Those Summer Nights

June 1, 2022
Seventeen-year-old Hannah Klein rebuilds her life one year after a heartbreaking and reckless summer. Since she was little, Hannah has cherished a dream of following her beloved grandmother to Olympic glory. When, in rapid succession, her Bubbie succumbed to cancer and her soccer ambitions were snatched from her by a serious ankle injury, she spun out of control. Now, nearly a year later, she's still struggling to rediscover her center. Hannah's journey to a new normal is accompanied by the energetic staff at Bonanza, the local entertainment multiplex where she swings a summer job. There's her brother, Joey; Patrick Cho, a distractingly handsome bad boy; Daisey Liu, a cool and collected young mom; and Brie Bradley, her former best friend and teammate. And, of course, there's Ethan Alderman, Joey's best friend, who Hannah can't help but notice has grown very cute. The wealth of characters keeps the action moving even when the story stumbles: Frequent flashbacks interrupt the narrative to provide details of the previous summer, and substance abuse is touched upon but not deeply explored, with Hannah's struggles being characterized as bad coping mechanisms more than debilitating addictions. Hannah and Ethan are both White and Jewish; their conversations are sprinkled with Yiddish words, and their lives include shared experiences and traditions. The supporting cast is broadly diverse. A sweet, romantic summer tale with well-integrated representation. (Fiction. 13-17)

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June 27, 2022
After 17-year-old white and Jewish Hannah Klein returns home from a rehabilitative boarding school for substance dependency, she’s eager to put her pain—caused by a catastrophic ankle injury that ended her Olympic soccer future, a massive blowout with childhood best friend Brie Bradley, and her beloved Bubbie’s death—behind her. A summer job working with friends new and old at entertainment multiplex Bonanza is the perfect distraction. She spends her shifts tiptoeing around Brie; hanging out with her younger brother, Joey; and flirting with charming Patrick Cho and Joey’s extremely hot best friend Ethan Alderman. But when planning Bonanza Olympics—a tournament that includes mini golf, bowling, and laser tag competitions—dredges up her shattered Olympian dreams and broken relationships, Hannah struggles between moving forward and staying stuck in everything she’s worked tirelessly to overcome. Alternating past and present timelines occasionally muddle narrative focus, and Hannah’s substance dependency is only briefly explored, but a biting first-person narration that never turns cynical lends itself well to the novel’s hopeful atmosphere. Silverman (Recommended for You) thoughtfully depicts complex, racially diverse characters and solidly establishes intricate interpersonal relationships, which together elevate this summery romance. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret.

August 1, 2022

Gr 8 Up-After the catastrophic events of her bubbie's death and a soccer-career-ending injury, Hannah Klein went on a downward spiral that ended with her being sent to a boarding school for troubled teens. Now she's back home for the summer, determined to stick to a plan that will prevent her from returning to that school and help her figure out life without soccer. The first step is getting a job; lucky for Hannah, her brother Joey works at the local entertainment multiplex, Bonanza, and recommends her for a position there. Hannah just wants to do the mindless tasks required of her, but she soon gets drawn into the unique atmosphere of Bonanza thanks to a friendly group of coworkers, including her brother's best friend Ethan. As Hannah rebuilds old relationships, develops new ones, and tests out new hobbies, she begins to realize that a life without soccer might not be so unimaginable, or so devastating, after all. The present-day story is interspersed with flashbacks to the previous summer to provide context for Hannah's current situation. Substance abuse is touched on, though not explored deeply, throughout the story. The well-developed workplace setting and the vibrant personalities of the diverse cast of supporting characters are the perfect complement to the sweet summer romance between Hannah and Ethan, who are both Jewish. VERDICT Readers who have enjoyed other summer romances featuring unusual jobs, like Maurene Goo's The Way You Make Me Feel, Jennifer Dugan's Hot Dog Girl, and Morgan Matson's The Unexpected Everything, will find this one to be similarly engaging.-Alison Glass

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