Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

From Amazon:
"Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."
"Okay."
"Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?"
"Don't worry." I laughed. "It's our secret, right?"

According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in ZanzibarBay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy ever day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

I loved this. It is beautifully written – the writing just flows and I found myself so absorbed I completely forgot I was reading. All the characters were three dimensional – including Matt who the author fleshed out enough for the reader to believe in the grief the characters felt. I really liked Anna and she had a great voice – very witty at times but you could feel her grief throughout the book. Frankie was suitably complex and I got a hint of how she used to be and understood why she acted the way she did – I can’t say I always liked her though.

The way everyone grieved felt authentic – the effect on Frankie, her parents and Anna – all of it felt very real. The ending also felt natural and believable, managing to end the story in a satisfying way.

Overall I really enjoyed this – so much I found myself savouring it and not wanting it to end. In fact, I think I could have read another 300 pages of her writing and not tired of it. Strongly recommended and I can't wait for her next book!