We Are Inevitable is a well-written story of grief and addiction. Each character we meet seems to be experiencing one or the other, and it presents in diverse ways to make clear that not everyone expresses or processes their emotions in the same way. The blurb for this book is very misleading, though; there is a bit of a YA love story here, but the book is much more about family, friendship, and finding yourself.

Aaron is an incredibly toxic protagonist from the very beginning. He lies to the people he loves, pushes everyone away, and keeps huge, life-shattering secrets. He does this while holding a grudge against his drug-addicted brother for doing all of the same things. Aaron tells himself that he does these things to protect the people around him, so he is definitely a good person and must be in the right all the time. He’s abrasive and rude to those around him, often snapping and starting fights over inane comments or friendly overtures because he’s convinced everyone has an ulterior motive. I understand why Aaron is written this way, and it becomes clearer as the story progresses, but it made it a difficult read for at least the first half of the book.

I had a very difficult time wrapping my head around not wanting to own a bookstore (what’s wrong with you?!) but everything else felt very realistic. This book is worth reading to get to know Chad and the Lumberjacks who breathe life back into the bookstore and provide a lot of needed lightness to the narrative which can be very melancholic, but there are also a lot of difficult and important topics addressed with refreshing honesty.