The Summer Invitation

Reviewed by: Kara Reiman - Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: November 8, 2014

Review

Franny and Valentine, sisters from San Francisco, get an invitation to spend the summer in New York City from their mom's best friend, Aunt Theo. The plan is to spend the first half of the summer with Theo's friend Clover as a chaperone, before Theo comes back from Europe. Franny immediately loves the historic feel of the apartment and all of the places that Clover takes them. Valentine prefers more modern things and longs to fall in love. Valentine gets her wish, and they start to grow apart. They never end up meeting Theo, but that summer changes their lives forever. The author has created a wonderfully vivid picture of New York and the locales and descriptions draw you in completely to the European feel that Clover and Theo live in. This is a lovely coming of age story, and Franny, the main character learns about herself and who she really is, and to accept that. In the end, she has the perfect summer to lead her into the next chapter of her life.

Overall Book Score: very good