All Last Summer

Reach for this book when your teenager is grappling with the awkward transition between childhood friendships and the high-stakes world of high school romance. It is perfect for the adolescent who feels like their social circle is shifting beneath their feet and needs a mirror for those confusing, bittersweet feelings of outgrowing a season of life. The story follows a girl navigating one final summer at her family's lake house, dealing with the tension of an old crush and the evolution of her closest bonds. This is a gentle, realistic contemporary romance that explores themes of self-confidence, loyalty, and the fear of being left behind. It is highly appropriate for the 12 to 18 age range, offering a relatable look at the pressure to keep things the same while everything is clearly changing. Parents will appreciate the way it normalizes the internal emotional chaos of the mid-teen years without resorting to excessive angst.