Marlee’s best friend has moved away and now she’s feeling a little lost at school. Sure she has friends but they’re mostly casual. Enter Noah, he definitely wants to be Marlee’s friend, and more because he’s had a thing for her for years. He comes with some ready-made friends that Marlee instantly bonds with. The connection with Noah is instant and deep, things would be really great if her mother weren’t getting sick again. Marlee is also carrying some scars of her past and she needs to find a way to get through the pain so she can move forward, which is also easier said than done.
So Noah is pretty perfect as far as Marlee is concerned (me too if we’re being honest here). He’s caring, attentive, and he’s not afraid to show how he’s feeling. Which is good and bad for Marlee because she’s scared for more. The past she has been through has made her a bit insecure, she’s not entirely trusting that when someone says something, that they mean it. She has PTSD and as a fellow sufferer, she handles it very well.
My Life as Marlee has “Marlee’s Life Lessons” which she writes to herself as a reminder. They are positive, encouraging, and probably something people might need to hear. I think my favorite one starts off by saying “We are who we are because of our past. Don’t let it drown you in shallow waters.” That couldn’t be truer.
I’ve loved reading this series to date and am so excited that Anders has more in store for her readers as I’ve grown fond of Marlee and Noah and I look forward to seeing them in future books. Readers can expect characters that are multi-dimensional and completely relatable, people you can picture hanging out with. A great storyline with excellent storytelling, very well done!
For now you can read my review on Goodreads and Bookbub, give it a “like” while you’re there. My Life as Marlee releases September 18th and is available for preorder on Amazon for $4.99.
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