What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen Review

 Title: What Happened to Goodbye 

Author: Sarah Dessen 

Age Group: Teen/Young Adult 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction 

Series: Standalone 

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars 

I bought a copy of this book and reviewed it. 

In my ongoing quest to whittle down my home library down considerably, I decided to really take a look at my bookshelves and decide what I wanted to give away versus what I want to keep for the future. Sarah Dessen is one of my favorite contemporary young adult authors, and I’ve read almost everything she’s ever written. But What Happened to Goodbye just might be my favorite of the bunch. This book was emotional, tender, and an utter triumph about the meaning of home, family, found and blood; the tone was hopeful and sweet, and by the end of the novel, I was crying happy tears. I loved this story so much, and I won’t soon forget it! 

Mclean Sweet is something of a human chameleon of sorts. Depending on where she’s moved, she decides on a different name and persona, all so she can cut and run when the time comes. But after her parents’ very ugly, very public divorce, it’s just easier to pretend to be someone else. When she and her father move to the small town of Lakeview to rescue a failing restaurant called Luna Blu, Mclean finds herself dangerously close to finding her true home. Will she flee again, hide from her new friends and her new life, or perhaps face the future at last, and make peace with her demons? 

I’ve loved Sarah Dessen’s work for such a long time, certainly since high school. I bought this book as a Christmas present for myself a few years ago, and honestly, I’m kind of upset with myself for sitting on it for so long. Dessen’s prose was lyrical, tender, and so, so human. I was immediately captivated by Mclean’s frank, honest voice, and I tore through this book in a little over a week. All of the characters were wonderful, especially Dave, Heather, Riley, Ellis, Deb, and Mclean’s parents. This novel was just so good; I loved Mclean’s character development. It really made this lovely, sweet novel worth reading. And the love story! So good. But my favorite part was how this book took a good, long look at found and blood family, and how they are equally important; that point really hit home! I loved the ending; Sarah Dessen has easily outdone herself, again! The bottom line: Gorgeous, emotional, and truly human, I absolutely adored What Happened to Goodbye! Next on deck: Half Sick of Shadows by Laura Sebastian, The Hunting Party by Lisa Foley, and Hollywood Park by Mickel Jollett, as well as Moonstruck by Shea Beagle!