Everything to the Sea is an epic story of a young Hilo boy and girl who fall in love, but when a tsunami hits their town, it devastates their worlds. The description of the island is beautiful and I enjoyed reading about their customs and traditions. Their love story is angsty and while I wished they had communicated better, they were grieving the loss of their loved ones and the world that they knew.

Jane and Kenji fall in love the summer before her senior year of college. She is working as a waitress and he is working construction. When it’s time for her to return to school in Honolulu, she invites him to fly back with her and see what it’s like where she lives. (She loves the city.) While they are away, a local earthquake causes a big wave to hit Hilo, destroying most of the town. Kenji returns home to help survivors and asks Jane to come too, but now that her parents are gone, she decides not to go back. Instead, she goes with her best friend to California to follow her dream to study architecture. Kenji was hurt that Jane didn’t come back with him to help. He worked with his friend, Loralei, to help the survivors with food and shelter in Hilo. Jane and Kenji don’t see each other for seven years, but their paths cross again and they end up together. But something happens to split them apart again and it’s very angsty. I didn’t always love Jane’s actions and I wished Kenji would open up more with her, but they eventually find their way back to each other.

The story shines when we see the way the community comes together to support each other and overcome their tragedies. There are some characters that left a lasting impression, especially Loralei and Benny, a young orphan. I enjoyed this story of love, grief, and the survival of their found family.