That Summer

F
DES
Chick Lit

Haven's summer has gone awry.  Starting off  with the marriage of her sports anchor father to the weather girl, her mother heading off to Europe, and her sister's impending marriage; Haven longs for the summers past.  She recalls "that perfect summer" when everyone was happy and life was good,  but was it really.
That Summer by Sarah Dessen was a great read this week.  I had not read a Sarah Dessen book and I am hooked.  This is a stand alone novel in the current world of  YA trilogies.  For me that is a nice reprieve from my latest reads.  I enjoyed the innocence if the main character and how she wanted life to be simple when all was changing quickly around her.  She was a believable character, unselfish, caring, and composed for the most part.  Dessen confronted real teen issues of self esteem, blended families, love, and loss without the brutal teen angst one might find in other books.
I would give That Summer a two thumbs up for readability and enjoyment.