A YA novel from USA Today bestselling author Sarina Bowen. Never ask a question unless you’re sure you want the truth. I’ve been listening to my father sing for my whole life. I carry him in my pocket on my mp3 player. It’s just that we’ve never met face to face. My mother would never tell me how I came to be, or why my rock star father and I have never met. I thought it was her only secret. I … met. I thought it was her only secret. I was wrong.
When she dies, he finally appears. Suddenly I have a first class ticket into my father’s exclusive world. A world I don’t want any part of – not at this cost.
Only three things keep me going: my a cappella singing group, a swoony blue-eyed boy named Jake, and the burning questions in my soul.
There’s a secret shame that comes from being an unwanted child. It drags me down, and puts distance between me and the boy I love.
My father is the only one alive who knows my history. I need the truth, even if it scares me.
“With intense, honest depictions of hope and rejection, The Accidentals will break your heart. Highly recommend.” – Miranda Kenneally, author of Catching Jordan
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Audible Review:
Story 5*
Performance 5*
Overall 5*
Terrific YA debut for Ms. Bowen!
Sarina Bowen has become one of my favorite authors and is pretty much an automatic one-click for me. When I heard she was coming out with a young adult novel I was so excited. Although I’m way out of the typical age range for YA, it’s one of my favorite genres. I love all the uncertainty, the questioning, the growth the characters go through in a YA novel, and even with the drama you’ll be sure to find, they’re never quite as angsty as a NA novel.
The Accidentals is such an emotional, heartfelt story.
Rachel’s world was turned upside when her mother died. With the appearance of her famous rock star father Frederick, she has a whole new reality to figure out. But Rachel’s not the only one- this is all new to Frederick, too. Father and daughter have so much to learn, not only about each other, but about themselves as well. There’s a lot of hurt on Rachel’s end, a lot of questions she’s afraid to learn the answers to, and a lot of anger and resentment that needs to be worked through.
Ms. Bowen did such a wonderful job of bringing Rachel’s character to life- I felt like I was on this journey with her. I felt her pain and her hurt, her confusion, her doubt, and her hopefulness. Senior year of high school is never easy, but dealing with the loss of her mother, getting to know her father for the first time, on top of that she’s in a new school, in a new state, making new friends, Rachel had so much on her plate, more than any 18 year old should have to deal with.
While they made great strides in their relationship over the course of a year, Rachel and Frederick still have such a long road ahead of them and I loved that Ms. Bowen didn’t wrap things up in a neat and tidy bow. I loved that we’re left with a feeling of hope- as Rachel begins to really find herself, and that she and Frederick are working towards having that father/daugher relationship she’s always dreamed about.
Kate did a terrific job with the narration.
A change of pace for this author but she pulled it off magnificently.
For her first YA book the author has written a charming emotional book that has quite a narrow focus character wise. We meet recently bereaved Rachel as she struggles with her mother’s death whilst meeting her rock star father for the first time. I felt the author pitched the writing at the right level, it’s easy to put yourself in her shoes. The way she communicates with her dad could be any teenager I know, a shrug of the shoulders the seeming indifference it’s written perfectly.
I found parts of the story quite sad because of all that wasted time but it was also uplifting watching these two try to build something tangible. Loved the other characters who bring a sense of fun and light to the book as well as romance.
I’m hoping we get more from these guys because there are so many possibilities for future stories.
reviewed by Sweet Spot Sisterhood
Enjoyed Sarina Bowen’s firsts YA foray. Really hope that she publishes a piece based on Daddy Freddy’s story.
There are some authors who can turn their hand to any genre. Sarina Bowen is definitely one of those authors for me. The Accidentals is her first YA read and after reading. I’m hoping she add’s YA to her list of genres to continue to write.
The Accidentals was a wonderful story of love, loss, friendship and trust. Trust is very hard to come by when you have had so much heartache. Which is why Rachel struggles so much, from abandonment feelings from her father never being there. To the loss of her mother, which then sends her life spinning.
After her mothers passing Rachel finally gets to meet her father. Although both have been aware of each other. Rachel built up scenarios of how her first meeting would go with her famous rockstar father. As we all know the reality of life never matches what we hope and think. So her first meeting leaves her even more confused and angry but also wanting more time with her father. Rachel just doesn’t trust weather her father will actually be there for her this time!!
While Rachel is navigating her way around her new relationship with her father. She’s also trying for follow her dream. Of attending the boarding school her mother did, and the place where her parents met. Boarding school brings new friendships and a love interest of her own.
What i really like about this, was that romance was not the main storyline. I loved the father, daughter dynamic, their reconnection after seventeen years of absence. Was heartfelt and the perfect blend of real life and angst. As much as a rockstar parent isn’t everyday life the story is so well written. That the feels you get are as if it was friend telling their life story.
The secondary story of romance with Jake came across as real life young love. A friendship that blossomed into so much more, a slow moving perfectly paced romance. Young love is exciting and new but also scary to give that trust over to someone. Jake was a great character his support and friendship was a fundamental factor for the development of Rachel’s character.
I just loved the flow of this read and as i said before Sarina Bowen has add a wonderful genre to her list.
I am proudly sporting dark smudges and Samsonite bags under my eyes. They are the battle scars of a reader who was compelled to pull an all-nighter to read The Accidentals in one sitting. I have long been a fan of Sarina Bowen’s writing, but I think this is among her best work yet. It is her first Young Adult novel and she nails it! The story is breathtakingly haunting in the most wonderful way. Even my feels have feels, and I don’t know what to do with them all!
I don’t read a lot of Young Adult books. I think I’m just too old to appreciate the amount of avoidable drama caused by a lack of communication that is often found in the YA genre. Is there drama in this book? Yes. The story is tragic given all the wasted opportunities between a recently orphaned 17-year-old girl and the rock star father she’s never met. In this instance, my perspective as a more mature (aka middle-aged) adult allowed me to accept the conflicts and helped me form a balanced understanding of not only Rachel’s heartache, but Frederick’s struggles as well. I totally got these two characters.
I immediately connected with bookworm Rachel and her desperate need to feel wanted following her mother’s death. She is very perceptive, but her fears and insecurities prevent her from getting the answers she craves. I love Frederick’s determination to be there for Rachel 100%, even if knows nothing about being a good parent and is unintentionally self-absorbed at times.
What went down between Rachel’s parents nearly two decades ago is a great mystery that lingers throughout the book. Ultimately – just like real life – things aren’t black and white. There is no villain vs. victim. There is no grand prize winner in The Blame Game. The story is more thought-provoking as a result.
Sarina Bowen skillfully weaves this poignant coming of age tale with an insightful hand. I especially appreciated the keen observations about music’s power to unite and transform. I loved the diverse cast of characters, including Rachel’s bad boy best friend Haze, her boisterous roommate Aurora, and hot nerd Jake.
The Accidentals is an emotional, captivating journey that lingers long after “The End”.
I love Sarina Bowen books and when i saw she was starting to write YA novels i was so excited.
The thing i love about this book is that it just didn’t focus on Boy and girl falling in love it was about coming of age and finding out how you were brought into this world and why things turned out the way it did.
I loved how it’s about a daughter and father trying to build a relationship and how other relationships can come and go.
When terrible circumstances throw Racheal into situations that she is not ready for it was so good to read her story see her grow and see her learn to trust again and show her emotions. I liked her friendship with Haze but at the same time i glad she went from under his wings and went on to find a different path for her self.
Jake has to be one of the cutest, nerdiest special characters, the way these two got to know each other before they actually met and you could just tell that he was going to be someone special. I loved the way he spoke about astronomy and the fact it all sounded sexy coming from him.
I have mixed feelings about Frederick throughout the books he would frustrate me and then he would do something that i thought yes this it, this is when he grows up and really try’s with Rachel but he doesn’t. In the end he grew on me and buy the end he was everything i wanted him to be.
Loved this story and thought it was really special i loved and excited for more Ya from Sarina Bowen.
I went in completely blind and boy was I surprised in true Sarina Bowen’s fashion!!! what a ride!!! I read it in one sitting because it was just that amazing!! the shocking thing is that I don’t even like YA, but this one just kicked me out of that situation!!
It’s taken me a bit to get my thoughts together in order to sufficiently review Sarina Bowen’s newest release, The Accidentals, and the main reason why I struggled is because while there are definitely undertones of romance throughout this young adult story, in my opinion, any kind of romantic connection is secondary to Rachel’s journey of self-discovery, to her acceptance of her past and of herself, to her first encounter and her subsequent strained relationship with a father she only knew through the music he sang and the lyrics her wrote for the first 17 years of her life. There’s so much for Rachel to work through, which means that the focus for much of the story is about how she’s coping with all the changes in her life…what she’s lost…what she’s gained…what she never had but now realizes she wants and needs desperately, but she doesn’t know just yet how to go about making it happen.
‘There is no evil which does not bring some good.’
This is a part of the lesson that Rachel needs to learn when her world is upended and she’s left to traverse through a much different world than the one she lived for all of her life. Going through these changes and realizing that her old normal will not be a part of her new reality is not something that can be easily accepted, especially given the drastic ways her life is altered and Sarina Bowen illustrates this idea throughout the entirety of the text because even when the story reaches its resolution, there’s so much more adjusting that needs to occur, so while readers can feel hopeful for Rachel’s future given how her life has transformed into one that she clearly has chosen for herself, there’s still work to be done and there’s every indication that that is exactly what will occur even when the last page is read.
Sarina Bowen creates a wonderful cast of secondary characters in The Accidentals. Rachel’s roommate, Aurora, is the perfect ying to Rachel’s yang, and she serves as a sounding board for Rachel and as someone Rachel can rely on and even share some of her truths with, which is something she’s never been able to do since the direction of her life changed. These two quickly form a bond and it proves to be a lifeline for Rachel – one that helps her to understand things as well as see things from a different perspective.
I also adored the dichotomy of Jake’s character – the nerdy hottie is always a hero I can get behind, and it’s Jake’s honesty and his patience with Rachel that solidifies his likability. I love how Sarina Bowen set up Rachel and Jake’s connection, building a solid foundation and then providing them with the means for their relationship to grow at a pace that they’re both comfortable with despite Rachel’s fears and hesitances.
Rachel’s relationship with her famous father is definitely a work-in-progress. There’s so much to be worked through, but neither one of them is willing to take a huge risk, which means that any kind of bond forming between them will be difficult and flimsy at best for quite some time. Because they barely know one another and are forced into this awkward and tense situation, it remains unclear if Rachel’s father stepping up will prove to be a good thing for all involved, but especially for father and daughter.
I have to admit that I was quite frustrated with many of the characters in The Accidentals, but I had to keep reminding myself that it is a young adult read and the fact that Rachel is only 17 years old plays into all of her reactions, her actions, and her decisions. The person I had the most issues with was Rachel’s father; he felt like an extremely flat and static character, and I never fully understood his reasons for being an absentee father or the way he treats Rachel once she becomes a somewhat constant presence in his life. I just didn’t feel like Rachel’s father transformed in any way…don’t get me wrong, he does take steps to make amends but it’s not until the very end when things start to feel genuine and that was a bit disheartening.
Despite the few issues I had with some of the characters and their behaviors, I really enjoyed Rachel’s story and could definitely see her growth as a person consumed with grief, fears, and anger to someone who lives for herself, getting out of her own way and attempting to balance all of the newness in her life with memories of her past and a keen eye on her future.
4 Poison Apples
Author Sarina Bowen’s first YA book is phenomenal!
Be ready to get pulled into main character Rachel’s world that is full of angst, love, and learning how to start a relationship between a daughter and her father who had never met till now.
I loved how the author gave such a descriptive and realistic take on the relationship of an absentee parent and a child who is wanting to know all about the parent they never knew.
This story is raw & beautifully written.
Of course there is a bit of romance for Rachel but I liked that this story was focused on the building relationship that both Rachel and her father learn to have with one another.
This book is a great feels books that you will fall in love with.
A One Click Must Read!
5 Cherries Popped
I’m a huge fan of Sarina Bowen’s writing and I love a good YA tale, so The Accidentals was pretty much a no-brainer for me. I know I’m going to get a tight story with great characters, and The Accidentals did all that and more. Loved it.
When Rachel loses her mother at the age of seventeen, the circumstances put her in a situation to meet the musician father she’s never met. Rachel has lots of questions for him, and he’s got a lot to learn about parenting. I really loved that this was the focus of the story right along with the romance, because having a teen myself, I know that these years are a big changing point in the parent/child relationship.
There are also friendship issues between two of Rachel’s friends Haze and Jake which really rang true and helped bring a little romance to the story. But The Accidentals is really Rachel’s story, and it’s a good one.
Definitely recommended for YA readers!
The Accidentals was a beautiful read.
Even if the romantic love is not the main focus of the story I’ve enjoyed it nontheless.
Rachel’s growing journey is full of hurdles.Her mother has just died leaving her alone with a famous father she has never met before and the start of her last high school year in a boarding school far from Florida and her best friend.
This book was easily readable like the others Sarina Bowen’s novels.She excels at depicting cities and colleges,and the atmosphere here is almost as “magic” as that in Hogwarts.
This story grabbed me and wouldn’t let go,I felt so invested in the characters lives I couldn’t finish it soon enough.
The Accidentals was a sweet and heartwarming story that I was hooked on the minute I started. It tells the story of Natalie who is at a crossroads of sorts at her life as the tragic death of her mother forces her into contact with the famous musician father she has never known but who she has always listened to. This story was a sweet and honest depiction of a girl who is forced to navigate the unknown while enduring both ups and down on the road to figuring out her place.
I really enjoyed this story and thought that Rachel was sweet and awkward but so honestly refreshing. I enjoyed her banter with Jake and thought the way she navigated her relationship with her father was realistic. I enjoyed the extended cast of characters and overall thought this debut YA story from this author was an enjoyable read. I would definitely read more YA books by this author in the future.
Bravo! 4 stars! ~Ratula
I was so freaking excited to learn one of my favorite authors, Sarina Bowen, was publishing her first young adult book, The Accidentals. Of course, I’d be lying if I didn’t also admit I was a wee bit nervous. What if I didn’t enjoy her YA books as much as her new adult and adult books? Could I stand the disappointment? Well, I had absolutely nothing to worry about and, really, I should’ve known better than to doubt her for a second. The Accidentals was perfect and one of my new favorite books from her catalog — and from 2018 as a whole so far.
Over the last couple years, I’ve really scaled back on the amount of YA I read for a number of reasons. (None of which I’ll get into here. Ha!) But, when my favorite authors release a new book, I can’t pass it by. The Accidentals is the type of book that makes me realize why I loved YA so much in the first place and it makes me want to reconsider how frequently I read YA books. This book had all the things I expect from Sarina — amazing characters, gorgeous writing, swoons, feels and laughs. I’d have read it from cover to cover in one sitting if not for pesky adult obligations like work.
I loved Rachel. Man, that girl put me through it all. I had so many feelings. I loved her journey to get to know her father and, you know, find out a little more about herself along the way. There were so many special little moments during this book — none of which I’m going to tell you about right now because, you know, spoilers — that pushed The Accidentals from a good book to an amazing book. Though I’d never been through the situations Rachel has, I was right there with her, experiencing all the emotions, heartbreak, happiness and even falling in love for the first time.
The Accidentals was a perfect coming of age story. It did SO MANY THINGS to my heart. Of course, it wasn’t without a super freaking swoony romance. *sigh* The love story in this book made me happier than I can even explain. The Accidentals is the type of book it’s best to just experience, knowing as little about it as possible before you go in. There are also some fantastic secondary characters who I mostly greedily hope get their own stories in the future.
Sarina rocked YA contemporary. I hope she writes more in the future. Of course, I’d pretty much read her shopping list if she published that, but that’s beside the point. 😉
FAVORITE QUOTES
My entire experience with boarding school is reading Harry Potter books. What if the sorting hat puts me in Slytherin? Are the elves friendly? Is potions class as hard as it looks?
Isn’t it true that everything we see in the night sky is really a million years old, or something? That’s a comforting though, actually. Lately my life is happening at warp speed, when I wish it wouldn’t.
Our relationship is like an experiment gone awry. Maybe my father and I will never be able to hear each other properly, because so much of our beginning was sliced off and thrown away.
“Every month I mailed a check, and every month she cashed it. And those months, they turned into years really fast. If you have a child you’ve never met, every year it gets a little easier to tell yourself that the kid is better off without you.”
A truly outstanding new take on YA from Sarina Bowen! I’m so glad she’s decided to branch out once again and she’s delivered a compelling YA story about love, loss, and the power of music.
Rachel’s world has devolved into chaos. She’s daydreamed about her rockstar father for years, despite her mother’s protests. Now, her mother’s passed away and left Rachel in his hands just as she’s to turn 18 and experience the world on her own. But the imaginations of a little girl rarely match up to reality. Her dads not all rock god; he’s just a man with imperfections who’s suddenly had a 17 year old daughter he never knew thrust into his arms.
As Rachel is dealing with the loss of her mother, she’s worked away to her fathers home in LA and away from her best friend. Navigating their changing relationship as hormonal teenagers as she’s ripped away because an additional stressor. To add in to her frustrations, she’s now moved on to a prep school for her senior year. New friends and a new love interest complicate all matters.
Rachel is thrown around like a sock in a washer when it comes to her emotions. The loss and heartbreak over her mother comes out through anger at others. Her confusion on who to love comes through to her old best friend and her new lover. The Accidentals truly emulates the rag-tag combination of teenage heartbreak and over abundance of emotions. It had me crying, it had my heart breaking, but the power of Rachel’s love of music and her family pulls readers through in the end for a warm ending worthy of any story.
The Accidentals by Sarina Bowen
I love Sarina Bowen’s writing and The Accidentals is no exception. I admit I hesitated briefly because Young Adult novels can be either a hit or a miss for me but I really needn’t have worried.
Following the death of her mother, Rachel is placed into the foster care system until her absent father turns up to take her into his custody until she turns 18. When I say absent, I mean completely: all Rachel knew of her father were the tidbits her mother had given, that he sent monthly cheques, and also what she’d gleaned from the internet over the years. Given that her father is a pretty famous rock-star, there was plenty online to keep her going but while she idolized him from afar, she had a burning desire to know him in a much greater capacity.
To me, The Accidentals was a journey for Rachel to – as cliché as it sounds – find herself. She moves away to Claiborne Prep, makes new friends and leaves behind old, builds new relationships, and becomes a daughter to a rock-star. I enjoyed all aspects of this book and witnessing Rachel’s growth in many areas was special. The Accidentals certainly has romance in it but it’s not the focus of the book. The only reason I’m not giving this book five stars is because I felt the book ended too abruptly. I wanted – no, I needed – Rachel and her father to work through more of their past.
*I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.
**Reviewed by Melinda for Joandisalovebooks Blog
Oof. This book packed a punch, and not exactly in the way I expected it to.
If you’re familiar with Sarina Bowen’s writing, you’ll be happy to know that the compelling storytelling and engaging writing style is present here. The Accidentals was an easy book to fall into, and it kept me hooked throughout its entirety. What’s a little different here is that, while there is a romance in this story, it’s not the main focus. The real star of the show is the relationship between Rachel and Frederick, a father and daughter story. It is an emotional, sometimes heartbreaking thing to experience. It’s complicated, and it felt so real to me, so familiar, that it resonated greatly.
There is a part of me that would actually have liked to dive deeper into their story, to have seen a little more grit to their emotional exchanges. However, as they worked on untangling the web of complications that was their relationship, the end result left me in a weepy mess. It was sweet, emotional, and ever so lovely.
As a secondary storyline, Rachel’s romance with Jake was completely adorable. He’s a sweet, charming hero and I found him completely irresistible. This is a young adult story, so the heat between them is pretty tame, but their chemistry kept me on the hook all the same.
I was also completely charmed by Aurora, Rachel’s roommate and scene-stealer extraordinaire. She provided some much needed comic relief and another rich layer to the storyline. I adored their friendship – which also felt very real, and authentic to me.
In all, this was a fantastic read. It hit me in the feels, sometimes in uncomfortable places, but then it smoothed out the bumpy patches and left my heart very full. I loved seeing the growth and evolution of Rachel over the course of the story. She’s a likable, relatable heroine – it was easy to cheer for her even if sometimes I wanted to give her a good shake. I adored her, and I loved her story. A solid YA debut, and I definitely hope it’s not the last from this author!
I received a free copy of this book from the author.
The Accidentals is a new genre for Sarina Bowen. Young Adult Romance at it’s finest here. I love how Sarina set this story though the beginning is quite sad for the heroine. She’s just lost her mother and meets her father for the first time. Lots of changes occur in Rachel’s life in such a short time. A weaker character, much less person, would break under the amount of stress she was enduring at this point.
Getting to know her dad and other family plus new friends and the whole new world that her father brings her into it’s a vastly different world than she’s used to. Thankfully Rachel is a smart girl and doesn’t succumb to the pressures that could be.
I loved her first year of boarding school, which is her Senior Year. So much growth and knowledge comes at this time in a normal person’s life but definitely shines through in this story. Her first real love; understanding (somewhat) of her father; and a eye opener in regards to her roommate.
What a better way to learn about who you are than all these new experiences to teach you? I devoured this book. Author Sarina Bowen knocked this story out of the park as far as I’m concerned. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Sarina Bowen made it rain. But it wasn’t dollars, it was tears. This book packs a hidden emotional punch.
The Accidentals is the story of a lost girl treading water in her father’s world. It’s fun and got plenty of teen angst with a side of romance. This YA treat is perfect for anyone. With nerdy fun, great friends, and a hidden support group, what’s not to love!
Reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood
The moment I heard Sarina Bowen was writing a young adult romance, I knew that I needed to get my hands on it the moment it released because I have absolutely adored all of her previous releases and I had no doubt in my mind that this story was going to be just as amazing! I mean come on the woman can write any genre she sets her mind to and young adult is no exception!
The Accidentals is a brilliantly stunning and phenomenally captivating story that had me feeling emotionally drained at times. My heart wept for the pain Rachel felt after losing her mother and the anxiety she experienced when she finally meets her father after seventeen years of wondering if he ever thought about her besides the two seconds it took him to send a check each month. She’s not sure if she can let him in, but she is about to find out because suddenly he wants to be in her life.
Frederick and Rachel are about to get a crash course in father-daughter 101. They are both about to discover that there are going to be some bumps in the road, but together they will learn more about themselves then either one of them every expected. Readers see their relationship develop throughout the entire story and was the perfect element that was needed to help strengthen their nearly discovered bond. Not only do we get the father-daughter aspect, but both Frederick and Rachel find themselves in relationships with some really awesome significant others! I really enjoyed this aspect and thought it was the perfect combination that was needed in this story!
After devouring Sarina Bowen’s first attempt at young adult, I cannot wait to see what she comes up next in this genre!
I have to say I don’t read many YA books but Sarina Bowen is one of my favourite authors so I jumped at the chance to read The Accidentals and after reading this book I really don’t know why I have overlooked YA, this story drew me in and really left its handprint on my heart.
Rachel a young girl who finds herself at 17 years old facing her biological father for the first time, he is a famous rock star and she needs him to take her in and rescue her from the system after losing the only parent she has ever known her mother……….
This book is very different to any other story I have read by this author but it was still as amazing as every other book I have read of hers, it’s a sweet beautifully written emotional story about a man and his daughter getting to know each other. I loved every character in this book and I loved the plot looking forward to reading more YA from the very talented Sarina Bowen.