Publishers Weekly Review
| Dessen (The Rest of the Story) serves up a warm summer romance that's a fortifying interpretation of self-transformation. Though recent high school graduate Finley Hope intends to spend most of the summer with her charismatic boyfriend, Colin Frisbee, before following him to a state college, she must first endure an annual two-week visit with her emotionally distant mother in New York City. But a last-minute change in the pair's itinerary sees them arriving at a lakeside vacation home that the Hopes have owned for generations. And when Colin breaks up with her via video call, Finley, crestfallen and infuriated, impulsively tosses her cellphone into the lake. Forced offline, Finley distracts herself by getting a diner job, bonding with estranged family, and making new friends--including charmingly awkward line cook Ben, who might be something more than a pal. The laid-back atmosphere offers ample opportunity for Finley--a vulnerable protagonist forced to reckon with skewed self-perception--to reflect on family drama and secrets in this delightfully layered, bighearted novel. The comedic cast cues as white. Ages 12--up. Agent: Leigh Feldman, Leigh Feldman Literary. (May) |
School Library Journal Review
| Gr 7 Up--An unplanned trip turns into a season of truth for Finley as she processes a breakup and experiences some essential self-discoveries. Finley, who is just graduating high school, has her future all planned out--or so she thinks. All her plans come to a bumpy halt in a quick series of events. It begins when her planned trip to New York with her mom gets changed to a long drive to her mom's family land called "the Woods." Finley has never heard of this place, although her mother has always been a mystery. Meanwhile, Finley's boyfriend Colin, who is enjoying his summer Disney cruise, dumps her over the phone. While nursing her broken heart, Finley gets preoccupied with getting to know her mom and her mom's side of the family better, while also making some new friends. Dessen's excellent character development allows readers to witness the weaknesses, strengths, and growth of the protagonists. These characters are lovable and relatable. The new friends Finley makes are genuine, and they turn out to be good additions to her new life. Teens will relate to Dessen's realistic characters with real-life problems. Readers will comfortably immerse themselves in the author's writing as Finley comes into her own, and the conflict's resolution feels well-earned. Main characters, including Finley and her new love interest, are cued as white; in the supporting cast, Finley's new friend Clark is Black and Lana is bisexual. VERDICT Anyone transitioning into adulthood or who enjoys realistic coming-of-age stories will want to pick this one up. Highly recommended for school and public libraries.--Lacey Webster |
Booklist Review
| Seven years after her last novel, Dessen returns with a reflective summer story about identity, family history, and learning to stand on your own. Finley is content in the orbit of her charismatic boyfriend, Colin, letting his plans shape her future. When a sudden breakup collides with a last-minute trip to a long-hidden family vacation house, Finley feels out of place as she is surrounded by relatives and discovers surprising truths. At the center is the Egg, her aunt's diner, where friendships form and long-buried tensions surface. As always, Dessen's greatest strength is her creation of vivid atmosphere, which enhances both her characters' personalities and their conflicts. In her signature descriptive writing, the setting shines brightly with lived-in details and vivid, intimate moments, all of which is a rich background for her resonant exploration of family estrangement and personal growth. A late-summer romance adds tension, though it may divide readers. Longtime fans will welcome Dessen's return with this emotional story of reinvention, and new readers will appreciate her expert blend of emotional introspection and place-driven storytelling. |
Horn Book Review
| Finley has always followed her charismatic boyfriend's lead. Shy and observant, she finds it easier to relax in his shadow than to cast her own. But after he abruptly dumps her the summer after senior year, Finley is not only devastated, she's directionless. Then an unexpected trip to her divorced mom's hometown opens up whole new avenues as she meets family members she never knew, takes on a demanding but thankfully distracting job in a local diner, and somehow, impossibly, finds love again. Just when she feels like she's bouncing back from the earlier breakup, her usually stoic mother reveals a vulnerable secret that challenges Finley's newfound self-awareness and forces her to pivot once again. Dessen's cherished hallmark motifs are on full display in her first novel in seven years (The Rest of the Story, rev. 9/19). Reflective teen girl in crisis torn between two love interests? Check. Difficult family issue that comes to a head? Check. Quirky cast of small-town friends and neighbors all up in her business? Check. Both devoted fans and new readers will be delighted that Dessen's polished prose, playful dialogue, and sympathetic characters have also remained the same. Though YA romance trends have ebbed and flowed in the past decade, Dessen's abiding brand of gentle, realistic love story retains its appeal. Jennifer Hubert SwanMay/June 2026 p.83 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. |
Kirkus Review
| Bestseller Dessen returns with the story of a teen who enters an unexpected whirlwind of a summer adventure with family she barely knows. After high school graduation, Finley Hope expected to spend her customary two awkward weeks with her distant mother, Cat, who left when she was 4, before heading off to begin the life she's planned around her boyfriend, Colin. But Cat abruptly changes their New York City itinerary, instead taking Finley with her to help prepare her rural family home for sale. Within days, Colin breaks up with Finley over a video call. Reeling from heartbreak, Finley throws her phone into the lake, entering an unexpected period of offline clarity. She also suffers the shock of accidentally discovering that Cat has cancer. But, immersed in the rhythms of the small town, Finley befriends new people--including Ben, a shy, awkward, but adorable cook at her aunt's diner--while uncovering pieces of her mother's past and the judgment that led her to keep her distance. Dessen excels at identifying pivotal aspects of young adulthood, allowing them to unfurl with authenticity and robust characterization. With time and reflection, Finley, who's cued white, recognizes how much of her life she's surrendered to others' expectations. Through this forced pause and sudden change in plans, she discovers strength, independence, and the transformative power of being fully present in a place she never intended to be. A sweet, nuanced, and reflective coming-of-age love story filled with moments of true beauty between family and friends.(Fiction. 12-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission. |
