Lauren Barnholdt

I picked up Sometimes it Happens just to see what Lauren Barnholdt's writing style was, and three hours later I was done with the book. This was my very first novel by Barnholdt, and definitely won't be my last. Especially if she writes all her books the way she did this one.Ava and Hannah are best friends and just finished their sophomore year. After everything that just went down with Hannah and her ex-cheating-boyfriend Sebastian, she is ready to move on and enjoy her summer with her best show more friend. But then Ava decides to break the news to Hannah that she is going away for the summer and getting a summer job, leaving Hannah behind with Ava's boyfriend Noah.Noah and Hannah get really close over the summer, and I mean REALLY close. Neither one expected it or even thought about it. It just happened between them and it leaves Hannah pretty much in a box of nerves the first day of her senior year.Barnholdt did an excellent job developing Noah and Hannah's relationship. It wasn't an immediate thing that happened, but you can almost feel the chemistry coming off the pages whenever they were together. Their relationship made me laugh, Hannah is such a funny character and was so blind about everything. Noah was obvious, but Hannah never once picked up on his feelings. What she did know was that she just couldn't stop thinking about Noah.I think that Barnholdt also did an excellent job writing this story. She pieced it together perfectly and it wasn't over dramatic or exaggerated. The chapters go from present to past. You learn how everything started between Noah and Hannah, then you jump into the present.Obviously I found nothing wrong with Sometimes It Happens. I opened it just for a peek and then was done. It's definitely a very entertaining story and so fast paced, you can take it to the beach this summer and finish it in one sitting. A must read! show less

SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS, by Lauren Barnholdt, is a young adult romance about a teen girl's regrets and the repercussions of one night. This book spans a summer and the first day of senior year for these five students and the pivotal choices they make for love.

I absolutely flew through this book. Barnholdt alternated snippets of the summer and dreaded (for Hannah) first day of senior year. Hannah spent the summer dealing with her feelings after being publicly cheated on by her boyfriend. Her show more best friend, Ava, unexpectedly packed up and left for a summer job leaving Hannah even more depressed. With the help of Ava's boyfriend, Noah, she gets a summer job at a diner to keep her mind off Ava and Ryan. But feelings between Noah and Hannah creep up on them and by the end of the summer it culminates into a lustful connection leaving Hannah terrified of seeing her best friend on the first day of school.

I enjoyed the characters that Barnholdt created. I felt like I was reading a real life diary of a teenage girl. Hannah's depression after being dumped was heartbreaking, and the way Noah and Lacey helped piece her life back together was truly touching. And even though I am a strong proponent against cheating in anyway, I wanted to see Noah and Hannah together, they were just perfect!

I felt what happened between Hannah and Ava after their confrontation about Noah was justified. I didn't enjoy their friendship as much as Lacey and Hannah. Ava always had to be the leader of the friendship and make all the decisions which made Hannah seem weak and meek. With Lacey, they were equals which I think constitutes a stronger friendship.

Overall, this was a great story about new beginnings. High school and the summers in between can be life-changing and this book spotlights that moment in time for these teens. show less

On one level this book was offensive - terrible language, such a casual and disrespectful attitude towards sex and women. Yet on another level there was something both sad and redeeming about the story line. Jordan finds himself falling in love and forced to keep a secret that he should never have had to carry around. He is failed by the adults that should have protected him and in coping with this knowledge and his growing feelings for Courtney he does the only thing he can think of. The show more ending provides some resolution, but the tension of truth and betrayal, of love in the hands of teens who have only a vague understanding left me feeling unsettled and a bit outraged on behalf of these kids who deserved to have better parents. show less

Sometimes It Happens is the very first book I’ve read from author Lauren Barnholdt. And let me tell you, I am officially a fangirl. Her realistic teenage characters and voices make the story so authentic and entertaining. Pair that with dizzying romance drama and you’ve got one hell of a summer read.

There are quite a few books out there with the “girl falls for best friend’s boyfriend” plot. I tend to avoid them because I know I‘ll end up rolling my eyes and putting it down show more halfway through. I went into this book with the firm idea that I’d end up hating Hannah because I knew she was going to hurt Ava by messing with Noah. (Admittedly, I’ve been on the “best friend” side of this kind of drama before and I know how much it sucks) But surprisingly, I didn’t want to punch Hannah in the face. Ava wasn’t written to be evil, but she was definitely irritating. And the relationship between her and Hannah was flawed. Of course, that’s no excuse. But the title for this book is spot on: Sometimes It Happens. Hannah and Noah don’t just decide they went to mess around behind Ava’s back. Their feelings develop over the summer, slowly, and even that relationship is flawed. It just seemed really believable without all of the sugarcoating.

Overall, I loved this book. And if I was able to set aside my preconceived notions and judgments and actually love the book, it was a successful reading experience. Told in alternating chapters between the summer and the first day of school, Sometimes It Happens is romantic and emotional and authentic and gah! I just have way too many good things to say. show less