“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 Anna’s best friend, Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every 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 her romance, and it was with Frankie’s older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

TWENTY BOY SUMMER explores what it truly means to love someone, what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every beautiful moment life has to offer.

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Reviews

“The perfect beach read for teens who enjoyed a good cry over Gayle Forman’s If I Stay (2009) or Jenny Downham’s Before I Die (2007).” — Kirkus

“Anna’s authentic voice and some lyrical writing will satisfy fans of Sarah Dessen, while the mix of romance, drama, and tragedy will be a draw for teen readers of Nicholas Sparks and Jodi Picoult.” — Booklist

“Readers will be quickly drawn in… Ockler’s debut is often poetic and the girls’ friendship authentic, making for a poignant summer read.” — Publishers Weekly

“Ockler deftly combines the sadness of the situation and her characters with humor and lightness… This humor along with several sweet and sensitively written love scenes will surely make this intelligent, heartfelt novel a favorite of many older middle school and high school girls.” — VOYA

“…a sincere reflection of first loves, broken hearts, and summer flings.” — The Horn Book

“This is smoothly written and romantic as all get out… sad longings and bittersweet new possibilities, with a beautiful ocean background and a beautiful guy and the strong suggestion of swelling strings on the soundtrack; it’ll be ideal for readers looking for romance salted with a bit of tears as well as a bit of sea air.” — The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (BCCB)

“Often funny, this is a thoughtful, multilayered story about friendship, loss, and moving on.” — School Library Journal

“Ockler’s strong debut has a plot predicated around a tragedy, but the story rises above gloom and doom and is just a lovely, heartfelt novel.” — Romantic Times

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