Full of Promise - by Kate Gavin (Paperback)

About the Book

After Cameron Leoni meets new girl Riley Baker, Cam is unsure why she feels drawn to the other girl. Riley wants to come out to Cam, but she doesn't want to lose her as a friend. The girls must navigate high school, friends, and family as they realize their feelings may be more than friendship.

Book Synopsis

Cameron Leoni is about to start her senior year of high school. Between helping her mother take care of her two younger brothers and working at the library to save money for college, there's just barely enough time for anything but soccer.

Riley Baker is the new girl in town. Though she's been out to her parents and friends back home, she's reluctant to share that information with her new classmates.

When Cam meets Riley on the first day of soccer tryouts, Cam is unsure why she feels so drawn to the other girl. They become fast friends and soon Cameron can't help the butterflies she feels every time the two touch.

Riley wants to be honest and come out to Cam but she doesn't want to lose her as a friend. She won't allow herself to dream of the possibility of anything more between them.

Cam and Riley will have to navigate the emotional halls of high school, friends and family as they realize there might be more than just friendship growing between them.

Review Quotes

We meet Cam at her summer job in the library, rolling her cart past the cute girl she's been sneaking peeks at and who she's been exchanging small smiles with. The hitch is that Cam has a boyfriend and is straight. Later, she meets this new girl, Riley, at school and gradually forms a friendship that has an underlying tension of something more, eventually building into an actual romance.

Full of Promise is a sweet story, smooth reading with all the heart tugs you'd expect from two young women falling in love. But rather than being a straight to gay tale, it was more about Cam recognizing and giving light to another part of herself. There were some emotional bumps but nothing harsh like other coming out books. Good, solid YA story.--NetGalley-Jules P.

Full of Promise was a very sweet young adult romance novel about discovering one's sexuality and the emotional turmoil involved. Cam, a high school senior, was already dealing with the aftermath of her parents' recent divorce. Since her mother took on another job, responsibility of taking care of her two younger brothers was thrust upon her. Between school, a part time job, soccer, and hanging out with her best friend Claire and boyfriend Danny, Cam was stretched to the limit. But she took everything in stride-held her emotions in check-until she couldn't anymore, especially when a newly transferred classmate, Riley, entered her life. The attraction was undeniable for both girls, and Cam began to seriously question her sexuality and how her family would react to it.

The author effectively captured Cam's heart wrenching emotional journey throughout the story. Her pain...and love...was evident with every interaction and setback she faced. You cannot help but become invested in her life changes and all those affected by it. Cam's family and friends were also an integral part of her life and their reactions added to the realistic nature of this story.

This was a very well written captivating read. I believe young adults will definitely embraced Cam's journey and hopefully realize that there are others like themselves who are also finding their way to their own true self.--NetGalley-R. Swier

I have to say... I'm not normally a huge fan or reader of YA / NA novels, but this one really worked for me! Even better yet, it seems to be a debut novel for Gavin, so my hat's off to her!

This one was a very sweet YA read where our MCs Cam and Riley are both high school seniors. They meet when Riley moves to town and joins the soccer team that Cam and her best friend Claire are already a part of. Cam's struggling with home life, taking on extra responsibility of caring for her younger brothers while her mom works more hours after a divorce. Riley is new to town, and she's already an out lesbian, but she's struggling to make friends and be accepted. When Cam befriends Riley, she begins to question her feelings for the new girl and realizes that she might not be as straight as she thought she was.

The relationship between Riley and her mom was beautiful, everyone deserves a mom like this, especially questioning LGBT teens. It was refreshing to see this POV. Best friend Claire's reaction was a bit over the top, but provided a bit of needed angst to the novel.

All in all, I enjoyed this one and was never tempted to skim ahead, which is my norm in a YA novel. It's a well written, low angst read, and I appreciated that Gavin didn't make the younger characters quite so... young. They were intelligent and had level heads instead of being over the top dramatic.

I really enjoyed this one, and think that many others will also. Recommended! I'm looking forward to Gavin's next novel! Solid 4 stars.--NetGalley-Bethany K.