Sixteenth Summer

SIXTEENTH SUMMER by Michelle Dalton is a YA Romance set in Dune Island. Anna, a local, has been pretty independent her whole life. She crafts town-favorite ice cream flavors for her parents’ shop, aces her school exams, and provides witty commentary for her friends, Caroline and Sam. However, Will, the shoobie from New York City who is staying in town for the summer, unmoors her. Anna really likes him, but she’s scared that once he leaves, she may never see him again, which is the type of heartbreak Anna’s not prepared to face.

The setting in many ways is the star of this book. Between all the various locations, like the beach and town shops, to the standard activities, like bike riding, ghost crabbing, and sand castle competitions, Dune Island captures the quintessential summer vibe. In a way, my love for summer and wish that it will never end mirrors Anna’s countdown for her relationship with Will. The book, and the town itself, showcases the bittersweet passing of the season, as well as reinforces all the reasons it’s the best.

The romance in this book is so sweet. I love how earnestly it develops and unfolds. I don't mind that the book is almost solely about this relationship and how it grows, and I don't miss the angst or the darker elements sometimes written into this genre either. That said, I would’ve appreciated a more realistic ending. It’s hard for me to believe that the characters never talked about keeping in touch after Will left, or never made plans to see each other. Grappling with the reality of long-distance and what that could look like would’ve given the book a stronger conclusion that felt more accurate to what the characters just went through.

Overall, though, SIXTEENTH SUMMER is just like Anna's pineapple ginger ale ice cream: a familiar treat with just the right amount of sweetness and surprise. This is a great read for the month of August.