Title: The Boy I Grew Up With
Author: Tijan
First published October 29, 2018
413 pages, Kindle Edition
Rating: 4.15
Overview
Growing up, I thought I knew everything about Jaxon Reed. He was my childhood friend, my confidant, and the boy I fell in love with.
But as we entered high school, our worlds began to shift. Jaxon became the king of the school, while I navigated through the social hierarchies as best I could.
Despite our differences, our connection never faded. It was the one constant in my life.
Until one night, when everything changed. Now, years later, we find ourselves in the same town again.
The chemistry between us is still there, but so is the hurt and the secrets. Can we find our way back to each other, or is it time to let go of the boy I grew up with?
A poignant and heartfelt story of first love, second chances, and the unbreakable bonds of childhood friendship.
Editoral Review
The Boy I Grew Up With by Tijan is a contemporary fiction novel first published on October 29, 2018. Tijan is a New York Times bestselling author who is well known for writing young adult and new adult fiction.
The Boy I Grew Up With is a love story that centers around the themes of loss, friendship, and sacrifice. The plot of the book follows the lives of four childhood friends – Taryn, Ryan, Channing, and Elijah – who grow up together in a small town.
Taryn and Ryan fall in love but due to certain circumstances, they are forced to part ways. The story then moves forward by chronicling the triumphs and tribulations of the two protagonists as they navigate their way through life.
The book is set in the present day and the author does an excellent job of painting a picture of the small town and its inhabitants in vivid detail. One of the strengths of the book is the character development.
Tijan does a fantastic job of fleshing out each character in the story, especially the two protagonists, Taryn and Ryan. The reader gets to know them intimately, and as a result, empathizes with their struggles and triumphs.
The book is also well-paced and has a good structure that keeps the reader hooked till the end. Another strength of the book is the themes it tackles.
The Boy I Grew Up With is a love story, but it is also a story about loss, sacrifice, and friendship. The book deals with subjects like cancer, broken families, and the tough choices that people have to make in life.
These themes are handled with sensitivity and give the reader a sense of the struggles that people go through in life. However, there are a few weaknesses that the book has.
The pacing of the book slows down a bit in the middle, and it takes a while for the story to pick up momentum again. Additionally, the ending of the book feels a little rushed, and it would have been nice to see the story develop further.
Overall, The Boy I Grew Up With is an engaging read that will appeal to anyone who enjoys contemporary fiction. The writing is of a high quality, and the characters are well-developed.
The themes of the book are relatable, and the story is filled with emotions that will tug at the reader’s heartstrings. This book is highly recommended to anyone looking for a good love story with lots of heart.
I would give the book a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.