Five Feet Apart

Author: Rachael Lippincott
Genre: Teen Fiction
Type: e-book
Source: NetGalley
Publisher: Simon and Schuster for Young Readers
First Published: November 20, 2018
Opening Lines: "Stella - I trace the outline of my sister's drawing, lungs molded from a sea of flowers. Petals burst out from every edge of the twin ovals in soft inks, deep whites, even heather blues, but somehow each one has a uniqueness, a vibrancy that feels like it'll bloom forever."

Book Description from GoodReads: Can you love someone you can never touch?

Stella Grant likes to be in control—even though her totally out of control lungs have sent her in and out of the hospital most of her life. At this point, what Stella needs to control most is keeping herself away from anyone or anything that might pass along an infection and jeopardize the possibility of a lung transplant. Six feet apart. No exceptions.

The only thing Will Newman wants to be in control of is getting out of this hospital. He couldn’t care less about his treatments, or a fancy new clinical drug trial. Soon, he’ll turn eighteen and then he’ll be able to unplug all these machines and actually go see the world, not just its hospitals.

Will’s exactly what Stella needs to stay away from. If he so much as breathes on Stella she could lose her spot on the transplant list. Either one of them could die. The only way to stay alive is to stay apart. But suddenly six feet doesn’t feel like safety. It feels like punishment.

What if they could steal back just a little bit of the space their broken lungs have stolen from them? Would five feet apart really be so dangerous if it stops their hearts from breaking too?

My Rating: 3.5 stars

My Review: I was initially drawn to this book simply due to its stunningly beautiful cover. I mean, c'mon! It's gorgeous and I totally judge a book by its cover.

This is a story about Stella and Will, two terminally ill teens who live with Cystic Fibrosis. It's a bittersweet love story because Stella and Will have a big obstacle between them - they can never touch or they risk becoming even sicker and possibly dying. This book has some great plot points and while I love how it brings CF into the spotlight, I didn't quite connect emotionally with the two main characters. Almost but not quite. 

Going into this book I figured I'd be a hot, blubbering mess and while there were a couple of points that I got a little veklempt, this wasn't the tear gusher I had expected it to be. It had an insta-romance feel (so not a fan) because it all happens in only TWO weeks! And while I did enjoy the sprinkling of banter between the two sick teens, I needed more time to buy into their bond. But I do give high grades for incorporating the parents' POVs and taking a look at the hard working hospital staff who almost become like family to these sick teens.

I'm happy to report that Five Feet Apart is being made into a movie (starring cutie Cole Sprouse from Riverdale fame!) and from the trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtgCqMZofqM) I think that it might fare better in cinematic form. I can't believe I just said that, but it's true. Five Feet Part is a simple story that happens over a very short period of time and I think seeing Will and Stella's connection on screen may help get me on board.

This is a cute romance that brings a focus on the struggles and fears of people living with CF and their loved ones. It's a simple and predictable story and while some of Stella and Will's choices made me go 'say wha?!', overall this was a good read and perfect for fans who want a tragic teen love story.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the publisher for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.