(2) YA A change of summer plans finds seventeen-year-old narrator Emma--whose mother died of an overdose years back and whose father has just remarried--staying with her mom's large, boisterous extended family for a few weeks at the motel they run. Privileged, anxiety-prone Emma quickly acclimates to the working-class environs and bonds with her relatives, soon embracing a new, more laidback identity. Dessen's latest novel is largely about the ups and downs of family.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(2) YA Louna helps her wedding-planner mother Natalie every summer. Louna's own special romance--revealed in interspersed flashbacks--ends in tragedy; she's bereft until Natalie hires Ambrose, whose carefree attitude disrupts Louna's cautious avoidance of love. With her signature narrative tone--quiet, confident, and steady--Dessen delivers a contemplative and satisfying pleasure-read that speaks to the power of opening oneself up to love.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2017

(3) YA After a long downward spiral into substance abuse, Sydney's brother Peyton--still a golden boy in their mother's eyes--is in jail. Starting at a new school, Sydney is befriended by kind, free-spirited Layla; Layla's handsome brother Mac; and their ragtag group of friends, whose support helps Sydney confront feelings of guilt and betrayal. Dessen creates complex, three-dimensional characters, especially secondary ones.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(2) YA High-school graduate Emaline is working at her family beach rental business for the summer. Things get complicated when her estranged birth father pulls his offer to pay for college and arrives in town with her young half-brother. Exploring both family and romantic relationships, this quintessential Dessen novel sets Emaline's time of self-discovery in a summer of sunny days and warm nights filled with promise.

Reviewer: Lauren Adams | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2013

(2) YA Mclean's dad's job sends the two of them to a new place every few months, allowing Mclean to continually reinvent herself. In their latest town, she tells the boy next door her real name--a strong hint that she may finally be home. Dessen's talent is creating a comfortable space for young adults struggling with identity, relationships, and all that messy family stuff.

Reviewer: Lauren Adams | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2011

(2) YA The summer before college, Auden lives with her father, terminally perky stepmother Heidi, and newborn half-sister. Auden forms a prickly alliance with Heidi, who's not nearly as vapid as she had thought. Without judgment, Dessen explores the dynamics of an extended family headed by two flawed personalities. Rounded out with richly depicted female friendships, the story offers a summertime exploration of self-discovery.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2009

(2) YA After her mother leaves, seventeen-year-old Ruby is placed in the care of her sister. Ruby strikes up a tentative friendship with Nate, whose father is abusive. The intricacy of relationships shines in this in-depth exploration of family, trust, and responsibility. The complex, deeply sympathetic characters are pure pleasure to spend time with.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2008

(4) YA After her father's death, runner Macy Queen tries to conform to the expectations of her distant mother and perfectionist boyfriend. A summer catering job introduces Macy to some well-drawn peripheral characters, while providing the impetus for self-exploration and eventual communication with her family. This meandering tale explores different approaches to grief but is marred by a predictable ending.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) YA Remy's cynical attitude toward relationships has been shaped mainly by her mom's three failed marriages (and the unofficial union with Remy's late father). Yet from the moment gangly, disheveled Dexter hits on this self-described ice-queen, it's obvious he will be the one to defrost her. While the melting happens too gradually in this overlong novel, there's enough to keep readers engaged while it occurs.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2002

(3) YA Caitlin has grown up in her sister's shadow, and when Cass runs away, Caitlin is left less sure of her own identity than ever. Dessen crafts a believable portrait of a teenage girl, whose life is less something she participates in than something that washes over her. Despite the book's heavy symbolism and shortcuts with characterization, readers will find themselves being pulled in by Caitlin's story.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2000

(4) YA While spending the summer at her eccentric artist aunt's house, Colie reinvents herself with the help of two older girls who waitress with her, regaining the confidence she lost when she was overweight and picked on. Supporting characters tend to steal the show in this first-person novel, because the narrator is bland and timid by comparison, even after her transformation occurs.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann

(2) YA In this novel whose first person voice is remarkable for its authenticity, high school junior Halley tells of her first serious relationship, her ignorance over the details of sex, and her fascination with her best friend's pregnancy. Dessen has a unique talent for distilling character in a few biting words, and she uses her sharp sense of humor to make her points without mawkishness.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.