Summer Boys (Summer Boys Series #1) by Hailey Abbott, Hailey Abbott (17th St /. Alloy), Scholastic Paperbacks (Manufactured by)

From the Publisher

It's summer. It's hot. And it's time to hook up. Cousins Ella, Beth, and Jamie are at their family's beach house for the summer, and they're gearing up for the wildest time of their lives. Sassy Ella is majorly crushing on a sexy older boy -- who just happens to be her sister's new boyfriend. Meanwhile, practical Beth is surprised when she finds herself falling for her best friend George. And shy, creative Jamie gets her heart broken when her summer love abandons her. Three girls, too many boys, and some seriously stormy romances...it all adds up to one unforgettable summer.

Publishers Weekly

This summer soap opera by the sea centers on a quartet of teens on vacation with their extended family, and the chapters alternate among their points of view. The author hints at the accelerated heartbeats ahead on the first page: as Jamie puts on a necklace that was a gift from Ethan her love from last summer readers learn that "just wearing it made her pulse spike." Alas, Ethan soon makes it clear that this summer he wants to be just friends. Devastated, Jamie in revenge tries to seduce Ethan's friend Scott but is rebuffed. Meanwhile, Jamie's cousin Ella, who goes through boys "quicker than a pack of Dentyne Ice (Ella was a chain chewer)," lusts after her sister Kelsi's new boyfriend Peter, who eventually returns the attention. Most wholesome and likable of the lot is another cousin, Beth, who grows increasingly jealous as her best friend George falls for his very first girlfriend. Will Jamie get over Ethan? Will Scott admit his attraction for Jamie? Will Ella steal Peter away from Kelsi? Will Beth let George know how she really feels about him? Those swept up in the melodrama will surely have sufficient incentive to keep turning the pages. The tale occasionally simmers but never quite sizzles and like many summer romances is ultimately forgettable. Ages 12-up. (June) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Amanda Zalud, Teen Reviewer - VOYA

This book was one of the worst I have ever read. There is no plot unless one considers the pursuit of dumb boys and sex a plot. The girls are whiney, insufferable airheads who only think about having sex to keep their boyfriends. The boys' motto is, "I'll call you," but the phone never rings. The pages are so saturated with pop culture references that the book dates faster than one can finish it. VOYA CODES: 1Q 4P J (Hard to understand how it got published; Broad general YA appeal; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2004, Scholastic, 214p., Trade pb. Ages 12 to 15.

Jessica Segura - Alan Review

Just outside of Maine Pebble Beach became a ritual summer getaway for the Tuttle family. Extended family would come and go, but the summer truly belonged to the girls. Jamie, Ella, Kelsi, and Beth were all cousins around the same age and spent most of their year looking forward to those magical seven weeks at Pebble Beach. The four cousins endure a roller coaster of emotions during their stay. Jamie suffers a broken heart Summer Boys chronicles the classic coming of age tale of teenage romance that involves love, jealousy, betrayal, envy, and heartache. It demonstrates how relationships during the summer can be so fleeting and how at times even the most sensitive teen can emerge resiliently from disappointment. By summer's end each girl goes home a little wiser, confident, and more self aware than before. The girls each in their own way experience their first boy, first love, and first time. True romantics at heart will absolutely love this novel. It does however contain adult content and is recommended for an older reading audience. 2004, Scholastic, 214 pp., Ages young adult.

Joanna Solomon - KLIATT

Lighthearted and fun, this book chronicles the summer holiday of three cousins, Beth, Jamie and Ella. Each has a distinctive style and personality, so it's easy to relate to at least one of them. The cousins vacation with their families at their usual beach houses in Maine. Jamie arrives excited to see her boyfriend from last summer whom she has been away from for a year. Beth arrives with her good friend George, explaining that "she had known right off that she wasn't attracted to him," looking for any kind of romance. Wild Ella, the It girl, arrives in hopes of just having a good time and immediately fixates on her older sister's new boyfriend. As the summer progresses, each girl's story unfolds and takes twists and turns. The reader will catch on quickly as to what is yet to come, but it's still an enjoyable read. Each girl learns to love in a new way and learns something new about relationships by the end of the summer. This is mildly racy, with some talk of sex, but it's not graphic. Reminiscent of the Gossip Girl series, this novel is perfect beach reading. KLIATT Codes: S—Recommended for senior high school students. 2004, Scholastic, 214p., Ages 15 to 18.

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-In what could almost be the novelization of a yet-to-be-produced WB series, three cousins embrace summer romance in their pursuit of various hot guys while vacationing in Maine. Characterization relies heavily on teen-magazinelike descriptions ("she was more an Avril than a Christina"), and most chapters begin with lengthy wardrobe summaries. Despite the superficiality, however, each of the girls' situations holds some interest, particularly in the realistic ways they mature throughout. Smoking, alcohol consumption, and sexuality are contextualized in a matter-of-fact way, with only a hint of after-school-special didacticism. Don't look for substance, but this is nonetheless an acceptable addition for teens looking for escapist beach reading.-Rhona Campbell, Washington DC Public Library Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Product Details

• ISBN: 0439540208
  
• ISBN-13: 9780439540209
• Format: Hardcover, 214pp
• Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
• Pub. Date: May 2004
• Sales Rank: 14,591
• Age Range: Young Adult
• Series: Summer Boys Series, #1

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents