Review: This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills

Sloane isn't expecting to fall in with a group of friends when she moves from New York to Florida—especially not a group of friends so intense, so in love, so all-consuming. Yet that's exactly what happens.

Sloane becomes closest to Vera, a social-media star who lights up any room, and Gabe, Vera's twin brother and the most serious person Sloane's ever met. When a beloved painting by the twins' late mother goes missing, Sloane takes on the responsibility of tracking it down, a journey that takes her across state lines—and ever deeper into the twins' lives.

Filled with intense and important friendships, a wonderful warts-and-all family, shiveringly good romantic developments, and sharp, witty dialogue, this story is about finding the people you never knew you needed.


I really enjoyed This Adventure Ends. Sloane was such a breath of fresh air from traditional contemporary YA characters. She didn't take anyone's crap, she stood up for others, yet she was completely at a loss when it came to having friends because for the first time in seventeen years, she had people she cared enough about to make an effort.

The novel only follows a portion of Sloane's senior year, after moving from New York to Florida, in the wake of her father's writing crisis. Unlike most teenagers, Sloane was unaffected by the move and didn't really care either way - due to the fact that she really had no attachments keeping her there. Could you imagine that kind of self enclosure?

So when she meets Vera and Gabe, twins that are like night and day, her world begins to shift. Vera is bubbly, outgoing, and makes everyone feel like they're the only person in the room, while Gabe is surly, and serious, and basically has made it his life's mission never to smile. Through some unfortunate circumstances, a special painting done by Vera and Gabe's mother right before she passed, is sold and Sloane makes it her mission to get said painting back. Without telling them of course.

The characters are what really drew me into this one. I couldn't help but love Sloane. She's witty, has the perfect come back for everything, and honestly thinks about her responses to questions. She ventured into new situations with caution, but didn't guard herself so completely as to not put herself out there. Her family dynamic was interesting, and I liked her relationship with her father.

I gave This Adventure Ends five stars because I laughed - a lot, I cried, and I became emotionally invested in Sloane. Emma Mills did a fantastic job writing this novel and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a contemporary read that's not your typical YA love story, or your typical female lead. It's very refreshing and I hope to read more of Mills' work.

*I received a copy of book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review