Parents' Guide to

Once and for All

By Darienne Stewart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Grieving girl learns to love again in sweet romance.

Book Sarah Dessen Romance 2017
Once and for All Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

age 14+

Based on 1 parent review

age 14+

Cute!

Bought it to try it out. I'm 18, thought it was super sweet. Very cute main characters. Did make me tear up a little at the end .

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (8 ):

Prolific author Sarah Dessen delivers another solid, charming romance with this story of a grieving girl learning to embrace life -- and love -- again after being shattered by a shocking tragedy. Set against a busy summer of wedding planning, Once and for All confronts cynicism over true love and arrives at a gentle conclusion: Worrying too much about how things could end means you risk missing out on all the wonderful moments possible along the way.

Louna is a smart, grounded teen, which makes her struggle all the more touching. Dessen portrays Ambrose with classic romantic charm without exploring why he's struggling to get along in the world. Despite the heavy backstory, this proves to be a warm and light romance -- perfect summer reading.

Book Details

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