Summer Change

by Melissa Wray, Sarah Bacaller (Reader)

A secret. A holiday. A summer like never before. Shae knows her parents are keeping something from her and is determined to find out what. But nothing can prepare her for what they are hiding. 17-year-old Shae is learning that relationships, deception, secrets and love can sometimes blend together and change everything.  Shae and her family have a vacation of a lifetime planned, until it is cancelled unexpectedly. No warning. No explanation. Nothing. Instead, she is left to spend the summer holidays at her cousins. Shae knows her parents are keeping something from her and she’s determined to find out what. As Shae tries to uncover the mystery, she must also navigate the deteriorating relationship with her favorite cousin, Lexi, who’s been acting differently. To makes things more complicated, Shae meets Callen, the perplexing neighbor who manages to get under her skin every time she sees him. Then, Shae receives a mysterious letter. It includes a photograph of her father and another woman. An anonymous caller claims they sent it and have the answers Shae seeks.  But does Shae really want the truth? As Shae fights to keep her world the same, she soon realizes that some things are out of her control. It seems everybody she cares about is hiding something. But nothing can prepare her for the secret her parents are guarding. Shae’s world will never be the same again by summer’s end.

1 pages, Audio CD

Published June 24, 2025

About the author

Melissa is an Australian author who lives on the Bellarine Peninsula with her family. She enjoys beach walks and chasing sunsets. She has always loved reading and grew up near a cosy little library where she spent most of her younger years reading.

Melissa is passionate about education, in particular literacy, and believes the ability to read and write gives power to change. Her novels include The Lost Loot of Lima, Summer Change, The Ruby Locket and Destiny Road. Melissa’s writing has also won honourable mentions and featured in several anthologies.

Melissa has a strong sense of wonder and adventure. She loves to travel and has seen some incredible places including Cambodia, Egypt, Turkey and Africa. Melissa has also travelled closer to home and visited every Australian state. Her bucket list of places to explore is still long, both home and abroad! Melissa enjoys writing fiction with snippets of fact hidden within her work.

Melissa believes everyone should Dream Big … Read Often.


https://www.instagram.com/liss_wray/

https://www.facebook.com/DreamBigRead...

Reviews

[(Katie) Paperbacks · Rating 2 out of 5]

When a girl finds herself spending the summer with her cousins rather than spending it with her family, she tries to find out why she was left there and what's going on with her parents.

I enjoyed the plot as well as the main character. I really appreciated her courage to not bog down to peer pressure. Unfortunately the book didn't hold my attention as well as I thought it would. And there is a lot of references to teenage drama, drinking and smoking and romance. I wouldn't recommend it for younger teens. 2.5⭐

*Thank you to the author for a copy of this book to read, all thoughts are my own.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in Townsville, this YA contemporary novel is a little bit mystery, a little bit romance and a little bit family drama. Easy to read and depth of characters.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this young adult romance novel which tapped into many other issues affecting some young people. Adoption, marriage break-ups, assaults. Set in Townsville, Queensland.

[Sarah Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Summer coming of age novels- I just do!! And Melissa Wrays Summer Change is another to add to my favourites, especially because it's set in Aussie Townsville.

We follow teenage Shae who gets sent to live with her cousins for Summer. Her parents are being cagey and definitely hiding secrets - but that's not all that's on Shae's mind.

Her cousin Lexi has changed. She's acting cooler, dating a loser bad boy who smokes and also there's a mysterious boy who's moved in next door who keeps popping up.

Mel's descriptions are hilarious like a 'bikini like melted cheese'and I love the dynamics between the female cousins. Lexi is trying so hard to be cool with her sunglasses collection, boy obsession and smokes while Shae remains herself - make-up free, frizz hair and real.

I love the idea of the cousin's hanging out over Summer and meeting the bad boy next door. I would have been happy with just this! But Mel has added a little extra mystery - what exactly are Shae's parents hiding?

Set in such a beautiful fun place amongst waterfalls and snorkeling. Shae is an awesome teen. She's mature, level headed, not bullied into anything and she's her own person - what a role model! Love her!

Congratulations Melissa Wray on Summer Change! Love it!!

[Tracy Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer Change deals with many of the issues facing young adults - friendships and relationships, first love, drinking and violence, and family breakdown. Melissa Wray creates rich and complex characters and takes the reader on a journey of discovery to solve the mystery of Shea’s cancelled family holiday and her fears for what this might mean for her future. Set in Townsville, with a strong sense of place, the novel unravels unexpected clues with each chapter to help Shea in her search for the truth. With brisk pacing and clever, witty dialogue, this book is a very enjoyable and heartfelt read.

[Kristine Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer Change is a thought-provoking coming of age novel by Melissa Wray. Shae goes to stay with her cousins in Townsville and learns more about herself than she has ever known before.
Secrets, mysteries and revelations are woven through the storyline, leaving the reader eager to find out what happens next.

I found the characters really easy to relate to in this book, which made it such an enjoyable read. Shae is fun-loving and has high morals, but she is also lacking a bit of confidence. Lexi is more daring but in danger of being led astray by the wrong crowd. And Callen is very secretive about his past until he learns to trust others. The main characters are all very likeable because the reader gets to know them so well.

I would happily recommend this book to anyone aged 12 or older. It is a beautiful story, set in sunny Townsville, and I didn’t want it to end.

[olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

you can read my review at https://readingtime.com.au/summer-cha...