Nicola M. Young, author Everything, Everything, writes a heart-wrenching story about a young woman named Madeline, an intelligent, safe, and imaginative girl — who never leaves her house. Maddy has a rare disease called SCID (Severe Combined Immunodeficiency disease). Her disease prevents her from leaving the house. Simply put, Maddy is allergic to the outside world. She is confined to an air filtered house with only her mom and her nurse. However, her whole world changes when the family moves in next door. Her and Olly, her newfound neighbor, have an automatic connection, altering her life forever.

Nicola M. Young explores a world where one would do anything for love — and that is the downfall of this book. Young turns Maddy and Olly into a modern-day Romeo and Juliet. Their love for one another, though enduring to some, is cliché and unrealistic. How many times have readers seen the old girl-falls-in-love-with-boy-next-door trick? Maddy’s standards for love are so low they’re basically on the ground. Olly is cute and conveniently lives next door, making him the best — and only — candidate. What’s more is that Young, like most love stories, capitalizes on young girl’s expectations of love. With that said, credit will be given where credit is deserved.

Though this book has some major downfalls, the twist at the end is a well-deserved gift to the reader who sticks it through. In addition, the diction that Young uses is simple yet sophisticated. The characters are well-developed and easily likable. The main character, even with her differences, is relatable to the reader. Overall, Everything, Everything is a light read that a hopeless romantic would thoroughly enjoy and even the more critical of audiences could appreciate.

Stars: 3/5