by Cat Jordan
Middie Daniels calls it the Leaving Season: the time of year when everyone graduates high school, packs up their brand-new suitcases, and leaves home for the first time.
This year Middie’s boyfriend Nate is the one leaving. Nate, who’s so perfect that she can barely believe it. Nate, who makes her better than she is on her own. Nate, who’s promised to come back once he’s finished his gap year volunteering in Central America. And when he does, it’ll be time for Middie to leave, too. With him.
But when a tragedy strikes, Middie’s whole world is set spinning. No one seems to understand just how lost she is… except for Nate’s slacker best friend Lee. Middie and Lee have never gotten along. But with the ground ripped out from under her, Middie is finding that up is down—and that Lee Ryan might be just what she needs to find her footing once more.
Cat Jordan’s heartbreaking story proves that no matter the season, no matter the obstacles, love can help you find yourself in the most unexpected of places.
Thank you to HarperTeen for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
THE LEAVING SEASON was a bittersweet, cute read, and I enjoyed it immensely. This novel follows the story of Middie’s life after everyone believes that Nate, her boyfriend, has died. Through this event, she is able to bring out another side of herself and really discover what she wants and how she wants to live her life.
Although Middie’s actions can be seen as controversial or something to look down upon, I felt as if I could connect and forgive her; grief makes people do things that they may not usually do, and I felt as if I understood her in a way. I’m not defending all her actions, but I understood why she did what she did. I loved how Lee and Middie developed a friendship and eventually, something more; they create little jokes together and have a whole ton of more chemistry than I thought Middie and Nate did. Throughout the romance, Lee’s and Middie’s characters go through slow but major changes from the beginning of the novel and I loved that.
Despite the gorgeous character development of both Lee and Middie, I just felt as if Nate had no personality at all. Yes, he’s essentially perfect and does all these altruistic things, but he’s like a brick, and I felt as if he was a secondary character compared to Lee. He was boring and dull, and that’s where I relate to Middie again; she needed to find something more spontaneous and exciting, and I’m glad she connect with Lee.
This novel reminded me of a Wattpad story, in that it was predictable, but in a sort-of good way. I essentially knew what was going to happen in the plot, and I was just waiting for certain events to happen. Despite that, I really enjoyed this novel (or maybe it was just my 12-year-old self making a reappearance in my reading life).
Overall, THE LEAVING SEASON was bittersweet and cute, and I adored this novel and the romance. I definitely recommend if you like: sort-of love triangles, cute reads, and love stories.
★★★★☆
arctic books 
This seems like such a great read! I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂 I’ll have to pick it up when it’s out!
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Hope you enjoy!!
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[…] The Leaving Season by Cat Jordan (review) […]
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It sounds like a great book but probably not the one for me. I enjoy reading contemporary novels with heartbreak and romances but this one seems a tad too bittersweet for me and there’s also the fact that I loathe love triangles.The love triangle also seems kinda predictable and it’s lik Nate is written specifically not to be liked with the MC which is something I also dislike. I’m glad you enjoyed for the most part though!
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Oh, that makes sense, and I totally understand where you’re coming from. Thank you! 🙂
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The cover really is pretty… I am not a huge fan of love-triangles UNLESS they are perfectly written. But this ones circumstances make it a little different. Maybe worth checking out!
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