March 30, 2020
Summer at a lake: what could be better for four rising seniors? Except that the girls are being dragged to South Carolina by their mothers, old friends who rally around Scarlett and Skyler’s mom when her marriage hits the rocks. Scarlett, a recovering cutter, would rather be home with her boyfriend, but her twin, Skyler, is grateful for an excuse to miss summer softball. Amelia Grace, who accidentally kissed a girl in front of her church, is glad she isn’t being sent to conversion camp. And Ellie is a serious tennis player who could really use some friends; she’s hoping for some kind of “Ya-Ya Sisterhood club for female empowerment/shenanigans.” Allen (A Taxonomy of Love) tips her hat to the summer sisterhood tradition she’s working in while updating its inclusivity: Ellie is Muslim, Skyler has arthritis, and Amelia Grace wants a church that accepts her. The characters’ alternating first-person voices are distinctive, the writing is sharp, and messages about honesty and being oneself add ballast to this satisfying multigenerational story of four girls finding the people they need. Ages 13–up. Agent: Susan Hawk, Upstart Crow Literary.