Keeping Her Secret: Review

Hi everyone! I heard about Keeping Her Secret by Sarah Nicolas on Twitter, and knew I had to pick it up because it had two of my favorite things: girls in love, AND summer camp stories! Two days later, I bought it on my kindle, and finished it in one whirlwind of a night.
Keeping Her Secret tells the story of two girls, Riya and Courtney, who used to be best friends. After a kiss between the two, followed by Riya moving away, their friendship falls apart--until they reunite at summer camp years later. Riya, openly bisexual and working hard for a volleyball scholarship, is surprised to see that Courtney is the camp heart-breaker, who is still pushing aside her dreams to please her parents. Starting with a rousing prank war between the two, their friendship (and possibly relationship?) begin to grow again. But will Courtney be able to accept her attraction to Riya, and learn how to follow her dreams? Or will Riya be left heartbroken once again?
It's always a testament to a book when I finish it in one night--I am usually exhausted when bedtime comes around, so staying up until midnight to finish a book is huge! But I just couldn't put Keeping Her Secret down. First of all, I strongly related to Riya; she's a strong, smart, openly bi girl who is determined to follow her dreams. I love her perspective. I also love how she has her own flaws to work with throughout the story. Courtney herself is delightfully infuriating--you understand her struggles, but also wish she would JUST KISS RIYA, DAMMIT! The two girls have a chemistry that pops off the page, keeping you interested.
The side characters are also fun and interesting in their own rights. Riya's best friend and Courtney's brother are also exciting to watch, and have their own sweet little storylines. Every character in Keeping Her Secret is a sweet cinnamon roll that you want to protect at all costs!
I also love how the book tackles the girlxgirl relationship in this book gently and with awareness. Early on, Courtney doesn't know what bisexuality is, and it's gently explained to her (and the myths are busted!) by Riya and one of her friends. When Riya is angry at Courtney for not coming out, she's reminded of how difficult coming out can be for many people. Courtney's brother is always sweet and understanding--the fact of Courtney liking girls, especially Riya, has never been an issue for him. I love when books aren't afraid of LGBT issues. It's important for YA to keep being diverse and loving, showing kids who read them that they're valid.
All in all, I give Keeping Her Secret 5 stars. It's a light, frothy read that makes you smile--I felt like I should have been reading it out on the beach with some ice cream in my other hand! Next time you want a sweet love story to devour, pick up Keeping Her Secret.