Everyone thinks Colton Neely is special.
Lilly Evans just thinks he’s fascinating.
Once friends when they were younger, their bond is cut short due to her accident prone nature and they go their separate ways. Years later, they meet again and Lilly learns that there is something special about the boy she once knew, but she has no idea what it all means. And she’s not sure if she’s ready to find out.
When he walks through the corridor of her school the first day of her senior year, she knows that it’s time to get to know the real Colton Neely. The more she learns, the deeper she falls.
Their friendship grows into love, even as Colton does not express it in words. But one decision threatens to break down the world that Lilly has tried so hard to integrate into and she must figure out if the relationship can survive if they are apart.
5 Stars!
Review: I can not even tell you how much I loved this story! Lilly and Colton are the sweetest and bravest characters I have come across in a while. Lilly is your typical high school girl that is just trying to survive high school. Based on her description of her childhood and her first meetings with Colton, she was definitely a tomboy and already kind of swam against the current, in some ways. Yet, Colton was different in his own way. He was drawn to Lilly, however, just like she was drawn to him. I loved how each of them recognized that in one another, even though they had no idea what to do with it at the early age of 11, when they first met.
Skip forward to Lilly's senior year and Colton is now in her class. What follows is such a different, honest, and like I said, brave, story of learning how to love somewhat despite their difference from others. I feel like this is so rare in life, in general, but especially in high school. Lilly learns that Colton is Autistic, and she takes the time to learn how to communicate with him in a way that he can understand. She also plays such a huge part in his learning how to communicate with her and with a world that is bigger than his parents, his tutors, and his art. They were both on a journey together, and they both helped one another through that journey.
As often happens with love, and especially with young love, Lilly gets very wrapped up in Colton, and when Colton receives an opportunity to advance beyond what both of them had pictured, Lilly is now the one that seems a little bit stuck. They must each learn how to be very clear with one another and ask for what they need. I just really loved this story and that someone wrote about something that so many people face. Being different does not mean that you don't also need love and have love to give!
Jessica
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