Our Way Back to Always

Lou Cardenas and Sam Alvarez were next-door neighbors and best friends throughout childhood in Port Coral, Florida. After a falling out in middle school, they drifted apart and now barely speak as high school seniors, despite living only feet away from each other. Lou discovers her late mother's senior year bucket list and decides to complete every item before graduation. Sam, struggling with his own path and family expectations, finds himself drawn back into Lou's orbit as she tackles the list's challenges. Their rekindled connection forces them to confront their shared past and navigate their changing relationship in the present. The story takes place against the backdrop of their close-knit Cuban American community and the pressures of college applications, family obligations, and impending adulthood. The novel explores themes of friendship, first love, and finding one's identity while honoring family legacy and cultural heritage. Through Lou and Sam's journey, it examines how the past shapes us without defining us, and how moving forward sometimes requires looking back.

Readers describe this YA romance as a friends-to-lovers story with authentic Latino representation. The dual POV narration helps show both main characters' perspectives as they navigate senior year. Liked: - Cultural details and family dynamics feel genuine - Strong sense of setting in Port Coral, Florida - Complex parent-child relationships - Natural progression of the romance - Integration of social media and playlists Disliked: - Pacing drags in middle sections - Some found the miscommunication plot device frustrating - Secondary characters need more development - A few readers wanted more tension/conflict "The music references and playlist elements added so much atmosphere" - Goodreads reviewer "Wished the side characters got more page time" - Amazon reviewer Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (2,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (200+ ratings) BookBrowse: 4/5 (50+ ratings)

What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli Two teen boys navigate destiny, second chances, and romance in New York City amid missed connections and do-overs.

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord A social media war between two competing family restaurants leads to unexpected romance between their teenage heirs.

Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon Class rivals become allies during an all-night scavenger hunt on the last day of high school.

A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura Taylor Namey A Miami teen finds unexpected connections while spending a summer working at her aunt's inn in Winchester, England.

Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales A bisexual teen who runs an anonymous relationship advice service faces her own romantic complications when asked to help her crush win back his ex-girlfriend.

🌟 Author Nina Moreno grew up in Miami and draws heavily from her Cuban-American heritage to create authentic Latinx characters and stories 📚 The book was partly inspired by nostalgic teen romantic comedies from the late 1990s and early 2000s 🏠 Port Coral, the fictional Florida town where the story takes place, is based on several real coastal communities in South Florida 🎵 Each chapter in the book is named after a song that relates to the story's events or emotions 💝 The book features dual perspectives, alternating between Lou and Sam's points of view, allowing readers to experience both sides of their childhood-friends-to-lovers journey