Summer Boys

August 2, 2004
This summer soap opera by the sea centers on a quartet of teens on vacation with their extended family, and the chapters alternate among their points of view. The author hints at the accelerated heartbeats ahead on the first page: as Jamie puts on a necklace that was a gift from Ethan—her love from last summer—readers learn that "just wearing it made her pulse spike." Alas, Ethan soon makes it clear that this
summer he wants to be just friends. Devastated, Jamie in revenge tries to seduce Ethan's friend Scott but is rebuffed. Meanwhile, Jamie's cousin Ella, who goes through boys "quicker than a pack of Dentyne Ice (Ella was a chain chewer)," lusts after her sister Kelsi's new boyfriend Peter, who eventually returns the attention. Most wholesome and likable of the lot is another cousin, Beth, who grows increasingly jealous as her best friend George falls for his very first girlfriend. Will Jamie get over Ethan? Will Scott admit his attraction for Jamie? Will Ella steal Peter away from Kelsi? Will Beth let George know how she really
feels about him? Those swept up in the melodrama will surely have sufficient incentive to keep turning the pages. The tale occasionally simmers but never quite sizzles and—like many summer romances—is ultimately forgettable. Ages 12-up.

November 1, 2004
Gr 9 Up-In what could almost be the novelization of a yet-to-be-produced WB series, three cousins embrace summer romance in their pursuit of various hot guys while vacationing in Maine. Characterization relies heavily on teen-magazinelike descriptions ("she was more an Avril than a Christina"), and most chapters begin with lengthy wardrobe summaries. Despite the superficiality, however, each of the girls' situations holds some interest, particularly in the realistic ways they mature throughout. Smoking, alcohol consumption, and sexuality are contextualized in a matter-of-fact way, with only a hint of after-school-special didacticism. Don't look for substance, but this is nonetheless an acceptable addition for teens looking for escapist beach reading.-Rhona Campbell, Washington DC Public Library

Copyright 2004 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.