Sophie's Reviews > Becoming Mila

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

Growing up as the daughter of an A-list actor has not always been glorious for Mila Harding. She is monitored constantly by her dad's PA, and when she steps a foot out of line, it'll come back to haunt her. After inadvertently getting drunk at a press event - luckily without the press realising - and falling ill, her dad decides that 16 year old Mila should spend the summer at his family's horse ranch in Tennessee. There is next to nothing to do, and anyway, her aunt has been instructed to keep Mila at home. But, her aunt remembers what it's like to be a teen, and allows Mila the freedom to reconnect with old friends, and even make some new ones. However, her first few meetings with Blake, the son of the local mayor, have not been great. But, there's an attraction there that both try to fight, but knowing what it's like to be in the public eye, and the dynamic of always being scrutinised, is more connecting than they expect, and it's hard to stay away. But, will family history come back to haunt them, and will the try reason behind Mila's exile to Nashville also be revealed?

I remember reading Estelle's debut series, DIMILY, a few years ago, and enjoying them, so being given the opportunity to review her newest series, I couldn't help but jump at the chance. All of the characters, but especially Mila, were amazing to read, and so well written and characterised. Mila's life may be one of privilege, but with the glitz and the glamour come a lot of rules, and she has barely any time with her parents to be herself, and not having to be on all of the time. Everything she does is watched, and she can't make any mistakes, otherwise it could harm her dad's career. Being shipped off to Nashville, where she hasn't been since she was really small, is more like an exile, especially when her social media access has been revoked too. But, she reconnects with old friends, and finds a way to have fun, even if she isn't exactly welcomed with open arms. I will admit, that at first, I wasn't too invested in Mila and Blake's relationship, but the chemistry was there, and soon I couldn't wait for the scenes they had together. The parental figures - barring Mila's aunt - were all definitely lacking the caring gene, but the friendships in the book were worth it, as was the romance. The ending of the book was a definitely cliff hanger, and I can't wait for Trusting Blake. All in all, an enjoyable new series from a wonderful YA author.