THOSE SUMMER NIGHTS

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.