Ashley, our main character, is a coder (like me!) and like her friends, she is much more comfortable in the world of STEM, prepping for her (hopeful) internship and college. She has an overly protective mother and a turbulent father that occasionally sees her when he’s not busy with his new wife. Despite it though, she can’t complain. She’s happy. There hasn’t really been a second thought in her mind that wondered if she was missing out on the typical “High School” experience, not until her plans majorly fall through and she’s left wondering how it ended up this way. Not only that, but it makes Ashley wonder how much she’s withheld herself from having fun, dating, and seeing more than just her apartment and classrooms. 

After one of her childhood friends, Jason, who’s also a prank artist in the making – and her close neighbour – tells Ashley that she should have fun, she decides that now it’s Spring Break, she is going to make the most of it. But when charming and utterly charismatic Walker comes her way, Ashley is floored. She can’t believe he’s interested in her, let alone makes her feel like she’s in her own Taylor Swift song (of whom Ashley, like me, is a huge fan.) Although Walker is much more than just a pretty face, and he begins to lead her astray. She makes bad decisions under pressure, and it really throws her off balance. Ashley tries to pull away, but after he keeps raising her up and breaking her down, she’s left wondering what’s real and isn’t. The only people that understand her is her friends Christine and Heaven. Plus there’s Jason, who she’s starting to see in a very different light, romantically, but now that he’s preoccupied with his on-and-off girlfriend Rachel, Ashley is feeling the weight of the world as she tumbles through the freefall. 

Overall, My Epic Spring Break (Up) did not disappoint. I picked it up thinking it would be a light and fun read, but it actually taught me a lot as well. I loved that Ashley had this passion for coding that really interested me, and even though romance was a huge part of the book, it wasn’t all that I took away. I did find at times that Ashley could be quite difficult and stubborn (I guess like a teenager) that made her come across a bit off, but I definitely think that it made her all the more human in a way. I thoroughly loved reading this delicate, sparkling story set in New York City, bursting with Taylor Swift-isms and bright characters. The perfect 4-star summer read!