Swept Away

March 15, 2015
Love blossoms between a summer boy and a local girl in a chaste romance set on the foggy coast of Maine. Goofy out-of-towner Oliver sweeps the virginal, insecure Mandy off her feet with his warm smile and sketch pad. What follows is a whirlwind of blueberry hand pies, stolen kisses, and crafty high jinks to save the local lighthouse. Dalton's light prose sidesteps the current vogue for overwrought darkness in teen fiction; the only shadow cast on the romance is the inevitability of summer's end, and the dramatic tension in their innocent attachment centers on Oliver's wish for Mandy to find her voice and use it. Employing simple tropes-the misunderstood loner, the anxious-harridan mom, the beauty-queen best friend-Dalton imparts simple wisdom about being true to oneself and seeing beyond surface impressions of other people. The mildness of the story harkens back to an earlier era of teen romance, belying the ubiquity of cellphones and Internet connections. Readers titillated by the butt-groping clinch on the front cover may well be disappointed by the innocence within. No new literary ground is broken here, but readers seeking a sweet story of first love will sigh appreciatively. (Romance. 11-14)

April 1, 2015

Gr 7-10-This series installment takes place in the small summertime tourist destination of Rocky Point, ME. With her best friend away at camp, her brother away at school, and her mother planning to have her work every day at the local historic lighthouse, Mandy is certain that the highlight of her summer will be avoiding the numerous lobster bakes around town. However, her prospects suddenly change when she meets Oliver, the grandson of the town's notorious eccentric, "Freaky" Framingham. Oliver is visiting from California with his mother and has an immediate interest in "Candy Cane," the lighthouse Mandy tends all summer long. Certain that Oliver's interest is geared only toward Candy Cane, Mandy is surprised and instantly open to Oliver's request that they work together on a float for one of the summer festivals. As they collaborate on the project at Freaky's house, Mandy and Oliver fall in love. Despite their concerns about Oliver's departure at the end of the summer, the two manage to grow closer and even accomplish a mission that winds up benefitting the whole town. The characters are almost saccharine, and their voices are a bit dated; adults are referred to as "grownups" and a bad movie as a "clunker." However, the romance is sweet, and the couple's shared mission is admirable. VERDICT This chaste romance will satisfy those looking to build their list of breezy summer beach reads for younger teens.-Lynn Rashid, Marriotts Ridge High School, Marriottsville, MD

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2015
Grades 9-12 Mandy is a Mainer through and through, right down to her love of blueberries and the local lighthouse. When her mother recruits her to volunteer at the lighthouse, and her best friend heads off to drama camp, Mandy is left solo, hoping she will meet a handsome visitor and get swept off her feet for the summer. When Oliver arrives, Mandy knows he is the one. Unfortunately, he is the grandson of local weirdo Freaky Framingham, and Mandy also feels like she can't be herself around Oliverbecause who would like the real Mandy? Dalton does a fine job of layering a summer beach-community romance with more substantial fare, such as Mandy's struggle to reveal her true self to her crush and the financial realities of operating a historic lighthouse. In the end, Mandy is entrusted with a secret that is worth keeping, and she is able to take stock of all that has happened to plan for the future. A romance with a heaping helping of personal development for readers, who are likely to become fans of all Dalton's Sixteenth Summer novels.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)