Cole Hensley can go Underwater, a protected place in his mind where he can escape his preternaturally heightened emotions after the death of his father. When Row Myers shows up at work looking for a job, the two grow close— until Cole realizes that Row is carrying a secret that is tearing her apart. Cole suggests Row create her own version of Underwater to escape from the world. Cole tries to help Row fight her demons, but she is determined to go at it alone.
*We received this chapter in exchange for an honest review/preview.*
You all know our love for the Westcott High series by Sarah Mello! We’ve raved about the series on our blog before and are anxiously awaiting the release of book 3. So when Sarah reached out and asked if we’d like to preview the first chapter of her next book, Row, we jumped at the chance.
Row is about Cole Hensley, who has the ability to feel others’ emotions– an empath. He lives in a small town and works at a camera shop in his spare time to escape his helicopter mother, who still struggles with the passing of Cole’s father. There is a touch of mystery to this book, as we find out during an exchange in the principal’s office that Cole’s coworker (friend? love interest? maybe-something-more?), Row, drowned in a lake on a class trip. The chapter ends on a cliffhanger that we won’t give away, but we are already super intrigued by Cole’s interest in Row’s case.
Now, we only read the first chapter, but it definitely drew us in. We love a good murder mystery/thriller and want to learn more about what happened to Row and her relationship with Cole. We really liked that the first chapter alternated between flashbacks and the present day. It gave us a peek into Row’s life when she was alive, and Cole’s initial impressions of her. Mello revealed bits and pieces about what happened to Row, but we need more information.
Final verdict: Mello definitely drew us in and we can’t wait to pick up the full book when it releases on January 11, 2021!
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