Good exploration of how difficult it can be for descendants of Holocaust victims to find their family history.

I appreciated Abby's body positivity; for example, one time when she and Noah get ice cream, he gets a watermelon sorbet, and she gets a "S'mores Brownie Batter sundae, because you only live once" (p. 193). Abby enjoys food, and at no time (that I can recall) does she talk about how it might affect her body except fo the previously quoted passage.

I also appreciated that although there is teen drinking, it is not an important part of Abby and Noah's story.

Spoiler

When Abby gets drunk (for the first time) at a beach party, Noah walks her home; she creates a situation where he could understandably kiss her, but he says, "You're drunk," as though he realizes that she cannot consent to any physical activity. This book had positive sex messages while avoiding intercourse, which was good since Abby is 17 and Noah is 18.

Many pieces of Jewish history were sprinkled into the story including some back story of Noah's Sephardic family (Morocco=>Portugal=>New Bedford=>Nantucket=>NYC). There is discussion of the Kindertransport and the United States' declining to do the same.

Abby attends Shabbat dinner at Golden Doors at one point, and the prayers, candles, and challah all make her feel connected and give her a sense of belonging. All food served at Noah's house is vegetarian.

There were times when it was difficult for me to understand Abby's conclusions and focus, and some of the letters starting some of the chapters were written by O'ma even though her letters were not known to Abby and Noah.

I think this would be very popular with my romance-reading students.