Common Sense Media Review
By Kate Pavao
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Bookish girl finds love -- and herself -- in sweet romance.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Chelsea and her family head from Los Angeles to the small town of Bluepointe, MI, to spend the summer at her recently deceased grandmother's cottage as her parents debate what to do with the property. There Chelsea meets -- and quickly falls for -- Josh, the serious son of the new bookstore's owners. Between getting over her beloved grandmother's death and figuring out if she's in love for the first time, Chelsea's young heart is getting quite a workout.
Is It Any Good?
FIFTEENTH SUMMER may not be steeped in realism, but for readers who like happily sighing through romantic books and movies, this will be a good fit. The small town is outrageously charming, from a cinematic party hosted on a dock by local teens -- which ends when they send hand-painted lanterns into the night sky -- to the quirky sisterhood of waitresses at the local diner, who take Chelsea under their wings and give her a summer job, as well as wise advice when it looks like her relationship with Josh is fizzling out.
Chelsea and her family are constantly doing charming things, such as berry picking, taking gourmet picnics to the beach, and throwing marshmallows at the screen during Lifetime Original Movie watching. And these form the backdrop for the main story about Chelsea sharing romantic outings and smooches with her summer soul mate. Certainly something to swoon over.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about romantic books and movies. What does Fifteenth Summer have in common with other media in the genre?
Do books like this one help us create positive expectations of what a first love should be like -- or do they set the bar too high? Do any of your friends' first romances seem like this one?
Chelsea says: "I'd dreamed about the kissing and hand-holding. But I'd had no idea that the most mind-blowing part of dating could be the talking." Do you think most teens share her perspective? Should they?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Romance
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Simon Pulse
- Publication date : May 7, 2013
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 17
- Number of pages : 272
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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