First book in The Summer I Turned Pretty series

Originally Published: May 5, 2009

By: Jenny Han

Full of romantic pining and maybe too many flashbacks, The Summer I Turned Pretty isn’t the deepest novel, but it’s a breezy read.

Laurel and Susannah are best friends who vacation each summer at Cousins Beach with their kids – Laurel’s son Steven and daughter Belly and Susannah’s boys Conrad and Jeremiah. Belly is maturing and only has eyes for Conrad, who isn’t acting like himself this summer.

The book doesn’t contain a huge amount of plot and it’s Belly’s love for Conrad that keeps the story going. The flashbacks sometime make it difficult to separate the past from the present, but it’s helpful in building the story.

Though Belly’s body has matured, her personality hasn’t. She’s almost hard to like at times, and there’s not a lot in present-day Conrad to root for either.

Final say: Not the best summer. ★★★☆☆