Something Like Gravity by Amber Smith

Synopsis (via Goodreads): For fans of Love, Simon and Eleanor and Park, a romantic and sweet novel about a transgender boy who falls in love for the first time—and how first love changes us all—from New York Times bestselling author Amber Smith.

Chris and Maia aren’t off to a great start.

A near-fatal car accident first brings them together, and their next encounters don’t fare much better. Chris’s good intentions backfire. Maia’s temper gets the best of her.

But they’re neighbors, at least for the summer, and despite their best efforts, they just can’t seem to stay away from each other.

The path forward isn’t easy. Chris has come out as transgender, but he’s still processing a frightening assault he survived the year before. Maia is grieving the loss of her older sister and trying to find her place in the world without her. Falling in love was the last thing on either of their minds.

But would it be so bad if it happened anyway?

"If you've always been defined, not as a full-fledged person, but solely as another person's polar opposite, and that person no longer exists, do you also cease to exist?"

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

I thought Something Like Gravity would have some scientific elements regarding space and the stars, but those references were few and far between. Chris enjoys looking through his telescope, and it's a passion he wants to pursue in the future, but it isn't a main focus of the story. He'll share facts with Maia, and those were interesting (especially about the binary stars), but I wish there had been more. 

Amber Smith has written a beautiful story about self-discovery. Chris is finally figuring out and committing to who he is, and Maia is learning how to exist without her sister. It took tragic circumstances for both of them to start really living, and we see how they use each other to overcome their sadness and fear. They didn't immediately click from the start, because Maia is a very angry person, but it felt like a realistic portrayal of feelings and emotions. She was hurting and she lashed out, and Chris was endlessly kind and patient. 

I know I've said this before, but I dislike it when the main conflict is based on a lie. Maia lies to Chris at the very beginning of their friendship, and then it snowballs out of control. She didn't need to lie, and she had plenty of opportunities to tell him the truth. Honestly, I thought she would have come clean long before everything blew up in her face. Chris's reaction was understandable at first, but then he took it too far. He let his pain and anger cloud his judgement, and he was unnecessarily cruel and unforgiving. What Maia lied about really had nothing to do with her relationship with Chris, but he took it very personally, and it altered both of their lives in a big way.

Additionally, I think this book could have been a little shorter. It lagged in some places and I never felt compelled to pick it back up. The pacing is incredibly slow, and there's very little action, but I know some of you enjoy books that focus more on character development (which there is a lot of). However, if some of the story had been condensed, I think it would have made for a quicker and more enjoyable read.

The ending was both satisfying and disappointing. 

I believe Something Like Gravity tells a story that needs to be told. I think it's a book a lot of people will be able to relate to, and not just because one of the characters is transgender. Although, I do think it's awesome that they are getting more representation in YA books. Something Like Gravity is about falling in love, and learning how to love yourself. It's also about knowing when to let go, and when to hold on.