Review - The Year After You by Nina de Pass

Title: The Year After You

Author: Nina de Pass

Pages: 352

Publisher: Ink Road

Release Date: 14th February 2019

Blurb from Goodreads: 

Up in the Alps, Cara's old life feels a million miles away. Nobody at Hope Hall knows her past. With secrets to keep, can Cara allow herself this chance to live again?

New Year's Eve, San Francisco. The most promising party of the year ends in tragedy. Georgina is gone and nothing will bring her back.

Nine months later, Cara's mother decides a Swiss boarding school will be the fresh start Cara needs. Up in the Alps, Cara's old life feels a million miles away. Nobody at Hope Hall knows her past—and she intends to keep it that way.

Yet, as much as she keeps her distance, her new friends break down the walls she has so carefully built up—especially the offbeat, straight-talking Hector, who understands how she feels better than anyone. But the closer Cara grows to Hector, the more her old life slips away.

Embracing life at Hope Hall means letting go of the past. With Georgina gone, how can Cara allow herself this second chance?

Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US

My Review:

*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Black & White Publishing and NetGalley*

Cara's life was changed forever nine months ago when her best friend Georgina (G) died in an accident. The sole survivor, Cara struggles with her grief and guilt.

Then Cara's mother sends her to Hope Hall, a boarding school in the Swiss Alps.

Will Cara be able to let down her defences and make new friends?

Can she make peace with what happened and forgive herself?

First off, I love the cover for The Year After You. The colours are beautiful.

I thought Cara was a good protagonist, unreliable at times but that added to the mystery of what happened. She wasn't a perfect person and struggled to deal with what happened to her and her role in it. I felt sorry for Cara and I can't even begin to imagine how hard it would be to go through what she went through.

Ren was probably my favourite character, but I liked Hector too. He was quite a complex character and I just wanted to give him a hug.

The plot was interesting and held my attention, but nothing that happened particularly surprised or shocked me.

The themes were handled well and I did tear up a few times at some scenes that I found particularly heart-wrenching.

The setting was interesting. I quite like the idea of going to a boarding school in the Swiss Alps.

I liked the writing style - it was easy to follow - but I wasn't gripped. I would, however, be interested in reading more from the author.

Overall, this was an enjoyable book that I would recommend.