Sixteenth Summer: Book Review

Novel: Sixteenth Summer by Michelle Dalton

Release Date: May 3rd, 2011

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Pages: 320

Format: Hardcover Copy

Source: Local Public Library

Anna is dreading another tourist-filled summer on Dune Island that follows the same routine: beach, ice cream, friends, repeat. That is, until she locks eyes with Will, the gorgeous and sweet guy visiting from New York.Soon, her summer is filled with flirtatious fun as Anna falls head over heels in love.
But with every perfect afternoon, sweet kiss, and walk on the beach, Anna can’t ignore that the days are quickly growing shorter, and Will has to leave at the end of August. Anna has never felt anything like this before, but when forever isn’t even a possibility, one summer doesn’t feel worth the promise of her heart breaking….

(Synopsis from Goodreads)

Willa's Rambles:

   This book has been on my to-read list for ages, and I've finally read it and gotten a chance to review it! 

   For everyone who reads this blog on a regular basis, you know that I LOVE romantic novels, and Sixteenth Summer is purely romance. A whirlwind summer romance and wipes you and the characters right off your feet, and pulls you into every Anna and Will moment. The location of the novel is key to the entire book, because it's set on Dune Island, where Will comes to visit, and Anna lives. The issue that arises is that Will is a tourist, and Anna is an islander, and their worlds are usually kept separate - until Anna and Will step over the boundaries, and suddenly their worlds are colliding.

   Anna is such a sweet and caring girl, that you automatically love her. She has a great family, a fantastic sense of humor, and a caring heart, but most of all - she is a tad bit scared of love. Her small fear of it makes her a bit hesitant when it comes to Will, but after a while she forgets her fears and falls straight into the romance. One of my favorite things about Anna is her ice-cream making skills! Her family owns an ice cream shop, and Anna creates these wacky and creative flavors all the time, and then forces Will to taste them. It's always a hilarious scene.

   The boy, Will, is equally as loveable. He is this caring and sweet guy who falls fast and hard for Anna, and spends his entire summer with her. He shares some of the most secretive things about his life, his passions, his fears, and his thoughts with her in a way that I admire. Will's family life is hard, but he tells Anna shortly after falling for her, and they create this bond over the information that is unbreakable. Will is always looking to learn more about Dune Island and enjoys having Anna as his guide - which are always great scenes in the novel. 

   The entire novel, you are dreading the end of the summer, because that means that Will and Anna have to leave each other, but you don't know how it will end. Dalton keeps you reading, guessing and falling in love over and over again!