Girls in Love: A Summer Girls Novel »

Hot days. Hotter nights. The girls are back.

JESSICA: Connor and I are in love, and we're both ready to take the next step. So then why is he spending all his time with another girl?

LARA: I thought Andrew and I were through, and I met an awesome new guy. But now Andrew's back, and I don't want to choose. Can I pull off dating two boys at once?

GREER: The guys here are gorgeous, but they're all players — including Hunter. He says he’s done playing games, but can I trust him?

Laying out, hooking up, falling in love. It's going to be one sizzling summer.

Children's Literature

Jessica, Lara, and Greer are coming together again for the Tuttle family summer gathering in Pebble Beach, Maine. The cousins are excited to see each other again and planning to make this summer great. Jessica's goal is to lose her virginity. She and her boyfriend, Connor, who lives in Pebble Beach, have talked about it and are ready. But now that they are together again, Connor seems to be pushing her away. Lara's goal is to stop keeping secrets from her family. She wanted to make her relationship with her step-cousin, Drew, public, but it seems to be over. When she becomes interested in another guy, she finds herself keeping more secrets than ever. Greer's goal is to date only trustworthy guys. Hunter, though, is gorgeous. She would find it easier to trust him if she did not have to compete with her newly divorced mother for his attention. Many readers will enjoy following their saga in the "Summer Girls" series; however, underage drinking and teenage sex are portrayed as behaviors in which everyone partakes with few consequences. Teenage pregnancy is briefly addressed, but advice such as, "If you don't feel like you can talk to Connor about this stuff right now, then don't. Instead, you can just be sweet to him and enjoy a romantic evening together and see where things lead. Although literature should not be expected to provide moral lessons, this book did not provide an honest look at these issues. Instead, it is a popular, glamorous glimpse at the stereotypical life of the wealthy teenager. Reviewer: Jennifer Lehmann