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Gibaldi, Lauren
3 Reviews
(3)
YA
Attending a highly regarded theater camp on scholarship makes sheltered small-town Floridian and rising senior Penny question her own expectations that she'll marry her high-school sweetheart, Logan, and take over her family's diner. A tender love story with appealing focus on the power of a transformative summer, the desire for independence, and the pursuit of one's dreams.
Reviewer: Carolyn Shute
(4)
YA
In searching for the history of her birth mother (who died in childbirth), high-school senior Maude embarks on a journey of self-discovery. She visits her best friend, now a freshman at Florida State; tries partying; seeks out multiple people from her mother's past; and falls in love. While the novel is over-cluttered, there's plenty of appeal for the high-school-to-college transition set.
Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin
(4)
YA
At a party with her BFF Meg, Ella runs into ex-boyfriend Matt, who broke her heart when he left town abruptly months ago; he's there to apologize and win Ella back. Though debut novelist Gibaldi overwrites at times, her narrative switching between "now" and "then" (the night Ella and Matt met a year ago) effectively develops the couple's swoon-worthy romance.
Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen
3 reviews
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