Helpful Score: 2
Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com
How would you like to move from Texas, where an ice storm is a major news story, to a remote island in the Great Lakes that has no cars, but does have store signs that say "Return after the first thaw"? And to find out that the junior class will have a mere six students when the winter break is over?
Ashleigh's parents are recently divorced, and to make a clean start, Ashleigh and her mother have moved to a small island to open a bed and breakfast named Chateau Ashleigh. Their first day in town, Nathalie and her mom come and introduce themselves. Ashleigh immediately has a new friend.
Through Nathalie, Ashleigh explores her new town and meets various kids her own age. Of particular interest is Chase, who works at the local fudge shop. Nathalie warns Ashleigh that Chase is a player, but Ashleigh isn't too worried about that. She's just looking to make some new friends and fit in.
One morning, Ashleigh wakes up to find a strange boy knocking on her bedroom door. In enters Josh, the son of the local handyman. Ashleigh's mom has hired them to help do some general repairs around their new house to get it ready for patrons. Ashleigh is immediately drawn to Josh, and a tentative friendship forms.
However, it turns out that Josh is actually Nathalie's boyfriend. Nathalie, however, never refers to him by name, only as "my boyfriend." Ashleigh finds this odd but respects the boundaries and doesn't pursue Josh. As the story develops, Ashleigh suspects that Chase has romantic interests in Nathalie, Nathalie might not really like Josh, just the idea of a boyfriend, and could Josh possibly be interested in her???
As the winter months on her new island home pass, Ashleigh finds that she likes the quaintness of her new life, and maybe the move might just have been the best thing for her.
I always enjoy Ms. Hawthorne's stories, and this was no exception. I'll admit that I would never want to live on such a cold island during the winter. But Ms. Hawthorne has a way with describing all the charm of the village and almost makes me want to go there, too! Watching the tentative romance develop between Ashleigh and Josh make the story very appealing to all.
How would you like to move from Texas, where an ice storm is a major news story, to a remote island in the Great Lakes that has no cars, but does have store signs that say "Return after the first thaw"? And to find out that the junior class will have a mere six students when the winter break is over?
Ashleigh's parents are recently divorced, and to make a clean start, Ashleigh and her mother have moved to a small island to open a bed and breakfast named Chateau Ashleigh. Their first day in town, Nathalie and her mom come and introduce themselves. Ashleigh immediately has a new friend.
Through Nathalie, Ashleigh explores her new town and meets various kids her own age. Of particular interest is Chase, who works at the local fudge shop. Nathalie warns Ashleigh that Chase is a player, but Ashleigh isn't too worried about that. She's just looking to make some new friends and fit in.
One morning, Ashleigh wakes up to find a strange boy knocking on her bedroom door. In enters Josh, the son of the local handyman. Ashleigh's mom has hired them to help do some general repairs around their new house to get it ready for patrons. Ashleigh is immediately drawn to Josh, and a tentative friendship forms.
However, it turns out that Josh is actually Nathalie's boyfriend. Nathalie, however, never refers to him by name, only as "my boyfriend." Ashleigh finds this odd but respects the boundaries and doesn't pursue Josh. As the story develops, Ashleigh suspects that Chase has romantic interests in Nathalie, Nathalie might not really like Josh, just the idea of a boyfriend, and could Josh possibly be interested in her???
As the winter months on her new island home pass, Ashleigh finds that she likes the quaintness of her new life, and maybe the move might just have been the best thing for her.
I always enjoy Ms. Hawthorne's stories, and this was no exception. I'll admit that I would never want to live on such a cold island during the winter. But Ms. Hawthorne has a way with describing all the charm of the village and almost makes me want to go there, too! Watching the tentative romance develop between Ashleigh and Josh make the story very appealing to all.
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