Melt With You is a YA sapphic romance that features a road trip and ice cream – what’s not to love? Fallon and Chloe are ex-best friends after one particular night, and Fallon has sworn off trying to make amends. But when their moms’ ice cream truck business forces them on the road together – alone – they have to at least be civil to each other to keep the business afloat. What could possibly go wrong (or right)?

I really liked the premise of the book; I think it’s one that a lot of teens can probably relate to, minus the cross-country road trip and ice cream. Fallon and Chloe have a complicated relationship, and they basically epitomize the importance of communication in any relationship, romantic or otherwise. There are some cool moments scattered throughout between them, and it’s clear that neither are perfect characters, which I appreciated.

That being said, I found a lot of the book to be pretty unbelievable, all things considered. The moms are off trying to conduct business deals and let their teenage daughters take over the truck during the most important time of the year for the business, not to mention the fact that both girls absolutely do not want to be there in the first place. I can understand having some trust in your kids with your business, but this seemed like a lot, especially when you reach the twist toward the end of the book.

I also didn’t feel like Fallon or Chloe were particularly compelling characters, which was kind of disappointing. I honestly can’t tell you anything all that remarkable about either of them, except for the fact that Fallon likes horror movies and Chloe is a college student – and those are facts rather than personality traits. It definitely felt like the focus of the book was on the plot, and considering the fact that the girls are literally cooped up together in a truck for such a long time, I would have loved to see more of their interactions in quiet moments. Instead, it felt more like the book was focused on the destination rather than the journey (pun not intended), so the ending didn’t leave me with any grand questions or thoughts.

Ultimately, I can see why people would be into this book, but it just wasn’t the one for me; I tend to enjoy books that focus a little more on character than plot. If you’re looking for a good summer road trip read, though, this might be a good candidate.

Thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for providing a copy for review.