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Two Summers
Key Features Description One summer in the French countryside, among sun-kissed fields of lavender... Another summer in upstate New York, along familiar roads that lead to surprises... When Summer Everett makes a split-second decision, her summer divides into two parallel worlds. In one, she travels to France, where she's dreamed of a land of chocolate croissants, handsome boys, and art museums. In the other, she remains home, in her ordinary suburb, where she expects her ordinary life to continue but nothing is as it seems. In both summers, she will fall in love and discover new sides of herself. What may break her, though, is a terrible family secret, one she can't hide from anywhere. In the end, it might just be the truth she needs the most. One summer in the French countryside, among sun-kissed fields of lavender... Another summer in upstate New York, along familiar roads that lead to surprises... When Summer Everett makes a split-second decision, her summer divides into two parallel worlds. In one, she travels to France, where she's dreamed of a land of chocolate croissants, handsome boys, and art museums. In the other, she remains home, in her ordinary suburb, where she expects her ordinary life to continue but nothing is as it seems. In both summers, she will fall in love and discover new sides of herself. What may break her, though, is a terrible family secret, one she can't hide from anywhere. In the end, it might just be the truth she needs the most. Product Details Item #: NTS803571 9781338035711 Paperback Book 368 Young Adult 10 - 12 Lexile® 760L Guided Reading GR Level Z+ Two Summers Paperback Book 5.99 Out Of Stock Out Of Stock Email me when back in stock Top {{#if inStock}} {{#if isSubscribe}} {{button.label}} {{else}} {{button.label}} {{/if}} {{/if}} {{#if isOutofStock}} {{oosMessage}} {{#if isTSO}}
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368 pages, Unknown Binding
First published April 26, 2016
176 people are currently reading
4519 people want to read
About the author
Aimee Friedman
17 books872 followersAimee Friedman was born and raised in Queens, New York, in an apartment filled with books and different languages. She wrote her first story at the age of five, and was off and running from there. Aimee wrote all through her years as a student at the Bronx High School of Science and then Vassar College. After graduating from college in 2001, she became a children's book editor, a job she still does, and loves, to this day! Aimee published her first novel, the New York Times bestseller, South Beach, in 2005, and is now the author of several novels for young adults, the latest being Two Summers. Aimee lives in New York City, where she can usually be found writing in cafes, window-shopping, or searching for the perfect iced latte.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 538 reviews
February 7, 2017
i thought it would be like a premonition and summer would get to choose from two options. but its more like two 'what ifs'. two separate stories. i did read them separately cause i did want to know how each one got unfolded and didn't preferred the mix up. its suppose to be like two parallel universe. lots of teen drama. but i did like the fact that at end of each story summer came out as stronger person and more opening to change.
July 7, 2016
Two Summers is a clever contemporary that asks the big ‘what if?’ question. It’s about what different scenarios could happen from one split-second decision. When we meet Summer Everett, she’s at the airport, ready to board a plane to France to spend the summer with her dad. But then she gets a phone call and from that point on, the book splits between the two scenarios that could occur: the one in which she picks up the phone, and the one in which she ignores it and boards the plane. So Summer’s summer is literally split into two, and we get to read what could happen throughout each of them.
In France, Summer has to live with Vivienne and her daughter Eloise, who are living at her father’s house. She also gets to meet Jacque, the gorgeous French guy of her dreams. Meanwhile back at home, Summer enrols on her aunt’s photography course and ends up finally getting to know her long-time crush, Hugh Tyson, who is an absolute sweetheart.
Despite two different love interests in the two separate summers, romance isn’t the main focus of this book, which was a pleasant surprise and extremely refreshing! This story dealt a lot with Summer’s changing relationship with her best friend Ruby, who had made her summer plans based around the fact that Summer wouldn’t be at home. It shows how friends who have been so close for so long sometimes need to take a step back to truly appreciate what they have.
Another main focus of this story is family. Summer learns some things about her parents’ split that she previously had no clue about, and I loved how the book showed Summer learning how deal with that. Her relationship with her mother and her aunt was touching, and I loved the scenes between them.
Summer was a really fun character and I loved her narration of the story, especially when she got nervous in front of Hugh. I also have to mention how much I adored Hugh himself. He was so shy! I love shy guys in YA, there really aren’t enough of them. It was sweet to see the two of them finally work through their nerves and get to know each other properly.
Another thing I loved about this book was Summer discovering her passion for photography. As someone who is rarely apart from her own camera, I adored how Summer learned that she had her own style when it came to taking pictures, and that this could be more than just a hobby for her.
Two Summers really is a perfect summer read. With gorgeous settings and glorious characters, it’s a cute contemporary that will definitely leave you with a smile on your face!
In France, Summer has to live with Vivienne and her daughter Eloise, who are living at her father’s house. She also gets to meet Jacque, the gorgeous French guy of her dreams. Meanwhile back at home, Summer enrols on her aunt’s photography course and ends up finally getting to know her long-time crush, Hugh Tyson, who is an absolute sweetheart.
Despite two different love interests in the two separate summers, romance isn’t the main focus of this book, which was a pleasant surprise and extremely refreshing! This story dealt a lot with Summer’s changing relationship with her best friend Ruby, who had made her summer plans based around the fact that Summer wouldn’t be at home. It shows how friends who have been so close for so long sometimes need to take a step back to truly appreciate what they have.
Another main focus of this story is family. Summer learns some things about her parents’ split that she previously had no clue about, and I loved how the book showed Summer learning how deal with that. Her relationship with her mother and her aunt was touching, and I loved the scenes between them.
Summer was a really fun character and I loved her narration of the story, especially when she got nervous in front of Hugh. I also have to mention how much I adored Hugh himself. He was so shy! I love shy guys in YA, there really aren’t enough of them. It was sweet to see the two of them finally work through their nerves and get to know each other properly.
Another thing I loved about this book was Summer discovering her passion for photography. As someone who is rarely apart from her own camera, I adored how Summer learned that she had her own style when it came to taking pictures, and that this could be more than just a hobby for her.
Two Summers really is a perfect summer read. With gorgeous settings and glorious characters, it’s a cute contemporary that will definitely leave you with a smile on your face!
October 24, 2022
This book is cute--I know I would have loved this a whole lot more, had I read it in middle or high school.
April 26, 2016
What if....??
Aimee Friedman tackles this question in TWO SUMMERS.
What if... I had read this novel when I was thirteen? I would have loved it. I would have felt that ache to be kissed for the very first time, to have a boyfriend, and also so nervous and shy. I would have identified with the turbulent friendship with my best friend and the need to have space, yet also that fear of losing her for good. (Summer's best friend, Ruby starts hanging out with someone Summer doesn't like.) I would have identified with the betrayals and anger and confusion that comes from having divorced parents. I would have wondered about the secrets MY parents were keeping from me. I know I would have identified with the anger and betrayal I felt toward my father (misguided and mislead—but only as an adult could I understand that). My thirteen-year-old self would have loved to have lived out two different scenarios of the same summer. Thinking back, because of my family life, I wondered A LOT about living another life. I spent many hours wondering about "other" possibilities. And I'm so glad that Summer was able to play those out. I was terribly shy (I know, for those who know me now, that would seem so hard to believe), but it's true. And high school was the time that I began to emerge, to find my voice.
For me, high school was a time of parental heartbreak, turbulent friendships, discovering boys, boyfriends, and oh those kisses.
Reading TWO SUMMERS was an experience of traveling back in time to those messy, emotional, swoony high school years filled with friendship and angst, heartbreak and hope and tons of family drama. Aimee absolutely nailed it! It was definitely a trip back in time, one I'm thrilled to be able to appreciate now through adult eyes!
What if I had TWO SUMMERS when I was a teen? Yes, I know I would have loved it. And I most definitely would have felt that somewhere in the world there was an author who understood all those churning parts of me. I would have wanted to write to her to say, "Thank you, Aimee, for understanding."
Congrats, Aimee, for a fabulous summer read!
Aimee Friedman tackles this question in TWO SUMMERS.
What if... I had read this novel when I was thirteen? I would have loved it. I would have felt that ache to be kissed for the very first time, to have a boyfriend, and also so nervous and shy. I would have identified with the turbulent friendship with my best friend and the need to have space, yet also that fear of losing her for good. (Summer's best friend, Ruby starts hanging out with someone Summer doesn't like.) I would have identified with the betrayals and anger and confusion that comes from having divorced parents. I would have wondered about the secrets MY parents were keeping from me. I know I would have identified with the anger and betrayal I felt toward my father (misguided and mislead—but only as an adult could I understand that). My thirteen-year-old self would have loved to have lived out two different scenarios of the same summer. Thinking back, because of my family life, I wondered A LOT about living another life. I spent many hours wondering about "other" possibilities. And I'm so glad that Summer was able to play those out. I was terribly shy (I know, for those who know me now, that would seem so hard to believe), but it's true. And high school was the time that I began to emerge, to find my voice.
For me, high school was a time of parental heartbreak, turbulent friendships, discovering boys, boyfriends, and oh those kisses.
Reading TWO SUMMERS was an experience of traveling back in time to those messy, emotional, swoony high school years filled with friendship and angst, heartbreak and hope and tons of family drama. Aimee absolutely nailed it! It was definitely a trip back in time, one I'm thrilled to be able to appreciate now through adult eyes!
What if I had TWO SUMMERS when I was a teen? Yes, I know I would have loved it. And I most definitely would have felt that somewhere in the world there was an author who understood all those churning parts of me. I would have wanted to write to her to say, "Thank you, Aimee, for understanding."
Congrats, Aimee, for a fabulous summer read!
October 27, 2017
Two Summers is a light yet captivating read. It not a bad choice to pack this for your holidays or as your beach read. Summer will transport the readers through both of her adventures, and everyone will obviously have a penchant for one more than the other. Throughout the book, my heart was balancing, contemplating the question of whether Summer should've answered the phone or not. But in the end, which didn't come to a great surprise to me, I wanted for Summer to experience France. If you're an eternal romantic, Aimee Friedman will paint the Province so beautifully, with its smells (yummy pain au chocolat), vibrant colours and charm that it will be difficult to resist. Next to Charme à la Parisienne, Hudsonville sure does sounds bland but Summer will grow through her photography course and discover a whole new side of herself. Whether or not you want Summer to pick up the phone, throughout both Summers you'll witness her heartaches, and how she comes out stronger at the other side. Aimee Friedman manages to throw a little suspense in her book, even though you can guess the 'secret' pretty easily from the moment Summer knocks at the door of her Dad's provincial house. All in all, I say grab Two Summers sit under a tree or at the beach and enjoy your book!
October 5, 2017
Книга делится, можно сказать, на чередующиеся «главы», в которых героиня проводит свое лето по-разному. В одной главе она во Франции, в другой – осталась дома. Т.е. автор предоставляет читателю возможность выбрать тот вариант истории, написанной им, который ему больше по душе.
Читается легко, и, так как повествование очень оригинальное (впервые встречаю нечто подобной в «реалистик-фикшн»), я не могла оторваться.
«Two Summers» - книга о семье; дружбе; любви; доверии; предательстве; искусстве; о том, что перемены, хоть и пугают, неизбежны, и зачастую они к лучшему и ненужно их бояться.
Персонажи мне очень понравились, их в произведении немало, но автору, по большей части, хоть и очень субъективно (глазами героини), удалось передать их индивидуальность. Мне понравилось, как, после того, как героиня узнавала их поближе, они менялись и становились совсем другими людьми, потому что когда смотришь на людей со стороны, ты не всегда можешь быть уверен, что воспринимаешь их правильно, но чем лучше ты их узнаешь, тем больше у тебя шансов на правильное восприятие.
Герои – школьники, 15-16-летние ребята, они ведут себя соответствующе, но при этом достаточно логично и нераздражающе, что мне тоже очень понравилось.
Книга из-за своей необычной структуры очень оригинальна. Я практически в восторге. Прочитала на одном дыхании. Сначала, конечно, растерялась – как это, реализм, а два варианта развития событий. Но идея правда очень интересная. Как будто автор не решила, о чем писать, и взяла оба вариант. Очень забавно и стильно.
Я бы «подпустила» в книгу больше атмосферности… А то о Париже было так мало сказано, что как будто героиня никуда и не летала (как во втором варианте развития событий). Но я понимаю, что эта книга скорее не о путешествиях, а о жизни… Так что могу понять, почему атмосферы Европы было мало: автору и так пришлось в одну книгу уместить сразу две.
В общем, я вполне довольна. Для летнего чтения и отдыха – идеально.
Читается легко, и, так как повествование очень оригинальное (впервые встречаю нечто подобной в «реалистик-фикшн»), я не могла оторваться.
«Two Summers» - книга о семье; дружбе; любви; доверии; предательстве; искусстве; о том, что перемены, хоть и пугают, неизбежны, и зачастую они к лучшему и ненужно их бояться.
Персонажи мне очень понравились, их в произведении немало, но автору, по большей части, хоть и очень субъективно (глазами героини), удалось передать их индивидуальность. Мне понравилось, как, после того, как героиня узнавала их поближе, они менялись и становились совсем другими людьми, потому что когда смотришь на людей со стороны, ты не всегда можешь быть уверен, что воспринимаешь их правильно, но чем лучше ты их узнаешь, тем больше у тебя шансов на правильное восприятие.
Герои – школьники, 15-16-летние ребята, они ведут себя соответствующе, но при этом достаточно логично и нераздражающе, что мне тоже очень понравилось.
Книга из-за своей необычной структуры очень оригинальна. Я практически в восторге. Прочитала на одном дыхании. Сначала, конечно, растерялась – как это, реализм, а два варианта развития событий. Но идея правда очень интересная. Как будто автор не решила, о чем писать, и взяла оба вариант. Очень забавно и стильно.
Я бы «подпустила» в книгу больше атмосферности… А то о Париже было так мало сказано, что как будто героиня никуда и не летала (как во втором варианте развития событий). Но я понимаю, что эта книга скорее не о путешествиях, а о жизни… Так что могу понять, почему атмосферы Европы было мало: автору и так пришлось в одну книгу уместить сразу две.
В общем, я вполне довольна. Для летнего чтения и отдыха – идеально.
April 9, 2016
I'm am super proud for finishing this book in two days but then mad I can read that fast also for the book being real good:) I bought this book at my school book fair and was just filled with excitement because I really enjoy my school books fair if u don't I suggest u start to like them because half price books!!! So I really enjoyed it this was my first Aimee Friedman book and her writing is phenomenal the way she described Paris and New York the two main settings in this book made me feel like I was actually there with the main character her name is "Summer" and just going back and forth was a good change in the book:) this book also had photography in it and that was a wonderful asset to fit this character just because of her personality also I really enjoy taking pictures so me and Summer have something in common and also wanting to go to Paris also New York but she already did that;) anyway listen book luvs pick up this book if u have not read it yet just to read it u know Laters:)
July 11, 2022
TWO SUMMERS is an INTERESTING and UNIQUE novel giving you the question: what if? I enjoyed this book! This book made you THINK and LEARN, which is a perfect book for all ages! When Summer Everett makes a spilt-second decision when her phone rings in the airport whether to head to France to see her Dad, or answer the call. Her summer is then divided into two parallel worlds. In one, she goes to France, where she dreamed of going. In the other, she remains home, in her ordinary suburb, where she expects her ordinary life to go the same. In both summers, she will fall in love and discover herself. What may break her is a terrible family secret, one she can’t hide from. In the end, it might just be the truth she needs the most. A book that teaches you about honesty, love, friendships, and most important, family. A great read!
March 1, 2017
This is another oh look my so called "best friend" is a back stabbing b**ch. I'm getting so tired of that crap. Plus her father is a LOSER too. The one redeeming quality of this story is that . If it wasn't for that this would have gotten a 1.
July 25, 2016
So this didn't really work for me. It had a fantastic premise and I love books that split off into two diverging plots (Pivot Point by Kasie West is amazing) but here there was literally no point to the two plots because they all seemed to end up in the same place, with the same results?
I was just bored. I didn't want to pick the book back up and Summer was a very immature 15-year-old.
I was just bored. I didn't want to pick the book back up and Summer was a very immature 15-year-old.
September 25, 2016
4.5 stars
review coming soon
review coming soon
September 28, 2023
must everyone in ya books be a cheater. my goodness
March 27, 2017
This review was originally posted on Andi's ABCs
I'm a parallel life book fanatic. I mean they have to be some of my favorite topics in the YA genre. I love the possibility of seeing the what-ifs because even if we don't admit it we all sometimes think 'what-if I decided to ____ instead of ____’. It's human nature to wonder so as a reader seeing these outcomes enthralls me. Which brings me to Two Summers, a book by Aimee Friedman that I happened to have fall into my lap by chance, and a book that added even more flame to my love of all things parallel life.
Two Summers is about Summer, a girl on her way to France to spend the summer with her father and leave her small town in New York behind her. When Summer is about to board the plane she receives a phone call that splits in life in two. In one world she stays in her home town and in the other she flys to France as planned. As Summer navigates her life in both settings she is faced with some realities she didn't expect and a secret that is destined to be exposed no matter the what-ifs.
Action
The thing about parallel life books is they can go epically bad if the author is not careful. One small thing that goes unnoticed can lead to confusion and the reader not able to follow what is happening. Aimee Friedman made sure that was not the case with Two Summers. There was something that she need that made both lives separate and on their own but she wove a thread through them that still made them connected in a subtle but important way. I never once felt like I was taken out of the story when the life changed and it all flowed really seamlessly which is huge when writing this kind of book. Bravo to Aimee for nailing it. Also I love the almost double meaning of the title. I found that a really clever play on words and meanings.
Backdrop
Well half the book takes place in France so um yeah, total winner right there in terms of backdrop. You can't really miss when you have France as a guest star. Between the food (I'm looking at you Aimee for my new found love again of Pain au Chocolat), museums, artistry and descriptions I was completely in love with this setting. And I admit, I kind of loved Summer's hometown too. It was one of those small quaint places where Summer had lived her whole life but one summer changed everything for her. Instead of living in the bubble she found herself in she found places she never knew existed and opened her eyes to the possibility of more. (Side note: the use of the camera in both lives was genius to get all of this across.)
Characters
Truthfully, this book didn't get 5 stars because of Summer. I actually really liked her, but she read a little old for 16 and because of that I personally couldn't give it all the stars. If it wasn't mentioned that she was turning 16 I would have thought her to be 18. That aside, I did love the changes and growth of the character in both stories. She had a lot come to light in a short period of time but I really liked the way she handled things. I also really loved the romance aspect. It's hard with a parallel because you can sometimes love boy boys. But for me I had a favorite from the beginning. What I didn't like was Summer's BFF Ruby. I got what she was saying. I understood her point, but I did not like how she did what she did. That to me was not cool. But all in all the characters in both France and New York really drove the story.
Final Thoughts
If you are a fan of Lauren Miller's book Parallel, you will love Two Summers. That's what I can compare it to and if you know me you know that is huge as I am a big fan of Lauren Miller. Two Summers was just really smartly done. I didn't have any questions at the end. I didn't question which timeline was the 'real' timeline. Honestly I didn't want to know. And the epilogue, yes, the epilogue, tied every part of the story together in the best of ways. It was the perfecting ending for a parallel life book. Basically read it. You won't be disappointed.
I'm a parallel life book fanatic. I mean they have to be some of my favorite topics in the YA genre. I love the possibility of seeing the what-ifs because even if we don't admit it we all sometimes think 'what-if I decided to ____ instead of ____’. It's human nature to wonder so as a reader seeing these outcomes enthralls me. Which brings me to Two Summers, a book by Aimee Friedman that I happened to have fall into my lap by chance, and a book that added even more flame to my love of all things parallel life.
Two Summers is about Summer, a girl on her way to France to spend the summer with her father and leave her small town in New York behind her. When Summer is about to board the plane she receives a phone call that splits in life in two. In one world she stays in her home town and in the other she flys to France as planned. As Summer navigates her life in both settings she is faced with some realities she didn't expect and a secret that is destined to be exposed no matter the what-ifs.
Action
The thing about parallel life books is they can go epically bad if the author is not careful. One small thing that goes unnoticed can lead to confusion and the reader not able to follow what is happening. Aimee Friedman made sure that was not the case with Two Summers. There was something that she need that made both lives separate and on their own but she wove a thread through them that still made them connected in a subtle but important way. I never once felt like I was taken out of the story when the life changed and it all flowed really seamlessly which is huge when writing this kind of book. Bravo to Aimee for nailing it. Also I love the almost double meaning of the title. I found that a really clever play on words and meanings.
Backdrop
Well half the book takes place in France so um yeah, total winner right there in terms of backdrop. You can't really miss when you have France as a guest star. Between the food (I'm looking at you Aimee for my new found love again of Pain au Chocolat), museums, artistry and descriptions I was completely in love with this setting. And I admit, I kind of loved Summer's hometown too. It was one of those small quaint places where Summer had lived her whole life but one summer changed everything for her. Instead of living in the bubble she found herself in she found places she never knew existed and opened her eyes to the possibility of more. (Side note: the use of the camera in both lives was genius to get all of this across.)
Characters
Truthfully, this book didn't get 5 stars because of Summer. I actually really liked her, but she read a little old for 16 and because of that I personally couldn't give it all the stars. If it wasn't mentioned that she was turning 16 I would have thought her to be 18. That aside, I did love the changes and growth of the character in both stories. She had a lot come to light in a short period of time but I really liked the way she handled things. I also really loved the romance aspect. It's hard with a parallel because you can sometimes love boy boys. But for me I had a favorite from the beginning. What I didn't like was Summer's BFF Ruby. I got what she was saying. I understood her point, but I did not like how she did what she did. That to me was not cool. But all in all the characters in both France and New York really drove the story.
Final Thoughts
If you are a fan of Lauren Miller's book Parallel, you will love Two Summers. That's what I can compare it to and if you know me you know that is huge as I am a big fan of Lauren Miller. Two Summers was just really smartly done. I didn't have any questions at the end. I didn't question which timeline was the 'real' timeline. Honestly I didn't want to know. And the epilogue, yes, the epilogue, tied every part of the story together in the best of ways. It was the perfecting ending for a parallel life book. Basically read it. You won't be disappointed.
May 23, 2018
* 3.5/5*
What if ?
Two Summers takes this question under account.
Summer is given a change to meet her father, who she hasn't seen in along time, who lives in France.
But before she boards her flight an Unknown Caller calls her phone, in that moment Summer must decide to answer or ignore the caller.
Her life is split in two parallel worlds, the after maths of if she answers the phone and if she doesn't.
THE WRITING
The writing structure at times confused me. I was confused with whether she was in France or her home town Hudsonville, but after a few sentences I understood. The writing and how the author explains the scenery feels like it's right in-front of you, like you're with them at the time I absolutely adored Aimee's writing skills.
THE CHARACTERS
Summer at first is not ready to change things about her life , but later on she progresses into a courageous main character who doesn't shy away and is ready to change.
Jacques felt rather shallow to me I wanted to know more about him, I wanted to get to know him more. Sure he was cute at first but later on he felt rather fake and he didn't seem genuine. Personally, I'd rather him be with Eloise than Summer.
Ruby wasn't what I'd expected her to be, all the talk about her friendship with Summer yet little evidence, but she did have a right to not spend as much time with her, though it would've been better for both of them if she addressed it earlier rather than later. Overall though she was a good friend with good intentions.
Eloise kept me curious, especially with the way she treated Summer. I wanted to know why, she kept me reading to find out. She was a well written character, and her backstory was interesting. I felt sorry for her, and Summer, especially since she had to keep her life a secret. I wish we got to see more of her, since her true self is only revealed at the very end. What surprises me is that I find her to be my favourite character, even though she treated Summer badly, she had her injuries too.
Overall the story was well written, but if dates at time confuse you, like me, than you might not know where they are at the time, in France or her home town Hudsonville, most characters were well written, the scenic sights were beautifully written and the pacing was nicely done, it didn't feel like it was going to fast or slow, the plot and idea were well delivered.
What if ?
Two Summers takes this question under account.
Summer is given a change to meet her father, who she hasn't seen in along time, who lives in France.
But before she boards her flight an Unknown Caller calls her phone, in that moment Summer must decide to answer or ignore the caller.
Her life is split in two parallel worlds, the after maths of if she answers the phone and if she doesn't.
THE WRITING
The writing structure at times confused me. I was confused with whether she was in France or her home town Hudsonville, but after a few sentences I understood. The writing and how the author explains the scenery feels like it's right in-front of you, like you're with them at the time I absolutely adored Aimee's writing skills.
THE CHARACTERS
Summer at first is not ready to change things about her life , but later on she progresses into a courageous main character who doesn't shy away and is ready to change.
Jacques felt rather shallow to me I wanted to know more about him, I wanted to get to know him more. Sure he was cute at first but later on he felt rather fake and he didn't seem genuine. Personally, I'd rather him be with Eloise than Summer.
Ruby wasn't what I'd expected her to be, all the talk about her friendship with Summer yet little evidence, but she did have a right to not spend as much time with her, though it would've been better for both of them if she addressed it earlier rather than later. Overall though she was a good friend with good intentions.
Eloise kept me curious, especially with the way she treated Summer. I wanted to know why, she kept me reading to find out. She was a well written character, and her backstory was interesting. I felt sorry for her, and Summer, especially since she had to keep her life a secret. I wish we got to see more of her, since her true self is only revealed at the very end. What surprises me is that I find her to be my favourite character, even though she treated Summer badly, she had her injuries too.
Overall the story was well written, but if dates at time confuse you, like me, than you might not know where they are at the time, in France or her home town Hudsonville, most characters were well written, the scenic sights were beautifully written and the pacing was nicely done, it didn't feel like it was going to fast or slow, the plot and idea were well delivered.
June 6, 2016
This probably doesn't deserve the 3 stars I'm giving it. This two summers idea didn't really work. The author should have picked one and really fleshed it out. On the flip side, it was a fast and easy read.
July 15, 2018
https://snowyy13.wordpress.com/2018/0...
Zweimal Sommer zum Verlieben wirft eine ganz interessante Frage auf: Was wäre wenn? Was wäre wenn ich diese Entscheidung treffe? Was wäre wenn ich nicht immer alles einstecken würde? Ich glaube diese Was-wäre-wenn Theorie hat mich das ganze Buch lang auch außerhalb der Seiten begleitet. Und Bücher die einen zum grübeln anstiften, sind immer die besten.
Geplant ist, dass Summer ihren Sommer in der Provence Frankreichs verbringt bei ihrem Vater. Aber anscheinend scheinen sich die Geister zu streiten, denn bevor sie das Flugzeug betreten kann, bekommt sie einen unbekannten Anruf. Und genau da fängt die Geschichte an. Einmal wird die Version erzählt, wo sie den Anruf ignoriert und ins Flugzeug steigt um nach Frankreich zu fliegen, und dann wo sie ihn doch entgegen nimmt und ihr Vater den ganzen Besuch abbläst, weil er derweil in Berlin ist.
Die Kultur und die Kulisse in Frankreich fand ich sehr schön beschrieben. Bei mir sind tatsächlich auch eigene französische Phrasen hängen geblieben. Summer wird also ins kalte Wasser geworfen, sobald sie am Flughafen ankommt. Immerhin kennt sie die Adresse des sogenannten Malerhauses in dem ihr Vater seine Sommer verbringt. Dort lernt sie die Künstlerin Vivienne und ihre Tochter Eloise kennen, die ziemlich widerspenstig ist. Und ab da beginnt das erste „Was-wäre-Wenn“ Szenario. Ein Sommer in Frankreich und in Aussicht vielleicht jemand in den sie sich verliebt.
Gut gefallen hat mir auch Hudsonville, eine Vorstadt von New York, wo Summer lebt zusammen mit ihrer Mutter. Mit einem Fotokurs, welches ihre Tante Lydia leitet, überbrückt sie den Sommer und auch den Stich in ihrem Herzen, dass ihr Vater sie hängen lassen hat. Sowie auch ihre beste Freundin Ruby die sich weiter von ihr distanziert und mit Leuten abhängt, die eigentlich nie freundlich zu den beiden waren, dafür auch beliebt. So überbrückt Summer ihre Einsamkeit und investiert ihre Zeit für ihr Talent: Fotos machen, was in beiden Szenarien sehr wichtig war. Ihre Liebe zu der Kunst des Fotosmachens und ihre Leidenschaft. Und vielleicht, vielleicht auch nicht, kommt sie ihrem Long-Time-Crush Hugh Tyson endlich näher, der ebenfalls Teilnehmer dieses Kurs ist.
Zu aller erst muss ich sagen, wie toll ich die Parallelen fand. Nicht nur in Hudsonville, sondern auch in Frankreich scheinen sich Ruby und Summer sich zu verlieren, als würde dicke Luft zwischen ihnen herrschen. Aber auch wie sie ihren Geburtstag jeweils verbringt und er in beiden Versionen wegen dem Familiengeheimnis ins Wasser fällt. Aber zu dem gleich. Ich mochte die Beziehung zwischen Summer und ihrer Tante sehr gerne. Es war herzlich, ehrlich und unterstützend. Genau dasselbe galt für ihre Mutter. In beiden Versionen entwickelte sich Summer und sprang über ihren Schatten. Sei es für ihre Meinung gerade zu stehen und nicht alles hinzunehmen, oder den ersten Schritt zu machen. Nicht ständig abgebrüht zu sein, nur in der Hoffnung, dass sie als cool wahrgenommen werden würde. In diesem Sommer hat sie wirklich eine Entwicklung hingelegt. Sie hat sich selber gesehen und nicht mehr versucht sich zu verstecken.
Aber ja, mein kleines Manko, was ich etwas schräg fand. Um nicht zu erzählen was sich hinter dem Geheimnis birgt, erkläre ich lieber drum herum, was mir nicht so gefallen hat. Es ist ein sehr schwerwiegendes Thema, dass sich Summers Leben lang erstreckt und ich fand es nicht in Ordnung wie damit umgegangen würde. Als könnte man es durch ein paar Tage zusammen wieder gut machen, obwohl Summer seit klein auf an der Nase entlang geführt wurde. Das zu diesem Thema.
Ansonsten war die Handlung ziemlich gut zu verfolgen. Die Abschnitte, oder eher gesagt die Versionen haben mehrmals im Buch getauscht, so dass man den selben Zeitraum einmal in Frankreich und einmal in Hudsonville mitverfolgt hat. Die Selbstfindung die stattgefunden hatte, brachte mich dazu, Summer sehr zu mögen. Statt weiterhin wie eine Schachfigur hin und her geschoben zu werden, wurde sie irgendwann selber zu ihrem Fels in der Brandung. Aber auch das sie sich in beiden Versionen jeweils etwas verknallt hatte, war niedlich.
Der Schreibstil war locker und leicht zu lesen. Die Kultur wurde berücksichtigt, in der Version als sie in Frankreich war, gab es öfters Phrasen auch auf französisch, so dass ich sogar als Leser etwas gelernt habe.
Das Ende war relativ offen, da man nicht so ganz wusste, welche Version wirklich passiert ist. Aber das schöne daran ist, es bleibt dem Leser offen, für welche er sich entscheidet. Und mir hat die aus Hudsonville besser gefallen.
Fazit:
Das Buch hat mir gut gefallen. Auch wenn ich ein Manko hatte, dass ich nicht so leicht abtun hätte können wie die Hauptprotagonistin Summer, hat es mir dennoch Spaß gemacht dieses Buch zu lesen. Die Szenarien mit dem Was wäre Wenn waren ziemlich interessant. Mit anzusehen, wie ihr Sommer in Frankreich und zuhause in Hudsonville verlaufen hätten mit den vielen Parallelen und Unterschieden war unglaublich faszinierend. Zu dem, dass man am Ende sozusagen selber die Entscheidungsmacht hat zu glauben, was wirklich passiert ist. Also ich gehöre zu Team Hudsonville!
3 von 5 Sternen!
Zweimal Sommer zum Verlieben wirft eine ganz interessante Frage auf: Was wäre wenn? Was wäre wenn ich diese Entscheidung treffe? Was wäre wenn ich nicht immer alles einstecken würde? Ich glaube diese Was-wäre-wenn Theorie hat mich das ganze Buch lang auch außerhalb der Seiten begleitet. Und Bücher die einen zum grübeln anstiften, sind immer die besten.
Geplant ist, dass Summer ihren Sommer in der Provence Frankreichs verbringt bei ihrem Vater. Aber anscheinend scheinen sich die Geister zu streiten, denn bevor sie das Flugzeug betreten kann, bekommt sie einen unbekannten Anruf. Und genau da fängt die Geschichte an. Einmal wird die Version erzählt, wo sie den Anruf ignoriert und ins Flugzeug steigt um nach Frankreich zu fliegen, und dann wo sie ihn doch entgegen nimmt und ihr Vater den ganzen Besuch abbläst, weil er derweil in Berlin ist.
Die Kultur und die Kulisse in Frankreich fand ich sehr schön beschrieben. Bei mir sind tatsächlich auch eigene französische Phrasen hängen geblieben. Summer wird also ins kalte Wasser geworfen, sobald sie am Flughafen ankommt. Immerhin kennt sie die Adresse des sogenannten Malerhauses in dem ihr Vater seine Sommer verbringt. Dort lernt sie die Künstlerin Vivienne und ihre Tochter Eloise kennen, die ziemlich widerspenstig ist. Und ab da beginnt das erste „Was-wäre-Wenn“ Szenario. Ein Sommer in Frankreich und in Aussicht vielleicht jemand in den sie sich verliebt.
Gut gefallen hat mir auch Hudsonville, eine Vorstadt von New York, wo Summer lebt zusammen mit ihrer Mutter. Mit einem Fotokurs, welches ihre Tante Lydia leitet, überbrückt sie den Sommer und auch den Stich in ihrem Herzen, dass ihr Vater sie hängen lassen hat. Sowie auch ihre beste Freundin Ruby die sich weiter von ihr distanziert und mit Leuten abhängt, die eigentlich nie freundlich zu den beiden waren, dafür auch beliebt. So überbrückt Summer ihre Einsamkeit und investiert ihre Zeit für ihr Talent: Fotos machen, was in beiden Szenarien sehr wichtig war. Ihre Liebe zu der Kunst des Fotosmachens und ihre Leidenschaft. Und vielleicht, vielleicht auch nicht, kommt sie ihrem Long-Time-Crush Hugh Tyson endlich näher, der ebenfalls Teilnehmer dieses Kurs ist.
Zu aller erst muss ich sagen, wie toll ich die Parallelen fand. Nicht nur in Hudsonville, sondern auch in Frankreich scheinen sich Ruby und Summer sich zu verlieren, als würde dicke Luft zwischen ihnen herrschen. Aber auch wie sie ihren Geburtstag jeweils verbringt und er in beiden Versionen wegen dem Familiengeheimnis ins Wasser fällt. Aber zu dem gleich. Ich mochte die Beziehung zwischen Summer und ihrer Tante sehr gerne. Es war herzlich, ehrlich und unterstützend. Genau dasselbe galt für ihre Mutter. In beiden Versionen entwickelte sich Summer und sprang über ihren Schatten. Sei es für ihre Meinung gerade zu stehen und nicht alles hinzunehmen, oder den ersten Schritt zu machen. Nicht ständig abgebrüht zu sein, nur in der Hoffnung, dass sie als cool wahrgenommen werden würde. In diesem Sommer hat sie wirklich eine Entwicklung hingelegt. Sie hat sich selber gesehen und nicht mehr versucht sich zu verstecken.
Aber ja, mein kleines Manko, was ich etwas schräg fand. Um nicht zu erzählen was sich hinter dem Geheimnis birgt, erkläre ich lieber drum herum, was mir nicht so gefallen hat. Es ist ein sehr schwerwiegendes Thema, dass sich Summers Leben lang erstreckt und ich fand es nicht in Ordnung wie damit umgegangen würde. Als könnte man es durch ein paar Tage zusammen wieder gut machen, obwohl Summer seit klein auf an der Nase entlang geführt wurde. Das zu diesem Thema.
Ansonsten war die Handlung ziemlich gut zu verfolgen. Die Abschnitte, oder eher gesagt die Versionen haben mehrmals im Buch getauscht, so dass man den selben Zeitraum einmal in Frankreich und einmal in Hudsonville mitverfolgt hat. Die Selbstfindung die stattgefunden hatte, brachte mich dazu, Summer sehr zu mögen. Statt weiterhin wie eine Schachfigur hin und her geschoben zu werden, wurde sie irgendwann selber zu ihrem Fels in der Brandung. Aber auch das sie sich in beiden Versionen jeweils etwas verknallt hatte, war niedlich.
Der Schreibstil war locker und leicht zu lesen. Die Kultur wurde berücksichtigt, in der Version als sie in Frankreich war, gab es öfters Phrasen auch auf französisch, so dass ich sogar als Leser etwas gelernt habe.
Das Ende war relativ offen, da man nicht so ganz wusste, welche Version wirklich passiert ist. Aber das schöne daran ist, es bleibt dem Leser offen, für welche er sich entscheidet. Und mir hat die aus Hudsonville besser gefallen.
Fazit:
Das Buch hat mir gut gefallen. Auch wenn ich ein Manko hatte, dass ich nicht so leicht abtun hätte können wie die Hauptprotagonistin Summer, hat es mir dennoch Spaß gemacht dieses Buch zu lesen. Die Szenarien mit dem Was wäre Wenn waren ziemlich interessant. Mit anzusehen, wie ihr Sommer in Frankreich und zuhause in Hudsonville verlaufen hätten mit den vielen Parallelen und Unterschieden war unglaublich faszinierend. Zu dem, dass man am Ende sozusagen selber die Entscheidungsmacht hat zu glauben, was wirklich passiert ist. Also ich gehöre zu Team Hudsonville!
3 von 5 Sternen!
July 26, 2018
Such a good book! It really grabs your attention.
July 10, 2016
Check out this and other reviews on my young adult book blog, Here's to Happy Endings!
Two Summers is such a fun book! I've read a lot of awesome, original contemporaries that are perfect for summer, but this book really takes the cake - it definitely is on my list of favorite summertime reads.
Two Summer has such an interesting concept - a teenage girl, who while at the airport, has to make a split second decision of whether or not to board the plane to go visit her father in France or stay at home and spend the summer with her mother and best friend. Due to some crazy lightning storm and a strange phone call, her reality is split in two - and in one reality she boards the plane to visit her father, and in the other reality she doesn't get on the plane, leaving her to face a summer with her best friend, Ruby.
Did I also mention our main character's name is Summer?
So Summer's summer gets split into two summers. While, yes, the prospect might sound a tad bit confusing at first, it's really easy to get into. The book is broken up into sections - one section about Summer's summer in France, and then another section about Summer's summer in her hometown. Each section spans a few days, and then the next section will start those few days over again in the other place. It's actually really cool, and the concept was executed amazingly well. The whole concept just works.
Summer's summer in France isn't exactly all she had expected - for one, her dad isn't even there - he's in Berlin on business. Second, there's a strange woman and her daughter staying in her father's house...and the woman's daughter has hated Summer from the moment she met her. However, Summer does meet a super cute guy that really seems to like her. But she feels disconnected from her life back home, and she's missing her best friend, Ruby.
Summer's summer in her hometown is good and disappointing - she's happy to be home to spend the summer with Ruby, but at the same time, it seems as if Ruby is replacing her with her crush and the popular girl who has always had it out for them. Summer feels alone, and to top it off, when she starts taking her aunt's photography class, she ends up paired with the guy she has had a crush on for years - and who doesn't seem to even care that she exists. Plus Summer is feeling really down about her father having canceled on her.
During both of Summer's summers, she manages to discover some things about herself as well as those she thought she was closest to.
I did find myself enjoying the summer that Summer was spending in her home town as opposed to the one where she was in France. I'm not sure why, but I just found that summer to be a lot more enjoyable.
In both summers, Summer learns a secret about her father that her mother and aunt had known for years. I kind of figured out what it was in the beginning of the book, to be honest, but still, it was one of those plot twist secrets that will send you for a spin.
Two Summers is such a light and original read. It is definitely worth checking out if you like contemporaries. The whole two summers/alternate reality thing isn't confusing even in the slightest once you start reading the book, so if you were a little bit overwhelmed by that prospect at all, it isn't a big issue.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Two Summers is such a fun book! I've read a lot of awesome, original contemporaries that are perfect for summer, but this book really takes the cake - it definitely is on my list of favorite summertime reads.
Two Summer has such an interesting concept - a teenage girl, who while at the airport, has to make a split second decision of whether or not to board the plane to go visit her father in France or stay at home and spend the summer with her mother and best friend. Due to some crazy lightning storm and a strange phone call, her reality is split in two - and in one reality she boards the plane to visit her father, and in the other reality she doesn't get on the plane, leaving her to face a summer with her best friend, Ruby.
"There's this magical sense of possibility that stretches like a bridge between June and August. A sense that anything can happen."
Did I also mention our main character's name is Summer?
So Summer's summer gets split into two summers. While, yes, the prospect might sound a tad bit confusing at first, it's really easy to get into. The book is broken up into sections - one section about Summer's summer in France, and then another section about Summer's summer in her hometown. Each section spans a few days, and then the next section will start those few days over again in the other place. It's actually really cool, and the concept was executed amazingly well. The whole concept just works.
Summer's summer in France isn't exactly all she had expected - for one, her dad isn't even there - he's in Berlin on business. Second, there's a strange woman and her daughter staying in her father's house...and the woman's daughter has hated Summer from the moment she met her. However, Summer does meet a super cute guy that really seems to like her. But she feels disconnected from her life back home, and she's missing her best friend, Ruby.
Summer's summer in her hometown is good and disappointing - she's happy to be home to spend the summer with Ruby, but at the same time, it seems as if Ruby is replacing her with her crush and the popular girl who has always had it out for them. Summer feels alone, and to top it off, when she starts taking her aunt's photography class, she ends up paired with the guy she has had a crush on for years - and who doesn't seem to even care that she exists. Plus Summer is feeling really down about her father having canceled on her.
During both of Summer's summers, she manages to discover some things about herself as well as those she thought she was closest to.
I did find myself enjoying the summer that Summer was spending in her home town as opposed to the one where she was in France. I'm not sure why, but I just found that summer to be a lot more enjoyable.
In both summers, Summer learns a secret about her father that her mother and aunt had known for years. I kind of figured out what it was in the beginning of the book, to be honest, but still, it was one of those plot twist secrets that will send you for a spin.
Two Summers is such a light and original read. It is definitely worth checking out if you like contemporaries. The whole two summers/alternate reality thing isn't confusing even in the slightest once you start reading the book, so if you were a little bit overwhelmed by that prospect at all, it isn't a big issue.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 17, 2016
Summer Everett is at the airport ready to board her plane to spend the summer with her estranged father in France. Her phone rings. Does she answer it or does she ignore it and get on the plane. Lucky for us as the reader, we get to experience two different stories based on this one split second decision. In one timeline, she answers the phone and her father cancels on her and her whole summer changes. In the other timeline, she ignores the call, gets on the plane, only to find out her father isn’t in France when she arrives.
I kinda love parallel universe stories… I think my first dive into parallel universes was the movie Sliding Doors… if you haven’t seen this, you should go get it and watch it. (I know I’m totally dating myself here) but it’s really well done, and it kind of kicked off my fascination with the whole “what would my life look like if I had made this choice instead of this one”. Friedman does an amazing job of really showing how this one simple action could change her life in quite different ways.
In both timelines Summer experiences quite a few ups and downs and Friedman does an incredible job of keeping the jumps from life to life seamless. She also does a really great job of immersing you into each life. In France, you’ll love the art, the pastries, the swoony boy… at home, you’ll love the new friendships forged, new experiences and the swoony boy. In both lives, it was wonderful to see Summer grow and become comfortable in who she is and who she is becoming… even if that meant giving up some of the things she’s depended on for so long.
I will say that I struggled immensely with Summer’s so called best friend in this story. From the get go I felt like she was a little cagey and when we followed the timeline where she stayed home for the summer it only made my feelings towards her a bit worse. I completely understood where she was coming from, but there really are a million better ways for her to have handled it. I absolutely loved the use of the camera to tie the two stories together.
There is one twist to the whole story that Summer isn’t expecting, but I kind of saw it coming as soon as she arrived in France and at the doorstep of her father’s home. I’m not going to explain specifics, but that was a bit predictable, though it didn’t really affect my enjoyment of the story as a whole.
I definitely recommend this for readers who might be looking for a light summer read full of fun experiences, family and friendship and some sweet romance… definitely a great starting point for someone who is just delving into parallel universes for the first time too!
I kinda love parallel universe stories… I think my first dive into parallel universes was the movie Sliding Doors… if you haven’t seen this, you should go get it and watch it. (I know I’m totally dating myself here) but it’s really well done, and it kind of kicked off my fascination with the whole “what would my life look like if I had made this choice instead of this one”. Friedman does an amazing job of really showing how this one simple action could change her life in quite different ways.
In both timelines Summer experiences quite a few ups and downs and Friedman does an incredible job of keeping the jumps from life to life seamless. She also does a really great job of immersing you into each life. In France, you’ll love the art, the pastries, the swoony boy… at home, you’ll love the new friendships forged, new experiences and the swoony boy. In both lives, it was wonderful to see Summer grow and become comfortable in who she is and who she is becoming… even if that meant giving up some of the things she’s depended on for so long.
I will say that I struggled immensely with Summer’s so called best friend in this story. From the get go I felt like she was a little cagey and when we followed the timeline where she stayed home for the summer it only made my feelings towards her a bit worse. I completely understood where she was coming from, but there really are a million better ways for her to have handled it. I absolutely loved the use of the camera to tie the two stories together.
There is one twist to the whole story that Summer isn’t expecting, but I kind of saw it coming as soon as she arrived in France and at the doorstep of her father’s home. I’m not going to explain specifics, but that was a bit predictable, though it didn’t really affect my enjoyment of the story as a whole.
I definitely recommend this for readers who might be looking for a light summer read full of fun experiences, family and friendship and some sweet romance… definitely a great starting point for someone who is just delving into parallel universes for the first time too!
March 21, 2018
MY OPINION: ***
I liked the whole plotline of this book. I thought it was unique and really went out on a tangent that has been kind of explored but not fully expounded (is that a word?). However, something about just wasn't fulfilling and I wasn't able to give it a full five stars.
I mean, I thought that the characters just weren't well-developed, which is something that I really try to look for when I read. Even if this is maybe a "lighter" read, I would have expected deeper characters with more than just physical appearances and ulterior motives. (I feel like a hypocrite because if you read my Wattpad stories, my characters are just not fulfilling what I want.)
Ruby was kind of a horrible best friend! I mean, I understand the whole moving on thing and getting some space but would it have been that hard just to explain? And did she have to pick the populars of all people? Like, she was just trying to get rid of her not-so-popular friend just to rise up in the social hierarchy. She also didn't seem to care about Summer at all (I cannot believe I just forgot Summer's name...)
Jacques... shall we even talk about this guy? Like at one point, I actually appreciated him and loved who he was! I thought that he was funny and even romantic! I really shipped him with Summer rather than Hugh Tyson who I just thought didn't fit what I wanted.
But alas. People aren't always as they seem.
One thing I liked about Jacques was this: he was a real-life representation of what boys are like nowadays.
Hugh Tyson was kind of a strange character. He seemed to be just there and he was almost stand-offish. However, as the story progressed, he definitely grew on me until I shipped it.
The whole plot twist thing, which I will NOT talk about in this review, was a little strange but almost predictable.
Eloise and her mother seemed so opposite from each other but I knew that there would have to be some reason that Eloise acted the way she did because nobody hates a person at first sight. I don't think.
I love the use of French in this book (since I'm taking French) and the opportunity to test out my translation.
I would recommend this book to people who are looking for a lighter read.
Main Character: Summer
Sidekick(s): Ruby, Jacques, Hugh, etc
Villain(s): Misunderstanding, lying, etc
Fiction Elements: All of this was fictional.
I liked the whole plotline of this book. I thought it was unique and really went out on a tangent that has been kind of explored but not fully expounded (is that a word?). However, something about just wasn't fulfilling and I wasn't able to give it a full five stars.
I mean, I thought that the characters just weren't well-developed, which is something that I really try to look for when I read. Even if this is maybe a "lighter" read, I would have expected deeper characters with more than just physical appearances and ulterior motives. (I feel like a hypocrite because if you read my Wattpad stories, my characters are just not fulfilling what I want.)
Ruby was kind of a horrible best friend! I mean, I understand the whole moving on thing and getting some space but would it have been that hard just to explain? And did she have to pick the populars of all people? Like, she was just trying to get rid of her not-so-popular friend just to rise up in the social hierarchy. She also didn't seem to care about Summer at all (I cannot believe I just forgot Summer's name...)
Jacques... shall we even talk about this guy? Like at one point, I actually appreciated him and loved who he was! I thought that he was funny and even romantic! I really shipped him with Summer rather than Hugh Tyson who I just thought didn't fit what I wanted.
But alas. People aren't always as they seem.
One thing I liked about Jacques was this: he was a real-life representation of what boys are like nowadays.
Hugh Tyson was kind of a strange character. He seemed to be just there and he was almost stand-offish. However, as the story progressed, he definitely grew on me until I shipped it.
The whole plot twist thing, which I will NOT talk about in this review, was a little strange but almost predictable.
Eloise and her mother seemed so opposite from each other but I knew that there would have to be some reason that Eloise acted the way she did because nobody hates a person at first sight. I don't think.
I love the use of French in this book (since I'm taking French) and the opportunity to test out my translation.
I would recommend this book to people who are looking for a lighter read.
Main Character: Summer
Sidekick(s): Ruby, Jacques, Hugh, etc
Villain(s): Misunderstanding, lying, etc
Fiction Elements: All of this was fictional.
August 26, 2016
Phew! I finally finished this book.
It took me ages to finish it, which is one of the many reasons I didn't enjoy this book. Summer was very childish in a way that made me feel like I was reading a children's story book.
The storyline of this book is very interesting and smart. The idea that there are two parallel stories for the same character is sort of new and so,the book had a lot of potential to be a good one. But, something was off!
I have a feeling that my 15 year-old-self would've loved this book. I guess I'll never know!
I liked the idea of this book, which is that no matter what path you choose for yourself you'll always end up in the same position. FATE!
2.5 stars
It took me ages to finish it, which is one of the many reasons I didn't enjoy this book. Summer was very childish in a way that made me feel like I was reading a children's story book.
The storyline of this book is very interesting and smart. The idea that there are two parallel stories for the same character is sort of new and so,the book had a lot of potential to be a good one. But, something was off!
I have a feeling that my 15 year-old-self would've loved this book. I guess I'll never know!
I liked the idea of this book, which is that no matter what path you choose for yourself you'll always end up in the same position. FATE!
2.5 stars
August 22, 2016
I kind of want to be that person that rates books with a .75 rating… Because I do think this is more than a three star read it but not as good as a four. The fact that the main character was only 15 for most of the book was hard to get over, and even though there were two different storylines for most of the book the ending was the same regardless so I don't really know how I feel about that. Full review to come.
September 3, 2016
Full RTC!
March 13, 2017
To read completely spoiler filed review with no blocking of spoilers and with snazzy Blackadder gif click here.
This book should’ve of been tagged with a warning label that it would piss me off. I’ll just get the good stuff out the way, the book is readable. In this day and age of YA, that’s actually a plus because there is a lot of shit with purple prose out there that you just want to tell to f off. But even though this book didn’t have purple prose I still wanted to tell it to sod off and slam the door in its ugly face.
I should’ve known when I read that the MC’s name was Summer that we were not going to be friends. I have a bad experience with that name, so it might’ve tainted me (a little) with this book. That aside though, the MC’s name could’ve been Indiana Jones and I still wouldn’t have liked the book.
And if you know me, you know I have a thing for Indiana Jones pre-horrendous fourth movie with the prairie dogs. I think it’s the fact he kicks Nazi ass and the hat. Got to love the hat.
I’ll give credit to Summer though, I didn’t exactly hate her for the most part. Sure, girl had borderline misogynic tendencies and trashed talk supposed “Mean Girls” all the time but I mostly felt sorry for her.
She was pretty fucking pathetic. And I don’t know if that’s a good thing. I mean, I get shit happens to good people in real life but I felt like this character got hit with so much shit so I would feel sorry for her, despite hating girls instantly because they’re prettier than her. And insult girls because they’re different than her.
A Grumpy YA reader does not forget, Summer. Though you’re life sucks and your parents are horrible people and you really should ask (no, beg) your aunt to take up custody of you, so you might grow up to be a quasi decent human. But…
Yeah, there is so much shit in this book and I don’t think the fallout was ever dealt with properly BECAUSE we had to deal with the fucking gimmick of this book.
The two realities.
Which aren’t even fucking explained. Like, I’m even sure why we even have them here other than to sell the book. I can imagine that a conversation sort of like this happened between Friedman in the editors when drafting this book. Okay, not like this, but this was the sort of conversation I imagined when reading this drivel:
Bland ship aside though, one of the reasons I didn’t like this book was that the alternate realities are never really explained. Sure, we get an occasional reference of “What If” but…we don’t know what’s real and what’s not. And I still don’t know what the point of the AU shit was (other than to theorize it was to make up for a lack of page count).
When I was reading this book I was comparing it to a Lifetime movie I watched last Christmas that involved a similar premises with this career woman who lived two alternate time lines-one which she missed a plane and another where she caught it. This book reminded me of that premises, but the movie (that’s right a Lifetime movie) did a better job explaining it.
At the end of the day, I just didn’t like this book. Maybe there were some things that were trigger inducing for me-the name summer and some of the plot devices BUT it wasn’t that so much but the unexplained idiocy of the plot and the stupid ship.
This book should’ve of been tagged with a warning label that it would piss me off. I’ll just get the good stuff out the way, the book is readable. In this day and age of YA, that’s actually a plus because there is a lot of shit with purple prose out there that you just want to tell to f off. But even though this book didn’t have purple prose I still wanted to tell it to sod off and slam the door in its ugly face.
I should’ve known when I read that the MC’s name was Summer that we were not going to be friends. I have a bad experience with that name, so it might’ve tainted me (a little) with this book. That aside though, the MC’s name could’ve been Indiana Jones and I still wouldn’t have liked the book.
And if you know me, you know I have a thing for Indiana Jones pre-horrendous fourth movie with the prairie dogs. I think it’s the fact he kicks Nazi ass and the hat. Got to love the hat.
I’ll give credit to Summer though, I didn’t exactly hate her for the most part. Sure, girl had borderline misogynic tendencies and trashed talk supposed “Mean Girls” all the time but I mostly felt sorry for her.
She was pretty fucking pathetic. And I don’t know if that’s a good thing. I mean, I get shit happens to good people in real life but I felt like this character got hit with so much shit so I would feel sorry for her, despite hating girls instantly because they’re prettier than her. And insult girls because they’re different than her.
A Grumpy YA reader does not forget, Summer. Though you’re life sucks and your parents are horrible people and you really should ask (no, beg) your aunt to take up custody of you, so you might grow up to be a quasi decent human. But…
Yeah, there is so much shit in this book and I don’t think the fallout was ever dealt with properly BECAUSE we had to deal with the fucking gimmick of this book.
The two realities.
Which aren’t even fucking explained. Like, I’m even sure why we even have them here other than to sell the book. I can imagine that a conversation sort of like this happened between Friedman in the editors when drafting this book. Okay, not like this, but this was the sort of conversation I imagined when reading this drivel:
Bland ship aside though, one of the reasons I didn’t like this book was that the alternate realities are never really explained. Sure, we get an occasional reference of “What If” but…we don’t know what’s real and what’s not. And I still don’t know what the point of the AU shit was (other than to theorize it was to make up for a lack of page count).
When I was reading this book I was comparing it to a Lifetime movie I watched last Christmas that involved a similar premises with this career woman who lived two alternate time lines-one which she missed a plane and another where she caught it. This book reminded me of that premises, but the movie (that’s right a Lifetime movie) did a better job explaining it.
At the end of the day, I just didn’t like this book. Maybe there were some things that were trigger inducing for me-the name summer and some of the plot devices BUT it wasn’t that so much but the unexplained idiocy of the plot and the stupid ship.
July 17, 2020
Read Completed 7/17/20 | 3.75 - 4 stars
This was a fun read and I always enjoy a good parallel universe type of story! I liked seeing how Summer's summer (*inward cringe*) would have gone if she had gone to France and if she had stayed home and how the two possibilities converged in the end to sort of end up in the same place. I think it was well done and neatly tied up!
Admittedly, I would have much rather spent the whole of this book in France. I really did like the little "what if"/parallel universe twist, but I think this could have easily been a story like ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS or LOVE & GELATO about a teenage girl discovering herself, her family, and love overseas and I would have probably loved it even more. I think the "home" timeline could have come in the middle or after Summer returned home (kind of like Anna where the best friend and other crush things got hashed out during the home scenes). I appreciate the book for how it was written but I think I just have a little wanderlust and I would have loved to have spent way more time in France! Some of the things that happened in the two timelines also probably didn't need to happen exactly in one and then the other as well. I liked the mirror of it all, seeing it in both versions, but sometimes it got tiresome to read the same scene in two different spots. I think the author could have summed up a few of those same occurrences and we didn't have to live both of them exactly.
The only other complaint I really had was about some of the characters. Summer was a little inconsistent in places personality-wise, though I guess that can be true of a lot of teens too. She spoke almost more maturely than her age (15 going on 16) and then at times she had a lower maturity level, especially when it came to her mom and her mom's personal life. I think I would have liked to see her a little older, maybe 17 or 18, but that's a personal preference of course! I also didn't care for the best friend drama or how much she name dropped the popular girl (seriously, I didn't need to hear Skye Olivera's name 50 times in this book), but that's truly within the realm of 15-year-old lives. Looking back at my teenage drama, it really fits in quite well but I think that's just another thing about adults reading young adult sometimes. You've already been through that drama and see how stupid some of it can be so it feels much more immature.
I really did enjoy the overall concept of the book and I thought it played out really nicely! There were plenty of cute crush moments, some family issues to work through (well, one BIG one that was a "twist" but I totally saw it coming a mile away), and I really liked how Summer gained confidence and maturity from it all. I was really able to see her grow.
Would recommend for fans of: ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS, LOVE & GELATO, WANDERLOST or parallel universe concepts like PIVOT POINT by Kasie West
This was a fun read and I always enjoy a good parallel universe type of story! I liked seeing how Summer's summer (*inward cringe*) would have gone if she had gone to France and if she had stayed home and how the two possibilities converged in the end to sort of end up in the same place. I think it was well done and neatly tied up!
Admittedly, I would have much rather spent the whole of this book in France. I really did like the little "what if"/parallel universe twist, but I think this could have easily been a story like ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS or LOVE & GELATO about a teenage girl discovering herself, her family, and love overseas and I would have probably loved it even more. I think the "home" timeline could have come in the middle or after Summer returned home (kind of like Anna where the best friend and other crush things got hashed out during the home scenes). I appreciate the book for how it was written but I think I just have a little wanderlust and I would have loved to have spent way more time in France! Some of the things that happened in the two timelines also probably didn't need to happen exactly in one and then the other as well. I liked the mirror of it all, seeing it in both versions, but sometimes it got tiresome to read the same scene in two different spots. I think the author could have summed up a few of those same occurrences and we didn't have to live both of them exactly.
The only other complaint I really had was about some of the characters. Summer was a little inconsistent in places personality-wise, though I guess that can be true of a lot of teens too. She spoke almost more maturely than her age (15 going on 16) and then at times she had a lower maturity level, especially when it came to her mom and her mom's personal life. I think I would have liked to see her a little older, maybe 17 or 18, but that's a personal preference of course! I also didn't care for the best friend drama or how much she name dropped the popular girl (seriously, I didn't need to hear Skye Olivera's name 50 times in this book), but that's truly within the realm of 15-year-old lives. Looking back at my teenage drama, it really fits in quite well but I think that's just another thing about adults reading young adult sometimes. You've already been through that drama and see how stupid some of it can be so it feels much more immature.
I really did enjoy the overall concept of the book and I thought it played out really nicely! There were plenty of cute crush moments, some family issues to work through (well, one BIG one that was a "twist" but I totally saw it coming a mile away), and I really liked how Summer gained confidence and maturity from it all. I was really able to see her grow.
Would recommend for fans of: ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS, LOVE & GELATO, WANDERLOST or parallel universe concepts like PIVOT POINT by Kasie West
August 26, 2023
C'était une chouette lecture pour l'été, comme son titre l'indique.
Il n'y a rien de bien fou dans l'histoire, la trame "2 scénarios" fonctionne bien, j'avais rapidement deviné LA révélation mais c'était assez sympa de suivre Summer durant l'été de ces 16 ans, celui où tout à changer.
J'ai bien aimé voyagé entre les Etats-Unis et la Provence (par contre bonjour les clichés sur la France mdr).
Un roman YA simple et efficace comme on aime.
Il n'y a rien de bien fou dans l'histoire, la trame "2 scénarios" fonctionne bien, j'avais rapidement deviné LA révélation mais c'était assez sympa de suivre Summer durant l'été de ces 16 ans, celui où tout à changer.
J'ai bien aimé voyagé entre les Etats-Unis et la Provence (par contre bonjour les clichés sur la France mdr).
Un roman YA simple et efficace comme on aime.
August 6, 2018
3.5 stars
What a light, relatable summer read(hehe see what I did there?)! I really did feel like I was in France! The only bad part about this book is that I predicted the 'twist' from a mile away. That made it a little bit slow.
What a light, relatable summer read(hehe see what I did there?)! I really did feel like I was in France! The only bad part about this book is that I predicted the 'twist' from a mile away. That made it a little bit slow.
March 8, 2024
SO GOOD
July 5, 2017
2.5 stars from this ginger.
This story was SLOOOOOOOOOOW. Holy balls it was slow. And predictable. Don't go I to this thinking it's a swoony romance because it isn't. The MC has zero self esteem and cannot make the easiest decision without consulting her BFF. Uh.. What? She cannot even figure out how to talk to a boy without pointers from her friend. GGRRRRR! How can you function every day!?
This was not the best read and it overall fell flat for me. I wanted more but it never came. You've been warned.(full review to come)
Full review can be found here: https://agingerlyreview.wordpress.com...
Where do I begin with this story… my overall reaction is that I wanted more from it. It was SO SLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW. It took a good hot minute for it to get anywhere. It was completely predictable and not that exciting.
Short recap: Summer is getting ready to board her plane for France to spend the summer with her Dad. Minutes before she boards, she gets a phone call. Should she answer it? Should she ignore it? This story splits into two parts and answers those questions.
I know I may be a little harsh on this one but bear with me. It was a very neat concept and I love the parallel stories. I just wanted to be completely captivated during the story as it unfolds and the two endings come together. This story just did not do that for me. Both stories were painfully slow and totally predictable. I figured it out very early on so there was no big shock at the end.
The characters stood out to me the most. Summer is such a meek character that it was aggravating. I wanted to sit her down and have a come to Jesus talk with her. This girl could not function daily without her best friend telling her what to wear, what to eat, how to breathe, and so on. It was maddening! How had she made it so far in life with someone telling her what to do? Did this girl have to sense of self? The short answer is no. She had zero self esteem and zero confidence. I don’t care when universe Summer was in, in France or at home, her character was weak. Maybe it was because of her age (she was only 15) but she acted like Ruby not liking her was the end of the world. Also, she acted like a complete moron when a cute boy talked to her. How does a character not have any chill? That may be from the fact that she was glued to her BFF’s hip. Those two were never apart and therefore Summer never knew who she was on her own. Hence this story. TA-DA!
Summer’s BFF, Ruby, was a huge bitch. There’s no other way to say it. This girl had issues she chose not to address. Same goes for Summer’s parents who were hypocrites. I didn’t like them AT ALL. It felt like they both used Summer to get back at the other and then put her in the middle of their fights. What parent does that?! Awful. They were also making snide comments about the other to Summer. Example, her mom would say phrases like “Don’t expect much from your father. You’ll be disappointed.” BITTER MUCH? How about you calm down and let your daughter make up her own mind?
The last character I’ll mention is Eloise, the girl Summer meets when she goes to France and finds living in her Dad’s house. This girl had a subscription to her issues. I think her story either needed to be explored more or toned down a lot. The girl was crying in her shower all of the time. There was so much jealousy between Summer and Eloise that it was unsettling. There was no need for that in this story. It served no point.
Characters aside, this story bored me to tears. I just wanted it over with. I saw the ending coming a mile away so there was no surprise at all. Summer felt like a super dense character that wouldn’t find her nose on her face unless someone told her it was there. She was clueless and it was annoying. I felt no character development from Summer or anyone else, no matter how hard Friedman tried to wrap everything up with a nice bow. The ultimate question has to be asked: Which story was the real story? The world will never know. The better answer is, “Who cares?” Everyone ends up in the same place no matter what. In France, Summer just gets a little “curvier” with all of the food she eats, while hometown Summer learns how to use a camera properly and the people she made fun of with Ruby really are good people. Hmmm.. tough one there, Friedman. In the end, I would have picked the France Summer story. Maybe if that had been the main story and vetted out further it would have worked better than what I read.
By now you’ve picked up that this book didn’t work for moi. This story felt unfinished and like it needed to go through a couple more rounds of edits. There was too much girl hate in this story and that was unnecessary. Aren’t we trying to stop that? I wanted a stronger MC and was annoyed with how pathetic Summer came across. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone, no matter how quick of a read it is.
This story was SLOOOOOOOOOOW. Holy balls it was slow. And predictable. Don't go I to this thinking it's a swoony romance because it isn't. The MC has zero self esteem and cannot make the easiest decision without consulting her BFF. Uh.. What? She cannot even figure out how to talk to a boy without pointers from her friend. GGRRRRR! How can you function every day!?
This was not the best read and it overall fell flat for me. I wanted more but it never came. You've been warned.
Full review can be found here: https://agingerlyreview.wordpress.com...
Where do I begin with this story… my overall reaction is that I wanted more from it. It was SO SLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW. It took a good hot minute for it to get anywhere. It was completely predictable and not that exciting.
Short recap: Summer is getting ready to board her plane for France to spend the summer with her Dad. Minutes before she boards, she gets a phone call. Should she answer it? Should she ignore it? This story splits into two parts and answers those questions.
I know I may be a little harsh on this one but bear with me. It was a very neat concept and I love the parallel stories. I just wanted to be completely captivated during the story as it unfolds and the two endings come together. This story just did not do that for me. Both stories were painfully slow and totally predictable. I figured it out very early on so there was no big shock at the end.
The characters stood out to me the most. Summer is such a meek character that it was aggravating. I wanted to sit her down and have a come to Jesus talk with her. This girl could not function daily without her best friend telling her what to wear, what to eat, how to breathe, and so on. It was maddening! How had she made it so far in life with someone telling her what to do? Did this girl have to sense of self? The short answer is no. She had zero self esteem and zero confidence. I don’t care when universe Summer was in, in France or at home, her character was weak. Maybe it was because of her age (she was only 15) but she acted like Ruby not liking her was the end of the world. Also, she acted like a complete moron when a cute boy talked to her. How does a character not have any chill? That may be from the fact that she was glued to her BFF’s hip. Those two were never apart and therefore Summer never knew who she was on her own. Hence this story. TA-DA!
Summer’s BFF, Ruby, was a huge bitch. There’s no other way to say it. This girl had issues she chose not to address. Same goes for Summer’s parents who were hypocrites. I didn’t like them AT ALL. It felt like they both used Summer to get back at the other and then put her in the middle of their fights. What parent does that?! Awful. They were also making snide comments about the other to Summer. Example, her mom would say phrases like “Don’t expect much from your father. You’ll be disappointed.” BITTER MUCH? How about you calm down and let your daughter make up her own mind?
The last character I’ll mention is Eloise, the girl Summer meets when she goes to France and finds living in her Dad’s house. This girl had a subscription to her issues. I think her story either needed to be explored more or toned down a lot. The girl was crying in her shower all of the time. There was so much jealousy between Summer and Eloise that it was unsettling. There was no need for that in this story. It served no point.
Characters aside, this story bored me to tears. I just wanted it over with. I saw the ending coming a mile away so there was no surprise at all. Summer felt like a super dense character that wouldn’t find her nose on her face unless someone told her it was there. She was clueless and it was annoying. I felt no character development from Summer or anyone else, no matter how hard Friedman tried to wrap everything up with a nice bow. The ultimate question has to be asked: Which story was the real story? The world will never know. The better answer is, “Who cares?” Everyone ends up in the same place no matter what. In France, Summer just gets a little “curvier” with all of the food she eats, while hometown Summer learns how to use a camera properly and the people she made fun of with Ruby really are good people. Hmmm.. tough one there, Friedman. In the end, I would have picked the France Summer story. Maybe if that had been the main story and vetted out further it would have worked better than what I read.
By now you’ve picked up that this book didn’t work for moi. This story felt unfinished and like it needed to go through a couple more rounds of edits. There was too much girl hate in this story and that was unnecessary. Aren’t we trying to stop that? I wanted a stronger MC and was annoyed with how pathetic Summer came across. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone, no matter how quick of a read it is.
August 9, 2016
15 year old Summer is planning to leave Hudsonville, NY, to spend the summer in France with the artist father she hasn't seen since her parents divorced many years ago--a trip she's undertaking against her mother's will. However, just as she's about to board the plane, her phone rings with an unknown number. Should she answer? In one storyline, she ignores the call and arrives in France to find no one waiting to meet her. Her father has gone to Berlin, leaving her to get herself to his house in the small Provence town, which is already inhabited by Vivienne, an artist friend of her father's, and her daughter Eloise, who loathes Summer on sight. Unable to speak French and desperately missing her mother, her hometown, and her best friend--and what the hell is her friend doing, posting pictures on Instagram of herself with Hudsonville's most notorious mean girl?--Summer's summer is the pits until she meets handsome waiter Jacques, who actually seems to notice her.
In another storyline, Summer answers the call and it's her father, telling her not to come. Heartbroken and furious, Summer's summer seems even worse when she finds out that her best friend thinks they need to spend some time apart--and Ruby wants to spend more time with the popular kids. The only saving grace in Summer's life is the intensive photography class she's taking with her aunt at the local college, where she's unexpectedly paired up with her longtime crush Hugh--who doesn't seem to mind being paired up with her.
In both storylines, though, there's much more going on below the family surface than Summer realizes. When she finds out just why her mother didn't want her to go to France, will it shatter the success she's built up in both storylines?
I expected to enjoy this, but didn't expect to love it! I think it was a combination of lots of great description (now I want to go to Provence) combined with a YA storyline that did not involve the high-level tragedy, despair, angst, etc. that characterizes so much of the top-rated YA fic--and no demons, assassins, zombies, etc. either. This was simply a realistic story of an immature girl who starts finally growing up and realizing that there's more to her and everyone else than she ever suspected--and that's a good thing. Sometimes friendships change. Sometimes mothers want to date again. Sometimes it's okay for a romance to fade. Summer grows from a rather irritatingly indecisive and naive character to one with more depth, and while I guessed the big secret pretty early on, I believe that Summer wouldn't have seen what seemed obvious to me from my greater experience. I thought the device of the two storylines worked well, and it was fun to swap from one to the other and see what would have happened, and what would have been the same one to the other.
I did have a couple of quibbles. First, in the French storyline, the father who couldn't reach Summer to tell her not to come to France apparently shrugged his shoulders and took himself off to Berlin, abandoning his naive, non-French-speaking, 15 year old daughter in a foreign country with no transport from the airport and no warning to his housemates that she might appear. I couldn't believe that then that father would be so distraught later on as to search for her and spend the night worrying when Summer flees the house. Does not compute. Also, Summer never tells her mother that her father abandoned her--that secret just got dropped, and I wanted to find out the mother's reaction. My only other issues were with the reader, who mostly did a fine job but someone should tell her that "photography" is not pronounced "fertography", and that it drives some of us crazy when words like "written" are pronounced "wri'-en" (or "cer'-ain" instead of "certain") when the rest of the book is not in dialect, but that's just my age showing. I know that's now almost standard. But anyway, small quibbles for a book I thoroughly enjoyed!
Oh, one more quibble. How is it that a tech-savvy Insta-addicted girl doesn't know that her phone will work just fine abroad with wifi and Skype? Even I know that and I'm decades older than she is!
In another storyline, Summer answers the call and it's her father, telling her not to come. Heartbroken and furious, Summer's summer seems even worse when she finds out that her best friend thinks they need to spend some time apart--and Ruby wants to spend more time with the popular kids. The only saving grace in Summer's life is the intensive photography class she's taking with her aunt at the local college, where she's unexpectedly paired up with her longtime crush Hugh--who doesn't seem to mind being paired up with her.
In both storylines, though, there's much more going on below the family surface than Summer realizes. When she finds out just why her mother didn't want her to go to France, will it shatter the success she's built up in both storylines?
I expected to enjoy this, but didn't expect to love it! I think it was a combination of lots of great description (now I want to go to Provence) combined with a YA storyline that did not involve the high-level tragedy, despair, angst, etc. that characterizes so much of the top-rated YA fic--and no demons, assassins, zombies, etc. either. This was simply a realistic story of an immature girl who starts finally growing up and realizing that there's more to her and everyone else than she ever suspected--and that's a good thing. Sometimes friendships change. Sometimes mothers want to date again. Sometimes it's okay for a romance to fade. Summer grows from a rather irritatingly indecisive and naive character to one with more depth, and while I guessed the big secret pretty early on, I believe that Summer wouldn't have seen what seemed obvious to me from my greater experience. I thought the device of the two storylines worked well, and it was fun to swap from one to the other and see what would have happened, and what would have been the same one to the other.
I did have a couple of quibbles. First, in the French storyline, the father who couldn't reach Summer to tell her not to come to France apparently shrugged his shoulders and took himself off to Berlin, abandoning his naive, non-French-speaking, 15 year old daughter in a foreign country with no transport from the airport and no warning to his housemates that she might appear. I couldn't believe that then that father would be so distraught later on as to search for her and spend the night worrying when Summer flees the house. Does not compute. Also, Summer never tells her mother that her father abandoned her--that secret just got dropped, and I wanted to find out the mother's reaction. My only other issues were with the reader, who mostly did a fine job but someone should tell her that "photography" is not pronounced "fertography", and that it drives some of us crazy when words like "written" are pronounced "wri'-en" (or "cer'-ain" instead of "certain") when the rest of the book is not in dialect, but that's just my age showing. I know that's now almost standard. But anyway, small quibbles for a book I thoroughly enjoyed!
Oh, one more quibble. How is it that a tech-savvy Insta-addicted girl doesn't know that her phone will work just fine abroad with wifi and Skype? Even I know that and I'm decades older than she is!
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