Last Summer
by Rebecca A. Rogers (Goodreads Author)
All Chloe Sullivan wants to do is get through the summer. Her life has been in disarray for more than six months, and she knows the only reason her parents made one final trip to Sandy Shores is because of her. They are, after all, two seconds away from filing for divorce. When Chloe stumbles upon a boy in one of her childhood hangouts, she’s in for more than just a relaxing summer vacation.
Logan Andrews is exhausted, famished and, quite frankly, kaput. His parents kicked him out when he refused to attend a rehabilitation program for his drug addiction. Now, he wishes he would’ve listened; he’d be receiving appropriate medical care rather than living in a dingy, godforsaken shack, holing up from money-hungry drug dealers.
Logan’s godsend arrives in the form of Chloe, who can’t hold her tongue when it comes to matters of the heart. They’re both in for a rude awakening when Logan’s past catches up to them, though. Can they escape the drug dealers showing up at every twist and turn, or will things end much worse than they ever imagined?
Paperback, 240 pages
Published July 18th 2012
Buy Your Copy: Barnes & Noble | Amazon
PLOT:
So this book is definitely New Adult. That is for sure. So, before you dive in be aware that there is strong sexual content as well as drug use. ::WARNING OVER:: Moving on. The book starts with Chloe and her family taking what is tentatively their last summer trip to Sandy Shores. Her parents are no longer getting along, and everything seems to be falling apart around Chloe.
Once she arrives at her summer home, she decides to get out for a while, after overhearing her father on the phone. (So NOT cool, you will see.). Upon entering a childhood spot, she finds Logan. From here, we see the beginning of Logan's story, and how his life is also coming apart. As the story unfolds, Chloe & Logan both go through some more traumatic events, and even wind up in the middle of a few very dangerous situations.
I'm not sure what I was expecting going into Rebecca's Last Summer. This is my first indie novel that I have ever read. I did not let that at all jade my opinion, or change the way I went into it. The plot sounded awesome, and so I wanted to read it. Nothing else matters. Plus, after interviewing Rebecca, I got to see how awesome she was. Which, only made me want to read Last Summer even more.
I must say, I loved the alternating viewpoints that Rebecca implemented into this novel. It was pretty cool to get to see Logan, going through his withdrawals, as well as Chloe's same take on the situation. Each character I connected with, each chapter was something totally new and exciting. I absolutely loved the chemistry between Logan & Chloe, and I'm glad it wasn't too insta-lovey for me. (I'm picky with my romances!).
As the characters unravel, and we see some family elements (Chloe's parents, and Logan's brother, specifically), we feel for each of our main characters. They have been through so much, and they are so young! Its truly sad. However, I must say, Rebecca did a great job with such extreme content. She really found a way to stress that none of these issues are light, nor easy to overcome. And I for one, appreciated that.
To say the least, I really, really enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to anyone who likes some good contemporary/new adult. It is for sure, different than what I have read before, but different in a good way.
I give Last Summer...
Don't forget to see my interview
with Rebecca Rogers right here.
