I See London, I See France

Gr 10 Up—A monthlong trek across Europe with your BFF sounds like the perfect way to spend your first summer after freshman year of college. Sydney wants to take the perfect selfie and scope out attractive guys, but she also hopes the trip will help newly single Leela get over her cheating ex. Although leaving her mother, who has agoraphobia, in the hands of her younger sister weighs heavily on Sydney's mind, she is determined to make this the trip of a lifetime. The girls' romp hits a roadblock when Leela's ex, Matt, shows up. Sydney tries to support her friend, but it's kind of hard to focus with Matt's hot friend Jackson around. While Leela and Matt heat up and then cool off again, Sydney and Jackson find themselves falling hard for each other. Sydney's physical journey across Europe mirrors a personal one in which she must weigh her role as a friend against her own happiness. Mlynowski weaves an adventure suited to older readers: in Amsterdam, Sydney and her friends explore marijuana bars and even a candidly described sex show. Peppered with fresh, funny dialogue, this is an upbeat country-hopping trek. Sydney's struggle to balance new and old friends, romance, and family obligations will resonate with teens. Fans of E. Lockhart's "Ruby Oliver" series will enjoy graduating to this more mature option.