Seventeen-year-old Gwen Castle spends her summer working as a swim instructor and house cleaner on the affluent island of Seashell. Her life complicates when Cassidy Somers, a wealthy classmate she shares a secret and embarrassing history with, takes a job as a local yard boy. Gwen navigates the divide between the working-class residents and the seasonal tourists while managing her brother’s developmental needs and her mother’s high expectations. As she and Cassidy confront their past misunderstanding, she reassesses her assumptions about social class and family loyalty.
This book serves readers of contemporary young adult fiction who value realistic depictions of socioeconomic tension and regional settings. It attracts those interested in how teenage perspectives on character and reputation shift through shared labor and honest conversation. Readers walk away with a nuanced understanding of how personal biases shape one’s view of others and the realization that initial perceptions rarely capture the full truth of a person’s circumstances or motives.
Practical and clear-cut; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Curious Generalist. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2014
- Language
- EN
