I received a copy from Netgalley.

Normally I love Sarah Dessen books. I have loads of them and usually devour them in a couple of days. A new Dessen book is an autobuy for me, I’d already pre ordered and wasn’t actually expecting to get approved for the review copy but I did.

Sad to say though I really did not enjoy this book at all. It felt very poor in comparison to the others I’ve read. The story was slow paced, I felt like the characters had no depth to them. The only character who got a backstory or any insight into was the main character, and even she was about as interesting as dry toast. Everything else felt like cardboard.

Generally I love how characters in these type of books come somewhere for the summer where there’s a family connection and hidden secrets and stories the main character never knew emerges and she discovers things about herself and what she wants for her own future and grows as a person. I didn’t get a sense of that from this book at all. There’s also usually a great family dynamic as well. Didn’t feel that either.

So very disappointed with this one.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK, Children’s for approving my request to view the title.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

I was quite late to the Sarah Dessen party, but since I first started reading some of her books last year, I've found them all really enjoyable. When this one became available on NetGalley, I knew I needed to request, and I'm so glad I did, because this one is my favourite of all of her books that I've read so far. Emma Saylor - she has two names, remember it - has lived with her dad ever since her mam died when she was 10, and she hasn't really seen any of her maternal family since before then. When her dad remarries - and she does like her new step-mam, that's not an issue - she ends up going to her grandma's for the first time in years to allow her dad to have a honeymoon. The problem is, she doesn't really know her family on that side, all of the cousins and family friends, and everyone she should know, so the summer in North Lake is difficult. Being a town that is split into two, along class lines - North Lake and the more upper-class Lake North - she's treated as a princess who should be on the other side of the lake, but wants to learn more about her history. Rediscovering her family, and her old friends, including once best friend, Roo, Emma finds herself become Saylor again, and realises that the summer will change everything she knows about her history, and her future.

Emma/Saylor was a character I really liked, though the whole name changing thing did get on my nerves a bit. That's just me, I haven't seen anyone else comment on that, but Saylor sounded too much like sailor for me, and I sort of found myself cringing whenever she was called that. Other than the name thing, she was someone I found myself getting to know, and appreciating how difficult it must be to be thrown into a situation like this, not knowing anyone - not really - and rediscovering a whole part of your life that you forgot about. All of her family, from her nan, to her cousins (especially Trinity), were fantastic, and so real, it was as if you were at their hotel with them. Although a romance book, the whole concept of found family, and rediscovery played a crucial role to the plot, and helped it move in pace.

The romance between Saylor and Roo was swoony, and I loved the idea of them once being the best of friends, never being apart, and having to rediscover their friendship and then their romantic feelings. The moments between them were never forced, and, honestly, when they were apart, I wanted them to be together again asap!

Considering I was expecting this book to be a fast read, it was over 400 pages long, but didn't feel long. The plot had so many different elements and tangents to it, right until the last page, that I sort of felt like it was in two halves perhaps, which helped the book not be too long. I know that whenever Dessen has another book out, I'll be reading it.

Let me preface this review by saying that if you are a fan of Sarah Dessen books then you will be a fan of this book. Big surprise, I know. There are just certain things in a Dessen book that you can count on, and they are all present here. There's a large extended cast who are most of the heart of the story, there's the love interest who is just lovely, and there's a protagonist trying to sort through her feelings and relationships with her family and friends and love interest.

The normal criticism for a Dessen book is that the protagonist usually feels like the least interesting character in the book, but that wasn't the case here. Emma/Saylor is an involved member of the story and her interactions with her family are fantastic and develop her character more.

The one thing the book did brilliantly was setting up the plot and relationships at start of book. It was very concise but thorough.

The family tree intrigued me, as did the idea of going from a tiny family with just your dad and your grandmother to this entire other side of your sprawling family and having to cope and deal and compartmentalise.

I found myself thinking about the book when I wasn't reading it. Especially the feeling of endless proper summer - that sun blazing, air-conditioning pumping constantly, swimming to cool off kind of summer. The scene setting and descriptions of Calvander's was just that good. It's a perfect summer holiday read, for sure.

I have always been a big fan of Sarah Dessen, and I am THRILLED that this latest release did anything but disappoint. I spent a lot of my childhood reading and re-reading the likes of Lock and Key and This Lullaby, and I wondered if my memories of those were purely nostalgic but it turns out she really is as good a writer as I remember.

I always loved how Sarah’s books were so heavily focused on real life issues - young love and familial relationships in particular. She is the queen of teen literature for a reason, and this book proves exactly why that is. This ticked all the boxes for me and I can’t wait to keep reading it over and over for years to come!

Now I’m going straight into rereading the old faithful Lock and Key once again.

I have read Sarah Dessen novels for well over ten years and enjoyed every single one - this was no exception.

Struggling with coming to terms with the death of her mother from a few years previously, Emma Saylor visits her mother's childhood home at North Lake for the summer. Meeting estranged family members and participating in lake life, she begins to put together the puzzle of her mother and who she really was. Along the way, she makes friends and falls for a boy she knew when she was young, Roo. Emma slowly comes to terms with her own identity and who she wants to be in the world.

This was a novel full of wonderful moments of friendship, family, facing that which seems impossible to get through and being brave enough to confront others - and yourself.

I will recommend this to my students in upcoming reading lists. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of the book to review.

Sarah Dessen is, and I think always will be, one of my favourite authors. She captures summer, first loves, broken families and strained friendships so well. And yes, her books do normally have the same formula. Family crisis + summer setting + a moral dilemma + a nice boy = a Sarah Dessen novel. But it works!

Emma's plans to spend the summer with her best friend while her dad is off on his honeymoon come crashing down when her friend has to rush off and visit her sick Grandpa. With no one else to turn to, Emma goes to stays with her maternal grandmother, the one she hasn't seen since her mother's funeral ten years ago. And then there's the rest of the family, who keep mentioning her mother in hushed whispers with sideways glances and Emma realises she knows absolutely nothing about her mother and her family. Not really. And just as she's learning who she is, and who her mother was, her dad comes back and tries to take her home again. But she's not ready to leave yet. 

A tough story focusing on class, wealth, and attitudes towards money, accompanied by sunny days at the lake, befriending your long lost cousins, and learning who you really might be, this is classic Sarah Dessen and I really enjoyed it!

4/5 stars

Around 20 years ago, I bought a magazine with my pocket money purely because a free book came with it (I’ve always been a bookworm). That book obviously came at just the right time because it changed my life, it was my coming of age moment. That book was Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen (although my copy is titled Last Chance), & it’s so battered from being re-read, it’s one that I will never part with! While it could be said that I’m no longer the target audience for these books (which I think is rubbish - they’re for everyone), when I saw it come up as available to request I jumped at the chance to get back a little bit of my childhood.

I was not disappointed! I loved this book, the characters were all well fleshed out & the story kept you captivated. I wanted to find out more about Saylor's mom along with her, and I was devastated along with her when her time at north lake came to an end. It broaches some difficult topics & conversations, but as always with Dessen's writing, it’s done in such a good way that you get completely wrapped up in it & it feels natural to the story. This is the perfect read for the summer, and I look forward to recommending it to my customers.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Highly readable coming of age story with a likeable protagonist, a heart-warming romance & some larger than life supporting characters. Although some tough themes are touched on, it's still an ideal beach read for teens. Very enjoyable.

Sarah Dessen is one of the pivotal figures in YA and this book just reinforces that. This is a beautiful and enjoyable story of self discovery told over one summer. Great characters and a fantastic storyline.

This was my first Sarah Dessen read and i quite enjoyed it.
It was an easy, fun read with very likable characters!

After losing her mum years ago to addiction and then death, Emma or Saylor as some know her, is learning how to move on and adapt as her dad remarries to her stepmum Tracy.



At North Lake she discovers her old self from her younger days as she learns about the past she had there growing up as a kid on holiday there with her grandma, mum and family including her aunt's and young cousin's.



She rediscovers her friendship with Roo, the son of her mum's best friend as well as getting to know her grandma, aunt and grown up now cousin's all over again. From, Trinity, Gordon and Bailey, she meets Colin and Brad who get her involved in dance and parties.



This book truly captures how life and people can change over love periods of time apart. The book had typical teen drama from dancing, drinking and ventures in love to discovering family and hidden secrets especially about her mum who died. Emma is a strong character who's conscious of her mum and how her life wound up after addiction and I liked that she was supposed to be aware of all that and had not been hidden away protected from it which is a positive. The story was good but I couldn't help but wish for a further drama to arise from the night danger in the story or with one of the new relatives she gets to know to add some more to the story.



Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Sarah Dessen`s books are warm, comforting, familiar and HOME. It doesn't matter how old I get, I'll read her forever.

Saylor and Roo are a wonderfully likeable, complex and funny duo to add to the list of Sarah's characters I feel like I've known for years. If intended to draw this out for a week or so knowing it'll be two years until the next, but I read all but one chapter in one go...

I really like Sarah Dessen and am really happy to report that this book is true to form, exploring relationships, family and self discovery. This had shades of Dirty Dancing, with the divide between the workers and the vacationers at an exclusive lakeside resort. But does Emma/Saylor belong at Lake North or North Lake? Getting to know another side of her family and piecing together old memories and old friendships, this has all the hallmarks of Sarah Dessen's exploration of how differences don't necessarily mean better or worse, or good or bad. Well-rounded and well thought out characters, everyone has their own story, yet you don't feel overwhelmed with detail or that there's any moralising hidden anywhere. My only criticism is that the end felt a little rushed, but actually, on reflection, the retrospective did tie up all the endings nicely. Definitely one to add to the D shelf in the library and to recommend for summer reading!