Forbidden Boy »

Hailey Abbott grew up in Southern California, where she split her time between creative writing and creative beaching. She is the author of Getting Lost with Boys, The Secrets of Boys, The Perfect Boy, Waking Up to Boys, The Forbidden Boy, and The Other Boy well as the Summer Boys books and The Bridesmaid. Hailey now lives in New York City.

Julianne's Summer Rules:

• Finish all art projects by August
• Survive summer job surrounded by cute boys
• Hit the beach every day
• Avoid the new neighbors (even though their son is hot!)

When Julianne falls for Remi at a bonfire party, her summer is off to a perfect start. Sure, her obnoxious new neighbors are muscling her family off their beachfront property, but she has weeks of fun in the sun to look forward to, a painting to finish, and an amazing guy to get to know. Then Jules discovers that her awful new neighbors are Remi's parents. That makes him a forbidden boy—but she can't seem to let him go. What do you do when your worst enemy is also the boy of your dreams?

Children's Literature

At the first party of the summer Julianne meets Remi and the two are instantly drawn to each other. When they run into each other the next day and spend the afternoon together, Julianne realizes she might have found the guy for her. That is, until she watches him leave to join his parents and sees him run right into the monstrous mansion next door to her own family's tiny beach cottage. The family that lives there has been trying to force her family from their home to build an extension on their own, and the beach is being eaten away by the ever growing home. Julianne resolves not to speak to Remi any more, a decision fully-supported by her sister Chloe. But when Remi turns out to be working at the same summer job as Julianne, and she realizes they still connect, the two start seeing each other in secret. But when they are found out, who will Julianne side with, her family or Remi? In this beachy modern take on the classic story of Romeo and Juliet readers will be drawn into the connection between the two romantic leads, while hoping their story has a happier ending. Reviewer: Kathleen Foucart