In Amanda Howells debut novel she writes a telling story of Mia Gordon journey to finding her self and true love all in the space of one incredible summer. The story had a nice flow starting soft and light in the beginning then building in suspense and surprise that had me turning pages to figure out what troubles Mia and her cousins get into in the Hampton and whether the feelings she and Simon had would grow into something more. The characters felt real and interesting. The interaction within the family setting felt real adding to the tension and suspense of the story. Mia voice felt genuine and I could relate to her and the struggles in her life. Mia's crazy cousins Corinne and Beth added the spice and intrigue to the story as well. The romance between Mia and Simon felt special and real, tugging on my heart strings every time they were together. I enjoyed their journey, learning about each other and exploring the feelings that were growing. I feel a lot of girls can relate to Mia with her dilemmas, insecurities and peer pressure that all of us have to deal with in our lives. I liked Simon and how independent he was, not caring about what people though about him. He made a great fit for Mia, helping her as well as himself. The first person narrative was great, it made me get into Mia's mind and understand what she was going through internally as well as dealing with outside influences. Howells captured the essence of a teenage girl trying to find her way and experiencing life so well. I felt that I was in Mia place dealing with all the family drama and unexpected romance. Howells really captured my interest and emotions, taking me on a wild entertaining ride. I would totally recommend this story to readers!
