How to Say I Love You Out Loud {by Karole Cozzo}

Title: How to Say I Love You Out Loud

Author: Karole Cozzo

Genre: YA Contemporary

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Source: NetGalley

Words are strong. Love is stronger.
When Jordyn Michaelson’s autistic brother joins her at her elite school, she’s determined not to let anyone know they're related. Even if that means closing herself off to all her closest friends, including charming football stud Alex Colby. But despite her best intentions, she just can't shake the memory of kissing Alex last summer, and the desire to do it again.
Can Jordyn find the courage to tell Alex how she really feels—and the truth about her family—before he slips away forever?

This was a great story. I loved it. It was heartfelt, it was fun, it was important. There needs to be more books about mental illness and the stigma surrounding them, and I thought this was very well done. I also love how this was from the viewpoint of not someone who has it, but a close family member that is affected by it.

Jordyn is your normal high school junior. She's starting her second year at a new school. She doesn't let anyone get close to her, because of her brother, who's autistic. Jordyn is pretty resentful and bitter at how is autism has taken over their life, but especially how she got teased for it in grade school. Since then, she's taken pains to separate herself from him, even hiding him from her closest friend, Alex. But then her brother has to come to her school for a while, and her secret risks being exposed.

Some people may not take to Jordyn, especially at first. She may come across a little selfish and unfeeling, but she's more scared. She doesn't like to stand up to people, and so she does whatever she can to avoid attention. But Jordyn does a lot of growing and soul-searching, and I loved seeing how much she matured.

And Alex. Is he even a real high school boy? (I'm going with no. Too perfect.) But he was awesome and understanding, but even he had his breaking point. But this was really a story about family, more than the romance. Jordyn had to come to terms with her brother, and she did so beautifully.

This was not a hard read, or a long one. But it was a great story that came to a beautiful conclusion and I loved it.

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