Review - Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Title and Author: Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Publisher: Little Brown

Publication Date: June 1, 2009

Paperback: 290

Genre: Young Adult

Summary:

"Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."
"Okay."
"Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?"
"Don't worry." I laughed. "It's our secret, right?"
According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in ZanzibarBay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy ever day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie—-she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

Review:

I’ve wanted to read this book since I first heard about it and it did not disappoint me. It was a great read that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys this genre.

Anna, Frankie and Matt grew up together as neighbors and close friends and Anna has always had a crush on Matt – Frankie’s brother. On her 15^th birthday they finally kiss.

Unfortunately, shortly after Anna and Matt get together he dies unexpectedly, never having told Frankie about his relationship with Anna. This leaves Anna with a secret she wished she could share but feels like she shouldn’t.

The main part of the story develops one year after Matt’s death when Anna goes to spend her summer with Frankie and her parents at their beach house in California. Memories of Matt keep on resurfacing, making it hard for everyone to let go, especially when Anna meets Sam and starts falling for him.

Twenty Boy Summer is a book about friendship, love, loss and learning how to overcome that loss and let go. This is an emotional book with the power to make you both smile and cry.

It was easy to relate with the main character, Anna. She was a likeable, intelligent and realistic character and you end up wishing everything turns out okay for her.

I didn’t like Frankie as much as I did Anna, though. I felt like she was too self-centered and shallow but it was good to see her grow up a little by the end of the book.

Matt seemed like a very sweet guy and I wished I could’ve learned a little bit more about him, even though I understand why that wasn’t exactly possible.

Sam was a good character too. He was sweet as well and caring and everything Anna needed. Their relationship could’ve been explored a little bit more, though.

I don’t usually enjoy books which are written in the first person but the way Sarah Ockler writes made me forget all about that and feel like I was right there with the characters, having fun in the beach and often feeling nostalgic. She made me understand Anna and whish Matt was still alive.

All in all, Twenty Boy Summer is a book I won’t soon forget. It made smile and want to cry. This is booskis more than just one more cute and light read and I highly recommend it.

Rating: Must Read

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