Book Review: Julia at the Drive-in by Rainbow Rowell

I read everything by Rainbow Rowell. I've been a fan for years so a new short story was an immediate add to my shelf to read.

The simple premise of this story is that a girl, Julia, decides that her new appearance is different enough for her to take a chance and finally talk to the guy she's been watching for three years. When he talks to her and spends time with her at the drive-in where they both are on the last Saturday night before the school year starts, Julia wonders who it is he sees now, Julia or a stranger?

The story is a quick read and Rowell easily fills in the world of this tale. We know that Julia's parents aren't the kind to go out. Julia has a best friend, Chloe, who has taken Julia under her wing even though she's technically the new girl but she picked Julia as her friend and includes her in everything. Then there's Wyatt, the boy in question, the one who has a group of friends with him at the drive-in that he's always together with but when he gets the chance, chooses to sit with Julia during the movie when they both end up on their own at the drive-in. 

In the span of maybe 30 pages, readers learn so much about these kids and Julia especially felt like someone I could have been in high school. I loved her observations and I loved the chance she took to make herself happy. Her worries about how she's seen, the fact that so many seem to act like she's invisible, the fact that one girl choosing her as a friend and how it made such a difference in her life, all of it made Julia so endearing. I wanted this girl to hold her head up and be confident in the fact that she was worth noticing. The way Rowell wrapped this up was perfect.

I knew what the twist or reveal was going to be but it was still such a heart-warming moment in the end. This story is such a sweet moment to witness between two teens who find a chance together and take it.

Rating on my scale: 10 Stars. This was so sweet in the end and I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of the stories in this series.

My thanks to Netgalley, Amazon Original Stories and Rainbow Rowell for the eARC of this story in exchange for a review. All honest opinions are my own.