The heart tugging, tear jerking, and emotional story of Billy’s last summer before heading off to college is exactly what I expect from Steven Manchester.

The Changing Season is told by Billy but there are so many other wonderful characters. One of my favorite is Jimmy. He is definitely Billy’s best friend. He keeps him company when Billy is struggling with life decisions, dealing with heart break, or just wants quiet company. Billy feels that he takes care of Jimmy but I believe that Jimmy actually takes care of Billy. I should probably mention that Jimmy is Billy’s pet dog.

There is more to this story that about a boy and his dog. It is a story on how not knowing what you want to do in life after high school is okay. Your life is not easily planned out and it will come to you when you least expect it. With Billy’s job at the animal shelter his eyes are opened to all that is available to him and what he truly loves. I like that he struggled with his life. Real life is not easy and Steven Manchester portrays this through Billy perfectly. It is also a story of Billy and his friends. How important loyalty is and standing by your friends in their times of needs. There is also young love found for Billy. His first girlfriend and he puts his whole heart into the relationship. I found it sweet how he thought of all the “cute” things a boy/man should do for his girlfriend and how he went about doing them.

I am never disappointed by Steven Manchester. He develops his realistic characters expertly, writes his scenes with as much description as possible, and moves the novel along at a great pace. There are surprises, heart tugging, and wonderful life lessons to be learned from his books.