Sunbathing, surfing, eating funnel cake on the boardwalk—Lucy loves living on the Jersey Shore. For her, it’s not just the perfect summer escape, it is home. And as a local girl, she knows not to get attached to the tourists. They breeze in over Memorial Day weekend, crowding the shore and stealing moonlit kisses, only to pack up their beach umbrellas and empty promises on Labor Day. Lucy wants more from love than a fleeting romance, even if that means keeping her distance from her summertime neighbor and crush, Connor.
Then Superstorm Sandy tears apart her barrier island, briefly bringing together a local girl like herself and a vacationer like Connor. Except nothing is the same in the wake of the storm. And day after day, week after week, Lucy is left to pick up the pieces of her broken heart and broken home. Now with Memorial Day approaching and Connor returning, will it be a summer of fresh starts or second chances?
Nominated for a YALSA Teen’s Top Ten Award for 2016.
Doktorski’s intricate plot and intriguing character development smartly weave together revealing post-Sandy communal dynamics alongside the intimate fireworks and trappings of first love for Lucy. A thoughtful tale of forgiveness, growth, and the importance of learning to adapt to changes large and small. —Kirkus
“Doktorski has crafted a rich, multilayered novel with a strong sense of place and a good mix of characters and problems.” –Booklist
“Doktorski has created a multi-dimensional character in Lucy, and placed her in a fully developed novel. Some readers may only notice that Lucy is torn between her romance with Collin and her life-long friendship with Andrew, but more mature readers will see she is grounded in her family and in plans for her future. ” –VOYA
“[A] marvelous novel…I highly recommend it to romance lovers everywhere.” –Teen Reads
“Technically, The Summer After You & Me is a young adult novel and could be considered a beach read. But those labels diminish the book. Jennifer Salvato Doktorski…created a world in which adults can enjoy the thoughtful Lucy, whose house and life were upended by Hurricane Sandy.” –The Star-Ledger
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Published: April 2, 2024