Did anyone else read choose your own adventure books growing up? There’s something really fun about the ability to read the same book, but have a different outcome every time. Bringing this fun format into the perfect YA beach read is Jill Santopolo’s Summer Love, which I’ve been reading on the subway recently. Basically, it’s a contemporary romance where you get to make decisions at the end of each chapter which will lead you down different paths where you might (and let me emphasize might!) end up kissing one of eleven different guys.
From cute boys who clean swimming pools to tennis partners to the only other person reading a piece of classic literature on the beach, summer romance is actually just a page turn away while reading this book. Although let me warn you that not all of the pathways lead to romance. The great news is that if you aren’t happy with your ending (or if you are just feeling curious) then you can flip back and go down a different path.
I was excited to check this book out after hearing Jill Santopolo at a reading earlier this year, but was surprised at how into many of the different stories I got. I thought the book might rest on the gimmick, but the writing is really top notch and the stories are easy to become engrossed in. Whether you just want to read through one pathway or you want to see how each one unfolds, this is definitely a fun summer book to check out if you want to take control of the narrative!
Alison Doherty 