Elliott Brennan has no idea what to do.
Not that he ever has.
He's never really been sure how to be in love with Delaney Haskins, or how to stop. All he does know is that he's felt this way about every stage of her since the moment he knew her eyes were hazel. He's never expected anything from loving his best friend, and all the same, has no plans to change his heart, not even with the impending threat of beginning his life as a college student. The way he sees it, he'll love her calmly, indefinitely, and at a distance. Elliott's personal paradigm consists of her, his drawings, his brother's mediocre punk band, and his CALARTS scholarship. He plans to spend the summer doodling Batman, making vaguely emotional playlists, and saying goodbye to his childhood home.
That's when Delaney tells him her life is leading her unwillingly to Maine in the fall. Seeing the reality of her slipping away causes over a decade of silent affection to hit Elliott harder than ever, maybe just over a decade too late. Faced with the Catch-22 of pursuing her, only to have leave for good, or never knowing what might have happened if he'd stopped keeping secrets, Elliott embarks on a whirlwind journey with Delaney to complete a breakneck friendship bucket list, and to sort out his roots, one last time.
Humorous, colorful, and heartfelt, Goodbye, Delaney Blue is a lively vignette of what it's like to be young, in love, and in way over your head.
NOTE: I REVISED BEFORE YOU GO, SO THERE WILL BE SOME MISINFORMATION IN THIS ONE REGARDING LEON & ELIZA'S RELATIONSHIP. I WILL FIX IT SOON, THOUGH!
* I would HIGHLY recommend reading BEFORE YOU GO and THE ONE YOU FIGHT FOR before you read this novel. This novel is a criss-cross between them and will include some major spoilers!*
Leo Sangster has a bucket list tucked away safely, folded between the pages of his favourite book. And it's been there for nearly fifteen years.
He hasn't tried to read it. He can't. He won't. Because that one piece of paper is a large piece of his father -- someone he's never met and never will be able to meet.
But as Leo finds himself heading to Whistler, BC to explore where his father was born and who he was before he died in a car accident, he begins to wonder if that bucket list could give him any clues.
Aria Madden is the daughter of the now-retired, famous NHL player, Luke Madden. Anyone would consider that a lot to live up to, but Aria is content with her current position. In January, she'll be competing in the Winter Olympics for Canada's women's hockey team. Over the summer, she's going to be training in Whistler, BC with the rest of the team, all while staying at her aunt's house.
But even though it seems like she has everything under control, Aria is stuck in a whirlwind of anxiety. While she's happy and excited that her hard work has paid off, she's worried she won't live up to her father's legacy.
When Leo and Aria cross paths on a fateful summer day, they're thrown into the chaos of an unforgettable summer adventure -- filled with charming and mysterious people, astounding views, and alpine air. But as the summer continues on and the heat is amped up, undeniable chemistry begins to brew between the two of them.
But what happens when summer ends and they have to go their separate ways?
Will they give up on the chemistry or will they find a way to make it work?