You Can Go Your Own Way by Eric Smith

No one ever said love would be easy…but did they mention it would be freezing?

Adam August is in over his head. At least, that’s what his best friend would say. And his mom. And the guy who runs the hardware store down the street. But this pinball arcade is the only piece of his dad that Adam has left, and he’s determined to protect it from Philadelphia’s newest tech mogul who wants to turn it into another one of his cold, lifeless gaming cafes.

Whitney Stillwater doesn’t know how she got here. Her parents split up. Her boyfriend dumped her. Her friends seem to have changed overnight. And now she’s spending her senior year running social media for her dad’s chain of super successful gaming cafes – which mostly consists of trading insults with that decrepit old pinball arcade across town.

But when a huge snowstorm hits, Adam and Whitney suddenly find themselves trapped inside the arcade. Cut off from their families, their worlds, and their responsibilities, the tension between these two seems to melt away, leaving something else in its place – but what happens when the storm stops?

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Despite every word in that blurb being technically true, somehow the story it describes isn't really what we got! That isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's just something to be aware of.

I absolutely loved the sense of community around the pinball arcade, mostly expressed through Twitter-esque messages and occasionally through in person discussions. There was a lovely feel to it, and I wish more communities were like that in real life! Those scenes were some of my favourites.

Adam and Whitney went back and forth several times; I feel like we definitely could have lost one or two of those. It's still a good read, but parts of it did seem to drag a but here and there - not quite enough to make me skim but close to! I want a Chris, he's a fantastic character, and both Adam and Whitney's mothers were great.

This is a great read, but just be aware that it's a bit long in some spots! I still definitely recommend it.

You Can go Your Own Way publishes on the 2nd of November, 2021 in the US and on the 9th of December, 2021 in the UK. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.