Original copy was gifted via Netgally on behalf of the author in exchange for an honest review. Final and read copy read via AfterPlay (my paid subscription).

Julie Garwood has become one of my favorite Historical Romance writers and I was curious to read her YA.

This was so wholesome. You learn that it's ok to just be you and THAT you is enough. This is definitely a different kind of YA than the ones you read today and I was here for it.

This is one of those young adult romances like I remember reading when I was younger. It felt true to life and a situation I could easily see anyone getting into. Sure, Summer is a 15 year-old girl, but I could see myself getting into a similar situation as a woman a couple of decades older.

Summer is a typical teenager. She wants to spend her summer vacation relaxing by the pool, earning some extra cash at the pizza parlor, and making a bunch of new friends. Instead, she is stuck taking care of her little brother. The bonus is that he has a gorgeous swimming instructor who actually takes an interest in her. She wants to impress David, and a little stretching of the truth ends up getting her into some potential trouble. Enter the grandfather who is slowly entering into dementia. He may be a little out of it here and there, but he is still full of sage advice that she takes to heart. Grandparents who care can be very wise and are almost easier to listen to than parents.

You can tell that this is an older story that is being re-released as an ebook. First, the kids refer to dating as "going together," which I don't even remember being said when I was in high school. Also, there is no talk of texting, Facebook, or other modern technology so frequently used by teens today. That is okay. That makes the story timeless. The gist of it holds true no matter what generation you're in.

Thank you to NetGalley for fulfilling my review request. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the first time reading anything by this author, so I didn't really know what to expect. This book was fast paced and easy to read. There were lots of twists and turns that I didn't expect. I look forward to reading more from this author. I highly recommend this book.

This was a sweet young adult novel. This is Garwood's first novel and it feels a bit dated. I still enjoyed it, however.

There is a romantic thread that rubs through the books, but the story is really about Summer's journey in finding herself.