When 16-year-old poetry blogger Tessa Dickinson is involved in a car accident and loses her eyesight for 100 days, she feels like her whole world has been turned upside-down. Terrified that her vision might never return, Tessa feels like she has nothing left to be happy about. But when her grandparents place an ad in the local newspaper looking for a typist to help Tessa continue writing and … Tessa continue writing and blogging, an unlikely answer knocks at their door: Weston Ludovico, a boy her age with bright eyes, an optimistic smile…and no legs.
Knowing how angry and afraid Tessa is feeling, Weston thinks he can help her. But he has one condition — no one can tell Tessa about his disability. And because she can’t see him, she treats him with contempt: screaming at him to get out of her house and never come back. But for Weston, it’s the most amazing feeling: to be treated like a normal person, not just a sob story. So he comes back. Again and again and again.
Tessa spurns Weston’s “obnoxious optimism”, convinced that he has no idea what she’s going through. But Weston knows exactly how she feels and reaches into her darkness to show her that there is more than one way to experience the world. As Tessa grows closer to Weston, she finds it harder and harder to imagine life without him — and Weston can’t imagine life without her. But he still hasn’t told her the truth, and when Tessa’s sight returns he’ll have to make the hardest decision of his life: vanish from Tessa’s world…or overcome his fear of being seen.
100 Days of Sunlight is a poignant and heartfelt novel by author Abbie Emmons. If you like sweet contemporary romance and strong family themes then you’ll love this touching story of hope, healing, and getting back up when life knocks you down.
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Tessa is reeling after a car accident leaves her with transient cortical blindness. Weston has suffered a loss of his own but continues to show up for Tessa every day, despite efforts to push him away. He helps her to overcome her fears and insecurities.
This is a story about loss, friendship, healing and love between two teenagers who have had a rough go of things. This is a sweet story. I loved the innocence and depth of their relationship. I was rooting for them throughout.
I read this book SO quickly. I was excited to read this, because I’m subscribed to Abbie on Youtube and she’s helped me with my writing. And listen, I haven’t read a book with a m/f couple in a while but 100 Days of Sunlight just changed it.
The story follows two main characters: Weston and Tessa. Weston has prosthetic legs and Tessa can’t see temporarily due a car crash. The book starts two weeks after Tessa’s accident and at first she’s obviously frustrated and wants to isolate herself, but when she meets Weston, even though she doesn’t know about him having no legs, she starts to appreciate what she has, instead of focusing on what she doesn’t.
While this book talks about disability, and that usually wouldn’t be my cup of tea, this book is a page turner and it was a really great read.
One of the things that I loved the most about 100 Days of Sunlight was the lightness of the book, in the sense that it showed me the characters’ problems, but not in a way that made me pity them, or be sick worried. Even in the more serious and sad parts, it wasn’t overly dramatic. And I knew they’d be fine.
To give some background on this, I love reading books that have much darker themes, so when I first started reading 100 Days of Sunlight I thought I might miss all the drama, sadness and tragedy. I didn’t. It actually made me want to read more books that have this lighter, more positive approach to life.
Anyway, I started reading 100 Days of Sunlight right when it started to get cold where I live (it was mid autumn in my country), and it was the perfect book to read under the blankets with a cup of tea.
I grew fond of both Tessa and Wes, and it was nice to see how their dynamic changed as the days went by. They seemed very real to me, their desires and struggles, how they dealt with problems, how they seemed so much like real teenagers – kinda stubborn, filled with a sense of urgency that we have about everything when we’re young and don’t know any better.
How their love for each other developed, and the romance, it all warmed up my lil heart honestly.
In the first third of the book I literally could not put it down. Sometimes I’d read before bed thinking: “just one chapter”, and the chapters always ended in a way that made me “ok just the first paragraph of the next one” and I kept going for another 3-5 chapters. It’s well written, funny, and very compelling. It was a nice feeling that I’d be casually reading and suddenly the book would bring a little smile to my face. The book was overall a pleasant surprise for me.
It’s a great book, really sweet and lovely, and I can’t wait to read more books by Abbie.
Ummm okay, so THIS BOOK IS AMAZING <3 If you love relatable, super sweet characters, clever dialogue, a hopeful plot, annnddd beautiful descriptions, this is a WINNN! Like, Abbie Emmons, what did you do to my heart???? Weston was sooo sweet and kinda relatable, and the polaroids and coffee and flowers and WAFFLES UggGGhH. HoWeVEr, I couldn't give this book 5 stars. Sorry, but I just couldn't. I was a huge fan of EVERYTHING about the book, except... All the cussing. I don't know if that's a deal breaker for y'all or not, but if you don't like a lot of language in your books, this probably isn't for you.
Soooo there you have it. Brilliant book, amazing characters, but the boatload of goodness comes with some language too. 😉
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.
ARC is provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Surviving with a disadvantage is harder than surviving with an advantage, and that makes the disadvantage stronger.
Tessa and her grandmother survived a car crash that left Tessa temporarily blind. She’ll have to live a minimum of 100 days in darkness before her eyesight might return.
She’s broken and bathes in her misery, in the unfairness in it all. For Tessa, there’s no way she’ll be able to live without her sight, and she shuts down completely.
Her grandfather places an ad in the newspaper, looking for a writing assistant that can help Tessa write her poetry and post to her blog. They believe that a little bit of normalcy might help her feel better.
Weston, a boy with amputated legs, see the ad and decides he’s the one to help. He can relate to what she’s going through because he’s been there himself. His only condition to her grandparents is that they don’t tell her about his disability.
Where everyone else treats Weston as a disabled person, Tessa does not. She screams and yells at him, and he loves every minute of it. Helping Tessa isn’t just about Tessa – it’s about him feeling like a regular person again.
Together, and against the odds, they shape a friendship, and Tessa begins to feel normal again. Weston, who doesn’t want Tessa to see him when her sight returns, has a difficult choice to make. Should he overcome his fear of letting her see him, or should he disappear from her life forever?
Me wanting to read a contemporary YA-story doesn’t happen every day, but once I read the blurb for 100 Days of Sunlight, I craved to read it. I placed my request on Netgalley, and I was convinced I’d be declined because my reviews are mostly of fantasy books.
Imagine my surprise when I was accepted! I squealed out loud, something I never do. Well done, Abbie Emmons.
With that said, 100 Days of Sunlight are the first ARC book I’ll buy a physical copy of when it’s released. It’s going onto my shelf, simple as that.
100 Days of Sunlight is about physical disabilities and mental illness, and these subjects are imperative to me in books. I loathe stories where illnesses, both mental and physical, is presented inadequately.
Abbie Emmons, in my opinion, gets everything correct. I was exceptionally impressed with how she played out the story. Her writing is magical from beginning to end. The story contained so many perfect quotes I had trouble choosing one for my review.
Abbie’s characters are believable and relatable. They have their own quirks and their own point of view. Both have their own way of handling a crisis. We see how two different people react to having something taken away from them. Tessa loathes her circumstances and refuses to improve her quality of life. Weston denied negativity to take hold of his life, and he sees the positive in everything. He teaches the reader an important lesson – we are not our illnesses.
This book had me literally crying from beginning to end. I felt for the characters, I could relate to their feelings, and how they reacted broke my heart several times.
Her characters grow as they learn to know each other, and I can’t put into words how perfect it all is. They feel like real people.
I was a bit worried about reading from Tessa’s POV, considering she’s blind, but It was so amazingly executed I was astonished. When reading Tessa’s chapters, I felt her despair and I constantly imagined myself being blind. How would I react if I was in her shoes? Would I react differently? I probably wouldn’t. Writing from a blind person’s perspective has been messed up before, but Abbie nailed it.
Upon finishing it and reading the author’s acknowledgments page, I learned she’s an indie-author with a Youtube channel. Hands down, I never would have guessed. The book is so well written in all the ways that matter, and I told my boyfriend over and over how talented she is. I love everything about it. To me, it seems as she’s got tons of experience with writing books.
As I mentioned, I’m going to buy it when it’s published. It’s going to be displayed on my shelf along with my other favorite books.
I recommend it wholeheartedly. Do yourself a favor and read it!
100 DAYS OF SUNLIGHT is, by far, one of my favorite books of all time! Not only is it a real, bright, (at times brooding), emotional rollercoaster. But it is, for me, deeply relatable and personal. While there are books out there in the ether with themes of overcoming and bravery in the face of a daily challenge such as disability… I haven’t felt quite like a story “gets me” as much as 1DOS. The author, Abbie Emmons, delves into the gritty emotions of struggling day to day when you think you’ll never see or walk again. Her main characters, Tessa and Weston, help each other realize the potential that Life has all around them — even when you’re faced with the loss of one or more of your senses.
Tessa, blogger, neat-freak, and writer extraordinare, is blind — injured in a car accident. Weston, daredevil, big brother, and all-around good guy, is an amputee — injured in a moment of playful daring-do with his friends and brother. Together, they navigate the little triumphs and pitfalls of adapting to new life. What do you do when Life has beaten you down and you have no choice but to keep going? You adapt and keep going. I understand this all too well, met with challenges all my life. Though not an amputee, a condition called Cerebral Palsy has more or less broken the nerve signals between my brain and legs… Making it difficult and nigh impossible to walk. I am wheelchair bound after a lifetime of medical problems and personal choices… But I do not let it stop me. I live alone, pay my own bills, see my friends, graduated college, and even published my own Novel… All because I refuse to let one small lack in my Life define me. As Weston says, “You’re not your asthma… or your diabetes or your depression or your anorexia or your social anxiety. You see, most people would look at me and say that I have every right to be miserable. But I don’t. I have no right. And neither do you… You have a life.”
I constantly have to remind myself to keep going, even when my own mind turns against me. I am a perpetual worrier and I overthink everything. I regularly get stiff legs and am in pain often. I have to crawl in my house sometimes to get from point A to point B. Then I’m in a wheelchair the rest of the time. Some days, the struggle to get up or get out is so tough I cry. I get scared when I wonder why my Life unfolded the way it has. I have anxiety, I have Cerebral Palsy, but I am not these diagnoses. And I Refuse, just like Weston and Tessa, to let them Define Me.
Anyway… If you want a cozy, happy, sad, fun, wild, relatable-as-fuck read… Look no further than 100 DAYS OF SUNLIGHT by Abbie Emmons.
I absolutely loved this book! I had a hard time putting it down because I needed to know what happened next to these sweet characters.
This story follows two characters, Tessa & Weston, each facing their own disability together. Tessa and Weston’s growth during this novel was just a joy to read about even when the stuff was tough because they leaned on each other during the tough stuff.
I loved how this book was written in alternating chapters and that you get Weston’s backstory over time. It also shows each of them struggling through the same thing just at different times of their lives and that just shows the growth of the characters as well.
Highly recommend! Absolutely loved it. Definitely will be buying my own copy 🙂
You know those books that capture your attention in the first few pages? The books you read and think to yourself “This is exactly what I needed right now.” The kind of books that hit you so hard that they could knock you out of any reading slump?
I haven’t had a book take hold of me so strongly since I first discovered my love for Nina LaCour books.
100 Days of Sunlight hooked me from the beginning.
Abbie Emmons has a way of creating characters so real that you want to root for them even if they are making you mad. Her poetic descriptions make you want to close your eyes & picture the atmosphere the way Tessa is experiencing it.
This debut is breathtaking and I can’t wait to see what this author has up her sleeve next.
Well-conceived, well-written, and well, it was delicious to be able to munch on this sweet little waffle of a story. I liked the calm, matter-of-fact tone of it and the way it flowed smoothly along right from the start. I cared for the characters. I kept reading and reading and had to know how it would all come out, even though I had a pretty good idea right along what might happen. This is an extremely good novel. Even though there’s no indication, I am hoping it stretches out to at least a trilogy. Abbie Emmons, you have made something very memorable and warm and pastel yellow.
What I liked:
So many things happened in the book, but one thing I absolutely love about it is how it sings of Abbie’s personality. 100 Days looks like the result of someone making a list of things they like and then mixing everything to create a glorious batter of happiness.
The story opens with a bang, immediately hooking and engaging me. I mean, seriously. I had an exam the next morning and I stayed up past midnight reading. And then I had to make myself stop because uh, self-discipline.
Abbie’s style also vaguely resembles C. G. Drews’ writing due to a couple of stylistic choices. I find that a good thing because I love Cait’s voice, but don’t worry, 100 Days is still completely and totally Abbie’s.
Also, all. The. Food. Ohhh my goodness. Anyone who knows Abbie knows she is the Waffle Queen. So what does 100 Days have? Waffles. WAFFLES. And not only waffles, but chocolate. Do not read this book if you want to avoid waffle cravings. I just adore it when food is so effortlessly weaved into books because, come on. Food is good.
I have so much respect for Abbie for making Tessa blind, because writing blindness is tough. You rely a lot on the character to describe what they see, so weaving a picture of an environment can be quite a challenge using the four remaining senses. Never having been blind before, I don’t know how much of Tessa’s experience is accurate, but yay for more disability rep in fiction.
Same goes for Weston. I loved his personality and I admired him for learning how to cope with his disability. He and Tessa played off super well (great enemies to lovers trope right there!) and I was all there for it. If you’re not into cussing though, you should probably be warned that Weston swears a fair bit. It’s pretty mild, but in my opinion it was used very well and in all the right places. Because of that, I don’t mind it.
Going back to Weston, that boy is so stupidly flawed. I wanted to reach into the book and tell him “no, don’t do that” but he’s just so stubborn and adorable and I absolutely love him. Plus, the details of how he lost his legs made me want to cry, and Weston does actually cry. So… yay for boys crying?
The humor in 100 Days was done incredibly well. Books don’t usually make me laugh – the most they get out of me is a wide smile – but oh my gosh, one joke actually had me laughing out loud. 10/10 humor, would totally recommend.
And #Westess is too cute. Tessa and Weston have so many moments in the story that were so flippin’ adorable and I ship it so, so much.
On a more serious note, the message of fighting and getting back up again actually hit me personally. Those who know me in real life may know that I kind of struggle with social anxiety. A couple of hours before I finished this book, I had a pretty bad relapse – but 100 Days reminded me that I don’t have to let this control me. And I want to fight back more than ever and keep tossing social anxiety out the window all day, every day, until it’s no longer a problem for me.
What I didn’t like:
Honestly, the only thing I can truly complain about is the pacing. 100 Days is Fast with a capital F. The events just fly by and before you know it, the book is over. I think the book is around 72K, but I felt like I just whizzed through it.
I mean, I kinda wanted more Tessa and Weston XD
So why should you read 100 Days of Sunlight?
If YA contemporary romance is your thing, I would recommend this book to you. Lovable main characters, waffles, emotions, cuteness, a great message… so much goodness in this book. (Also uh it’s kind of made it to #2 on my list of favorite fiction books so uh that must count for something, right?)
I’ll be honest, I originally requested this arc mainly because the cover stood out to me. It turns out, the story is just as beautiful. I also love how you start to notice little things on the cover that relate to the story like the waffles, the carnations, the polaroid, the yellow ukelele, etc
I was hesitant to go into this because I often find myself being let down by books dealing with illness and/or trauma. But this one was just written so beautifully and Abbie was really able to express the emotions these two characters were going through.
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Weston was a SWEETHEART. I don’t believe he has a mean bone in his body. He’s incredibly optimistic and despite Tessa snapping at him and purposely being mean to him, he continued to show her kindness and help her because he knew the pain she was enduring. I’m not a fan of flashbacks, but his story was so intriguing and I admired how hard he worked. The relationships he had with both Rudy and his brothers were so wholesome, my heart melted.
I found Tessa annoying at times, but I feel like that was intentional. You can’t really blame her since you aren’t going through what she is. I can’t imagine losing my sight and not knowing whether or not it will come back. And to have this stranger walk into your life and demanding to help you doesn’t quite help.
Tessa and Weston shared SO many cute little moments in this. The romance didn’t make me cringe at all, and was actually adorable. Tessa falling in love with Weston’s personality rather than his looks just made me love them so much more.
Overall, this was a fantastic debut, and I hope to see more of Abbie Emmons in the future!
“Happiness felt like hell. And Despair felt like my maker.”
100 Days of Sunlight is one of those books that just make your heart feel full after reading it. There were a few scenes — flashbacks and a few chapters at the end — that made a few tears fall out of my eyes. That’s because it was so heart wrenching for me to read about Weston’s story and his struggles especially after you get to know him as this confident, optimistic, and happy-go-lucky guy. I definitely feel like the author really developed the characters personalities well and I loved being able to dive into Wes’ backstory and understand who he is as a character. Being able to experience both Wes and Tessa’s individual journeys and watch how they developed throughout the course of the novel was such a pleasure and joy to read. I genuinely adore both characters (especially Wes, sorry Tessa!) and was so satisfied at what the ending brought for these two characters.
“My heart is a reckless beast, my stomach a cage of butterflies.”
Reading Tessa and Wes’ (or Westess as the IG girls called it lol) develop throughout the book was so satisfying and enjoyable to read. Wes was always so patient, kind, and understanding with Tessa without letting her temporary cortical blindness consume her identity because he’s been where she is and knows what she needs to move out of this place of darkness and anger into one of sunlight and happiness.
Overall, I throughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read what Abbie Emmons comes up with next!
**I was provided an arc of 100 Days of Sunlight by Netgalley for my honest review. All opinions are 100% my own.**
The Quick Cut: A teen girl who blogs her poetry reluctantly allows a teen boy help her keep posting after an accident has left her temporarily blind. Drama ensues when emotions get real and secrets come out.
A Real Review:
Thank you to Abbie Emmons for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What would you do if you were left temporarily blind? Would you spend your days wallowing in the short term loss or doing your best to continue life as normal? Is loss, even when it’s not permanent one, as painful as when there’s no going back? These and more are the questions explored in the story of Tessa and Weston.
Tessa has spent her life being raised by her grandparents, barely knowing her mom and never knowing who her dad is. She was happy with the way things were until a drink driver hit her unique family and left her temporarily blind for 100 days. In order to help her cope, her Grandpa attempted to help by putting an ad out for a typist to continue her ability to post her on her poetry blog. However, when Tessa shuts it down and he calls to cancel the ad – Weston hears her story and fills the role… VERY MUCH to Tessa’s displeasure at first. What she doesn’t know though is that he knows where she’s coming from because he’s a double leg amputee (& he made her grandparents promise not to say a word).
This story has so much soul, I’m surprised it didn’t sing all on its own. I could not put this one down from the moment I started to read and I’m happy I didn’t! Tessa’s pain over her blindness feels so raw and real, especially since on top of that – she continues to experience PTSD of the accident that caused her situation via nightmares. That along with the headaches, her symptoms and responses feel visceral in a way that makes it easy to put yourself in her shoes.
Weston is a double leg amputee who lost his legs due to a MRSA infection turned necrotic after a skateboarding accident. It meant that in order to save his life, his legs from below his knees had to be cut off for his own safety. Because we go back in time and see what happened to him, you understand how he can be so positive even after losing so much of himself.
Weston’s role is perfect with how he desires to feel normal and be treated like anyone else. Tessa’s situation is perfect for him and these two fill a hole each of them have in their lives. As a reader, you learn so much about being in their headspaces after losing pieces of themselves.
It’s well written, heart thumping story that will make you want to come back for more.
My rating: 5 out of 5
Abbie’s profile starts with, “Abbie Emmons has been writing stories ever since she could hold a pencil,’ and I first want to say how this book SHOWS that incredibly well. It is hard to believe this her debut. Like, mind boggling. A debut novel… this good?
100 Days of Sunlight is a story that will tug your heartstrings, make you squeal and go aww and then smile and go fjkgfkrkjerkjfkjt, because it’s so damn ADORABLE.
I tend to read stories with older characters. Tessa and Weston are 16ish and innocent and yet their chemistry is written so well. The dialogue is natural and flows so seamlessly. The chapters lead into each other SO nicely. The use of the senses are portrayed beautifully, and the theme of flowers and sunlight is so epic that I seriously wanted to put flowers in my hair and go for a walk on a beach and just… dream of Westess (such a cute ship name, btw)
With alternating perspectives, there is normally always one that I prefer. In some books, I tend to have to drag myself through one person’s POV just because the voice isn’t right or it seems forced, but Abbie writes Tessa and Weston’s perspective so darn good. We see Weston with his brothers, we see him showing off to his friends like any 16 year old guy, and it’s just realistic. I loved both sides.
It ends in a way that has you sit back, exhale and go… what? is that it? NO. I want more.
I want more Westess. I don’t know if a sequel is in the mix, but I would LOVE one. I would love to see Tessa and Weston build their relationship and experience more… things 😉
Overall, I am just very impressed. I knew Abbie’s writing would be good because I watch her channel and her advice is five stars, but damn, she gooooood.
I’ve been following Abbie Emmons’ WritersLife Wednesday YouTube videos for a while and Abbie is a writer who is full of passion for story. So naturally, when she said she was releasing her debut novel I requested an ARC copy! I mean, obvs.
GENRE: GENERAL MARKET, TEEN/YOUNG ADULT SPECIAL NEEDS FICTION
MY REVIEW
Oh My Goodness! If you liked Fault in Our Stars then you will LOVE this book. I could not read this book fast enough. 100 Days of Sunlight deals with overcoming hardships and finding the courage to accept what life throws at you with more than just survival. There are some strong family themes in the book as well as sensory detail that comes alive on the page since Tessa is blind. Tessa and Weston are teenagers facing seemingly catastrophic change. If I didn’t have to sleep I would have read 100 Days of Sunlight in one sitting. It is only after I turned the last page that the beautiful cover art makes perfect sense. The end was more than satisfying and as the story is woven there are moments of laughter and joy and moments of heart-wrenching emotion. The sweet romance that develops hangs in the balance as Weston keeps his secret from Tessa. Abbie Emmons kept me engaged and turning pages as fast as my eyes could read and then swipe to the pages on my kindle. I’m kinda sad that it’s over, that I’ve already read it after looking forward to it for weeks. Remedy: I’ll be getting a print copy for my keeper shelf when it is available. I’ll also be watching to see what Ms. Emmons is going to publish next. Rock on Abbie!
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley from the publisher, my honest opinion is my own.