Summer in the Invisible City

by Juliana Romano

Seventeen-year-old Sadie Bell has this summer all figured out: She’s going to befriend the cool girls at her school. She’s going to bond with her absentee father, a famous artist, and impress him with her photography skills. And she’s finally going to get over Noah, the swoony older guy who was her very first mistake.

Sadie wasn’t counting on meeting Sam, a funny and free-thinking boy who makes her question all of her goals. But even after a summer of talking, touching, and sharing secrets, Sam says he just wants to be friends. And when those Sadie cares about most hurt her, Sam’s friendship may not be enough. Sadie can see the world through her camera, but can she see the people who have loved and supported her all along?

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Summer, Young Adult Romance

336 pages, Hardcover

First published June 21, 2016

About the author

Juliana was born in 1982 in New York, New York and grew up in Santa Monica, California. She received a B.A. from Wesleyan University in 2004 and an M.F.A. in Painting from U.C.L.A. in 2008. She currently lives and works in Los Angeles.

Reviews

[Kristin Hackett (Merrily Kristin) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally posted on Super Space Chick:

Summer in the Invisible City by Juliana Romano is a coming of age YA novel that takes place in New York City. I always love reading about my city through the eyes of other people so I’ve been eager to check this one out since I first heard about it. I also feel like the cover is an excellent representation of people who live in NYC (their clothes choices are spot on) and I love the outline of the skyline behind them. The novel follows Sadie, a teen taking a summer photography class, during the summer between her sophomore and junior years of high school. Sadie is at that pivotal point in her life when she over analyzes every situation and the circumstances that she’s faced with does not make it any easier for her to handle.

Sadie is a really interesting character to read from the perspective of. She’s not your typical strong female character but her summer experiences transform her. Sadie is vulnerable and desperate at times, especially when it comes to handling her less than perfect father. Allan is an “important” artist who Sadie has been looking up to her entire life. He’s the reason she became interested in photography and the reason she wants to attend art school for her college education. She’s spent years of her life trying to impress him but no matter what she does, he remains uninterested. It’s heartbreaking to read about their relationship because he is just such a disappointing person and it’s for reasons completely independent of Sadie. As if her father visiting NYC for the month weren’t enough, Sadie is also struggling with her social life. One of the “popular” girls is in her summer class and they begin to form a friendship but it seems to be coming at a cost to her relationship with her long time best friend Willa. Willa is probably my favorite character in the book. She’s so certain of herself at such a young age and you can tell how much she cares about Sadie. I only wish we had gotten more of an ending for her character. The there’s Sam and Noah but I won’t go into them because it’ll be more interesting to discover as you read (but I promise it’s not a love triangle!). It’s a combination of the relationships between people and the time period in Sadie’s life that this book takes place that make it special.

Final Thoughts: Summer in the Invisible City by Juliana Romano is an enjoyable coming of age story taking place is the greatest city in the world, New York (not that I’m biased or anything). It blurs the lines between fluffy beach read and raw contemporary, exploring the positive and negative relationships in Sadie’s life and how they’re altered throughout her summer as she figures out who she is. I would recommend this book to anyone who’s ever felt a little bit lost in their life and is looking for a character that displays a different type of strength in her own time.

[Laurence R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been interested by this book from the second I read its summary - it's the reason why I immediately bought it and started reading it, which almost never happens to me. I'd say that the three main reasons why I was so attracted to this novel were the city where it's set, NYC, the main character's passion, photography, and the romance aspect.

I was a bit disappointed about the setting of this novel, because I feel like it lacks descriptions. I couldn't imagine where the characters live and I really wish I could've, because I've never been to New York and it intrigues me a lot. Also, since Sadie's into photography, I feel like a book about her should have been a bit more focused on her surroundings and the little details around her.

On the other hand, I loved everything about photography. Passionate people really inspire me, so I love reading about them, whether they're real or not. Sadie is a character with a fantastic passion and I think that this book shows it really well. There are loads of descriptions about the photography process and her inspiration, which I loved. I'm not that much into taking pictures, but I am an artistic person and I can recognize beauty and inspiration, so I loved learning about such a passion.

The romance aspect of this novel isn't that big, but it's definitely cute. I love that Sam and Sadie appreciate each other for who they truly are, because it's something that doesn't seem that easy for Sadie. They've only known each other for a few days or weeks, but their chemistry is real and it's amazing.

There's one aspect of this novel that I hadn't really been expecting, or at least not in this proportion, and it's the one about finding yourself, I guess. For the biggest part of the story, Sadie idolizes people, from her classmates to her father, which leads to very bad decisions. As the story progresses, she starts realizing that everyone's pretty much the same, including her, which makes her feel a bit more confident, especially about photography. It's an interesting aspect, because I can definitely relate to that, and I think that a lot of people could as well.

The story didn't develop the way I expected it to, which I'm not sure if I liked, but overall, I'd recommend it.

[Eden]

Laaaaaaaame. I want my monies back. DNF ftw!

[Christina (Confessions of a Book Addict) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadie lives in Manhattan with her former ballerina turned yogi mom. She's got a best friend, Willa, but she wants to branch out a bit and spend time with the popular group of girls from her school. This summer that's all she has going on, that, and her photography course. Her father, whom she barely even knows, is a famous artist and he is coming back to New York City for a show. She plans on spending time with him and hopefully they will hit it off. This summer she also wants to get over her first crush, Noah, who simultaneously makes her feel some major regret as well as butterflies. However, one day she meets Sam, a boy who is very unlike the other NYC guys. At first they are just friends, but as time goes on, she starts to develop feelings for him. Can Sadie open herself up to this as well as all the new experiences this summer in the city? Juliana Romano's Summer in the Invisible City does a good job depicting a summer romance in the hot city, a girl trying to find her way, as well as the ups and downs of adolescence.
Read the rest of my review here:
http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...

[Estelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few quick thoughts: Juliana Romano is significantly underrated in the YA world. I loved her first book and this one was just as fantastic. I loved the strong single mother, the bluriness of intimacy, and the prose and visuals are lovely. I feel inspired.

[Angie]

The narrator reads VERY YOUNG. More like 12 instead of 17 and I just couldn't buy it.

[Abby · Rating 2 out of 5]

I honestly don't even know what to rate this.
Sadie is a 17 year old girl who loves photography. She cares way too much about being cool and popular. She struggles with her past fling with hottie mcboring. She tries to impress her big time asshole art dad. while kindling a very lousy romance with semi cute mcboring. I get it. this book was SUPPOSED to be about a girl finding herself and becoming the person who she wants. Realizing mistakes and moving on. A moving inspirational write. Instead, I got a whole lot of boring. The only two interesting characters were her best friend Willa and her art teacher. I genuinely liked them. Sadie came off desperate and angsty. Like she would blow up on people for no reason. I get it girl, you got dicked down by an asshole and your daddy is a jerk. But come on. She was so over the top. The love interest, I can't even remember his name, Seth? Sam? He had his moments but again, boring. I don't understand what made Sadie like him so much because I'm over here like "?????". It's funny, at one point Sadie it talking to Noah and thinking he's boring and missing Sam and their conversations Yet I never actually remember reading them have a good connecting moment. The dude was shut down. The book hinted at him having more of a backstory but we never find out. It was frustrating. I feel like Willa got jipped. Things felt unfinished. Guys, I hate giving bad reviews but the only thing this book made me feel was tired. I kept waiting for something to happen. like really happen

[Missolka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ну вот честно, я ожидала большего от этой книги.

[Katie · Rating 1 out of 5]

lame but an okay quick read

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!

SO. I was the biggest fan of Juliana Romano's First There Was Forever. After completing it and closing the book's spine, I wanted more. I then went onto Goodreads and saw that this pretty, Summer in the Invisible City, would be releasing. I COULDN'T WAIT to fall back into the world of Romano's contemporary romance writing, and I knew that these kinds of books only come around once in a lifetime. Two days ago, I picked up this book, hoping that it would be as good as it appeared to be, and I was not disappointed. This is absolutely the best book I've read this year (so far, at least, but it'll be difficult to beat). It's a book that's both light and easy to read (based on the fact that it is so addicting that you can even read it in the loudest setting possible without losing concentration), but dark and meaningful, as it focuses a lot on family, friendship, and love, in an absolute realistic manner. I absolutely feel as if this story was real, and that Sadie's character exists in New York City.



Summer in the Invisible City evidently takes place in New York City, where we have our kickass protagonist, Sadie, who is dealing with a bunch of conflicts in her life. For one, she has been in a state of heartbreak for a while after a guy named Noah took advantage of her while she thought that they had 'something.' Her father, a famous photographer, is also out of the picture, occasionally visiting Sadie, but the situation itself is quite awkward. She is also trying to fit in with the cooler kids at her school, and is attempting to decide what her future holds for her after high school. Things get more complicated when she meets Sam, who is from New Hampshire, and is beginning to learn about NYC life. However, he just states that he and Sadie are 'friends,' giving her mixed feelings as she sees something more in their relationship.

THE FEELS. THE EMOTIONS. THE LOVE. I am just so obsessed with the romance in this novel that I feel that I can tell you that I haven't seen anything like it. Romano just takes such a real approach to her writing that many other chick-lit writers should look to. Sam and Sadie just had that SPECIAL SOMETHING that I will never forget about. I'm obsessed!

Let's cut to the chase: there wasn't anything wrong with this book! IT WAS JUST AMAZING. I'm telling you that you must pick it up when you can; do not listen to the negative reviews.

[aysha ⟡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 estrellas.

No sabía que este libro me iba adejar pensando sobre demasiadas cosas, me gustó pero también había ciertas acciones tanto de la protagonista como de otros personajes que enserio no soportaba. Fue una lectura ligera y rapida.

Además tambien tiene como protagonista a Nueva York asi que me encantó eso.

[MK Trotta · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel was a really enjoyable, classic, coming of age story taking place in "the greatest city in the world" (sing like the Schuyler sisters in Hamilton) It's very much a combination of easy beachy read and a deep look at serious relationships in our lives. Sadie is at a point where she is struggling with who she is as a person and I was deeply invested in her life. I love that we get to see both the positive and negative relationships in Sadie's life and how those change during the summer. As expected, we get to see Sadie feel more comfortable with who she is as a person and I truly wish I could continue to see her grow past the end of the story. I would recommend this one to anyone who enjoys coming of age novels, non traditional romance novels, and for anyone who has ever felt lost in their passions and have found strength.

[Christie · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I thought that Juliana Romano’s second novel was a dud. After loving First There Was Forever, I really wanted to love her other work too. The first chapter blew me away, setting me up with high hopes for the rest of the novel. But then the pace changed. It lacked energy. Felt lethargic and boring. At times it felt stilted. In isolation, the first chapter almost feels like a different book. This book is lacking what Looking for Alibrandi has in spades; humour and energy. But this was deliberately done I think, a long set up, true to Romano’s poetic style. And in the last third of the book, the pay off was good.

The main character was such a dope I began to relate to the characters in the book who were frustrated with her. Sadie Bell isn’t as cool as Romano’s previous protagonist, Lima: “That sounds really fun, I’ll come, that sounds so great,” I blather, practically drooling with excitement.”
Lines like this made me want to just stop reading and pick something else up. But, I was determined, because I knew how talented this writer is. First there was Forever is one of my favourite books. Romano’s usual minimalistic style that was simple and poetic in her first book, gives the chapters no shape. Although she ends each chapter with a romantic flourish it begins to feel formulaic quickly. Then VOILA, the novel changes, (for me) at about CHAPTER 30. From here on in everything comes together like a beautifully wrapped present with a meaningful gift inside. And what turned a two star rating into a four was the strength of the last half of the novel. There all the characters became more real and three dimensional. I love that Romano demonstrates people’s real flaws and vulnerabilities, and that the bitchy girl isn’t just a evil nonredeemable witch. And parents have a past, and aren’t just cheesy embarrassing parental props to frustrate the MC.

And immediately I am back into the easy rhythm of devouring the book effortlessly just like when I read her last book. It’s a long set up, but Sadie finally finds her balls, and I find a character that I am interested in, wondering what she will do next. AND I GET IT. You couldn’t have a confident, self-assured narrator from the start, otherwise it would have been a completely different book about a girl who had to learn completely different lessons. And the pay off was good. It was nice to see her grow up it was just sad that it took 29 painfully bleh chapters to get there. But the beautiful observations of the sky are there: “my mom stretches her arms up to the sky and breathes in all that muggy summer air. The day has faded to dusk and the city lights glitter beneath the wide pale sky.” And there are many other really nice moments in this novel.

It would have been very easy to DNF this story. There was no essential questions unanswered that would motivate me to read on. Half-way through the novel and all I am wondering is; will she tell her dad that he is a dick, and will she get over Noah, will she and Sam hook up. And none of these are really burning as I am not even a huge fan of the love interest either. I will say that its nice that Romano has her characters wanting sex. Aching for it. Nice to have a horny teenage girl in a book that isn’t smutty or trashy or including sex scenes:
“I remember his kiss and my legs grow weak. If just kissing Sam felt that intense, what would it feel like if we went further? I try to fuse my memories of the things I did with Noah with my image of Sam. I want to picture Sam lying on top of me, holding my shoulders, pressing his forehead against mine. The idea of touching Sam like that makes me ache in a good way. I bite my lip to fight the feeling.”

All in all, happy I pushed through and am going to buy a physical copy once it’s released here in Australia. It can sit there, on my shelf, next to her other book.

Oh and also, learning a bit about photography doesn’t hurt much either.

[Jay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book monotonous, overly descriptive with poor character development and a plot too fast paced to really get into it. I get that the author was trying to paint imagery with some of her chosen scenes but everything was excessive. And very rushed. The whole book has a feeling of being overly developed with a lot of filler words to distract you. The characters are not well thought out, springing in left and right with no real purpose.

Every page I read felt really bland. It was like I was dragging my feet through the mud, or like it was this reallt cloudy and drabby day outside. That's what this book was like. Monotonous and bleh.

[Roxanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Goodreads win review. This is a really fun read about young love and friendship in New York City. I really enjoyed reading it.

[Shawna · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn! Is Juliana Romano ever going to write another novel?!? Because she may become an auto buy from me if/when she does.

I'm always in awe of writers who show the not-so fun side of adolescence: Sadie is literally romantsizing her abandonment issues (when she's doing-the-do with Noah, she laments on the beauty of his filling the hole in her heart due to her distant father, Allen), not getting the hint about staying with true friends who are in fact maturing in their own way (during one of their sleepovers, Sadie sees with a sneer that Willa hasn't changed her bedroom decor since childhood, meanwhile, Willa's able to be intimate with Miles in a way that Sadie never can: Willa lets Miles see her in pj's and eat junk food on the apartment stairs. Sadie instead hides behind what could be in memories that never happened). And don't get me started on her over enthusiastic response to Izzy's half-bday shindig. We've all been there (some more than others 🫤).

There's also the theme of romantsizing relationships.
-One sided "friendship" with Izzy and Phaedra. We see them not bothering to talk to Sadie beyond a party, photography class, and they'll literally walk the opposite way together and leave Sadie standing on the sidewalk.
*That scene where the three of them are walking down the street, and Sadie's all excited when Phaedra mentions plans, but then Izzy simply hails a cab and they jump in without looking back. Poor Sadie.
*But by the end, Sadie leaves them behind. When Izzy starts talking about how Sadie owes Phaedra an apology, Sadie realizes no, she doesn't. It's not a bitter "fuck you", it's a "I'm sorry that hurt you". She simply moves forward/begins hanging with Willa again.
-Putting Noah on a pedestal.
*I like that we open on not knowing what went down. But how giving someone her V card seemed to Sadie that they would always be connected. That's kind of what you'd expect from someone who lacks a lot of real connection. Sadie's also got an artist's soul (for better or worse). Meaning, it's never "just" to her. There's nuance to every convo.
*But by the end, Sadie finally realizes Noah had the ability to reach out; he didn't. And that one-sided "you only miss me when I don't want you" isn't worth waiting around for.
3.Daddy Issues
*Allen's kind of prick all the way through. But it makes sense that Sadie would want to know him. The flashbacks of his being at her events but not paying attention really break my heart.

Another interesting notion is that perhaps Allen is on Sadie's mom's hook. Come to find out, she's been the one asking him to hang with Sadie. And when he does, he seems disappointed that her mom's not there. We also get a play on the whole abandonment issue. Her mom was actually in love with an older man when she met Allen. She saw Allen as a rebound, and only when she became pregnant did she appreciate him. Notice I didn't say love. Sadie's been obsessed with the only HEA being romantic, meanwhile her feels like she got the best one: true familial love for Sadie. When Sadie goes "so, Allen was just, what, you're sperm donner?", her mom doesn't say yes or no. And at their strange family dinner, Allen seems intimidated by both his daughter and brief former lover. Perhaps that's where Sadie gets all her romantic notions from.

I didn't mention Sam too much, but I did like their interactions. You can tell it's the start of something great, but for me, the real strength of the story came from Sadie confronting the issues/people from her past.

God, I wonder if I'm too young to feel nostalgic about the "Willa and I walked the streets in don't-care-clothes and sipped Frappuccino's" and the sleepovers where you destroy the host's kitchen making the most nonsensical for the moment food (here, it's midnight pancakes). But I think not.

I need similar books, people. And before you ask, yes. I have in fact read Sara Dessen.

[Coco · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really thought this book was going to be a favourite of mine. But to be honest, it really wasn't... Again, I did not connect with the characters, or their relationships. I was never a fan of the way Sadie interacted with Izzy and Phaedra, the author did a good job of making it clear what you were supposed to feel but also letting the reader interpret on their own. I found the romance was a little lacking, there were 2 main guys and none of them really made me happy, like a good romance does. Also I found that there was a slight depression mood underlying the story. There was just never really a moment of ectasy or true happiness. The only bit of success was regarding photography (that was pretty good). The end was not bad, it was a neat way to finish the book but I did find it was kind of a "small" way of finishing it off and only covered a little of the surface. One thing I really did enjoy was the author's style of writing. Her wording was really great. The story was written with great metaphors, details and imagery.

[alltheprettypinkpages · Rating 3 out of 5]

I adore Manhattan. I couldn’t wait to read this book because I absolutely love New York City. It is one of my favorite places in the world. Growing up only a train ride away I was always spoiled to be able to visit one of the greatest cities out there. So when it comes to reading books about something I cherish of course you can sign me right up!

I could see a lot of real life reflecting from the pages of Summer in the Invisible City. It was an easy enjoyable read. Our protagonist Sadie was easily likable and relatable. Of course when you reading about things you know a lot about you will form your opinions and find discrepancies but this book is a work of fiction and the author Free to portray her New York City differently than mine!

I definitely want to read First there was Forever by Juliana Romano in the near future! So you can bet I will be putting it on my list to read. If you aren’t following already, find me on instagram! @AlltheprettypinkPages ���

[Sarah Palma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am surprised that this book has the rating it does. I loved the story about Sadie. I did find that what happens between her and Noah is not that big of a deal as the book started out to be. But I loved the relationship between her and Willa. I also strongly related to the relationship Sadie had with her mom. I feel like the author really captured the essence of the relationship between a mom and a teenager.

One thing that did confuse me was how the dad constantly was forgetting things... am I missing something ? The whole time I was waiting for an answer to that... that he had dementia or Alzheimer’s but nothing ever arose... I wish there was some clarity there. What was the point of having him forget the dates ? Just to show how little he cares about the daughter ? Idk it didn’t make that big of an impact on me. I was waiting for more.

I still loved the story but wish there was more interaction with Sadie and Sam!

[Mariah Bassett · Rating 2 out of 5]

I never heard of this book before I picked it up in the store. I was so excited to read it because it was about a photographer. (my dream) Also because I thought it was going to be an amazing adventure between a girl and boy through New York. (A place I've never been or know much about) A love story.
While this book is a love story.. That is not the main plot like it makes you think.. It's not really about a girl falling in love with a boy. Its about how her and her dad, and making new friends. Learning who you really are.
It's a good book if you go into knowing its not a main plot love story, other wise it's very disappointing. I kind of wish I hadn't spent money on it. Which is sad, you shouldn't have to say that about any book, ever.

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give this book 5 stars for writing, but only 2 for the story. This book had so many wonderful photography quotes, the author truly understood photography. But the book was lacking story wise. The characters were two dimensional. They had no personality, they all blended together. Where was the romance? She was the spark? We're told Sadie and Sam are interested in each other, but there is no chemistry between them. Frankly I don't care about them, their personalities fell flat, they had no qualities that made me root for them. I would not reccomend this book if you're interested in the story. However, if you're a photographer give it a read, if only for the beautiful quotes.

[Sofia · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was really bad, half the book was about her (the main character, I forgot her name because I don’t really care for the story and read it a while ago) photography class which was honestly so boring. 1/4 of the book was about her dad which again i didn’t really care for that whole story line, and then ending was really annoying. I read it about 5 months ago so I don’t really remember exactly what happened but I know I was really annoyed about the ending. I’m pretty sure sure she doesn’t end up with either of the guys and the one guy that she was more likely to end up with she said “nah, friends?” Or something like that.

Anyways point is this book was not all that great.

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book reminded me of my times in middle school and how it felt to find true friends (though I think this is something we go through no matter what our age is). Another aspect about this book that I like is Sadie's passion with photography. There were a few individuals in her life who didn't necessarily agree with her, but luckily the ones who did supported were the ones that mattered. If anyone is trying to get their life together and forgot how to focus on the important aspects I think this book will help you re-find it without seeming like it's a self-help book.

[Amélie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I FINALLY managed to finish this book. My God, I had a bad feeling about this one and I was right.

The main thing that kept bugging me was how dumb and impressionable the main character was. It was so frustrating and I just wanted to yell at her for being so stupid.

I didn’t feel any attachment to the characters. I honestly didn’t care what happened to them.

The writing style was also a little weird to me. I thought it was really, really simple, and I’m usually not that affected by an author’s writing style.

So yeah. I really don’t recommend this book.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't even get 100 pages in before putting it on my DNF shelf, the story sounded like it was going to be good. I just can't get over the main character wanting to see her dad when he obviously has other things he cares about more, and the fact that she can't just be happy being who she is. Instead she feels the need to try to fit in with this group of people from her school that she doesn't even know. All in all, it just couldn't hold my attention and I was annoyed with the main character on every page I read.

[rhiannon back · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really related to the character Sadie. the more I kept reading the more I found out about Sadie the more I see her in me. It was so good to read a book that I related so much too. I felt the characters feeling in bones.
This was realistic book about the truth of first times and crushes and friends and high school and being a teenager in general.

[Malika De Coninck · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great!! At first I was really wanting for the story to begin but once it did it was great! The mix between love story and every day life is well done! This book has expressed how I feel and have felt in so many ways I can’t explain! I would have given it five stars if it story would have begun stronger

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars
This was mostly a cover buy and I ended up liking the cover more than the book which was a bit disappointing. It was still a good read but I felt it lacked the sense of adventure and excitement I gathered from the cover.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadie wants to be accepted by everyone and loved by everyone. Has a specific view of what life should be but is very confused about it. Meets Sam and he gets her to see beyond the camera. But is still a teenager and does stupid things.