That Summer
That Summer
Realistic Fiction
By Sarah Dessen
Reviewed by Meagan Ferguson
Rated 4 out of 5 Stars
“It’s funny how one summer can change everything.” Haven thought. Haven is a fifteen year old and is almost six feet tall. She’s going through a lot, her parents just got divorced and her father is getting remarried in just a few days! And to top it all off her older sister, Ashley, is getting married in a few months too!
Haven tries to deal with her life changing summer, while reminiscing about a special one that stood out in her memory. The summer where everything was right and perfect and happy. The summer that her older sister Ashley was dating Sumner, and her parents were happy and together, and everything was simple. But in reality, she had a new step mom who was pregnant, and a future Brother-in-law, who was boring and normal and didn’t really seem like the perfect match for Ashley. When her best friend finally returns home after a summer in camp, Haven realizes that Casey too, has changed. She smokes and has a long distance boyfriend. Haven has lost herself and doesn’t like it. Any of it. But when the boy who made everything right, Sumner Lee, makes a re-appearance after all those years during this summer, and Haven thinks he is the key to making everything go away and be normal again. But when Haven confronts Ashley about her “mistake” with Sumner, she finds out exactly why things didn’t work out that summer.
Sarah Dessen is an outstanding author, who writes with a laid-back, detailed style that anyone can somehow relate to. Her characters are well developed, and unforgettable. This is a book that you don’t want to put down, but after you’ve finished it you wish you had savored every page, not wanting it to end. It is sweet, truthful, sad, and funny all at the same time. It’s a quick and easy read for any teenage girl looking for one.
