Becoming Mila by Estelle Maskame
Published: 3rd June 2021 by Ink Road
★★★★
Estelle Maskame is a writing fiend, having had her first book published at age seventeen, she has gone onto publish a further five books, all of which received critical acclaim and huge love and support from her fanbase. Becoming Mila is the latest offering and the first instalment in a new trilogy about a teenage girl who is sent back to her off the grid Tennessee place of birth, so she doesn't show her film star father up close to the premiere of his new movie.
This is a great coming of age story as well as a romance and like Estelle's other books, it reads incredibly well and has you hooked from the get go. Estelle is brilliant at getting the angst and tension of new relationships on the page and from the first encounter between love interests Blake and Mila, there is a frisson of energy that starts and never lets up. The romance itself is very cute and I love how developed the characters are not only as a pair, but individually too. A lot of layers are added even to the side characters and there's so much scope for the subsequent books in the series.
I did however, find a slight disconnect at times between the writing and the characters. Mila and Blake sometimes come across much more mature than sixteen year olds whilst, the writing feels aimed at younger teens. This had no negative impact on the story but I do think it would be really interesting and exciting to read a more grown up, New Adult style book from Estelle. I'm sure it's only a matter of time!
As lead characters, Blake and Mila are extremely likeable. Mila is multi-faceted and really sure of her own mind, she faces problems head on and it's really refreshing to see a couple who communicate so well. Blake is a semi-bad-boy who you can't help but fall for. A lover of country music, he's pretty swoon worthy from the moment he nicknames Mila. The friendships are also incredibly sweet (I have a suspicious things may be not quite as they seem as the series continues) with Savannah playing a big role. There are also some lovely familial aspects, especially between Mila, her aunt and her grandpa- very wholesome.
Becoming Mila is a treat of a book though and the carefree, contemporary vibes are perfect for a quick beach read. Sizzling levels of angst, musical interludes and a couple you really root for make it a surefire summer hit... just be ready to need the second book as soon as you finish.
{AD PR product- book gifted in exchange for honest review}
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