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| Roosevelt College Book 1 |
Lark Levitt doesn’t belong at Roosevelt College, at least in theory. Most students who attend the private university come from wealthy families, and Lark is only a scholarship and a bus ride away from the trailer park where he lives. It’s also a dream come true because dance is his life, and their program is one of the most prestigious in the country. But there are bumps in the road, like running into someone from a difficult time in his childhood. Someone who now pretends he doesn’t exist.
Henry Albrecht survived childhood cancer and is now a Roosevelt quarterback and model student. His past is something his father insists Henry keep private, and though his dad has his reasons, it makes his remission feel like a dirty secret instead of a triumph. He has few precious memories from that time in his life, except for a kid from the hospital who made his recovery manageable. A kid who’s all grown up now and at Roosevelt, jeopardizing everything Henry’s carefully kept under wraps.
They decide the best course of action is to keep their distance. Easier said than done. Their renewed connection brings solace, clarity, and a raw intensity that awakens a spark between them. But hiding their history is exhausting, and soon enough their secret meetups are in danger of being exposed. Henry will need to face his fears—and his father—or lose the only person who’s ever understood the real him.
* Discussions of cancer treatments and depictions of mental heath struggles
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My Review: 4/5 Stars
When Henry and Lark were kids they met in one of the worst places to be. A hospital. They became friends and it was what got them through some pretty rough times. But both left at different times and unable to reconnect. Seven years later, they are reunited at college, both in remission. They beat cancer and now they are living their lives. Mostly. For Henry, it’s a bit more complicated. He came to college with a bit more expectations from his dad. Like being on the football and getting good grades but most importantly, tell no one that he had cancer. His dad may have been trying to protect how people would treat him if they knew, but all Henry feels is stress. Especially when Lark comes to college his sophomore year. He is more than relieved to see Lark again. To know that he is okay after so many years, but he also knows that Lark is a piece of his past that could jeopardize everything going on. And though Henry knows he should stay away, he can’t. Because Lark has always been different to him. And now those feelings that have been pushed down come rushing back. For Lark, coming to college on a dance scholarship is the dream. He may be around a lot of rich kids and he is anything but, but he deserves to be there. He worked hard for it. And seeing Henry again? It brings up a lot of feelings. He may not get what Henry is trying to do thanks to his dad, but he’ll keep their past quiet. But he is just as bad at staying away from Henry as Henry is to him. And soon or later, everyone will start to notice. Great story! Lark and Henry are survivors and it was great to see them fighting for what they wanted. Henry especially. He may have been the most stressed but he was slowly building his way to let his truths be known. These two were just super sweet with one another and I loved how they found their way back to one another too. They more than deserve their happy ending!
