Review: A Summer Like No Other (Broken Dreams #1.5) by Elodie Nowodazkij

Book Blurb:

She’s his best friend’s little sister. He’s the biggest player of them all.

They shouldn’t be together. But this summer’s just too tempting.

Sixteen-year-old Emilia Moretti’s goal for the summer is simple: forget her brother’s best friend—Nick Grawsky—ever existed. It should be easy: He’s spending his summer in the Hamptons, adding girls in tiny bikinis to his list of broken hearts. Guarantee he won’t be telling them they’re like his little sisters. This summer, Emilia won’t stay awake at night thinking about him. She’ll need flawless ballet movements to have a shot at next year’s showcase, and she’s finally ready to search for her birth parents. But when Nick decides to stay in the city, Emilia’s resolve disappears in a pirouette. Maybe it’s the spin they needed to be together. As long as she doesn’t get stuck believing in happily ever after…

Nick is tired of pretending to be the happy, let’s-have-fun guy. His father wants him to change his career from professional dancer to…lawyer. He needs to put all of his focus on dancing to prove to Daddy Dearest he’s good enough to make it big. And he may have a case of the bluest balls in history courtesy of Emilia. She’s off-limits: The bro code with Roberto even forbids the dirty thoughts he has about her. Besides, he’s not boyfriend material. He only has time for flings, for girls who don’t expect much, for girls he doesn’t want to kiss goodnight. He knows he should resist her, but he’s not sure he wants to…

At least for this summer.

It’s going to be a summer like no other.

My Review:

3 Out of 5 Dancers

Genre: Teen--

When Em’s dad lost his job, they had to give up everything, but it was ok because they still had family. But now Em has been questioning about her birth parents, causing anxiety and stress among her family. Her only solace in found in her older brother’s best friend Nick, who has been her secret crush for years. What she doesn’t’ know is that Nick likes her too, but they can’t really be together. All they have is this one summer.

I read the first book in the series really hoping it was going to be filled with the drama of the dancing world, but it was not really. Sure it was full of drama, but not the kind I was hoping for. So I picked up this novella which is supposed to be a short introduction to the characters in the next book in the series who are active dancers. Well, yet again the book was filled with drama, but it was romance and family drama just like the first book, and not the fast-paced anxiety of the dancing world. Ok, so to be honest, I was looking for a teen version of one of my favorite movies Center Stage. Sadly, that is not what I got. Needless to say I was a little disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, the stories are very well written and interesting, just not what I was wanting. When I pick up a book with characters that are dancers, I am looking for some dancing drama/issues.

I would like to read the next complete book about Em because she has so much left unsaid and I am interested in her finding answers, even though I am sure they won’t be pretty. Nick I feel much more ambivalent towards. Sure he has his reasons, but he is doing hurtful things to get what he wants in the long run, and that is shady. I don’t think I want to see them end up together as a couple in the long run, I want someone more for Em. The author does a great job of creating believable characters with more baggage than any person should ever have to deal with that you can’t help but root for.

I received this title from the publisher in return for my honest review.