Along for the Ride - Sarah Dessen

Young Adult
Pages: 383
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Release Date: June 16, 2009

It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.

A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.

Oh, this book was so sweet! Probably shocking, but its the first I've read from Sarah Dessen. She's a wonderful writer. I don't think I have enough compliments for her writing. It was just delightful. The story was really pretty, so much more than a love story. It has a message, you can learn from it and that is always a pro.

What impressed me the most though, was the feeling I got as if it was a true story. Wow. Auden's character is incredibly real. I just felt like I was with her all the time. All the characters seem so alive and I could actually see the place, the beach. I liked the cover, even if I thought it was cheesy at first, well no, actually I still do. I'm guessing that's not Auden because of the pink dress. Anyway, if you enjoy cute love stories and teen summers you'll definitely love this book.

Goodreads / Amazon