Hallelujah has gone through a lot: she's dealt with rejection, rape and bullies. All of this caused her to become bitter towards everyone around her, especially anyone related to Luke, the one person who caused it all. When she reunites with Jonah, thanks to her new friend, Rachel, will she realize the importance of friendship? 

When Hallelujah decides to go on a church retreat, she sees the people she sought to forget for so long. At first, she seems rather reluctant to socialize at all, but with some help from Rachel, she sees Luke and all the people that stood by his side when she needed their help the most. I really love how well the author, Kathryn Holmes, could write about religion and God in such a clear and open manner. At first I was a little doubtful about reading a book with religion as its main theme, but Holmes addressed the topic very well and the themes made sense with the novel's plot.  

"If you are a fan of Rainbow Rowell, you will definitely be a fan of Kathryn Holmes' works."

One day, Hallelujah, Rachel and Jonah decide to take a hike together. Though at first, everything seems to be going fine, they get lost and have to rely on each other to survive. During this time, they all form a closer friendship and Hallelujah learns to forgive Jonah for his past actions. I found that it was rather ironic that while Hallelujah was fighting to survive in the wilderness, she was also fighting to survive the emotional wounds inflicted by Luke and his friends. 

To be honest, the fact the main character's name was Hallelujah really threw me off. Though the supporting characters called her "Hal" or "Hallie" at times, I thought the name, though symbolic, was a poor choice. Also, Jonah, though he started off as a misunderstood character, really disappointed me near the end of the book. He disrespects Hallelujah in the worse way possible and she puts up with it, which really baffled me. 

Through all the ups and downs, though, this novel really touched me and I think a lot of people will enjoy reading it. If you are a fan of Rainbow Rowell, you will definitely be a fan of Kathryn Holmes' works. If you need a heartfelt story about friendship, read this book.