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Anna’s best friends live right next door: brother and sister duo Frankie and Matt. But Anna’s relationship with Matt changes when he kisses her on her fifteenth birthday. Worried that Frankie won’t be happy about the budding romance Matt convinces Anna to keep it a secret - for now. He promises to tell Frankie the news during their annual summer vacation in Zanzibar Bay. But the day before the trip, the three are involved in a car accident, and Matt doesn’t survive.
Fast-forward one year. Frankie has emerged from her grief as a reckless and rebellious soul. Anna, who has taken on the job of Frankie’s caretaker, feels she doesn’t have the right to grieve as much as Frankie, so she mourns the loss of her first love silently on her own.
When Frankie’s family decides to continue their traditional beach vacation, they take Anna along. Frankie schemes to meet twenty guys - one boy for each day of their trip - in order to find shy Anna a summer romance. Although Anna takes the challenge, her heart isn’t in it. How can she tell Frankie she’s already had a summer love? Soon guilt takes over, and Anna wonders if kissing another is cheating on Matt’s memory.
As boy-crazy Frankie pulls Anna along for the ride, the stakes and emotions get higher until the truth tears their lifelong friendship apart. Will their loss be the factor that reunites them?
Debut author Sarah Ockler does an amazing job in this poignant story of friendship, love and loss. Twenty Boy Summer is a moving journey through grief from the eyes of one struggling teen. For a bittersweet summer read that easily resonates with its teen audience, this book is a must-have. But be aware: this book does include teenage sexuality and is not for younger readers.
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Niki Masse Schoenfeldt/2009 for curled
up with a good kid's book |
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visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)
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Twenty Boy Summer