Teenburgh Book Lists: Teen Summer Romances

Lara's had eyes for exactly one person throughout her three years of high school: Chase Harding. He's tall, strong, sweet, a football star, and frankly, stupid hot. Oh, and he's talking to her now. On purpose and everything. Maybe...flirting, even? No, wait, he's definitely flirting, which is pretty much the sum of everything Lara's wanted out of life. Except she's haunted by a memory. A memory of a confusing, romantic, strangely perfect summer spent with a girl named Jasmine. Lara has everything she ever wanted. But if she's finally got the guy, why can't she stop thinking about the girl?

Inspired by Jane Austen's Persuasion, Where the Rhythm Takes You is a romantic, mesmerizing novel of first love and second chances. Seventeen-year-old Reyna has spent most of her life at the Plumeria, her family's gorgeous seaside resort in Tobago. It's been two years since Aiden--her childhood best friend, first kiss, first love, first everything--left the island to pursue his music dreams. And that's when Aiden comes roaring back into her life--as a VIP guest at the resort. While Reyna has stayed exactly where he left her, Aiden has returned to Tobago with his Grammy-nominated band and two gorgeous LA socialites. And he may (or may not be) dating one of them...

Elouise (Lou) Parker is determined to have the absolute best summer of her life. There are just a few things standing in her way- 1. She's landed a job at Magic Castle Playland... as a giant dancing hot dog. 2. Her crush, the dreamy Diving Pirate Nick, already has a girlfriend, who is literally the Princess of the park. 3. Her best friend, Seeley, the carousel operator, who's always been up for anything, suddenly isn't when it comes to Lou's quest to set her up with the perfect girl or Lou's scheme to get close to Nick. 4. And it turns out that this will be their last summer at Magic Castle Playland ever. Jennifer Dugan's sparkling debut coming-of-age queer romance stars a princess, a pirate, a hot dog, and a carousel operator who find love-and themselves-in unexpected people and unforgettable places.

If Bao Nguyen had to describe himself, he'd say he was a rock. Steady and strong, but not particularly interesting. He works at his parents' pho restaurant, and even there, he is his parents' fifth favorite employee. If Linh Mai had to describe herself, she'd say she was a firecracker. Stable when unlit, but full of potential for joy and fire. The only problem? Her parents rely on her in ways they're not willing to admit, including working practically full-time at her family's pho restaurant. A chance encounter brings Linh and Bao in the same vicinity despite their best efforts and sparks fly, leading them both to wonder what took so long for them to connect. Can Linh and Bao find love in the midst of feuding families and complicated histories?

For Lila Reyes, a summer in England was never part of the plan. But then the Trifecta happened, and everything--including Lila herself--fell apart. Worried about Lila's mental health, her parents make a new plan for her: Spend three months with family friends in Winchester, England. A dream trip for some feels more like a nightmare to Lila... until she meets Orion Maxwell. Orion is determined to help Lila out of her funk, and appoints himself as her personal tour guide. It isn't long before Lila is not only charmed by Orion, but England itself. Soon a new future is beginning to form in Lila's mind--one that would mean leaving everything she ever planned behind.

Sixteen-year-old Randy Kapplehoff loves spending the summer at Camp Outland, a camp for queer teens. It's where he met his best friends. It's where he takes to the stage in the big musical. And it's where he fell for Hudson Aaronson-Lim -- who's only into straight-acting guys and barely knows not-at-all-straight-acting Randy even exists. This year, however, it's going to be different. Randy has reinvented himself as 'Del' -- buff, masculine, and on the market. But as he and Hudson grow closer, Randy has to ask himself: How much is he willing to change for love? And is it really love anyway, if Hudson doesn't know who he truly is?

Quinn Berkowitz and Tarek Mansour's families have been in business together for years: Quinn's parents are wedding planners, and Tarek's own a catering company. At the end of last summer, Quinn confessed her crush on him in the form of a rambling email--and then he left for college without a response. When he shows up at the first wedding of the summer, looking cuter than ever after a year apart, they clash immediately. Quinn can't deny her feelings for him are still there, especially after she learns the truth about his silence, opens up about her own fears, and begins learning the art of harp-making from an enigmatic teacher. Maybe love isn't the enemy after all--and maybe allowing herself to fall is the most honest thing Quinn's ever done.

Abby Ives has always been content playing the sidekick in other people's lives. While her friends and sister have plunged headfirst into the world of dating and romances, Abby's been happy to focus on her plus-size style blog and her dreams of taking the fashion industry by storm. When she lands a great internship at her favorite boutique, she's thrilled to take the first step toward her dream career. Then she falls for her fellow intern, Jordi Perez. Hard. Just as Abby starts to feel like she's no longer the sidekick in her own life, Jordi's photography surprisingly puts her in the spotlight. Instead of feeling like she's landed a starring role, Abby feels betrayed. Can Abby find a way to reconcile her positive yet private sense of self with the image others have of her?

When Meredith Fox lost her sister, Claire, eighteen months ago, she shut everyone out. The annual family vacation to Martha's Vineyard seems like the perfect place to reconnect. Her entire extended family is gathering for a big summer wedding, and she's excited to participate in the traditional Fox family game of assassin that will take place during the week of wedding festivities. Claire always loved the game, and Meredith is determined to honor her legacy.Meredith tries to focus on the game and win it for her sister, but she can't help falling for him. And as the week progresses, she realizes she's not only at risk of losing the game, but also her heart.

Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn't in the mood for Italy's famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She's only there because it was her mother's dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn't around for sixteen years? All Lina wants to do is get back home. But then Lina is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy. Suddenly Lina's uncovering a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries. It's a secret that will change everything she knew about her mother, her father--and even herself. People come to Italy for love and gelato, someone tells her, but sometimes they discover much more.

Avery has always used music as an escape. But after her best friend betrays her, even her perfectly curated playlists can't help her forget what happened. To make matters worse, her parents have dragged her and her social-media-obsessed sister to a remote family camp for two months of "fun." Just when Avery is ready to give up on the summer altogether, she meets Brooks. As the outside world falls away, Avery embarks on a journey of self-discovery. And when Brooks offers her the chance of a lifetime, she must figure out how far is she willing to go to find out what she wants and who she wants to be.

Adulting is hard. Just ask Wes Hudson. An avid comic book geek, Wes excels at two things: slacking off and pining after his best friend, Nico. Advice from his friends, '90s alt-rock songs, and online dating articles aren't helping much with his secret crush. And his dream job at Once Upon a Page, the local indie bookstore, is threatened when a coffee shop franchise wants to buy the property. To top it off, his family won't stop pestering him about picking a college major. When all three problems converge, Wes must face the one thing he's been avoiding -- adulthood.