Thursday

20 Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Anna, Frankie and Matt (Frankie’s older brother) have been best friends since they can remember. They are next door neighbors, their parents are best friends and they do everything together. On Anna’s 15th birthday Matt kisses her - making Anna’s lifelong dream come true. Anna has been crushing on Matt since she started liking boys. After several weeks of secret rendezvous’ in their backyard and chaste kisses in the shadows, Matt tells Anna that he is waiting for the appropriate time to break the news of their budding love to Frankie and asks her to please not tell Frankie about them until he does. Due to unforseen circumstances, Matt dies and the secret is never told. A year after Matt’s death, Frankie’s parents decide that they should resume their yearly vacations at Zanzibar Bay on the west coast and invite Anna to go along. The girls see it as a vacation from their grief, a place where they can be whomever they want to be and won’t be seen as Matt’s sister or Matt’s best friend. They devise a plan the "20 Boy Summer". They have to meet 20 boys while on their 20 days of vacation - and make it the ABSE (absolute best summer ever) and hopefully the possible ditching of the A.A. - Anna's Albatross (a/k/a her virginity).

This was such a beautiful and poignant story about the powers of friendships, loss, summer romances, healing and believing in oneself. Once I started I could not put it down. The characters were so real - you can’t help but to laugh, cry, and eventually fall in love with them. Ms. Ockler wins you with her imagery and you long to be there laying out on the beach with the girls. I loved this and I highly recommend it.

20 Boy Summer will be on sale on June 1. My thanks to FSB Associates for providing me with a copy.

7 comments:

Vanessa Book ♥ Soulmates said...

Sounds like a great story line. I'll definitely go out and get it soon to read it.

PS Love all your reviews!

Jess said...

This sounds like a great book. What a beautiful cover -- thanks for the review.

Beth F said...

I may have to put this one on my radar. And I too love the cover.

Ana S. said...

Sounds just like my kind of book! Thanks for bringing it to my attention :)

ANovelMenagerie said...

I loved loved loved it too!

Great review.

Vanessa said...

I wish I had a copy! Sounds fun.

Unknown said...

Pssst... it was released early! I've received my pre-ordered copy from Amazon already, so you can find it on bookstore shelves as we type!

I haven't read my copy yet, but I can't wait to get to it!!

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