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Being Sloane Jacobs

Lauren Morrill (Goodreads Author)

3.63 · Rating details · 4,199 ratings · 591 reviews

Meet Sloane Emily Jacobs: a seriously stressed-out figure-skater from Washington, D.C., who choked during junior nationals and isn’t sure she’s ready for a comeback. What she does know is that she’d give anything to escape the mass of misery that is her life.

Now meet Sloane Devon Jacobs, a spunky ice hockey player from Philly who’s been suspended from her team for too man ...more

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Hardcover, 352 pages

Published January 7th 2014 by Delacorte

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· 4,199 ratings · 591 reviews

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Jan 25, 2014 Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies rated it liked it

Shelves: high-school, contemporary, boarding-school, twins-triplets-clones, ya, romance, ya-contemporary

This book was just cute. It is The Parent Trap cute. Lindsay Lohan-before-she-became-a-coke-addict cute. There is not much substance to the story or its characters, it is generic, it is inoffensive, but damned if I didn't have a huge grin on my face as I was reading it.

It is a feel-good book. If you need something uncomplicated, something to make you smile, this is the book for you.

The Summary: Sloane Emily Jacobs is a poor-little-rich girl. She has an enviable life. She is from a blue-blooded p ...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Kaitlyn Stickley rated it really liked it

How does Lauren Morrill do it? She writes some of the most adorable YA contemporaries ever. I can always count on her books to make me laugh and swoon.

I just love the premise of Being Sloane Jacobs. Two girls with the same name who meet and decide to switch lives for the rest of the summer? It's such a fun idea! I love how figure skating and hockey are incorporated into the book, too. I haven't read many YA books about ice skating, and I loved getting to learn about it in this book.

The two main ...more

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Jun 07, 2013 Keertana rated it it was ok

Shelves: arc-galley-and-first-reads, why-the-hype

Rating: 2.5 Stars

If there is anything flawless about Being Sloane Jacobs it is its marketing campaign. Morrill has been launched as a chick-lit, contemporary romance author, akin to Stephanie Perkins, and while that isn't an altogether apt comparison (in my opinion), it isn't incorrect either. What I appreciate about this novel is that I knew what I was getting into even before I cracked open the cover: pure, mindless entertainment. Being Sloane Jacobs is the type of novel where you are forced Rating: 2.5 Stars

If there is anything flawless about Being Sloane Jacobs it is its marketing campaign. Morrill has been launched as a chick-lit, contemporary romance author, akin to Stephanie Perkins, and while that isn't an altogether apt comparison (in my opinion), it isn't incorrect either. What I appreciate about this novel is that I knew what I was getting into even before I cracked open the cover: pure, mindless entertainment. Being Sloane Jacobs is the type of novel where you are forced to overlook the little details that fail to fit together, compelled to push aside the gaping plot holes that don't add up, and just read. For readers who were disappointed that novels like Just One Year promised endings that didn't happen, Being Sloane Jacobs is a relief, giving exactly what it says it will. For others, however, who anticipate the hidden depth in every novel, this story may just prove a little too juvenile, a lot too short, and a slight bit disappointing by the end.

Sadly, one of the best aspects of this story is its synopsis. Sloane Emily Jacobs, the daughter of a senator running for re-election, is a figure skater - one who desperately needs to re-launch her career after failing to perform well the past year. Sloane Devon Jacobs is an ice-hockey player - one with a bit of an anger management issue - who hasn't been playing her best lately. When the two Sloane Jacobs meet on their way to their respective figure skating and ice hockey summer programs, they decide to switch places. With similar builds and a desire to escape the mounting pressure they feel, Sloane Devon Jacobs goes off to figure skating camp while Sloane Emily Jacobs rushes off to play ice-hockey. As it turns out, however, running away doesn't solve your problems...not even close.

While the plot for this novel is similar to The Parent Trap, an important difference is the fact that these two Sloanes are running away from their lives. Not only do they belong to different social classes - rich and middle class - but their family issues are also vastly different. Yet, they find a thread of connection in their loneliness, fear, and inability to face their difficulties head-on. Needless to say, Morrill nails this issue in her sophomore novel, capturing the sinking feeling of despair and helplessness that so many teens feel. Where Being Sloane Jacobs faltered, however, was in the missed opportunity and lost potential for this concept to develop further. Both Sloanes, after a few initial difficulties, acclimate into their new lives with ease, making friends and learning their new sports with ease - a little unbelievable, don't you think? Moreover, they both find incredibly sweet love interests who - unfortunately - become a large part of the narrative.

With a plethora of issues at hand, this 352 page novel just didn't cover it all. Sloane Emily and Sloane Devon's growth is rushed and limited to the last few chapters, the development sloppy and lacking the layers of depth it could have had. Additionally, the guys these two girls fall for have their own share of problems which could have been explored to a larger degree as well. Mostly, however, the issue lies in the fact that Being Sloane Jacobs is far too much surface-story and too little depth. With alternating perspectives - that worked really well, surprisingly - Morrill could have easily focused this story on the inner dilemmas both these girls faced. Instead, there's unnecessary romantic drama, a large focus on proving these girls can master another sport, and a hasty epilogue that does little to the story as a whole. I wanted a novel about two girls who gained the courage to face their problems - and formed a tight friendship along the way - but the relationship these two Sloanes share lacks a true bond and the strength I wanted to emerge from these girls happened far too quickly, far too late.

Ultimately, I couldn't overlook the plot holes or missed opportunities in this narrative to enjoy the story within these pages. It is entertaining, certainly, and compulsively readable, forcing me to flip page after page even when I was bedridden and sick, but it lacks more than a little something to make it memorable. Both Sloanes are forgettable heroines, their journey unremarkable and childish, reading more like a middle grade comedy than a young adult contemporary piece. Being Sloane Jacobs will find its place among shelves of beloved readers - certainly - but it won't be replacing Anna and the French Kiss anytime soon on mine.

You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings. ...more

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Aug 24, 2016 Sana rated it liked it

Shelves: romance, contemporary, young-adult, cut-my-left-nut-off-instead

I really didn't think I would like this because YA Contemporary romance books just aren't my thing. Lol think again Sana.

This book was so freaking cute. It's one of those light fluffy reads that makes you smile throughout the whole book. (I actually found myself smiling.) This book made me laugh out loud and I found myself actually being able to relate to the characters. The romance was just adorable. It was such a lighthearted read.

There was so much character development. I found myself reall I really didn't think I would like this because YA Contemporary romance books just aren't my thing. Lol think again Sana.

This book was so freaking cute. It's one of those light fluffy reads that makes you smile throughout the whole book. (I actually found myself smiling.) This book made me laugh out loud and I found myself actually being able to relate to the characters. The romance was just adorable. It was such a lighthearted read.

There was so much character development. I found myself really liking Sloane Emily and Sloane Devon.

Meet Sloane Emily Jacobs: a seriously stressed-out figure-skater from Washington, D.C., who choked during junior nationals and isn’t sure she’s ready for a comeback. What she does know is that she’d give anything to escape the mass of misery that is her life.

Now meet Sloane Devon Jacobs, a spunky ice hockey player from Philly who’s been suspended from her team for too many aggressive hip checks. Her punishment? Hockey camp, now, when she’s playing the worst she’s ever played. If she messes up? Her life will be over.

I loved how much these two developed throughout the book. They both had so much shit going on in their lives and even though they tried running away from it, in the end they both had to face this shit and deal with it. Sloane Emily and Sloane Devon ended up realizing so much about them selves and changing (for the better) so much. There were of course mean girl bitches which both Sloane Jacobs' had to deal with and it was quite funny to read about the pranks they pulled.

The writing style was great. The book is told from two different point of views, Sloane Emily's and Sloane Devon's. We get two know what both of these protagonists experience. There was definitely a lot of dialogue. It was fun and easy to read.

Even though this was a great book, it was unrealistic how two Jacob Sloane's meet, look so much alike, and switch places, but I guess that's what made it such a lighthearted pleasure to read.

Overall, I really liked this book and it was exactly what I needed after reading so many disappointing books.

...more

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Aug 20, 2013 Tiff at Mostly YA Lit rated it really liked it

This is my first Lauren Morrill book, and I'm glad to say that it lived up to my expectations. I read Being Sloane Jacobs after two books that made me cry, and it was just a breath of fresh air. It's is a total immersion process. I didn't want to put it down - it's so fun, so light, and so friggin' adorable. You know you're really enjoying a book when you'd rather read for a day than do anything else - TV? Movie? Go out in the freezing cold? No thanks, I'll take reading Being Sloane Jacobs with ...more

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Jan 19, 2014 Christine Alibutud rated it it was amazing

I close my eyes tight and make a wish.
I wish to be somebody—anybody—else.
description

WISH GRANTED!!!!!!
description

Let's meet Sloane Jacobs....WAIT---- Which Sloane Jacobs?

Okay, so there are two Sloane Jacobs in this book:
1. Sloane Emily Jacobs
2. Sloane Devon Jacobs

These two Sloane Jacobses both have dark hair and dark eyes. They both have family issues. They both wish to be somebody else. They both have some insecurities within them. Oh yeah, and they're both amazeballs on ice!

But hey, they also have the ...more

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Jun 08, 2013 Gaby rated it really liked it

Early Impressions:

1. The POV switch here was done really, really well. There was only one point of the book, for like 20 pages when I wished I could stick with one Sloane over the other. I always really appreciate when that's done well.
2. I know NOTHING about hockey or figure skating but it is so clear to me that Lauren Morrill does.
3. SO MANY CUTE BOYS FOR ME TO LOVE.
4. As a girl who travels a lot and is constantly mentally planning her next BIG adventure, I often get accused of just taking/r ...more

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Oct 29, 2013 Rose rated it liked it

Shelves: humor, realistic-fiction, coming-of-age, contemporary, multi-povs, netgalley, great-premise-lacking-execution, young-adult, arc-or-galley, pretty-cover

I wanted to love this book so much more than what I actually did. So, this review's going to probably be one of the lone wanderers among a number of people who may love this book. I see the appeal, I definitely do, because it's a light, fluffy story.

But if I can describe what the experience of reading Lauren Morrill's "Being Sloane Jacobs" was like, I'd liken it to getting a yummy hot fudge sundae placed in front of you, and then you're told you can only eat the cherry and whipped cream. That ki I wanted to love this book so much more than what I actually did. So, this review's going to probably be one of the lone wanderers among a number of people who may love this book. I see the appeal, I definitely do, because it's a light, fluffy story.

But if I can describe what the experience of reading Lauren Morrill's "Being Sloane Jacobs" was like, I'd liken it to getting a yummy hot fudge sundae placed in front of you, and then you're told you can only eat the cherry and whipped cream. That kind of kills the experience because you're like - "But what about the hot fudge? What about the ice cream, what about the vanilla wavers that come with it?" And all the other good stuff. (Hopefully I haven't made anyone hungry with that comparison, because...yum.)

It's a bit of a shortchanged experience. Morrill has a great structure to this particular story for what it aims to do, but you're only getting surface details here. The story's admirable, but it's not only lacking development and investment with respect to its characters, but it's also just a carbon copy smorgasbord of much better stories. And the reason why the story here doesn't stand out as much as it should on its own is because the characters lack any kind of depth or individual charm. Even the humor's just a touch bit dry and awkward in places. I chuckled a few times for some of the cute interactions, but mostly - I felt emotionally removed for most of the story, and that's not a good sign even for a story that's meant to be lighthearted and engaging.

In short, Sloane Emily and Sloane Devon share the same name: Sloane Jacobs. The former's a senator's daughter, wealthy, and a figure skater. The latter is a middle class girl worried about college and thinking that hockey is going to be her ticket there (though she has a bit of an anger problem, considering her run-ins with teammates and issues at home). The two Sloanes happen to meet each other on the way to their respective camps (luggage mix-up, go figure). So the two aren't so thrilled about the journey and they think "Hey, let's switch places, we kinda look alike, and we can go through the basics of our respective sports despite our differences." But the switch brings on more complications than they bargained for, not only with respect to their sports, but relationships as well.

I liked the two Sloane's well enough through the story, but it was the other characters that felt shortchanged to some extent. I kind of wanted to know more about Matt and even the mean girl-ish character in more detail than what it provided. In short, I wanted more from it. I expected more from it. Even with the similar vibes to "The Parent Trap," "The Cutting Edge," and maybe "The Mighty Ducks", I was willing to give this a chance to see the story it provided on its own legs, but it felt like a big chunk of this was missing something, like it was holding back on developing the characters more where it could've used the space to do it.

It's my first read from Morrill, and while it didn't quite meet up to my expectations, I'd try another read from her in the future, just to see if her other stories strike me better. But this was okay, it just wasn't enough for me.

Overall score: 2.5/5 stars

Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher. ...more

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Oct 26, 2012 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley, favorites-contemps, arc

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

Lauren Morrill is awesome. I’m privileged to know her IRL as well as through her deliciously fluffy novels. So, yeah, that’s a thing. Funny story: she’s in my book club, but I totally didn’t know it the first time that we were at a meeting together. Someone mentioned Meant to Be, and I was all “I love that book,” and then the room released a collective held breath and was all “oh hey, that woman is Lauren Morrill and that could have been hella awkward.” Thankfully, I did ...more

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Mar 17, 2013 Gillian Berry rated it really liked it

Shelves: arcs-i-own, rep, contemporary, premise-is-perfection, romance-to-root-for, lolz

SUPAH CYOOOOOOTE. I don't believe a second of it, really, but who caaaaaares? *twirls* Fun, breezy, and guaranteed to lighten even the most rotten of moods.

Originally posted at Writer of Wrongs

What a delightful read this was. I read this in two sittings and giggle through most of it. If you can get past a wildly improbably concept (which, of course I could, as I love wildly improbably concepts), then Being Sloane Jacobs will most likely charm the skates right off of you.

Fun Gillian fact: I ador ...more

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Oct 25, 2017 Erin rated it really liked it

This was a calm, joyful, and heart-wrenching book. The story talks about how these 2 girls switch places during summer camp. Both named Sloane Jacobs. Both know how to skate. One figure skates. The other plays hockey. Both have family problems. Both want to run away from their own problems. Both meet just the day before their summer camp starts. This story reminds me of the movie "The Parent Trap" this is because both the 2 girls in both of the movies swap places to get something they have misse ...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Jen (The Starry-Eyed Revue) rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2013, netgalley, contemporary

If you'll remember, I just about squee'd my pants with excitement over Lauren Morrill's debut, Meant to Be . That story was completely adorable and had me giggling like a school girl over the zany antics of Jason and Julia. The antics perpetrated by The Sloanes were no less zany and no less adorable, and I ended up loving Lauren's sophomore novel almost as much as her debut, which I've featured here on the blog prominently, as it's one of my favorite new contemporaries.

Both Sloanes are exper ...more

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Jun 26, 2013 Sarah rated it really liked it

I made myself let go of my issues with the premise (with Facebook etc it's hard to believe these girls could pull this off; and while I know high level athletes have an easier time with transitioning to other sports than normal people, I had a hard time believing The Sloanes would do as well as they did) and once I did, I quite enjoyed it. This reminded me quite a bit of Jennifer Echols' earlier book (Major Crush, Ex Games), which I mean as a compliment, since I really liked those books.

FWIW, th ...more

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Mar 01, 2015 Nadja rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: author-american, time-2016, form-ebook, 2010-2014, target-young-adult, challenge-aty-2016, genre-contemporary

I didn't have high expectations because I'd read some reviews beforehand which was good because I really loved Lauren Morrill's first book Meant to Be and would have been disappointed a lot.
I'm a fan of Parent Trap films and stories and I like (watching) ice skating so the whole theme was very promising for my taste. Yet I couldn't connect with our two Sloanes because I didn't really liked them (especially in the beginning). And how unrealistically easy this transition from hockey to figure ska ...more

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Jan 14, 2014 Nasty Lady MJ rated it liked it

Really 2.5 stars. There was potential here, but the execution feel flat. The book really did have a packaged book feel and it was obviously written to feed off of Stephanie Perkins and books alike success. Links to full review to come.

To see full review click on one of the following links:

My Blog

Booklikes/a> ...more

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May 17, 2014 Michelle Wrona rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2015, book-by-author-i-read, expected-worse, i-feel-it-in-the-heart, awesome-ending, cute, something-special, contemporary, yum, too-good

This review can also be found on Key to Book City, check it out for more!

I feel pretty bad for my books. I treat them as real people, if you can believe it—not to sound weird or anything. I'm friendly, no stalker. But if I leave a book itching for me to read it for ages, I feel bad that I'm not picking it up instead of all of the other new books that are being released and those that I'm requesting and borrowing from the library. Being Sloane Jacobs by the awesome Lauren Morrill was one of those ...more

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Dec 29, 2012 Aman rated it really liked it

Reviewed @ Enticed by Books

Being Sloane Jacobs, filled with too many coincidences and questionable incidents surprisingly turned out to be a rather cute and fun book. It's the type of summery read where you're not suppose think too much and just go with the flow and enjoy. I don't think it was better that Morrill's debut novel, this one had a bit underdeveloped main characters and stereotypical side characters who were present just because the story required it, also one of the romance was compl Reviewed @ Enticed by Books

Being Sloane Jacobs, filled with too many coincidences and questionable incidents surprisingly turned out to be a rather cute and fun book. It's the type of summery read where you're not suppose think too much and just go with the flow and enjoy. I don't think it was better that Morrill's debut novel, this one had a bit underdeveloped main characters and stereotypical side characters who were present just because the story required it, also one of the romance was completely pointless and added nothing except an increase in the length of the story, but like I previously mentioned, it is a book meant to be read just for the pleasure of reading and not taken too seriously or logistically. And that is not an insult, sometimes we need books that are stress free, drama free and fun, and Being Sloane Jacobs offered exactly that!

Sloane Emily Jacobs, daughter of a Senator and a figure skate superstar, the polite, not-so-social girl gets to have an adventure of her lifetime when she bumps into Sloane Devon Jacobs, ice hockey player in need of anger management, on her way to some summer camp. Both these girl met at an hotel, thanks to the cliched luggage switching incident, and after their initial arguments decided that none of them are happy with their current path for the summer and wanted a little thrill and excitement. Hence, the parent trap! Okay, so here's where the unbelievable part comes in-- both the Sloanes looked very similar in appearance and thus can possibly pass as the other if questioned. I didn't believe that, even though no one in the camp knew them personally, I'm sure the authorities must have had some sort of picture identification to keep track of students. How did they pass that? Anyway, when it came to this book, I somehow overlooked all the little misfits and focused more Sloanes fun adventure. The ice skating parts were the favorite! I didn't knew anything about either of those sports, but seeing Emily and Devon work their way through each others sport and failing at it was hilarious! Though shockingly they did managed to pick it up fairly quickly. The romance I enjoyed immensely was Emily's, it felt believable and most importantly, it gave me chills and some butterflies. I was swooning along with Emily and her & Matt's second first meeting was the best! The one critique I have is the use of the names Sloane Emily and Sloane Devon constantly. If I were one of them, wouldn't it be easier for me and the other person and the people around us to just say Emily or Devon instead of using the whole name? Because of this, half of the time I was lost during their conversation figuring out who was who.

All in all, Being Sloane Jacobs was everything it promised-- a cute, fun, humor-filled book with a little romance, some playful pranks, some family drama (minor-ish) and an unforgettable adventure. It's perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Sophie Kinsella and Jennifer E. Smith. If you haven't read Meant to Be, I would highly recommend starting with that book because who doesn't love a foreign romance!

An early arc was provided by the Publisher for an honest feedback. (Thank You!!!) ...more

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Dec 01, 2016 Yue rated it did not like it

Shelves: 1st-person-narrative, a-2stars, author-female, sports, disappointing, contemporary, retellings, boring, 2016

No, no, NO. This was supposed to be a Triple Win for me.

There are two Sloane Jacobs. One of them is an ice-skater...

The other one plays hockey...

They are unhappy with their lives and when they meet, decide to do a Parent Trap/The Pauper and The Prince thing.

Starts OK, but when they meet, they have like, zero bonding. They do not even like each other, but still, they decided to carry on with the plan. I don't claim to be an expert about ice-skating and hockey, but how realistic is for a hockey p ...more

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May 14, 2013 Dahlia rated it liked it

Shelves: thank-you-netgalley

This was a cute, light, predictable read that was pretty much exactly "The Cutting Edge" meets "It Takes Two." (Yes, OK, "The Parent Trap" is probably more applicable, but I've never seen it, whereas I've seen most Olsen Twin movies multiple times. SO SUE ME.)

BEING SLOANE JACOBS follows dual POVs - Sloane Emily, the politician's daughter who's supposed to go to ice skating camp, and Sloane Devon, the rougher girl from Philly who's supposed to go to hockey camp. You can guess pretty much every si ...more

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Jun 07, 2013 Natalie (Natflix&Books) rated it really liked it

Shelves: edelweiss

For people of a certain age (*cough* in their thirties *cough*) this synopsis is probably going to remind them of a blend of two spectacular movies: The Parent Trap (I'm talking about the original, Hayley Mills version--which, yes, was decades old already when I was a youngster) and the 90s gem The Cutting Edge. The Cutting Edge, for those who don't know, is a movie about a male hockey player who, after losing partial sight in his eye, teams up with the ice queen figure skater no respectable mal ...more

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Jun 04, 2013 Anna rated it liked it

If this book wouldn’t make for a PERFECT Disney Channel movie, I don’t know what would! It's a little unrealistic, but it's also fun and sporty -- I had a great time reading this one.

Visit me at AnnaReads.com for the full review: http://www.annareads.com/2014/01/bein... Sloane Jacobs ...more

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Dec 17, 2015 Amanda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult, contemporary

This was so cute and fluffy and fun, but can we seriously kill the whole, "I'm not like other girls, Love Interest!" "That's right, Protagonist! You're so much better!" thing? Why do you have to put down other girls to emphasize how great you are?

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Feb 26, 2013 Wendy Darling rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2014-publication, read-2014, rh, packaged-book, january

Meh.

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Dec 27, 2013 Tina added it

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Ten Likes/Dislikes:

1. (+) Protagonist, Sloane Emily - Sloane Emily is a former figure skating Olympic front-runner who isn't sure she wants to return to the sport, especially given what she discovered about her rich, broken, politically-oriented family. She doesn't know where to turn, what to do... until she meets Sloane Devon and comes up with a plan that will thoroughly change her and her summer. Sloane's determina ...more

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Aug 21, 2020 PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Two teenage skaters named Sloan Jacobs, Sloan Emily, figure skater daughter of a philandering senator and Sloan Devon, a hot-headed hockey player switch places for summer camp.

BEING SLOAN JACOBS is a take off on the classic THE PARENT TRAP, only these teens have have the same name rather than being sisters. I most enjoyed the parts of the story that focused on the switch rather than the light romances each Sloan found. The subplots never held my interest.

BEING SLOAN JACOBS is an okay book with a ...more

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Aug 26, 2017 Leah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I still like this story. It's cute and funny, especially the ending. I like all of the hockey and figure skating, which was most of the story. Their romances and friendships and family were minor plot points. I liked that they were a part of the story but not the focus.

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Jul 01, 2013 Larissa rated it liked it

Honestly more like a 2.5 (:

These books are tough to review. They're the ones that you didn't completely hate, nor did you love. Overall you just get a 'meh' feeling from them. 'Being Sloane Jacobs' was definitely that type of book for me.

What I can assuredly say about this book is that I preferred it over Morril's first book, which I originally gave a generous three star rating to. I have now that to a better representation of my feelings, and gave the book two stars. Anyway it was great to say Honestly more like a 2.5 (:

These books are tough to review. They're the ones that you didn't completely hate, nor did you love. Overall you just get a 'meh' feeling from them. 'Being Sloane Jacobs' was definitely that type of book for me.

What I can assuredly say about this book is that I preferred it over Morril's first book, which I originally gave a generous three star rating to. I have now that to a better representation of my feelings, and gave the book two stars. Anyway it was great to say that Morril's writing improved since her first novel.

'Being Sloane Jacobs' didn't entirely focus on the love interest and the main character's feelings for him, which is another reason I believe I prefered this book over the first one. In this book you get a look at skewed family dynamics and the passion these girls have (or once did)for their sports.

The sports side of this book is very refreshing to see, you don't normally read a lot of YA featuring girls in the sports. I also connected to one of these sports on a personal level: figure skating. I have figure skated until I turned fifteen, and that's usually the age where it becomes less fun and more about the competition side of things. It was quite nice to read about some familiar terms, Lauren clearly had an understanding about the world of figure skating. I think that competition nature of figure skating was handled in a way that may seem very over the top but is actually quite realistic. The other sport featured in this novel was hockey and though I've never played hockey (I know, I'm a bad Canadian), the story also seems to be accurate about that sport. For me Lauren painted the perfect world of team camaraderie and competitiveness and honestly has me questioning why I haven't been more involved with that sport.

In the above paragraph I mentioned how the world of figure skating was surprisingly realistically handled. That's where the realism ends though. I do understand that this book is fluffy fluff fluff to the extreme and didn't expect it to be national geographic in terms of real world scenarios. However two girls with the same name that's pretty uncommon? Alright I can handle that. However there's the issue that they look alike and are not even related? That really seemed odd to me and I was waiting for some revelation that they were indeed related. So they switch places, the one going to the figure skating camp goes to the hockey one and vice versa. I was also looking forward to seeing them have difficulty at their sports, because hockey and figure skating really are different sports. But instead you have them grumbling about workouts but still doing alright with the actual sports. To me this didn't feel right and I would have liked the story to be more realistic in the way that the girls didn't adjust so easily and quickly into the camps.

Even though I was previously a figure skater, I found myself liking Sloane Devon's personality and character much more. I think she had some great development throughout the book. I really did enjoy her chapters much more. On the other hand I found Sloane Emily to grate on my nerves at times and she really didn't have much development has the story went on.

There was of course love interests in this book. There wasn't any proclamations of love within .33242 seconds of the the love interests meeting which was nice. Still, I would have liked to see some more development, with Sloane Emily's love interest in particular. It also didn't make much sense to me when the big secret was revealed and the love interest initially reacted. However in the next chapters it seemed like they were completely fine with everything and things just continued where they left off. Overall there were some romantic scenes in the book but I honestly just felt indifferent to them. Which is another example of my previous 'meh' feelings at the top of the chapter.

Overall this book is a simple read for beach day that is beyond fluff. You get a look at some pretty cool sports that you may have not known about previously. Don't question things and you'll be fine (:
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Oct 28, 2013 Sarah Marie rated it really liked it

Shelves: standalones, mind-blown-from-the-awesomeness, young-adult, netgalley, pretty-covers, romance, arc, contemporary, sexy-guy, ebook

Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill

4 stars

Sloane Emily Jacobs used to be the best figure skater her age and then she choked and suffered an injury that’s crippled her career. Her mom is gunning for a comeback and shipping her from the ever watching eye of paparazzi in Washington, D.C. to a camp in Canada. Sloane Devon Jacobs is an ice hockey player who has had one too many penalties. After a coach threatens to bench her next season, her dad decides that she has one last chance at redeeming her

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Jun 01, 2013 Christianna Marks rated it really liked it

Shelves: own-it, favorites, arc, comteporaries-that-i-like, wishlist, i-ship-them-hard, 2014-reads, so-much-cuteness-in-one-book, gut-busting-laughs, snarky-oh-so-snarky

You can read this and many other reviews on my YA book blog The White Unicorn!

An Open Letter To Being Sloane Jacobs,

Okay, so first off thanks for being so dang cute. Seriously, you were one of the cutest books that I've read in a long time. You gave me these two Sloane's who were totally different and yet both filled to the max with their own versions of snark. You gave me dreamy boys and interesting skating details. But most importantly, you gave me a great and warm and fuzzy story about two g You can read this and many other reviews on my YA book blog The White Unicorn!

An Open Letter To Being Sloane Jacobs,

Okay, so first off thanks for being so dang cute. Seriously, you were one of the cutest books that I've read in a long time. You gave me these two Sloane's who were totally different and yet both filled to the max with their own versions of snark. You gave me dreamy boys and interesting skating details. But most importantly, you gave me a great and warm and fuzzy story about two girls finding themselves and what's not to love about that? Nothing, the answer is that nothing is not to love about that!

-The White Unicorn

I'll say it right now, I'm a huge fan of Lauren Morrill as an author. Have I read her other book yet? Nope, but I feel like I need to get on that in a hurry. Contemporary books aren't my personal favorite, but every once in awhile one comes along that just makes me laugh and smile and feel all the happy feels! Being Sloane Jacobs did all of these things while also delivering a really cool message at the same time. The book is really about finding yourself and Morrill isn't afraid to make the journey amazingly fun along the way. Plus, she puts so many awesome pop culture references in the pages that you find yourself wanting to high five her when she writes about Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

The novel is one part Parent Trap, one part The Cutting Edge and one huge helping of originality. Morrill gives us two girls that seem really different at first glance, even if they do have the same name. It's a genius idea to have both of the girl's names be Sloane Jacobs. It's creates the perfect, yet predictable mix up that gives the girls a chance to switch places. They are both running from things and both have a lot resting on their selected summer camps. And then in a split second they are swapping hockey jerseys for skin tight Lycra and vice versa.

Sloane Devon was a feisty one. She had so much snark in her bones that she always had me laughing. Sure she's got a huge chip on her shoulder and a a reason to want to get away from her life, but she's still really likeable. It was a blast to see her trying to fit into Sloane Emily's high class, figure skating life. I honestly couldn't stop myself from laughing at most of the things she said. Morrill created her with some great comedic timing.

Sloane Emily appeared to be the weaker character to me in the beginning, but pretty soon I found myself liking her as much as Sloane Devon. You'd get to the point where you were just about to write her off and then she'd do or say something that was brilliant and funny and awesome. She had a sneakier approach to her snark that totally worked for her. Because her life isn't as peachy as it seems either. She comes into her own as she teams up with the other hockey players and she builds a thicker skin. It's awesome to watch. In the end I ended up totally digging both of them.

There is a bit of romance in the pages, but it doesn't overwhelm the plot line. Which I thought worked for the book. I felt like since the romance wasn't the main focus, both seemed a little bit rushed, but overall it worked for me. Plus, Morrill knows how to pack a swoon punch, so even with the little bits of rom/com she threw in, you still got that "how sweet" feeling in your stomach.

All in all I say give this one a shot. It's one of the cutest books I've ever read and I'd highly recommend it! ...more

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Dec 21, 2013 Brandi Kosiner rated it really liked it

I picked to read Being Sloane Jacobs because it was an advanced copy available in exchange for my honest review on Netgalley and not only is the cover adorable, but the synopsis really intrigued me. I love watching hockey and pretty much automatically pick up anything to do with hockey or with figure skating in ya fiction. I have also read Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill and enjoyed it, so she is an author that I watch anything that comes out by her.
I was not disappointed, because the character I picked to read Being Sloane Jacobs because it was an advanced copy available in exchange for my honest review on Netgalley and not only is the cover adorable, but the synopsis really intrigued me. I love watching hockey and pretty much automatically pick up anything to do with hockey or with figure skating in ya fiction. I have also read Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill and enjoyed it, so she is an author that I watch anything that comes out by her.
I was not disappointed, because the characters swept me away. At first it was a little confusing with two main characters with the same first and last name, but they had distinct voices and they were pretty radically different. Though, the more I read, the more that I found they had in common. They come from different home types-rich versus poor, they play different sports- figure skating versus hockey, they dress differently, look at the world in different ways, have different temperments and have different upbringings. But they both face pressure of expectations, family dysfunction, and confidence and really understanding if they love what they do or if they are just good at it. Or they were. Sloane Emily had a big fall in her last competition and is just now re-entering the scene and Sloane Devon has been choking when it comes to scoring goals.
I loved the dual perspective and wasn't really confused going back and forth most of the time. When the roomies first entered the picture it was confusing adjusting to them switching places and new people being on the scene, but I quickly settled into their settings.
While I questioned the plausibility of them pulling off actually switching places, I completely love the concept and the execution. I think that it was believable that some of their skills easily transferred and they did have issues, I think that them excelling and holding up the other's reputation, that is where the ground gets shaky. But Lauren convinced me with her writing, and with the friends that came along and helped them.
Both discovered a lot about themselves, gained a new perspectives on other sports and what they go through. They also had friends that helped them discover who they were and where they fit into things, and the overall character development was good. Sloane Emily gained more confidence in herself and ability to stand up for herself, and Sloane Jacob filed down some rough edges and learned to appreciate beauty more.
Each Sloane had a romance that I think was well placed, and I especially like how supportive they were and that they brought out another side, or helped them to see both their and the opposite sport in new ways. I like how Sloane Emily's love interest had to prove himself and it was fun watching him woo her and both of them open up to each other. Sloane Devon's guy was actually someone she knew before, but they both saw each other in new lights.
I appreciated how the family issues weren't magically dissolved at the end, but that there was hard work and effort being put into healing the families.
The epilogue was sweet, and although things were wrapped up really well, it gave me hope that there might be more time back in these characters' lives but I can't be sure.

Bottom Line: Overall fun contemporary that has depth.
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About Lauren Morrill

Lauren Morrill

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LAUREN MORRILL grew up in Maryville, Tennessee, where she was a short-term Girl Scout, a (not so) proud member of the marching band, and a trouble-making editor for the school newspaper. She graduated from Indiana University with a major in history and a minor in rock & roll, and now lives in Macon, GA with her husband and sons.

Lauren is the author of several YA novels, including MEANT TO BE (Rand ...more

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“I sit, but I'm still stiff as a board. My hands are clenched tight, as if I'm holding my tears in my palms and if I loose my grip, they'll come tumbling out.” — 2 likes

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