’s ready for anything…except Tanner ditching her for another team at the last minute.

Sadie grits her teeth and accepts that she has to team up with Cully, her former best friend turned worst enemy. It’s irritating enough that he grew up to be so attractive, but once they’re on the river it turns out he’s ill-prepared for such a dangerous race. But as the miles pass, the pain of the race builds, they uncover the truth about their feuding families, and Sadie’s feelings for Cully begin to shift. Could this race change her life more than she ever could have imagined?

With an unforgettable heroine and an immersive setting, Holly Green’s captivating debut promises heart-stopping action and a swoony romance that will leave you cheering. 

Review:

*I received an arc from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Captivating debut from Holly Green! I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book when I picked it up, but I’m so glad I did. It was hard to put down, and I read it in a couple of days. It blends together an adventure and romance just perfectly.

Sadie Scofield is so close to a huge race that she’s waited her whole life for. The Texas River Odyssey is 260 miles and several days of backbreaking canoeing with dangers lurking around every corner, such as fallen trees and even alligators. Sadie feels as though these dangers are nothing compared to going into another year with her father being ashamed of her.

All of Sadie’s family members have finished the big race, but when she and her dad partnered up last year it was a complete disaster. Sadie was injured and her dad didn’t finish a race for the first time in 20 years. Their relationship hasn’t been the same since then, and she feels that the only way to fix things between them is to finish the race this year, with her brother Tanner as her partner. At the last minute, Tanner ditches her to join another team. Sadie sucks it up, and partners with her ex-best friend now arch enemy, John Cullen or “Cully” as she used to call him. He grew up to be pretty cute, which irks her, plus when they get out on the river, he doesn’t seem very well prepared. As the miles on the river go by, and the pain of the race starts setting in, Sadie and Cully begin to uncover the truth about their fighting families and why their friendship unraveled. Sadie’s feelings toward Cully begin to shift, and she begins to wonder if this race could change her life more than she imagined.

I found myself rooting for Sadie and Cully as the race was on, and I was on the edge of my seat at times. I laughed a lot and also found myself completely teary-eyed. An epic adventure about perseverance, friendship, and family that you won’t want to miss! Preorder now or request from your local library. This wonderful story releases on July 20, 2021.

About the Author:

Holly Green is a writer from Austin, TX. She has an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her YA novel, IN THE SAME BOAT is forthcoming from Scholastic, July 20, 2021.